Project Zoom Out Limits

[Gass n Klang]

Could we have a project zoom out limit in the project settings for a start and end time/bar/timecode of the project? It happens too often that you zoom out and all the items are on the left side of the arrange view. A project limit could offer a maximum zoom out range.

[Gass n Klang]

nobody interested in this?

[EvilDragon]

Apparently.

[karbomusic]

I don't think it needs a limit, I think zoom should work better by default. There are some mouse modifiers that help but don't really solve in full.

[EvilDragon]

If I need to zoom out fully to the whole project, I use a dedicated action for that ("View: Zoom out project")... it didn't fail me so far.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

If I need to zoom out fully to the whole project, I use a dedicated action for that ("View: Zoom out project")... it didn't fail me so far.

Just zooming general is kludgey, will demo later if time permits. For one it shouldn't zoom out to 5000 measures ever mostly sorta kinda.

[Gass n Klang]

Project limit in the project settings doesn't have any disadvantage vor anybody but let's you zoom out to the full project length very quickly using the mouse wheel. So why wouldn't it be good?
Counterquestion: Why would you want to zoom out more than the length of your project? If your project gets longer than expected, you just could adapt the project limit...

[ivan.lt]

I use the action to zoom to entire project, it's a single, one-shot command so in theory nothing could be faster.

Originally Posted by Gass n Klang

Counterquestion: Why would you want to zoom out more than the length of your project?

For example, I like to reveal a lot of blank space at the end to drag files onto it to sort later. Sometimes I would zoom out beyond the project length and drag unused parts there. Yes, I could manipulate "project limit" whenever I need that but for me that would be a hindrance.

[Gass n Klang]

then you're probably using keyscommands for zooming in general. The mousewheel zoom guys like me could just scroll down and had the whole project.
I really can't comprehend how one could be against that feature. There could be an infinity project length as standard for example...

[EvilDragon]

I also use mousewheel (two of them, vertical and horizontal) for scrolling and zooming. But if I need to zoom to the whole project, I just press Page Down and there I am.

[vitalker]

Here is the example of the FR usefulness:

[ivan.lt]

Originally Posted by Gass n Klang

There could be an infinity project length as standard for example...

This could work for me.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by vitalker

Here is the example of the FR usefulness:

Exactly, it's not about wanting to zoom 'to' the entire project, it's when zooming using any method, it shouldn't zoom out to thousands and thousands of measures wide.

So why wouldn't it be good?

There shouldn't be a special setting to keep this from happening. Too late now, but that was my point. I'd prefer it to be project end + N percent by default, that is configurable if needed or default to the current project end time + some wiggle room. I'm never going to need to see what is at measure 45000 in a song that only has 200 I can assure you.

[Gass n Klang]

alright then we all fight for the same thing. Devs, it's up to you now

[rstockm]

It gets worse if you use a trackpad with multitouch zoom enabled (which makes perfect sense on a MacBook). Several times a day, it goes like this:



ans yes, I have the action "zoom out to project" but the proper way would be to give us a preference option to limit the zooming out to the project limits. This feels just - broken.

[Gass n Klang]

Originally Posted by rstockm

This feels just - broken.

exactly...

[X-Raym]

You have the limit project length to options in the advanced project settings, it can be a start. It don't prevent scrolling outside, but it allows zoom out to be less intensive.

[EvilDragon]

Indeed it does! Neat find, X-Raym!

[Eddy]

limiting the project length would have the disadvantage of preventing cut and pasting a whole lot of material past the project length setting

I use the zoom to project that Evil Dragon mentioned, the project setting X-Raym mentioned disables or renders buggy my mousewheel for zooming

[Masi]

Originally Posted by Gass n Klang

nobody interested in this?

Not for zooming. But I find that I have to add blank items at the end to hear the full reverb of the last bits of audio. So I'd rather have a limit in terms of bars/seconds for the audio rathern than the zooming.

Masi

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Eddy

limiting the project length would have the disadvantage of preventing cut and pasting a whole lot of material past the project length setting

Not true, it only affects recording/playback.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Masi

But I find that I have to add blank items at the end to hear the full reverb of the last bits of audio.
Masi

Set the option to include a tail.

[ejanejarr]

+1, I like Reaper zooming (a lot, actually). And I have a "Zoom out to project" shortcut, but I'd rather be able to do that with a simple mousewhel movement. This is a good idea.

[ivansc]

Adding a +1 to SOMETHING that gets zooming under better control than the existing setup.

I have learned to live with it, but in terms of detailed MIDI editing it is a total PITA.

X-raym - Thanks for that tip. Yet another setting I had completely overlooked!

[Masi]

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Set the option to include a tail.

Is there also an option als for playback? I know that I can set a tail for rendering, but the playback stops abruptly which annoys me.

Masi

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Masi

Is there also an option als for playback? I know that I can set a tail for rendering, but the playback stops abruptly which annoys me.

Masi

I thought you could at the item level and I was hoping that would do it but I could be wrong. Will try to check when I can.

[rstockm]

Originally Posted by X-Raym

You have the limit project length to options in the advanced project settings, it can be a start. It don't prevent scrolling outside, but it allows zoom out to be less intensive.

Interesting find. But I have to enter a specific value for each project - it would be way better to have the option "set limit always to actual projects length".

[EvilDragon]

Yeah but such thing is never going to be precise enough, say if you have long reverb tails happening after the last item end...


You can also set this to a certain value, then save a project template, then use that template as a startup project that is always used, so at least you reduce the amount of zoom out Reaper uses. Easy to change the value if the project needs a longer time.

[rstockm]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

Yeah but such thing is never going to be precise enough, say if you have long reverb tails happening after the last item end...
You can also set this to a certain value, then save a project template, then use that template as a startup project that is always used, so at least you reduce the amount of zoom out Reaper uses. Easy to change the value if the project needs a longer time.

Well, my usecase for REAPER (and that of ca. 1.500 other folks in Germany) is: podcasting. You never know how long a show will become, so a template is not an option (end reverb or precision is not an issue).

(If you're interested: this is my project "Ultraschall" http://ultraschall.fm (sorry, German only))

[Gass n Klang]

for all guys that don't like the idea: This could be an optional setting!

[ivan.lt]

I'd like to clarify. The original request was for "a maximum zoom out range", not a media/recording/playback time limit. Let's not mix the two.

We could specifically ask for an option to limit zoom to, say, the last item's end + 5% (or any other value). Which would not affect recording or dragging items past that point. IMO, "zoom limit" is more correct than "project limit" in this context.

[vitalker]

Originally Posted by ivan.lt

IMO, "zoom limit" is more correct than "project limit" in this context.

@Gass n Klang, so please rename the thread.

[Gass n Klang]

thanks! I renamed it.

[Gass n Klang]

push.

[EvilDragon]

So then you're not using the limit project length option, that helps with this?

[X-Raym]

@Gass n Klang
Why not a script to zoom from 0 to max item end ?

Try this (need SWS):

count_items = reaper.CountMediaItems(0)
max = 0

for i = 0, count_items - 1 do
  local item = reaper.GetMediaItem(0,i)
  local item_pos = reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value( item, "D_POSITION")
  local item_end = item_pos + reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value( item, "D_LENGTH")
  if item_end > max then max = item_end end
end

reaper.BR_SetArrangeView( 0, 0, max )

[ivan.lt]

The idea was to not be able to zoom out past the limit. Sort of like repeatedly pressing Page Down in a text editor will not take you beyond the document's end. (Though some editors do allow this.)

[karlingen]

+1

[Phazma]

Currently I use this script by bFooz as a workaround: https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...0&postcount=14

But it is not ideal. I’ve already run into situations where recordings get cut off because I forgot to move the end marker. Also it needs to be moved way to often in my workflow when I might move a piece of arrangement to the end of a project but still be able to audition it.

What would be great is a feature or script that works with mousewhel and just stops zooming out when the last item is visible on screen.

It’s really weird that a project length needs to be defined (with all its downsides in regards to spontaneous creative workflow) just for being able to zoom in a meaningful way.

[Gass n Klang]

push. I don't get it why the Zoom out limit just doesn't equal the "limit project length" in the project settings. Can be super dangerous during live recordings. You have no clue where your project limit is.

Is there any reason why the max zoom out seems to be random even if we got a project length setting? If so, please just add a zoom out length setting.