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How to avoid range selection in FCPX
Hey groovers,
I use a Wacom stylus instead of a mouse. It’s one of those things. One quirk with using a stylus is that it’s very normal to do a slight drag when you click on something*. Normally it’s no big deal, as it’s usually just a few pixels, and nothing gets upset. However, when selecting clips in the FCPX browser, this behaviour nearly always rubber-band selects a range within the clip.
With the exception of cleaner mouse/stylus technique, is there a way to avoid this? i.e. can I turn off the range selection or anything similar?
*for those not familiar with using a stylus and tablet, moving the stylus just above the surface of the table is equivalent to moving the mouse around on screen. To click, you touch the surface of the tablet with the stylus. To click and drag, keep the stylus on the tablet and move it around. Unless you’re very precise, it’s normal that you slide the stylus ever so slightly when you tap, executing a ‘click and drag’.
Mathew Farrell
flowstate.com.au -
12 Replies
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There’s no way to stop selecting a range if you click and drag in the Browser window.
I don’t use my Wacom for editing very often but I gave it a try for a few minutes and even when I was trying to stop my cat leaping onto the keyboard with the other hand I didn’t drag when I clicked.
It might be my technique, thanks to the couple of months I spent doing fiddly roto work on a film a few years back, but it might also be worth checking in the macOS control panel that you’ve got the Wacom set up and calibrated properly.
Having said that, I did have some jitter issues with an old smaller model Wacom 3 that made it hard to click and not drag. If this is happening all the time, maybe it’s a faulty tablet?
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
Cheers Jeff. I’m reasonably confident that the tablet is fine. I know I’ve got pretty sloppy technique. I’ve done plenty of stills roto style work, which has helped me, but I think it just comes down to being more deliberate.
I’m still fighting the magnet, against your advice.
Mathew Farrell
flowstate.com.au -
No worries. Just mentioned it because the one I had used to jump a couple of pixels every time I clicked. Used for a couple of years not realising there was something wrong until I got a new one that didn’t do it.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
Are you trying to click and drag to the timeline? The you get a range? That happens with a mouse too. If it’s not the active window then you really. Red to click to activate, then click to select.
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https://BretFX.com FCP X Plugins & Templates for Editors & Motion Graphics Artists -
Hi Bret,
No, I’m just talking about a click to select. I’m not trying to drag, but I am adding the slightest drag as I click anyway. Unless I’m being conscientious, I probably add a tiny drag about 30-50% of the time when I’m trying to select a clip. When I’m diligent I can avoid doing it, but I want to be able to work fast. Currently I feel like I’m walking on ice. Looking for the crampons button.
You’ve just made me think of something else though: if I want to playback a whole clip, is there a clean way to select the head of that clip? At the moment, I can select a particular point in the clip, mouse left or right to scrub, but I can’t figure out how to select/start from the first frame. Old habits are make me want to click the clip and drag back to the start (trying to constrain the scrubbing to that one clip), but clearly that selects a range. I feel like it’s a simple task I just haven’t figured out yet.
Mathew Farrell
flowstate.com.au -
Don’t you just hover to skim? No clicking. Skim back and press space bar. Just like a mouse.
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https://BretFX.com FCP X Plugins & Templates for Editors & Motion Graphics Artists -
In the Browser, the ‘Home’ and ‘End’ keys will take you to the start/end of a clip.
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Jeff Kirkland | Video Producer & Cinematographer
Hobart, Tasmania | Twitter: @jeffkirkland -
Thanks guys.
Bret- Yup, hover and space are all good and well, though I don’t see land on the start of a clip particularly. If you’re zoomed out, are viewing small tiles, it’s very precise work to land on (or sufficiently close to) the first frame of a clip.
Jeff – the home end end keys are what I was looking for! A shame I’ve only got a compact (mac) keyboard! Will have to look at some kind or remapping.
Cheers
Mathew Farrell
flowstate.com.au -
Been using a Wacom for years coming off the back off Quantel gear. Used it for all my editing with no issues.
Have you tried restoring the defaults in the Wacom prefs?
Have you changed the Stylus nib at all, should have spares supplied.
Can you try another Stylus to see if it persists?
If the clip has no in points you can use Shift + I to go to the head of clip
Function + Arrow Back will take you to first frame of a clip ignoring any in points -
When you skim past the beginning, it should stick to the first frame. You’ve really got me wondering just what you’re doing to get these bizarre results.
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https://BretFX.com FCP X Plugins & Templates for Editors & Motion Graphics Artists
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