Selected region is not shown on Timeline

[SteveDaulton]

Describe the bug
When a time region is selected, previous versions of Audacity helpfully displayed the selection on the Timeline. This no longer happens in Audacity 3.1.0

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Generate a tone
2. Observe that the tone is selected, but there is no indication in the Timeline

Expected behavior
The selected region to be highlighted in the Timeline

Additional information (please complete the following information):

• OS: Xubuntu
• Version Audacity 3.1.0 AppImage

Additional context
If there is a time selection, Generate type effects will default to the length of the selection if present, else to the last used duration. The selection in the timeline is an important indication of whether the last used duration will be overridden.

1. Generate 30 second tone
2. Select part of the clip
3. "Enter" to deselect the track
4. Observe the highlighted region in the Timeline (or not, if using 3.1.0)
5. Generate a Tone
6. Observe that the selected region determined the start, end and length of the tone.

[Penikov]

This is not a bug, I think.
@Tantacrul

Why do I think so? Because Audacity has a special toolbar which indicates selection range.

[Tantacrul]

I wasn't aware this had been removed. Certainly, it wasn't discussed with me - although possible that Jouni specified it should be removed in one of his designs (I've checked and can't see evidence of this).

Although I do think the older highlight in the timeline could be cleaned up a little bit, I don't see why it needs to be removed. It is potentially quite useful when you have multiple tracks. Let me investigate whether this change was deliberate or not. Odd.

[Paul-Licameli]

The timeline is used now to paint the looping region, not the selection, in a changed color, even when looping is off. If there is no looping region, there is no differently shaded rectangle.

If there are no tracks, then as Steve says there is no visual indication of the selection.

I can’t imagine a pleasing way to display both regions using the same band of y coordinates.

Should the timeline have another optional ribbon, like the scrubbing bar?

[Tantacrul]

I think we could display both without too much hassle. We'll need to just mock it up and discuss. I have a feeling we could simply keep the old selection visualisation in the timeline with a slight adjustment to its appearance.

[Tantacrul]

@Paul-Licameli - one other thing, I think this issue is about simply visualising a selection. I don't think there should be any other click+drag functionality on the timeline other than setting a loop region. Let's discuss in a call to make sure we're on the same page.

[Paul-Licameli]

@Paul-Licameli - one other thing, I think this issue is about simply visualising a selection. I don't think there should be any other click+drag functionality on the timeline other than setting a loop region. Let's discuss in a call to make sure we're on the same page.

There is no DRAG in the timeline except to change the looping region (or, to adjust the position of the pinned play/record head). There is a CLICK behavior (without drag) to start a quick play.

Making a loop region but starting loop play within it, near the right, is useful to be sure there is not a click.

You might say you can do that by other means, making a point selection inside the loop instead. But to do that, you also lose the previous selection.

I am not arguing for or against any choices, but just stating.

[SteveDaulton]

Why do I think so? Because Audacity has a special toolbar which indicates selection range.

But the Selection Toolbar cannot display negative time values. If the selection extends behind zero, then the user cannot see this in any part of the UI. This is particularly important when using "Export Selected Audio" as you need to know if there is hidden audio being exported.

[petersampsonaudacity]

@Tantacrul @Paul-Licameli @SteveDaulton @LWinterberg

I discovered a very useful undocumented (AFAICT) looping Easter-Egg yesterday by watching some 3rd part Audacity videos on Youtube.

1. get some audio
2. make a selection
3. Press the Loop button in the Transport toolbar
4. Observe: the selection range is used to create a loop region based on the selection.

So an implicit Timeline context menu command "Set Loop To Selection" is issued in addition to looping be turned on and armed.

I don't know if you did that deliberately Paul - but it's bloomi'n useful - the YouTuber who made the video certainly thought so too.

[Tantacrul]

That was deliberate, alright

[DavidBailes]

I discovered a very useful

But the loop range is only set to the selection if there is no loop range defined. So in practice, it's only going to happen the first time looping is enabled. I don't think it's that helpful.

[petersampsonaudacity]

But the loop range is only set to the selection if there is no loop range defined. So in practice, it's only going to happen the first time looping is enabled. I don't think it's that helpful.

Not strictly true as you can use the command Transport > Looping > Clear Loop to clear the loop region then double-click on the Loop button to turn it off and on again. And if you want to do it a lot create a custom shortcut for that command.

A bit cack-handed (as me ol' mum used to say) - but you can make it work for you.

Part of the problem here is that a loop region in the Timeline is not removed/discarded when you turn Looping off with the Loop button.

[SteveDaulton]

Not strictly true as you can use the command Transport > Looping > Clear Loop to clear the loop region then double-click on the Loop button to turn it off and on again.

But there goes the convenience out of the window.
I'm finding that the new loop behaviour requires a lot more clicking, and quite a steep learning curve to use looping.

[petersampsonaudacity]

But there goes the convenience out of the window. I'm finding that the new loop behaviour requires a lot more clicking, and quite a steep learning curve to use looping.

@SteveDaulton - I created a new ENH issue today for new looping shortcuts to make this a little easier:
Additional shortcuts for looping behaviors #2209

[petersampsonaudacity]

Testing on W10 with Paul's audacity-win-3.2.0-alpha-20211210+2e64443-64bit

The indicator on the Timeline is back - but it is solid black:
a) this obliterates the time displayed - which is part of the value of showing the selection region in the Timeline
b) It obliterates any Loop region that is underneath it - or partially hides Loop region when overlapping occurs

[Paul-Licameli]

Testing on W10 with Paul's audacity-win-3.2.0-alpha-20211210+2e64443-64bit

The indicator on the Timeline is back - but it is solid black: a) this obliterates the time displayed - which is part of the value of showing the selection region in the Timeline b) It obliterates any Loop region that is underneath it - or partially hides Loop region when overlapping occurs

The intention was to paint a rectangle with an alpha value for transparency. It worked for me on MacOS.

[petersampsonaudacity]

Testing on macOS Monterey 12.0.1 with Paul's audacity-macos-intel-3.2.0-alpha-20211210+2e64443-64bit

Looks good on Mac:

[petersampsonaudacity]

Testing with @Paul-Licameli 's latest branch build audacity-win-3.1.3-alpha-20211213+3 - on W10

Looks fine now on Windows - good to go, I think

[Paul-Licameli]

This should be tried out in all four themes, with selection overlapping the loop, and with looping region enabled, or visible and disabled.

Are the colors pleasing in all four themes @Tantacrul ?

[petersampsonaudacity]

And remains fine on macOS 12.0.1 Monterey with Paul's latest branch build - and is fine there in all four themes (to my mind anyway).

And looks fine in all four themes on W10.

[petersampsonaudacity]

Tested on W10 with audacity-win-3.2.0-alpha-20211217+8340b56-64bit and the latest 3.1.3 alpha build.

This now looks fine in all four themes to me (as per my Light theme image above earlier in the thread when testing @Paul-Licameli 's branch build).

Eaflier in this thread Paul requested @Tantacrul to test to ensure that he, as the UX responsible person, was happy with the colorways in all four themes.

[petersampsonaudacity]

Tested on W10 with latest 3.1.3 alpha build Audacity_Windows_64bit_1602134390_7887ba0

This looks good to go