? Move label when track above has audio cut out or copied in

[Reto]

Hi,

Is there a preference or a version of Audacity -- perhaps an earlier 1.3 version -- that will move a label in a label track, when one does the following in the audio track right above it:

1) inserts new audio before the label -- ideally causing the label to move forward in time by the amount of audio inserted (and all other "downstream" labels as well)
2) deletes audio before the label -- ideally causing the label to move backward (in time) by the amount of audio deleted
3) replace audio -- again causing the necessary time adjustment with the labels downstream of the audio.

I know there was a complex issue here with groups of label tracks, however I just need the most basic functionality mentioned above. Related question: can I safely switch back from Audacity 1.3.11 to an earlier version of Audacity that may have supported the above functionality -- i.e. using two versions of Audacity 1.3.x to operate on the same audacity project(s)?

Thanks a lot, Much Appreciated
Reto

[Gale Andrews]

Is there a preference or a version of Audacity -- perhaps an earlier 1.3 version -- that will move a label in a label track, when one does the following in the audio track right above it:

1) inserts new audio before the label -- ideally causing the label to move forward in time by the amount of audio inserted (and all other "downstream" labels as well)
2) deletes audio before the label -- ideally causing the label to move backward (in time) by the amount of audio deleted
3) replace audio -- again causing the necessary time adjustment with the labels downstream of the audio.

I know there was a complex issue here with groups of label tracks, however I just need the most basic functionality mentioned above. Related question: can I safely switch back from Audacity 1.3.11 to an earlier version of Audacity that may have supported the above functionality -- i.e. using two versions of Audacity 1.3.x to operate on the same audacity project(s)?

I wouldn't recommend going back to the last implementation of label linking (1.3.9). That implementation has bugs and 1.3.9 itself has several major bugs that have now been removed. If you use the *current* 1.3.12 Beta, labels will move backwards if you select in the label track as well as in the audio track. So 2) will work and 3) will work if you are replacing with a shorter selection. 1) won't. If you need 1), use 1.3.13 alpha which has the current (still experimental) linking enabled so it can get feedback. To toggle linking on and off, use the link button to left of the zoom button, or Tracks > Link Tracks.

You can have 1.3.13 and 1.3.11 or 1.3.12 available and they will open each others' projects. They will also open projects created in 1.2, but if you save the projects in 1.3 they will no longer open in 1.2.


Gale

[Reto]

Gale -- thanks so much for the rapid answer. Much appreciated (as making edits this afternoon).

I assume 1.3.13-alpha is fine for Windows 7 / Vista ... and sounds sufficiently stable to do minor changes like this?

Reto

[Gale Andrews]

I assume 1.3.13-alpha is fine for Windows 7 / Vista ... and sounds sufficiently stable to do minor changes like this?

1.3.13 alpha has a few other uncommitted features as well as the latest linking, but shouldn't be more "unstable" than 1.3.12 (which is suggested as the best version for Win7/Vista).

If you find problems with 1.3.13, please write to our feedback address and send a bug report.


Gale

[Reto]

Gale -- thanks.

Not sure if this is a bug. I did a test with some audio, creating the following audio and labels:

----------- audio track -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------- label track ------------L1-----------------------------------L2------------------L3-------------------
-----TIMES:-----------------------------------Time1---------Time2

I then recorded some new audio -- that I want to insert in at Time1. I did this in a new track, starting with the Time cursor at Time1, and recorded a few seconds. This caused the new audio-to-insert to be of length from Time1 to Time2.

I then highlighted the new audio to insert (which highlighted no labels because of its short duration between Time1 and Time2). When I copied it into the main audio track, at Time1, it moved lables L2 and L3 as desired. Excellent. HOWEVER, for some strange reason it craeated a second label L3, at Time1 (see picture below). This appears to be a bug or something I'm not understanding?

----------- audio track ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------ label track ------------L1--------L3-------------------------------------------L2------------------L3-------------------
---TIMES:-----------------------------------Time1---------Time2

(picture after the copy was done)

Thanks for all the help,
Reto

[Gale Andrews]

I highlighted the new audio to insert (which highlighted no labels because of its short duration between Time1 and Time2). When I copied it into the main audio track, at Time1, it moved lables L2 and L3 as desired. Excellent. HOWEVER, for some strange reason it craeated a second label L3, at Time1

Thanks, Reto. Yes I can reproduce that behaviour in 1.3.13. Gotta be a bug.



Gale

[Reto]

Thanks Gale.

Version is still useful however, as we're able to simply delete that extra label and go on. So thanks for pointing it out and Happy 4th