Locking the selection in O&A screen with a key combination

[uuderzo]

Hello all!

New slide, new "trouble" (it isn't really a trouble but it's annoying)

I have several compound slides (multiple shots of the same still subject

with different light conditions).

Since I wish to perform a zoom-in Ken Burns effect while the light conditions

on the subject vary, my choice was to build a single slide with a main picture

and many subpictures (with size and position that match the root one).

In this way I can pan and zoom everything just working on the main picture,

and work with the opacity of the subpictures on their separated timelines.

Here is the problem. Since every image is stacked one on top of the other,

if I want to pan the root picture I select it on the object browser and I try

to move it with the mouse. This obviously leads to the selection of one of

the subpictures since they're transparent but over the root image.

Yes, there is the flag "transparent to selection", and I use it. But it's so boring...

Why not define a key combination (say ALT key o any other combination)

so clicking on the screen with this key pressed the selection made in the

object browser (or on the screen) will not change?

This would speed up the work a lot.

Maybe this key combination already exists?

What do you think? Umberto.

[fh1805]

Hi Umberto,

As far as I know, there is no keyboard combination that will do what you want. And, yes, you are doing the right thing by making other objects "Transparent to selection".

Perhaps the neatest way of working, if it was feasible in the coding of the program, would be for Left click on the object name to provide Selection as now but for right-click on the object name to provide both Selection and the new "Lock" function that you are seeking.

However, if Igor made everything too easy there would be no fun left for us amateurs! For me, a lot of the satisfaction in producing A-V sequences comes from solving the challenge of actually finding out how to get the effect that I want. On many occasions I don't succeed - but when I do it's a wonderful feeling.

regards,

Peter

[uuderzo]

Hi Peter...

You're right, when a tool defines the rules then the challenge is obtaining

what we want respecting those rules.

But given that rules, there's nothing bad in giving to the user a more

speedy way to work.

Say, I click on the object browser the specific object I want to drag, zoom or rotate

on the screen. Simply clicking the mouse on the screen while pressing ALT key lets me

to start dragging without worry of selecting something else.

This speeds my work without changing the rules

An alternative method is being able to click on object handles even if they're

covered by other objects.

In fact, even if an object is covered the handles are visible, but not clickable

because when I try to click them the covering object is selected.

Making handles reactive also if covered may permit to zoom.

Adding some kind of "tolerance gap" near the handles or edges would permit also

to drag and rotate.

The trouble with "Transparent to selection" checkbox is that if i have 20 stacked pictures

i need to check 19 times the flag to reach the lower picture. This is not funny

Bye! Umberto

[uuderzo]

Sorry, i correct myself.

The trouble is only if I want to drag the image, not zooming nor rotating.

Sorry again.