Audacity Forum

Mac Audacity 1.3.5b.

I'm editing a stereo show on a 1.83 GHz Intel Duo-Core Mac Mini, no slouch for speed. It's my TV Set and it will edit video if I need. One fifth of the internal hard drive is free.

There is a beat delay between the time I select a point on the timeline and the time that the focus of Audacity goes there. This is crazy-making because when I'm searching through a half-hour show for a cue point, I can't go fast. Can't be done.

Mouse click a point. SpaceBar play [nope, that's not it] SpaceBar Stop. Mouse click new point. Repeat until success. Note that's only two button clicks, so I should be able to search a clip as fast as my fingers can go.

What actually happens is I get the old click point, not the new one because Audacity takes time to change the selection point. It catches me every time.

One of the design centers for Audacity was speed. That's the reason for Audacity Projects, etc. So what's Audacity thinking about when I click a new point on the timeline, and how do I make it snappier?

Koz

kozikowski wrote:Mouse click a point. SpaceBar play [nope, that's not it] SpaceBar Stop. Mouse click new point. Repeat until success.

Are you clicking on the time-line or the track?
If you click on the time line, play should begin without pressing the spacebar.

An alternative method:
1) Select the edit region on the track
2) Position the cursor (don't click) to the right of the start of the selection (but less than half way through the selection)
3) Press the "B" key - play will start at the beginning of the selected area up to the cursor position.

To adjust the left edge of the selected region, either;
a) Move the cursor close to the edge 'till the cursor changes to an arrow, then click and drag.
b) If precise mouse control is not your strong point, hold the shift key down, get the cursor somewhere near the edge that you want to move, then click and drag (while holding the shift key down).

There are several variations of the "B" key method which can be useful in different situations - basically, play will happen between the cursor and the closest edge of the selected region. Play with it to get used to the variations.

I'm using Linux on a Pentium III 500MHz (ancient) and Audacity will keep up with my manic clicking using this method.

<<<If you click on the time line, play should begin without pressing the spacebar.>>>

Oh, yes. I forgot Audacity 1.3 does that. Of course, none of this would be necessary if we could scrub.

Koz