M keyboard shortcut in MT?

[Dave Labrecque]

Does anyone know how this works? From the help file:

Key: M
Operation: Split An MT Entry and mark new entry on the left of the cursor position on current hot track for Select Mode
Window: MultiTrack (Normal Mode)

It says to use it in Normal Mode, but it only seems to work in Select Mode. So I figure I'm doing it wrong.

[ivanoff]

Does anyone know how this works? From the help file:

Key: M Operation: Split An MT Entry and mark new entry on the left of the cursor position on current hot track for Select Mode Window: MultiTrack (Normal Mode)

It says to use it in Normal Mode, but it only seems to work in Select Mode. So I figure I'm doing it wrong.

Hi, just try on Windows 7, it's work in normal mode

[Dave Labrecque]

Hi, just try on Windows 7, it's work in normal mode

For me it's acting no different than the K keystroke. As I understand it, it's supposed to select the resulting region entry to the left of the cut (which would really surprise me, not being in Select Mode). What am I missing?

I guess I don't know what this means: "...mark new entry on the left of the cursor position on current hot track for Select Mode." Select Mode is Select Mode and a Marked area is a different beast. I'm not getting how these two things could or should interact.

[UpTilDawn]

Does anyone know how this works? From the help file:

Key: M
Operation: Split An MT Entry and mark new entry on the left of the cursor position on current hot track for Select Mode
Window: MultiTrack (Normal Mode)

It says to use it in Normal Mode, but it only seems to work in Select Mode. So I figure I'm doing it wrong.

Windows 7 32 bit - also does not work for me in normal mode. works in select mode though.

[Dave Labrecque]

Windows 7 32 bit - also does not work for me in normal mode. works in select mode though.

Same for me in SS64. Maybe it's as simple as a typo in the help file (Normal Mode should read Select Mode)? I'd also change the verbiage to use the word "select" instead of "mark," so as to avoid confusion. Or maybe it's supposed to put the MT in Select Mode with the region entry on the left selected?

Not sure what is meant by the phrase, "...mark new entry... for Select Mode." My expectation was that the entry would be selected "in the background," which would be revealed once the user enters Select Mode. Alas...

[UpTilDawn]

Same for me in SS64. Maybe it's as simple as a typo in the help file (Normal Mode should read Select Mode)? I'd also change the verbiage to use the word "select" instead of "mark," so as to avoid confusion. Or maybe it's supposed to put the MT in Select Mode with the region entry on the left selected?

Not sure what is meant by the phrase, "...mark new entry... for Select Mode." My expectation was that the entry would be selected "in the background," which would be revealed once the user enters Select Mode. Alas...

I also think that "...mark new entry... for Select Mode." is odd and implies to me that maybe I must "mark" an area with the B&E keys (or drag in the timeline) before I hit the M key, which should then somehow change the marked area into 2 regions, with the left one being highlighted in Select Mode - and knowing generally how these things work in SAW, doesn't seem to make sense, or likely to be the result.

I suppose that if the actual behavior is to be in Select Mode, then hit M to simultaneously split a region and select the left region, then maybe I can see a benefit, saving a key stroke or two (which we all have pretty much been known to whine about from time to time - at least many of us who have been in the SAW world many years). But it's generally not what I do when I use Select Mode and maybe explains why I'm not really familiar with using the M key to split a region.

Does this method also, then, apply to groups of tracks, as other region split commands do now?

[Bob L]

In normal mode you can use the K key and then the M key down the timeline leaving selected entries behind ready to be used in Select Mode... enter Select Mode with the Shift-Select button and the marked (selected) entries will show up.

Bob L

[Dave Labrecque]

In normal mode you can use the K key and then the M key down the timeline leaving selected entries behind ready to be used in Select Mode... enter Select Mode with the Shift-Select button and the marked (selected) entries will show up.

Bob L

Shift-Select! Aha! But where did that come from? I suppose it's referenced elsewhere in the help file? I do have a vague recollection of this, now that you mention it. Might be good to add it to the M key function explanation on the shortcuts list page for dopes like me.

Thanks, Bob. Let's see if I can bring this into my work flow. Only twenty years late. LOL.

P.S. Found it in the MT editing section:

Pressing the [M] key will split an MT Entry and mark the new entry on the left of the cursor position on the current Hot Track for Select Mode. Pressing [Ctrl-M] extends the operation across all tracks. (When entering Select Mode after a series of these operations, use [Shift-S] to retain the marked entries.) [emphasis added]

[Dave Labrecque]

Does this method also, then, apply to groups of tracks, as other region split commands do now?

Yes, if, as with other region split commands do now, you add ctrl to the key combo (i.e. ctrl-M), in which case it will work across all tracks. Note, also, that M responds to selected tracks while ctrl-M does not, which makes sense.

[UpTilDawn]

Oh hey! Thanks for the clarification, Bob - and for digging in to find it in the help file, Dave!

It still doesn't seem to be something I'd use much, since I'm usually selecting regions to the right of my cuts (and not to the left). But still, very useful, I'm sure and really good to have a refresher on the technique.