Timeline user interface

[fh1805]

I have recently been exploring the new audio handling features within the Timeline view and would like to make some suggestions for improvement.

The first time I muted and locked tracks I did not immediately see any on-screen indication of that change. Eventually I spotted that the warning symbols appeared way over at the extreme right hand side of the track. This placement struck me as rather odd. The filename information is shown aligned over at the extreme left hand end of the track. This was where I was looking for the Mute/Lock information.

I also found it difficult to move tracks up or down and still retain their precise alignment against the timeline. I think both "problems" could be overcome if each audio Track had a small, fixed header at the left hand end. This header would be where the symbols would appear and would also be where the vertical drag could be applied in a manner that guaranteed no sideways motion.

This concept of a "header" could be implemented at Track level or, better still, at clip level.

regards,

Peter

[uuderzo]

Peter, i suggest to adopt a "Photoshop style" approach to the alignment issue.

Everythig is subject to a "magnetic alignment" when moving objects around. If you want the freedom to place the video/audio clip where you want you must do it by keeping CTRL key pressed when you do it. Or, maybe, the countrary, keeping pressed CTRL to activate the magnet effect, but i feel it's more safe the "Photoshop" approach.

Another comment on audio clips: i noticed that if you lock an audio track and move the time point of a contained clip with CTRL+E command, the clip will move alone regardless of the locked track (i expected all clips on the trach will move). To achieve that effect i must access the customize dialog of the clip. By applying here the parameter change i get all the track clips affected by the shift. This looks counter-intuitive to me.

And a final tought: i think that the behavior of slides track and audio tracks should be aligned because it's frustrating being forced to approach the same problem in different ways.

Greetings! Umberto

[xahu34]

...

Another comment on audio clips: i noticed that if you lock an audio track and move the time point of a contained clip with CTRL+E command, the clip will move alone regardless of the locked track (i expected all clips on the trach will move). To achieve that effect i must access the customize dialog of the clip. By applying here the parameter change i get all the track clips affected by the shift. This looks counter-intuitive to me.

...

In my opinion: Ctrl+E is to be used to shift the slides' transition points. If an audio track is locked, you can move a single clip with Ctrl+Mouse, or using Shift+Mouse moving a clip together with the ones that follow to the right.

Regards,

Xaver

[xahu34]

...

The first time I muted and locked tracks I did not immediately see any on-screen indication of that change. Eventually I spotted that the warning symbols appeared way over at the extreme right hand side of the track.

...

For me it is at the extreme right hand side of the screen.

Regards,

Xaver

[fh1805]

In my opinion: Ctrl+E is to be used to shift the slides' transition points. If an audio track is locked, you can move a single clip with Ctrl+Mouse, or using Shift+Mouse moving a clip together with the ones that follow to the right.

Regards,

Xaver

These are examples of what I now believe is fundamentally wrong with the design of this part of PTE's user interface. It relies far too much on multi-key keyboard shortcuts that are not documented anywhere within the program's user interface. What about the average new user; who maybe doesn't use this forum at all and may not even know of its existence! How is that individual expected to discover that these features are embedded on those keys?

Windows works on the basis of "select something and then drag it and drop it" - all done with just the left mouse button. For more complex operations Windows allows "select a large group and then drag and drop them as a group". And for even more complex operations it allows "select a group, then deselect individual items, then drag and drop those that remain selected". In all cases there are three phases of activity: select, drag and drop. And in all cases, the drag and drop is done using just the left mouse button. The complex keyboard shortcuts come in only at the select stage (Shift+Click, Ctrl+Click). PTE does not conform to this model.

regards,

Peter

[Ken Cox]

for those who want a list of windows shortcuts

see

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449

ken

[fh1805]

Ken,

Knowing what all the shortcuts are is all well and good. However, I do not want to have to memorise keyboard shortcuts in order to use PTE or any other software program. Learning the keyboard shortcuts should come naturally with time; and should be a way of doing what I already know - but doing it more slickly.

regards,

Peter

[Ken Cox]

people can always print the list

ken

[fh1805]

Ken,

This is yet another instance of you missing the point. If I wanted to memorise them all a list would be useful; but I don't want to memorise them all. In fact, I don't want to have to learn any at all before I can use the program. A software program should be usable (and learnable) from just the toolbar items, their tooltips, the menu bar items, etc. and, ideally, context-sensitive help. There are PTE functions which can only be employed by using keyboard shortcuts. To employ that function you have to know what the shortcut is BEFORE you can employ that function. That, to me, is wrong! It's bad design! It's user unfriendly! It's not intuitive!

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Come on guys the storm clouds are gathering again!!! :(/>

PMs please.

Yachtsman1

[xahu34]

for those who want a list of windows shortcuts

see ...

In this context, these shortcuts are nothing but useless.

Regards,

Xaver

[Guest Yachtsman1]

In this context, these shortcuts are nothing but useless.

Regards,

Xaver

My last post applies to you also, 3 Mod's fratching, really promotes PTE, I don't think!!!.

Yachtsman1

[xahu34]

My last post applies to you also, 3 Mod's fratching, really promotes PTE ...

I do not really know what "fratching" means, but I have an idea about it. This forum is a place for discussions, and if someone comes up with some kind of nonsense, it should be allowed to clarify the situation.

Regards,

Xaver

[Guest Yachtsman1]

You & others on here may do well to read this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Stick_ideology

Yachtsman1

[fh1805]

Yachtsman1,

The analogy with the "Big Stick" is not really valid. The "Big Stick" philosophy carries with it the threat of violence, retribution or something equally unpleasant if there is no compliance. Nobody has issued any threats to anybody else in this topic. So let's keep the discussion "on topic", please.

I began this topic because I felt I had identified a weakness in the PTE user interface that ought to be addressed. I even proposed a possible solution. Xaver then pointed out some keyboard shortcuts that could help me do what I wanted. That led me to widen the discussion to the need to learn shortcuts before you could make proper use of the product - something that I see as bad design in the user interface. Ken then directed us towards the list of Windows shsortcuts - but we are not discussing a Windows shortcut problem. We are discussing a PTE shortcut issue. So Ken's post, whilst well-meant, wasn't helpful in the context of the topic subject.

All the posts made by myself, Ken and Xaver have been made in the spirit of moving the discussion forward. I would ask you to re-read your posts in this topic and ask yourself: have any of those posts moved the discussion forwards?

Let's get back on track - and then stay there.

regards,

Peter

[Guest Yachtsman1]

I do not really know what "fratching" means, but I have an idea about it. This forum is a place for discussions, and if someone comes up with some kind of nonsense, it should be allowed to clarify the situation.

Regards,

Xaver

Try this. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fratch

Yachtsman1

[aplman]

I wonder whether the "Ideas and suggestions" sub-forum will achieve useful ends, if poor Igor has to read through all these posts.

Might it be useful for the forum to separate the actual suggestions from all the (relevant and irrelevant) ensuing discussions?

Ken T. (APLman)

[xahu34]

I wonder whether the "Ideas and suggestions" sub-forum will achieve useful ends, if poor Igor has to read through all these posts.

Might it be useful for the forum to separate the actual suggestions from all the (relevant and irrelevant) ensuing discussions?

...

A good idea. But do you have another good idea how to enforce your suggestion?

Regards,

Xaver

[fh1805]

Might it be useful for the forum to separate the actual suggestions from all the (relevant and irrelevant) ensuing discussions?

The relevant items should remain as these often see a suggested solution get refined into an even better solution. Even if that is not the case, they can be exploring different aspects of the same or similar problems. That may be useful debate for the developers to read.

The irrelevant items would require moderator or admin intervention to remove them. It isn't a difficult task to do the removal. However, out of politeness, every affected poster should be either consulted or advised in advance of the deletion taking place. That would probably consume more man hours than would be expended by Igor reading through the irrelevant items. If he wants his moderators to adopt a harder line on irrelevant posts, I'm sure he will instruct the moderator team accordingly.

regards,

Peter

[3rd Image]

Gentlemen

All very interesting but as a newly joined member - how far have you got in formulating a solution for the problem?

Ross

[fh1805]

Ross,

Welcome to the PTE Forum! Please note that, with just one or two exceptions, the users of this forum are fellow users of the software. We are not Wnsoft employees. It is not our job to formulate a solution - that is the role of the software developers at Wnsoft. The company has a reputation for listening to its users and developing the features that they have asked for. Therefore, these discussions (occasionally rambling on, I admit) serve a very useful purpose in informing the developers about the features that the user base feels are missing or in need of refinement.

We try to be a friendly bunch and do our best help one another.

regards,

Peter