Sound Design > Sound Design > Daw Instructions > Arrange View Range Tools

Arrange View Range Tools

The mouse tools allow direct interaction with Events, using the mouse. It is helpful to remember that actions done using the mouse tools can be undone at any time, so feel free to explore them. You can click the right mouse button in any open space in the Arrange or Edit views to open a list of mouse tools and editing commands. Choose the desired tool or command by clicking it with the left mouse button. You can also click the middle mouse button (or scroll wheel) to display an expanded list of tools to choose from, including all Paint tool shapes.

Range Tool

The Range tool is used to select a range, or area, within Events. Click on the Range tool button or press [number 2] on the keyboard to select the Range tool.

To select a range within an Event, using the Range tool, click-and-drag over the area to be selected; a gray box is drawn over the target selection area. Release the mouse button when the box is drawn over the range of the Events you wish to select. The range you have selected is now treated as a single, consolidated Event.

For instance, you can use the Range tool to select the content of several Audio Events across multiple Tracks in bar 12, and then use the Arrow tool to move that section of audio to bar 14. Another common use of the Range tool is to quickly select and delete a range of audio within an Event, rather than using the Split tool to make two splits, then select and delete the section with the Arrow tool.

When you float the mouse cursor over a selected range, the Arrow tool temporarily appears. This makes it easy to quickly select and edit a range of Events.

To select multiple, non-contiguous ranges across any Event, on any Track, hold the [Shift] key while using the Range tool. Continue to hold [Shift] and use the Arrow tool to select whole Events. For instance, when using the Arrow tool, if you press and hold [Ctrl], you get the Range tool. Press and hold [Ctrl] and [Shift] to select multiple ranges, then continue to hold [Shift] but release [Ctrl]; now you have the Arrow tool and can select whole Events. All of your selections remain selected.

If Snap to Grid is enabled, your selections using the Range tool snap to the value set by the Snap Timebase parameter. To temporarily reverse the Snap to Grid option while editing, hold the [Shift] key.

Selected ranges can be sized by floating the Range tool at the left/right edge of the selection. You also can split a selected range at the left and right edges of the selection by choosing Split Range from the Edit menu or by pressing [Ctrl]/[Cmd]+[Alt]+X after selecting a Range.

To temporarily switch to the Arrow tool while the Range tool is selected, hold [Alt].