Pencil tool not working in 10.5

If I select the Pointer Tool, Marquee Tool, Zoom Tool, etc., the cursor turns into the appropriate icon and works as expected. However, if I choose the Pencil Tool, I simply get the Pointer Tool, and I cannot edit with it. Am I doing something wrong?


Posted on Jun 25, 2020 6:37 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 25, 2020 7:52 PM

You have to be a bit more specific in order to help you.

You mention that you selected the Pointer Tool, but WHERE?


Piano Roll

If you are in the Piano Roll Editor, it should work right away.


Audio Track Editor

The Pencil Tool has only limited functionality. If you click on an empty space, it will actually open the Open Dialog to import an audio file.


Audio File Editor

If you are in the Audio Files Editor, then you should be careful because you are potentially perform a destructive edit. With the Pencil Tool you can draw in to overwrite the current waveform. However, this works only when you are zoomed in far enough to see the waveform line. The Pencil Tool becomes active and you can start to draw.

Fun fact: If you are not zoomed in far enough and try to use the Pencil Tool, it actually functions as a (temporary) Zoom Tool.


Hope that helps,


Edgar Rothermich

Graphically Enhanced Manuals (GEM)

www.LogicProGEM.com

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 25, 2020 7:52 PM in response to milesfromchicago

You have to be a bit more specific in order to help you.

You mention that you selected the Pointer Tool, but WHERE?


Piano Roll

If you are in the Piano Roll Editor, it should work right away.


Audio Track Editor

The Pencil Tool has only limited functionality. If you click on an empty space, it will actually open the Open Dialog to import an audio file.


Audio File Editor

If you are in the Audio Files Editor, then you should be careful because you are potentially perform a destructive edit. With the Pencil Tool you can draw in to overwrite the current waveform. However, this works only when you are zoomed in far enough to see the waveform line. The Pencil Tool becomes active and you can start to draw.

Fun fact: If you are not zoomed in far enough and try to use the Pencil Tool, it actually functions as a (temporary) Zoom Tool.


Hope that helps,


Edgar Rothermich

Graphically Enhanced Manuals (GEM)

www.LogicProGEM.com

Jul 17, 2020 12:18 PM in response to milesfromchicago

Any chance that the audio file is locked or you don't have access privileges?

Try a different audio file so see if this behavior is consistent on all audio files.


And here is another possibility.

Go to the Logic Preferences and select the Advanced tab. See if the Audio checkbox is enabled. If disabled, it will prohibit this audio editing functionality.


Jun 26, 2020 7:29 AM in response to EdgarRothermich

Thanks for the reply! The issue is in the Audio FIle Editor and my goal is to modify the waveform to remove a couple of pops and clicks. I am zoomed in sufficiently to see the waveform at that resolution. But I can’t activate the Pencil Tool. Selecting Pencil Tool simply gives me the Select Tool (arrow cursor). All the other tools in that menu function as expected.

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Pencil tool not working in 10.5

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