Focus vs. Selection

I am trying to get a better understanding on the difference between a focused track and a track selection.

I noticed in the alpha manual here: https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Extra_Menu:_Focus#toggle_focused_track
that you have updated the definition of “Toggle Focused Track” to “Toggle selectedness of the track that has focus.”

I would like to suggest making the same change on this page: https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Keyboard_Shortcut_Reference

It always used to fox me - and that’s why I added this section on Focus versus Selection to the Selection page in the Manual
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/audacity_selection.html#focus
The front page has a direct link to that section under “Track focus”

Personally, I never use track focus - and have never seen a need for it, for me selection is the important issue when I’m working with tracks …

Peter.

It’s very important for VI users as it is the only way to navigate to a specific track when using a screen reader.

Yes I know that - but for most sighted users Focus is an irrelevance - and can be confusing (confused me for years till Gale carefully explained it to me).

I would prefer it if Focus was something that users who need or want it can turn it on in preferences, with it being off by default.

Peter

Done.

But this will not be in the 3.0.0 unless we need to make a fresh Release Candidate, RC007, if we discover a P1 blocking bug in the next week before scheduled release of 3.0.0.

Peter.

I agree that it has less relevance, but it is still relevant for anyone working on projects with more than one track. It appears to be largely irrelevant because for mouse users the focussed track is implicit.

  • if you click on a solo button or a mute button, you are changing the solo / mute status of “one” track, but it is irrelevant whether that track is selected or not.
  • If you press the context menu key, the context menu for one track opens, and it is irrelevant whether that track is selected or not.
  • If you press “Enter”, the selection of one track will toggle on/off.

What do we call the “one” track that is being acted on? You could call it the “active” track, or the “current” track. The Audacity documentation calls it the “focused” track.