Moving Loop End Point - Anyone else bothered 'bout this?

I know this is a much smaller issue, but it keeps bothering me...

If I set a loop, then re-adjust the end point by dragging the end marker, Sonar forces the now time to instantly go to the loop beginning... I don't want to go to the loop start simply because I adjusted it... I want to check my new end-point but I'm always forced to re-locate it after Sonar kindly moves me away from where I'm working! <sigh>...

Small, but annoying!

Keni

Another strange anomaly unless you are talking about dragging the end of a clip which I don't do.

Dragging the end of a loop clip marker in the time ruler doesn't restart the loop here it just extends the loop as it should. I do it all the time while I'm comping although sometimes I use my CS sometimes the mouse depending on what I'm doing, same behaviour either way.

Perhaps an option setting somewhere?

This is specifically regarding the loop markers... not the clip ends.... The latter works fine here...

Moving loop end marker while it's playing? I haven't had need to try that... but adjusting it and expecting to remain (play cursor) where it is don't go together.... If the loop marker gets moved, the now time automatically goes to the loop start....

Extremely annoying!

Keni

brundlefly

If the loop marker gets moved, the now time automatically goes to the loop start....

I don't see that, either, except in the specific case where you drag the end marker earlier than the Now time (with or without the transport running), in which case it makes perfect sense to me that the Now time would reset to the beginning to the loop. Is that what you mean?

Thanks for pointing that out Brundle... You are correct. It does depend on where the now cursor is... So I can see how to (sometimes) avoid it, but it's still an issue that needs to either be changed or given a user choice as we have with the split commands ability to leave user-decided clip(s) highlighted after a split...

I don't normally want to go to the loop beginning all because I changed the end point... More commonly I want to check the end point... ;-) Where the now cursor is doesn't seem to me to be of concern in deciding this factor as it can be almost anywhere as I find my way to the loop end to adjust it...

Keni

I don't normally want to go to the loop beginning all because I changed the end point... More commonly I want to check the end point... ;-) Where the now cursor is doesn't seem to me to be of concern in deciding this factor as it can be almost anywhere as I find my way to the loop end to adjust it...

I'm sure you have your reasons, but I can't envision a scenario in which I would want to adjust the endpoint and have the Now time remain outside the loop range. If you just want to see where the loop currently ends without adjusting it, the time is shown in the loop module in the Control Bar. Depending on what your goal is, inserting a regular marker at the loop endpoint might be helpful, too.

brundlefly

I don't normally want to go to the loop beginning all because I changed the end point... More commonly I want to check the end point... ;-) Where the now cursor is doesn't seem to me to be of concern in deciding this factor as it can be almost anywhere as I find my way to the loop end to adjust it...

I'm sure you have your reasons, but I can't envision a scenario in which I would want to adjust the endpoint and have the Now time remain outside the loop range. If you just want to see where the loop currently ends without adjusting it, the time is shown in the loop module in the Control Bar. Depending on what your goal is, inserting a regular marker at the loop endpoint might be helpful, too.

Hi bf...

I think my issue needs more clarity... I'm not always good at that... ;-)

I too can't think of a 'normal' reason to want the now cursor outside the loop when adjusting the loop, but if I'm adjusting the end I have no desire to go to the beginning until I'm certain the end point is where I want it...

The fact that the now cursor is outside the loop is simply from navigation to 'near' the end point so that I can get there to adjust it. I'll have to pay more attention to my habits when locating as this is definitely the root of my discomfor, tho still not a good resolution to the behavior... Even if it's outside the loop and I adjust the loop, I would want to decide where I want to go next.... That is not necessarily the beginning of the loop (yet)... I would expect that to wait until I press W to return to beginning/loop-start...

Keni

I'm a bit lost here TBH. I've just done the following..............

1. Set up a loop, played it until halfway through and then stopped the transport
2. Dragged the loop end point out
3. Pressed play

Result is the project plays back from where the now time was, not the start of the loop.

I've also done the same but zoomed in far enough so both loop end points are off screen.

Result is the same, the now time here never goes back to the loop start until it reaches the loop end, no matter what I try. Unless I press "stop" as opposed to pause but surely that is how it should behave.

Is there some setting tucked away somewhere that changes the behaviour?

Ah.... (sound of penny dropping)  got it. Yes I can confirm that happens here too. Does seem a bit of a strange thing to happen, I can understand it if the loop was playing but you'd think the now time would stay put if the transport has stopped.

Just to mention...

I didn't believe this to be a bug, but a decision and I was bothered by the fact that typically my loops may be far longer than I want to hear in total when I'm setting/checking it's end point...

So why should adjusting a marker force the program to go anywhere? I believe the now cursor should remain where it is as no decision was made to move it... and only the loop boundaries are being set. The song is not even in play...

Keni

lorneyb2


To me it makes sense.  What you are doing by moving the end marker to the left past the now time is the equivalent of reaching the end of the loop so it makes sense that it would then return to the start.  If it didn't and you hit play you would now be outside the loop boundaries and the project would start playing where you left it and the loop would have no effect.  The rational for this is likely if you are setting loop boundaries you likely want to be playing back the looped area and not waiting until the song has completed and will loop back the next time around.

The work around is to use your mouse to start play by double clicking in the time line to the left of the loop end to retest the accuracy of the loop end without having to hear the whole loop from the start.

Thanks... I'm sure it makes sense to many others hence the decision to set it that way...

But remember, I'm NOT in play.... and the loops are typically too long for me to want to run it from the beginning to test the end, so I prefer to set the end and start play afterwards from somewhere just before the loop end... Then if I'm satisfied with the setting, return to loop start with the W command and hit play...

Forcing me to the loop start then forces me to have to re-locate the end point, then set the now cursor a measure or two prior to the loop end so I can check only the ending....

I am not doing this while in play...

Keni

Lorneyb2 - I see what you are saying. I thought at first it didn't make much sense if the project isn't playing but you're quite right - it's logical. As you say if that didn't happen then when play is pressed the now time would be out of the loop and I'm sure people would soon be complaining how they set a loop and Sonar ignores it.

Developers and decision makers have two options - rock and a hard place.

Actually, if the now time is manually placed beyond the loop marker, pressing play will make it jump to the beginning of the loop. So there would be nothing illogical about just letting the now time marker stay where it is. Moving the loop end point is not a reliable signal of the user's intent, so it would make sense for Sonar not to make a special case of it.  E.g. what if the user has the intention to turn off looping before pressing play?