Scrolling left of zero?

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Win7 and v2.3.0

I have scrolling left of zero off in preferences but when using the time shift tool can still move tracks off the left border at zero.

Only clue this has happened is seeing the arrows on the track at edge indicating it’s past the zero start. Is this normal?

Was hoping that setting locked the track so editing parts in the track couldn’t push the beginning off the edge w/o knowing it.

Thanks!

2

Yes.

arrows.gif

3

That’s it but my question I guess is what does the “scrolling left of zero” off setting do?

4

Are you referring to the setting in “Preferences > Tracks > Tracks Behaviors”? (https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tracks_behaviors_preferences.html)

If so, then it does what it says on the tin: It allows you to scroll left of zero (I don’t use this option myself, and see little benefit in this feature, but it’s there if you want it)

sbz.gif

5

I think I get it. With the preference setting off, you can’t scroll left past zero with the drag bar BUT you can still go left past zero with the TIME SHIFT TOOL!.. Oh well… :slight_smile:

6

I think its a bit dumb too


But it gets worse …

a) You can’t select any audio left of zero using the normal click&drag even when zoomed/scrolled to make the left of zero visible. This makes it impossible to say delete or operated on just the audio left of zero.

b) Using File > Export > Export Audio will result in only the audio right of zero being exported

c) You can use Select All or click in the track’s Track Control Panel to select the whole track including the bit before zero
You can then operate on the whole track including the before zero bit

d) after c) using File > Export > Export Selected Audio will result in the whole track being exported including the before zero bit

e) now turn off "Allow scrolling left of zero
Select All
File > Export > Export Selected Audio
All the audio is exported including the invisible before zero bit
Or use an effect, Amplify say, and it opeates on the whole audio includind the before zero bit.

So some somewhat inconsistent behaviors - and like Steve I don’t see the point of the before zero stuff

WC