Fine tuning automation points (i.e. by holding modifier key: SHIFT)

Cubase
,
1

I’d like to request a feature to fine tune automation moves.
This could be implemented by holding SHIFT when dragging the points around, creating new ones with the pencil tool or using the handles between multiple automation points.
Doing so the point moves kinda half the speed the mouse moves.

I came from another DAW where this was possible, and setting automation precisely with the mouse was a dream. Would be happy to see it here in Cubase as well!

There were already some threads in the past, but never a feature request:

2
  1. Draw a box around your automation using arrow tool and you can move in much finer detail.
  1. You can type in direct values by looking at the Info Line:

Info Line (steinberg.help)

  1. You can also draw various types of curves automatically, depending on line tool settings, (Shown in the same video above).
3

Thanks for the suggestion, but when dealing with single automation points to always have to look up to the info line is not a real solution, when everything else can be done in the automation track itself. That really slows down the workflow.

4

That was just 1 of 3 suggestions.

5

Yea for the multiple points the handle in die middle is working ok, thanks for the suggestion, but thats about the only thing. You cannot slow down the handles on the side, neither can you slow down single points.
And all the various curve types are nice and all, but they don’t have anyhting to do with this feature request.

You have features to do specific changes, but the problem is, that they only work for them, whereas similar changes require a completely different approach. This is just not consistent, we need something which works globally, in this case: for all types of automation changes, and theres where something like a modifier key could come in handy.

6

I also just noticed that these handles here behave very strangely when used. Depending on the value they move up when you drag the handle down and vice versa, and near some predefined value there aren’t any changes anymore.

handle

Look at this video, as far as I can tell, these handles are not there to make slower moves, but to percentually increase/decrease the values, like it is in the midi editor:

7

I support this request.
Since you are on Windows, I have somewhat of a workaround using AutoHotKey.

The script below adds a keyboard shortcut to temporarily change the mouse pointer precision in Windows. This works in any application.

The script: 
#NoEnv  ; Recommended for performance and compatibility with future AutoHotkey releases.
SendMode Input  ; Recommended for new scripts due to its superior speed and reliability.
SetWorkingDir %A_ScriptDir%  ; Ensures a consistent starting directory.
#SingleInstance force
#Persistent

;******* Win + `
;******* Toggle mouse speed
#`::
SPI_GETMOUSESPEED = 0x70
SPI_SETMOUSESPEED = 0x71
; Retrieve the current speed so that it can be restored later:
DllCall("SystemParametersInfo", UInt, SPI_GETMOUSESPEED, UInt, 0, UIntP, OrigMouseSpeed, UInt, 0)
; Now set the mouse to the slower speed specified in the next-to-last parameter (the range is 1-20, 10 is default):
DllCall("SystemParametersInfo", UInt, SPI_SETMOUSESPEED, UInt, 0, UInt, 1, UInt, 0)
KeyWait ``  ; This prevents keyboard auto-repeat from doing the DllCall repeatedly.
return
#` up::DllCall("SystemParametersInfo", UInt, 0x71, UInt, 0, UInt, OrigMouseSpeed, UInt, 0)  ; Restore the original speed.

This script works for me on any of my Win10 machines.

1 Like
8

Thanks for the suggestion! Its funny, because just today in the morning I built my own with the exact same AHK script. Just tied it to the CTRL key+left mouseclick, to make it more accessible. But pssst! :smile:

It is not perfect though, cause this way I am sacrificing CTRL-Select and CTRL-Drag, which is not a good solution.

But this all should be implemented properly anyway.