This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Zooming Horizontally
As you're editing an event, it helps if you zoom in for a closer look before you make your changes. The Zoom In/Out Time feature allows you to view more or less time in the Track View area. In fact, you can zoom out to see several hours at a glance if your project is that long. On the other hand, you can zoom in almost to the sample level. Now that's microscopic!
ACID provides several methods you can use to zoom in time. Notice the set of controls at the end of the horizontal scrollbar, just down and to the left of the Vertical Zoom control. This control, called the Time Zoom control, is similar to the Vertical Zoom control. Click the Zoom In Time button to show less time and more waveform details in the timeline. Click the Zoom Out Time button to show more time and less detail.
You can also use the keyboard equivalent for these buttons. To zoom in, press the up arrow on your keyboard. To zoom out, press the down arrow on your keyboard. Press and hold the Ctrl key and tap the up-arrow key to zoom in very close in one jump. Press and hold the Ctrl key and tap the down-arrow key to instantly zoom all the way out.
Click and drag the Spin control (located between the two buttons) to the left to zoom in; drag it to the right to zoom out. You can also click and drag either edge of the horizontal scrollbar. Position the mouse pointer over one of the edges of the scrollbar. Notice that the pointer changes to a double arrow. Click and drag to make the scrollbar shorter; notice that you're zooming in to the timeline and can see more detail. Naturally, as you make the scrollbar longer, you zoom out. Double-click the scrollbar to zoom all the way out (see Figure 3.4).
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The Zoom tool, shown in Figure 3.4, is a flexible tool that lets you zoom in a number of ways:
Select the Zoom tool and click and drag in the timeline to select an area of the Track View that you want to zoom in to. ACID zooms in on the area you select until that area fills the entire Track View. After completing the zoom, the mouse pointer reverts to the previously active tool.
Double-click the Zoom tool to switch to Zoom Overview mode.
Triple-click the Zoom tool to switch to Zoom Overview mode and change the cursor to the Zoom tool. This handy shortcut enables you to zoom all the way out and then quickly select an area into which to zoom.
Figure 3.4 Click the Zoom tool for more zooming options.
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Zoom Overview Mode Zoom Overview mode minimizes all tracks and zooms out to show the entire project timeline in the Track View area.
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When you zoom using the Zoom In Time or Zoom Out Time button, ACID uses your project cursor as the zoom anchor. In other words, the project cursor determines the point into which you are zooming. When you've zoomed in so far that you can no longer see the entire timeline, ACID centers the project cursor in the visible timeline. Keep this in mind because if you have your project cursor in a spot other than where you're trying to work, you might find yourself scratching your head and mumbling, "Where am I?" after you zoom in.