[SOLVED] Wave Color Keyboard Shortcut

[sagetyrtle]

I'd love to have the ability to assign a keyboard shortcut to Wave Color. Ideally I'd be have one for:

instrument 1
instrument 2
instrument 3
instrument 4

[steve]

Create a Macro to set the colour (https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/macros.html)
then assign a keyboard shortcut to run the Macro (https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/key ... ences.html)

[sagetyrtle]

Oh, fantastic! I didn't realize this was a possibility. Thanks, Steve.

[sagetyrtle]

Hmm, I'm stymied. Here's what I've done so far (Audacity 2.2.1):

File | Chains | Edit Chains | Add | Insert

This window pops up:
https://imgur.com/Pey9qxe

But none of these commands are Track Menu or Wave Color or Instrument 1. I'm not sure what my next step should be. Any suggestions?

[steve]

Here's the Scripting reference documentation in the Audacity manual: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/scr ... rence.html
If you search that page for "color" (American spelling), you will find the command: "Set Track Visuals..."

[sagetyrtle]

Hi Steve - I'm still floundering. I found the command Set Track Visuals, but I'm not able to see the connection between:

File | Chains | Edit Chains | Add | Insert

And "SetTrackVisuals" or "enum Color".

Basically I've got the cake ingredients and I can see the cake all ready to eat, but the in-between part is escaping me...

[steve]

You can select one of the 4 preset colours:

track-colour.png (40.82 KiB) Viewed 756 times

[sagetyrtle]

I know the answer must be obvious, I really am trying to understand.

Once I've gotten to:

File | Chains | Edit Chains | Add | Insert

What is the very next step?

[steve]

File | Chains | Edit Chains | Add | Insert

Your version of Audacity is too old. You need Audacity 2.3.2. You can get it via the Audacity website: https://www.audacityteam.org/download/

In Audacity 2.3.2, the old "Chains" feature has been renamed "Macros", and Macros can do a lot of things that Chains couldn't.
How to use Macros: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/macros.html

[sagetyrtle]

Aha! Thanks, Steve. That was the missing piece. For anyone else who comes across this post, here's the step-by-step:

Audacity 2.3.2

CREATE MACRO:

Tools | Macros | New
enter name of macro [for example: red]
with name selected, click Insert
under Choose Command, choose Set Track Visuals
upper right hand corner, click Edit Parameters
third box down: Color - check the box, choose your color [I chose 1, for red]

SET KEYBOARD SHORTCUT:

Edit | Preferences | Keyboard
Key bindings: Tree
scroll down to Apply Macro
choose your new macro name
set keyboard shortcut, click Set, then OK

You should be all set.