Cut and Paste Problems - RESOLVED

[DHuitema]

OK.... I'm a newbie....

Why can't I delete two seconds out of an original track? Instead of my selected 2 seconds, I remove 10 seconds. ......repeatedly (Command + Z consistently restored the track, thank goodness!). Attempting to delete only 1/4 second had the same result. Restarting didn't help. Same experience with Stereo, Left and Mono tracks. Using Command + K, Command + C, Delete Key and the Cut Button all had the same result.

The files were recorded on one Mac and (all, including the data and aup files) were burned to a CD which is in this Mac. Both are running OS 10.4.

I initially was able to paste cuts to a new Project, but after one or two cuts.... no more! The pastes appear to be partially made because a gray bar of the right length appears above the timeline in the new Project as it should, but no waveform or audio is present.

Apparently having two Project windows open at the same time is a no-no..... although that seems like an entirely reasonable way of converting an original recording to an edited one, especially if there are two or more original recordings involved.

Did pasting the two cuts cause the delete problem? Did moving the files on CD cause it? If not, what might it be?

Thanks!!

Dick

[kozikowski]

I got stuck with that once. There is a setting at the bottom of the 1.3 work window called Snap To. You need to turn that off--or make it be all zeros. Mine got stuck in one minute jumps.

I'll deal with the other questions when I get back.

Koz

[DHuitema]

Koz:

Thanks for the great thought.... Unfortunatley, that wasn't it.... The box has not been clicked.

Since I first posted, I tried using AIFF and WAV files instead of the AUP files I was using. That did the trick!

I'm one of those more folks that thought using the application's native files would be least error prone...... If AUP files (and their associated DATA files) aren't intended for editing, what are they for?

Oh well, live and learn. The AIFF and WAV files worked just the way I expected, except:

The keyboard shortcuts for Zoom In and Zoom Out (Command + 1 and Command + 3) don't work; I don't think I tried Command + 2, so I don't know if it works.

Keep up the good work!! And thanks for being there!

Dick

[kozikowski]

I rarely use the Zoom In and Zoom out tools. I usually select some segment of the show by dragging and then Apple-E to zoom into the selection. Apple-F is zoom full.

You might have a damaged preferences file. Can you find audacity.cfg? Close Audacity and dig down and drag that file to the trash. Restart Audacity and it should ask you "English?" at the open. If it doesn't ask you that, you didn't get the right preferences file. There are sometimes more than one.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Forget Audacity Projects. Unless you're working on a multi-channel, insanely complicated show, you don't need them and they more than likely get in the way.

Projects Don't Move. Once you Save A Project, it's more or less stuck on the machine that made it. Further, all the components, segments, and clips you used in the project are stuck, too. You can't move, delete, or rename anything. Projects may be fast and versatile, but they're also brittle, complicated, and very easily damaged.

The two opposite tools in Audacity are Open and Export. Not Open and Save.

Koz

[DHuitema]

Koz:

Thanks, once again!!

I trashed audacity.cfg, and that fixed Zoom in and out (Apple-1 and Apple-2), but I wasn't asked about "English" or anything else. Not to worry, everything else seems OK.

I'm intrigued that I have not seen anything about Apple-E or -F in all the reading I've done. I guess it only goes to show that there's always more to learn! Thanks!

I will never again try to "use" an .aup (Program) file. It's WAV or AIFF, from now on! Once again, I am surprised I haven't seen this recommendation elsewhere! What would we do without you!

Cheers!

Dick

[kozikowski]

<<<I'm intrigued that I have not seen anything about Apple-E or -F in all the reading I've done. >>>

I am, too. Now I get to figure out how I knew about them.

I will confess to a head start. I use Cool Edit 2000 on my PCs and when I edit, you can't see my fingers move. I knew these tools probably existed in Audacity, so I already had a direction to go.

Audacity > Preferences > Keyboard >

CMD + F -- Fit To Window
CMD + E -- Zoom To sElection

If you didn't already know whey were there, you'd never find them.

Koz

[DHuitema]

Koz:

Thanks! I'd seen the Preferences > Keyboard list before, but hadn't noticed these commands.

I've found the Audacity 1.2.6. Help file useful in answering most questions about commands, but I can't find the Keys used with the Multi-Tool Mode. Can you point me somewhere that lists and explains them?

Is there a way on this forum to indicate that a topic has been resolved?

(These are way off the original topic, so I won't ask any more questions here.)

Dick

[kozikowski]

<<<I can't find the Keys used with the Multi-Tool Mode. Can you point me somewhere that lists and explains them? >>>

No. Maybe someone else will pop in and help.

<<<Is there a way on this forum to indicate that a topic has been resolved?>>>

Not a formal way, no. It usually peters out by itself when somebody posts and says the problem has been fixed. We live for those posts.

Koz

[DHuitema]

Koz:

Then, knock your socks off!

This one is done, thanks to you!

All the best.....

........Dick