[NEWBIE] Can't merge or join clips

[jabrams235]

I have pasted the instructions for “Merging or joining clips” from the online manual for version 2.1.0 below. When I highlight the clips by clicking and dragging my mouse across two adjacent clips, there is no “Edit->Join” function – there is, however, an Edit->Clip Boundaries->Join function, but when I click on it after I have highlighted a region nothing happens. When I click on the “split line” between the two adjacent tracks, the bottom of the two tracks is selected.

1. What do I need to do to merge or join two adjacent tracks?
2. Is there any way to quickly forward to the first clip in a track? (I am creating tracks that have only one or two clips in them that I want to listen to repeatedly - sometimes they may be 20 minutes or an hour into a 2-hour recording).

Instructions
Unlike cursor points or selection regions, split lines representing boundaries between clips persist in the waveform of the track until the clips are merged or joined back into one clip.
An adjacent pair of clips may be “merged” into one clip by clicking on the split line to remove it. You can perform a similar “join” action without a mouse by selecting across one or more split lines then using Edit > Join to remove the split lines so as to make one clip.

Thanks,
Jonathan Abrams

[themickster]

I join clips within the same track by clicking on the track to select it and using Tracks / Mix and render.

The same command will merge tracks. Select one, use the arrow keys to move the yellow outline up or down and press Return or Enter to add to the selection.

Have fun.

[Gale_Andrews]

@jabrams235

I have pasted the instructions for “Merging or joining clips” from the online manual for version 2.1.0 below. When I highlight the clips by clicking and dragging my mouse across two adjacent clips, there is no “Edit->Join” function – there is, however, an Edit->Clip Boundaries->Join function

Thanks. I have fixed that in our source documents so it will be fixed in the Manual for the next release of Audacity.

@jabrams235

but when I click on it after I have highlighted a region nothing happens.

Either there is a bug in 2.1.0 or you don’t actually have a split line. I would get the current Audacity 2.1.2 from us at http://audacityteam.org/download/windows.

@jabrams235

1. What do I need to do to merge or join two adjacent tracks?

See themickster’s answer if you mean tracks on top of each other. Tracks cannot be horizontally adjacent, only clips can be.

@jabrams235

2. Is there any way to quickly forward to the first clip in a track?

Label the clips. If the label track does not have the yellow focus border, DOWN arrow into the label track. Then TAB to navigate the labels forwards or SHIFT + TAB to navigate them backwards.


Gale