playback position start, to move with playback somehow?

Audacity 2.0.5
OS X 10.7.5

Just posted this question, seems to have disappeared (I did forget to put the above version numbers though).

Is it possible to have the playback position start indicator (the vertical black line) move with playback? So that when you start then stop, then start again, the second start is where the stop got to, rather than starting from the first start? So I really want the playback position to move as playback progresses rather than sticking in the same position. The fact it sticks in the same position is really causing me problems.

Thanks.

Use the X key shortcut (the command Transport>Play/Stop and set cursor)

In earlier versions of Audacity this shortcut was the far more awkward Shift+A

We changed it for 2.1.3 to make it easier to use.

WC

Hello WC, thanks very much for your reply, but it’s not working / I don’t understand. When do I press X? It doesn’t seem to make any difference. … Oh, it is shift A, that does it. So that’s what I need to do instead of stopping normally. Is there anyway to change the behaviour for good, permanently so that when I stop it that’s the behaviour I get? That would be really good. Thanks.

If it’s Shift-A that’s working for you then you don’t have the latest version of Audacity.

I’ve long wanted Stop to leave the playhead where it is rather than returning to the previous start position (just like a tape deck or VCR does) - but the consensus was to retain the existing behaviour. And I have to admit that sometimes I find the return to previous play start position quite useful.

I did write a Proposal for an additional “Stop here” button a couple of years ago:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Proposal_Stop_“Here”
But I think that is unlikely to happen as there is a desire not to overclutter the Transport toolbar.

I think that now I would prefer to have the single stop button but have some method of changing its behaviour so the user can choose the existing mode, or for it to “stop here”.

One of the senior developers is interested in multi-buttons which could be a route to providing this:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Proposal_MultiButtons
but he’s busy doing a lot of other stuff at the moment - so don’t hold your breath …

But I have just written to him about it

WC

If you use Scrubbing in 2.1.3, the default is to set the editing cursor where you stop.


Gale