Let the rhythmic grid auto-resize the input area, please!

Dorico
1

Hi all,
last night I had an epiphany… :wink:

In order to make the mouse fly for me, I’d love two things:

  1. An automatic “widening” of the “input area” (i.e. the bar I’m working on and where the input caret is located) depending on the setting of the rhythmic grid!
    Right now, it’s difficult to properly place small rhythmic values where I want them.
    This way, I’d have to be less precise with the mouse inputting e.g. 16th notes and could be much faster inputting, say, a walking bass line consisting of just quarter notes, because the input area would just grow and shrink with the grid! Of course I could still select a 16th note input if I wanted to…

  2. And then the knockout blow: Make input grid settings selectable with the mouse wheel! Imagine…

An aside: I’m left-handed, and I love workflows with my right hand on the number keys of a full keyboard and my mouse in the left. The mouse-wheel selectable grid for me would be like having a laser gun sight…
And I hate typing on keyboards. :wink:

Idea?

Cheers,
Benji

2

Daniel, is there any possibility for this at all? Just let me know so I can stop dreaming… :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Benji

3

I’m not sure what you mean by “widening the input area”. If you’re inputting quarter notes at quarter note positions, then surely having the grid set to quarter notes is all you need to do?

The idea about changing the grid resolution with the mouse wheel is an interesting one. We’re already using the wheel for scrolling when there’s no modifier, to scroll horizontally when you use Shift, to zoom when you use Ctrl, and to pan or marquee select when you hold it down, so I’m not sure there are any more modifiers left at the moment.

4

Daniel,
thanks for replying!!
If I switch the input grid to a smaller rhythmic unit, the individual ticks become too densely spaced to hit reliably with the mouse, at least for me…
I was thinking of dynamically sizing the “input area” (i.e. the bar I’m working on and where the caret is) in order to assist proper note placing with the mouse, sort of zooming in, just to increase tick spacing. Makes sense?

About the mouse wheel: Couldn’t you just expose those modifiers to the users so I can set them myself? Me, personally I have no need for side-scrolling with the mouse, but would love to adjust the grid with it!
I promise not to screw it up!! :slight_smile:

Thanks for your time and dedication!
Benji

5

Right, you want to dynamically change the rhythmic spacing in order to make the grid wider. That’s an interesting idea. I’ll certainly think about it, but it’s not something that would be easy or quick to do.

Regarding allowing the various mouse operations to be customised, yes, we should probably do this in due course, but I don’t think it’s going to be a top priority for the first update or two.

6

THANKS! (y) (y)

Benji