Deactivating keyboard shortcuts

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Deactivating keyboard shortcuts

This is just a small issue, but one that's thoroughly annoying me. I'm a huge fan of keyboard shortcuts, but I just noticed one keyboard shortcut that's actually hindering my work flow and just plainly annoying me. It is the snapping shortcut in which you hold down alt and left mouse button together. Now, you get different results when you hold down one first than the other. Holding down the mouse button first then hitting alt will temporarily set snapping on, if it was previously off, until you let go of the mouse button. This can be useful. However, holding down alt then hitting the left mouse button will permanently put snapping on. This seems to be a one-way shortcut since it ONLY turns snapping on if previously off but not the other way around. Now this becomes a problem when I'm using the zoom tool and hold alt to zoom out then constantly have to re-set my snapping. I'm used to hitting "n" just for snapping. How would I go about deactivating this alt+LMB shortcut or any shortcuts that might pose a problem?

-Bob

Mac Pro 8-Core, Mac OS X (10.5.1), 5GB FB-DIMM RAM; 750GB HD; ATI Radeon X1900; Two Samsung 245BW Displays

Posted on Dec 18, 2007 10:03 AM

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Answer 1

BLeathers Author

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Dec 18, 2007 10:26 AM in response to BLeathers

Also, the the Alt+LMB seems not to be in the Custom Keyboard Layout window.

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Answer 2

hanumang

Level 6

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Dec 18, 2007 11:08 AM in response to BLeathers

Holding down the N key - or whatever single key toggles Snapping, if you're working with a custom layout - will deactivate this 'feature.'

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Answer 3

Dec 18, 2007 11:13 AM in response to BLeathers

Can't tell if this is your issue with snapping or not but be sure to read the What's New doc that came with recent updates to FCP. It's under the Help menu.

bogiesan

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Answer 4

hanumang

Level 6

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Dec 18, 2007 11:25 AM in response to hanumang

Oops - misread your question. The N key only works with swap edits, not the symptoms you're describing. Sorry.

Edit: At least on my system, holding down Shift at least prevents Snapping from being forced back on while doing an Option-Click with the Zoom In Tool. Though using the results with the Zoom Out Tool aren't cool.

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Answer 5

Dec 18, 2007 11:36 AM in response to hanumang

6.0.2 changed the snapping behaviors when performing swap edits.

From the Release Notes:

Shuffle (or “swap”) edits are performed by dragging a clip over an adjacent clip and then holding down the Option key. (For more information, see page 194 in Volume II of the Final Cut Pro User 6 Manual.) In Final Cut Pro 6.0.2, holding down Option after you begin dragging a clip temporarily enables snapping, regardless of whether snapping was turned on when you began dragging the clip. You can temporarily turn on or turn off snapping while you drag the clip by pressing the N key. After you release the mouse button, the snapping mode returns to however it was set before you began dragging the clip.

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Answer 6

BLeathers Author

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Dec 18, 2007 3:57 PM in response to hanumang

hanumang wrote:
Oops - misread your question. The N key only works with swap edits, not the symptoms you're describing. Sorry.

Edit: At least on my system, holding down Shift at least prevents Snapping from being forced back on while doing an Option-Click with the Zoom In Tool. Though using the results with the Zoom Out Tool aren't cool.

Thanks, Hanumang. While pressing Shift doesn't completely solve my problem, it is one step further than I previously was and is something I can adapt to easier without getting frustrated over this small issue.

The whole Alt+LMB seems a little sloppy in my opinion, at least what I've seen so far. Things work nicely IF Snapping is off, and IF you have the Zoom Zool set on Zoom In, not Zoom Out, on the Tool Palette. Holding Shift will temporarily activate or deactivate snapping while holding Alt+LMB, I actually like this. However, if Snapping is already on it'll stay on even when you press Alt+LMB or 'Alt+LMB then Shift.' And if the Zoom Tool is set to Zoom Out, Alt ShiftLMB will zoom in completely, of which, as you said, isn't cool. The way this Alt Snapping feature acts seems very inconsistent. I haven't come across other weird mouse+keyboard shortcut issues as of yet.

Now, while the Alt, Shift, and Left Mouse Button features for temporary snapping would come in handy, the weird requirements to use this feature effectively (can't have Snapping on and have to have Zoom In on Tool Palette) is causing me to want to take off Alt snapping entirely. So, is there a way I can deactivate the way Snapping reacts to the Alt and Shift keys? Forgive me if this is an issue specifically stated in the manual. I do not recall seeing it previously, but it may have either slipped my mind or I may have missed it.

I know this is just a minor issue. But even minor issues can add on to other stresses.

+On another note, I'm not referring to how moving clips reacts to the alt key (shuffles, inserts, or overwrites), just how snapping reacts to the alt key.+

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Answer 7

hanumang

Level 6

9,250 points

Dec 18, 2007 4:21 PM in response to BLeathers

I know this is just a minor issue. But even minor issues can add on to other stresses.

I feel your pain though I'm not sure I'd call this minor. 🙂 I think it's very uncool that the Dev team would use one of the handiest modifiers to toggle Snapping, of all things. Oh well...

I haven't come across some way to toggle this off. 😟

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Answer 8

BLeathers Author

Level 1

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Dec 18, 2007 5:31 PM in response to hanumang

hanumang wrote:

I know this is just a minor issue. But even minor issues can add on to other stresses.

I feel your pain though I'm not sure I'd call this minor. 🙂 I think it's very uncool that the Dev team would use one of the handiest modifiers to toggle Snapping, of all things. Oh well...

I haven't come across some way to toggle this off. 😟

Well, I guess keeping my Snapping off and Zoom Tool on Zoom In and using Alt ShiftLMB while trying not to let go of the mouse button while Shift isn't held down is the only solution right now. Hah hah hah, that is a pain in the butt. It seems like this is about as close to solved as this issue will get.

Thanks for the help, Hanumang.

-Bob

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