4.27pre17 - October 10 2012

[jnif]

Originally Posted by airon

The first problem comes when people want to adjust that pre and postroll graphically right there with the track ruler indicators. The user will change context and it thus it won't work, since those indicators won't and shouldn't show up in the normal arrangement context.

This context change issue should be tackled before it is too late. It is a fundamental problem and currently it is impairing UX significantly.
My pre/post-roll indicator proposal was not meant to solve this issue. The context change issue is more general problme which should be addressed separately.

Most of the other DAWs have a waveform view integrated into the crossfade editor. Those designs don't have context change problems. There are some advantages in Reaper's current design, but the context change problmes need to be solved somehow. It is a difficult problem to solve. Maybe other DAWs have integrated the waveform view to editor window just to prevent those context change issues.

The context change issues in current Reaper design are following:
1. Auditioning shortcuts (and other shortcuts that should be added to crossfade editor window) don't work when window focus is changed to arrange view. This happens every time user adjust crossfade directly in arrange view, not using crossfade editor controls. This can be considered as a "half context change" because the crossfade is still active for editing. I.e. crossfade waveform colors are shown and control fields are active in crossfade editor window.

2. Selecting/unselecting items will stop crossfade editing completely. This is a "full context change". It can happen accidentally for example when user is editing crossfades and just clicks on items.

3. Crossfade editor is disabled if user separates the crossfaded items by moving the item edges. This is not a big problem on its own because crossfade editor is activated again when user moves item edges back so that items overlap. However, because the items were temporarily not crossfaded, the item edge editing behaviour changes (i.e. an unpredictable context change). This will mess up the edges of other item(s).


Any ideas how those issues could be solved?

Maybe there should be some kind of separate crossfade/fade editing mode in arrange view. It should be very clearly indicated to user when this crossfade/fade editing mode is active. Some normal arrange view operations would not be available or would behave differently when crossfade editing mode is active. And there should be an easy way to enable/disable this crossfade/fade editing mode.

jnif

[airon]

I have two ideas for solving the context problem.

1. A lock status for the crossfade editor, in which the only thing that can change what the crossfade editor is working on, is the classic double-click on another crossfade.
   
   Everything else would not change a thing, though the auditioning context would still be a problem. People can disengage this lock status, and its state is persistent.
   
   This may be the solution that easiest to implement, but won't solve all the problems.
   
   
2. The current approach is scratched.
   
   A simplistic one or two-lane waveform overview would be added to the crossfade editors window, preferably above the current crossfade window contents.
   
   That one- or two-lane view, lets the user use all the track-mouse-modifier contexts. Only the play commands are changed to accomodate the auditioning process.
   
   This too has a lock status to prevent the user from accidentally messing up the crossfade editor contents when clicking around outside the crossfade editor.
   
   Cons
   It adds complexity and size to the view.
   A TCP-less track view needs to be utilized. This might require very little or too many resources to implement for a new view. But if done, the track could be solo'ed, and lanes muted(fade in , fade out) with the standard SHIFT+S and SHIFT+M default shortcuts for example. If it's possible.
   
   
   Pros.
   It solves the current primary problems.
   
   
   • The view is always centered on the crossfade, since the editor provides its own view. Reapers arrangement doesn't have to scrolled in to the correct position, nor does the window have to be moved to accomodate the arrangement, since the arrangement is not being used.
     
     
   • The user never needs to leave the crossfade editor context.