When drawing automation with the line-tool, is it possible to draw a horizontal line without slope? E.g. by means of a modifier-key?
when I draw a horizontal line in automation with my mouse it often starts at a certain value, but it ends at a different value, and I’d like to have it straight…is that possible?
Thanks!
Niek/ Amsterdam.
I think you hold down the shift key or maybe I’m just thinking of Photoshop. HTH. 
It’s not possible using the Line tool. Probably worth a feature request.
Boy, I could sure use this one too.
While I am at it, how about a range tool modifier that creates a volume handle in an automation lane that can be dragged up or down like Pro Tools (envelope control in 2 moves). I have tried the macro that does this but it is an imperfect solution. This would have to be a really easy one to implement.
Dean
when i have snap on, and click into the automation area, the line always first shows up with no slope…
Sorry Lukas, please clarify. As far as I know that’s not true. Snap has no effect on whether the line drawn by the line tool has a slope or not.
ok, this is more with regard to ‘pattern’ line editing. if you have snap on, the line will horizontally be as wide as whatever the quantize setting is set to. when i then click into the automation lane (with the line tool selected), it will at first be pasted completely horizontal, unless i start going up or down with the mouse, upon which it will start to tilt. but it’s not as sensitive that it would prohibit me from placing the line straight.
I see what you mean. Yes, if you activate snap and set quantize to bar you’ll get a horizontal line over one bar if you click once on the automation lane without dragging the mouse.
However, this is of limited use if your automation is not following whole bars (or whole seconds if your snap value is in seconds), and using this technique you cannot just draw a horizontal line freely over whatever length you require starting and ending at any point along the time line.
IMO a modifier key for the line tool remains the most practical solution.
i agree, you’re definitely right. the ctrl/command key should be doing this, to follow the paradigm of the ctrl key constraining movement of automation events horizontally or vertically.
Yes, absolutely. Such a modifier would follow the Ctrl/Command paradigm for constraining movement of events.
+1
This would be SO useful!
Try using the “square” line tool…holding down shift should constrain it to a straight line.
Unfortunately not true. If you press [Shift] and drag with the Square Tool, you can only set the curve’s period length manually, in multiples of the grid value, though…
Funny. I use this method all the time and it works beautifully for me. Next time I do it I pay more attention to how I go about things…perhaps I’m leaving something out I never needed to be aware of.
As already mentioned above, IMO we need a modifier key (Ctrl/Command) for the line tool which would allow us to simply draw a straight horizontal line. This would be the most practical solution. Currently there is no modifier key functionality for the line tool.
However, the workaround you are suggesting works as follows:
De-activate snap.
Select the square line tool.
Hold down the Shift key.
Drag across the automation lane to draw a horizontal line.
This seems to work by acccident rather than design.