[ardour-dev] Ardour2 wishlist

Fri Mar 2 05:34:51 PST 2007

On Fri, 2 Mar 2007, Thorsten Wilms wrote:

>>    * The connection nodes are too small. I would like to have bigger size
>>      by default, and an option to change its size. Even when setting the
>>      tracks to largest size, it takes some time to adjust the mouse pointer
>>      so that the node is selected. When using "normal" size, or smaller,
>>      its almost impossible to hit the nodes.
>
> Hmm. Don't have a problem with hitting them. But then I fiddle with
> beziere nodes and sometimes vertices (3d) all day ... :)
>

Maybe you have a bigger resolution? I'm running 1200x1024 on a 19". But 
the other resolutions I have used, I have the same problem. Of course, I 
do hit the spots eventually, but it takes a bit more time / 
consentration than it would if the nodes and lines had been bigger.

> If both other actions would be relegated to somemodifier-click, dragging
> could always work on the closest-to-pointer node (with pre-lighting to
> make it obvious). That would maximize the target areas of the nodes.
>
> Shifting segments could still be made availabe without a special
> modifier-click: Either by having target areas in the middle between
> 2 nodes. And/Or by allowing shift-slection of nodes: after selecting
> 2 adjacent nodes, you can move the segment.
>

But this wouldn't solve the problem of finding the nodes. I mean, they are 
so small that they are hard to see. I don't have this problem in other 
software.

>>    * When creating new nodes, I have to make sure the mouse pointer is
>>      exactly above the line. It would be better if the threshold was a bit
>>      bigger.
>
> With the Object tool, you can click anywhere away from nodes and segments
> to add nodes on automation tracks. That this doesn't work with Gain tool
> is a bug, I'd say. Clicking anywhere to add works on regions with Gain
> tool, though.

By "Object tool", do you mean object mode? In case, sure, but then I have 
to switch to to object mode. It might not seem like a big deal, but stuff 
like that takes the fokus away from the create work.

>
>>    * I don't think the "Draw Gain Automation" mode is necessary. As far as
>>      I can see, the only thing you can do in this mode is creating nodes,
>>      moving nodes, and probably also deleting nodes. (haven't figured out
>>      how to delete yet). All these operations are limited to a few specific
>>      graphical areas in the tracks, and its functionallity could have been
>>      supplied in all the other modes. Creating new nodes could be made by
>>      clicking on a line (or perhaps using shift/ctrl or something), which
>>      would be easy if the lines were a bit thicker.
>
> Automation on regions ...
>

Please explain...

>> * Sometimes the triangles showing fade-ins and fade-outs are colorized,
>>    sometimes not. This might be a bug, but in case not, why is it so? To
>>    me, it appears to be a bug...
>
> The fades are turned on/off?
>

Ah, yes, thats what its for. That makes sense.
There is a bug (or something) here though. It seems like 
fade-ins/fade-outs are sometime turned off automatically when dragging 
objects on top of each other. I can't seem to figure out what exactly is 
happening though.

>
>> * I can't add a new meter or tempo, because its impossible to click the
>>    "apply" button. If this is not a bug, its very unintuitive to understand
>>    whats wrong.
>
> You need to change a value before the Apply button is enabled. No point in
> 'changing' from same to same tempo or meter. Now if we had a tempo track
> with a/deceleration, 2 tempo marks with same value _woud_ make perfect
> sense (to keep tempo constant over a duration).

Ah, right. It does make sense though, in case at one point you want to 
make sure have a certain tempo or measure, no matter what happened before.
But not very important.

>
>
>> * I would like to have a graphical function to change the overall volume
>>    of an object. One way of providing that functionality would be to
>>    connect the top of the fade in/fade out lines, so that you could move
>>    that line up or down to select volume.
>
> You can use on-region envelopes for that. Use a reset to get a straight line
> over the whole duration if necessary.

By on-region envelopes, do you mean gain automation? In case, I want 
another one line, that is just for constant gain. Its nice if you have a 
bunch of recording after each other which have slightly different volumes.

>
>
>> * I miss the "Editor Mixer" button in ardour1. I had it selected all the
>>    time so that I didn't have to switch between
>>    the editor and the mixer window. Could it be reintroduced?
>
> You say you had it enable all the time but want a button?

:-) Let me rephrease that to "almost all the time" then.

> A button
> to be down all the time? Hit Shift-E. It's in the menu, too. Sometimes
> the strip disappears, I think theres a bug regarding handling it's state.
> But a buuton is not solution, rather a problem in this crowded interface.
>

Thanks, yeah, you are right. This is better than ardour1. I didn't see 
that option.

>
>> * I miss a handle on both sides of the time slider to change its size, so
>>    that you don't have to use the zoom buttons.
>
>> From GTK to custom widget. You'd have to handle the case of the viewed
> area becoming very very narrow in relation to session length.

Can't you just add a limitation on the narrowness?

> But you must
> have sensible target areas for both resizing handles and a move handle.

Right.

>
>
>> * Its inconvenient to have two windows for the mixer and the editor. I
>>    would like to have an option where the mixer
>>    is placed in the bottom half, or right half, of the editor window.
>
> Tell us how to make that fit while there are problems with just the editor
> on 1024 x 768 (or whatever it was exactly) resolution.
>

If it doesn't fit, then don't do it (ie. open in a new window instead)?

>> * I would like to have an option to get rid of the time code window [1],
>>    and I would like to be able to move the mode selection icons + slide
>>    edit selector to the top right of the window. This way
>>    20 vertical pixels or so could be saved. [1] The one that is placed to
>>    the right of the mode selection icons
>
> Right-click: Mode Off. I start to think that you should have payed
> with Ardour somemore before writing such a list.
>

Okay, but right-click on what? When I right-click the arrow, it just opens 
up in its own sticky window (whats the point of making it sticky?). 
Right-clicking elsewhere doesn't do anything.

>
>> * The vertical slider in the editor window should be placed to the right
>>    of the window. (not very important)
>
> It's on the left to be next to the track/bus heads, on the assumption that
> the mouse is in that area more often. Also, on the right it would change
> position depending on the notebook, what is no good muscle memory. (Assuming
> that most will keep the editor mixer strip either shown or hidden most of
> the time, not switch all the time.)
>

That makes sense. I just think it just looks ugly to have it on the left.

>
>> * I think it would be better if the horizontal slider was placed in the
>>    top of the editor window, like in ardour1.
>>    It makes more sense since the timecode is there as well. This would work
>>    very well if you used a custom made
>>    slider instead of the ugly gtk2 slider.
>
> It's down there because of Fitt's Law. Sadly it only works in fullscreen
> mode. With just a maximized window, it's about 1 pixel off here.
> That means in fullscreen mode you can just slam your mouse cursor down
> to hit the scrollbar.
>

Alright.

>
>> * I would like to have a shortcut to make sure all visible tracks are
>>    shown at once by adjusting their height automatically,
>>    so that you don't have to scroll up or down. I want this because I also
>>    want to be able to set the height by
>>    dragging some kind of handle, instead clicking the "H" button and so on.
>
> I think dragging would be rather problematic with a very limited number of

But why does it has to be a limited number of sizes?

> sizes. Try Shift-mouse-wheel sometime.

Thats not very nice... mouse-wheeling puts a physical strain on your 
wrist that gets worse if you can't rest the other hand simultaniously. At 
least, it feels so.

>
>> * The handle to change the size of the "Regions / Tracks/Buses / etc."
>>    area is almost invisible and difficult to get
>>    a grip of. Perhaps its possible to make bigger handle areas at the top
>>    and bottom of it?
>
> It's far from either to my eyes. I hope you don't aim at the middle instead
> of using the full height as target area?
>

No, I know about the full height. But adding 10-20 pixels of sensitivity 
into the "regions / trac etc." area wouldn't hurt.