Why does punch paste create new clip?

[pato]

I recently upgraded to v3.7.3. I’ve used the “punch copy/ paste” and “punch paste” effects successfully for a long time with various Audacity versions. But now, when I apply punch paste to a section at the start of a clip it creates a split at the end of that section; similarly, when I apply punch paste to a section at the end of a clip it creates a split at the start of that section. This hasn’t happened before and I don’t want it to, since it creates extra work to join the newly-split clips with the rest of the existing clip. Note that when I apply punch paste to a section in the interior of a clip it doesn’t create splits at the start or end of that section.

Why is punch paste creating splits for sections at the start or end of an existing clip, and how can I stop it from doing so?

[emmarose55]

It seems like a new behavior in Audacity 3.7.3. Try these steps:

1. Check your selection boundaries to ensure you’re not selecting part of the clip’s start or end.
2. Disable “Snap To” in preferences (Edit > Preferences > Tracks > Snap To).
3. Adjust track automation settings, as they may cause unexpected splits.
4. As a workaround, use Ctrl+J to join clips after the split happens.

If this continues, consider rolling back to an earlier Audacity version.

[pato]

Please clarify.

1. At the start of the clip, why would selecting a section for applying punch paste that includes the clip’s start boundary yield boundaries at both the start and end of the selected section (the initial boundary at the start of the section and a new boundary at its end). ? Likewise, at the end of the clip, why would selecting a section for applying punch paste that includes the clip’s end boundary yield boundaries at both the start and end of the selected section (the initial boundary at the end of the section and a new boundary at its start)?
2. How would “snap to” affect things on this issue?
3. I understand Ctrl+J and have used it to rejoin the newly split clips.