Is it possible to make Time Selection tool as default in spectrum view as render display spectrum only on this tool and the tool also works like cursor?
Or
Is it possible to allow display of spectrum in render + spectrum view when any tool is active on Spectrum Tab?
Or
While activating render tab, the tool is auto - switched to Time Selection?
When you activate render tab on spectrogram, the view is switched to waveform when any tool other than time selection is chosen.
Also, when I click spectrogram, the spectrum tab with rectangular selection is showing by default.
Also, when I click spectrogram, the spectrum tab with rectangular selection is showing by default.
This is … with respect … a good thing and makes sense to heavy users
Ok, leaving aside the rectangular selection coming there by default, what about the view changing to waveform while activating render tab?
I only render from montage …
This does not happen if the Time Selection tool is selected.
I have been testing, sometimes the Spectrogram button below takes to spectrum tab, sometimes it goes to edit tab with Time Selection option. When the render tab is first chosen and then the spectrum view is chosen, it works different.
From what I understand, the spectrum render view is working according to what was tab was chosen before. If Edit View Insert Process Correction Analyze and Render options were chosen the Spectrum view is retained. Ideally this would work only from the second file loaded as opening spectrum view for second file depends on what setting was used on the first file. And as you wrote, for the Spectrum tab WL show spectrum on render only when Time Selection is chosen.
To summarize, spectrum view for render is working fine for every tab except for where it is supposed to work. The solution is either to make Time Selection as default in Spectrum Tab or Auto Switch to Time Selection when render tab is activated.
Also, the spectrum tab is not just to remove clicks through rectangular selection. Having time selection as default gives user a chance to play in spectrogram view like a regular audio file with cursor and then choose whatever tool necessary.
I don’t see what you mean, because you can play in the spectrogram view as you can in the waveform view. I mean, this does not depend on the time selection tool.
The default tool to play audio is cursor (and not pencil or play tool) which was also default in spectrum. The user then choose what tool to use. Render was very easy this way.
Alternate + mouse Click plays audio in all contexts, whatever the current tool.
Yes, but the post was about render.
If the spectrum tab can be excluded from ribbon and the options and tools available in spectrum tab made into a float window that works alongside spectrogram - it will be better for the below reasons.
- There is already a spectrogram, (bottom left) and it will be easier to edit with a pop-up window of tools than having a separate spectrum tab.
- The spectrogram and the spectrum tab can cause confusion
- When spectrum tab is opened, the rectangular selection is persistent even when the user change tab to view edit or process or even when user chooses spectrum view.
For example - A file is opened in the Audio Editor, and a shortcut is used for spectrogram, every other tab works the way it works. When spectrum tab is opened, the tool changes automatically from cursor to rectangular selection and remains persistent till file is closed. (User changing tool to time selection is a workaround)
Other possibilities include moving spectrum edit tools to edit tab or merge spectrogram with spectrum tab by excluding spectrogram view bottom left and keeping time selection or cursor as default tool.
Benefit - Easy Workflow
Bug relating to Spectrum Tab and Render -
Below is an Audio File in spectrum view. render does now switch view to waveform.
When render tab is active, the view can be switched by user to wave, spectrum etc. This include view being switched even to spectrum tab with rectangular/other tools.
Bug - When spectrum tab is opened with default rectangular tool, on clicking render tab, the view switches to waveform. In the below case, when time selection tool is chosen, the spectrum is not switched to waveform.
The spectrogram is a view, not an editor. You can make a time selection in the spectrogram view and process it without using the Spectrum tool.
The Spectrum ribbon provides access to spectrum editing tools and requires the spectrogram view.
This concept has been in place since WaveLab 9.5, with no plans to change it.
WL is switching view to waveform for Render tab, but for export the spectrum view is not changing.
The concept of spectrum view and spectrum tab can confuse new and existing users. If there is one place where everything can be taken care of, that would ideally be a tool window of spectrum editing tools in spectrum view/spectrogram.
I still believe that the default for spectrum window and tab has to be cursor, and that was how it used to be. It may be wise to keep cursor as default and maybe you can think of making user preferred tools persistent.
This was the old design (<= 9.0), but for consistency, starting with 9.5, all audio edit tools are now placed in the Ribbon, where they are grouped near the audio view, for efficiency (less mouse movements). This is a very standard UI design to have editing tools in ribbons.
The tool windows are more “view/analysis oriented”, even if some (more rarely used) editing features can be found there.
I feel moving mouse pointer up to access tabs of Ribbon and bringing it back to the waveform every time is primitive and painful than what used to be in the earlier.
You are also not providing an option for ribbon to be docked elsewhere (bottom or side).
For Audio Editor - I relate ribbon to the game
where ribbon is brick, waveform is paddle and ball is mouse pointer.
The ribbon may be generally useful for render. However, when users can bring tools close to where they always work with mouse (around waveform), it is very convenient than moving mouse up and down.
If you see the clip below, in order to create a region, of course there is right click and short cut, but an option to have a control bar next to mouse click (in this case, around waveform/wherever user wants) is very useful.
Having said that, at least please consider merging the spectrum at one place, if you are saying ribbon - then everything relating to spectrum in the ribbon with cursor as default.
Just jumping in here as a long time and daily user (in a very busy studio) of the spectrogram editor … the changes made in 9.5 and carried over to 13 are logical and quick. For context, I have been using this since WL 6 over external options (that I also own).
Range Selection Tool (on timeline) works only when time selection tool is active on spectrum tab. For any other tool, range selection tool does not work.
Therefore,
- This becomes another reason for time selection/cursor as default in spectrum tab.
- As Range Selection on timeline is not possible when working with other spectrum tools (Rectangular Selection etc.), it may as well not be shown as pencil tool above timeline.
Or, when selecting range using Rectangular Selection tool or with Time Selection Tool from edit window, if the pencil icon can pop up and rage selected on timeline, according to user selection. (Optional)
A rectangular selection is a range by itself, and for next selection, the previous range is still shown. I think, range has to change on timeline according to selection in the spectrum than clicking on rectangle tool again.
While for time selection, new range is shown as selected.