[ardour-dev] Ardour2 wishlist

[Kjetil S. Matheussen]

On Sun, 4 Mar 2007, Thorsten Wilms wrote:

> On Sun, Mar 04, 2007 at 09:59:02AM +0100, Kjetil S. Matheussen wrote:
>
>> Actually, basically, I just want it to be exactly the same as in
>> radium/snd-ls, which I also made, so my preferences are extremely biased.
>> However, those two automation interfaces are based on doing as few
>> operations (mouse-clicks, mouse-moves, keyboard press, thinking) as
>> possible. Ardour doesn't work like that, and I wonder why.
>
> You should explain how it works in radium/snd-ls, then.
> Where do you see the advantages?

Allright.


* When adding a new node, this is the scheme in ardour:
   1. Switch to "Draw Gain Automation" mode. (unless you want to add a
      different type of node, in case you have to switch to "Select/move
      objects" mode. (= press/move/release mouse or pressing "g" or "o"
      = 3/2 operations (pressing a key counts as two, since its a switch
        between mouse and keyboard)
   2. Move the mouse to the place you want edit. (= 1 operation)
   3. Press the mouse (= 1 operation)
   4. Release the mouse (= 1 operation)
   = 6 or 5 operations.

   Instead, I propose:
   1. Move the mouse to the place you want to edit, close to the line. (=
      1 operation)
   2. Press the mouse (= 1 operation)
   3. Move the node where you want it (= 1 operation)
   4. Release mouse (= 1 operation)
   = 4 operations.

   This only saves 1 or 2 operations. But, in the current scheme, I very
   often find myself moving the node after creating it, which adds yet
   three operations, which is avoided in the proposed scheme.

* When deleting a node, you have to:
   1. Move mouse over the node (= 1 operation)
   2. Shift to keyboard + press shift (= 2 operations)
   3. Click right mouse button. (= 1 operation)
   = 4 operations. (BTW, shouldn't the node dissapear when pressing the
     mouse, and not when releasing it?)

   Instead I propose:
   1. Move mouse over the node (= 1 operation)
   2. Press the mouse (= 1 operation)
   2. Drag the mouse far away from the closes node or the track. (= 1
      operation)
   = 3 operations.


I'm sure there are better ways. But the most important show-stopper is the
tiny nodes, lines and threshold areas. This is important, because I find 
myself concentrating a lot on hitting those small spots, instead of 
thinking about the music and sound. I should get a better mouse though, 
but thats not the whole problem. And as I wrote, all the graphical changes
that happens when you enter nodes, nodelines or trascks, are disturbing 
and takes away focus from the music, I want them gone.