green arrow selection

Audacity Help Forum macOS
1

I am using Audacity 2.0.2 on a Mac running Sierra 10.12.3. Installed through a downloaded .dmg. I use to be able to click on the green arrow in the timeline and drag it to where ever I want. Now when I try doing this, I get a double-headed arrow line that grows or contracts as I drag. The green arrow use to always be in the timeline. Now it only shows if I click on the timeline and it immediately starts playing. I do not want this. I want to be able to click in the timeline and the green arrow appears (or is already there as it use to be) and then I can drag it to where ever I want to. Instead it just starts playing immediately from the spot I click and if I try clicking on the arrow to drag it, I just get the double-headed gray arrow. What needs to be done in order to get this to work the way I’ve described, because like I said… I use to be able to do this! I think I accidentally clicked something that made Audacity convert to this mode, and I cannot get out of it.

Dan

2

Are you sure? That’s a very old version. The current version is 2.1.2 and is available here: http://www.audacityteam.org/download/
Please check which version you have by looking in “Audacity > About Audacity” and update if necessary.

3

I don’t think it’s ever worked like that in Audacity. Perhaps you are thinking of some other application.
The Timeline and associated features are described in the manual here: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/timeline.html

4

It did work that way. I could “scrub” the timeline in much the same way I can in Flash or AfterEffects. Now I am unable to. And yes, it is the older version. I installed the new version and could not do it in the new version either.

5

See here for scrubbing in Audacity 2.1.2: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/scrubbing_and_seeking.html

6

But note that the Scrubbing interface for the upcoming 2.1.3 release changes considerably. You will find when you get 2.1.3 that there is an additional gray bar under the Timeline - the is is the Scrub Bar and Scrubbing and Seeking can be effected by dragging the green widget in the Scrub Bar.

Note that users who do not want or need the Scrub Bar can easily dismiss it and hide it.

For a preview of how it will work in 2.1.3 see this page in the alpha Manual for 2.1.3: http://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Scrubbing_and_Seeking

WC

7

Is there a release date for 2.1.3?

8

Currently we are planning to Release it somtime in March - probably the latter half of March.

WC

9

Thanks. Will keep an eye open for it.