Select None (ctrl-shift-A)

[selig]

Maybe I'll make a video to describe the issues to better show them.

If there was a deselect option, they wouldn't have had to add those small arrow buttons (which again don't show well what they are there for) to switch focus when doing multi edit. It could've remained the same as before, and what might've been annoying before (because it served no purpose) would now actually be beneficial—you'd select tracks and then simply switch focus by clicking anywhere.

In the newest version, there are master keyboard buttons on every track, so now you can switch focus of a track without switching master keyboard assignment. But don't click anywhere near there though, because that deselects your selections...

From what I recall, you are also a Pro Tools user. I used it a while back and this shortcut was in there then. Useful I think and would help to avoid all these weird additions and behaviors and where you can click rules to deselect or change focus without losing selection, etc. It's just clunky IMO and thankfully the tutorial window is there and hopefully will explain it to new users; something that veteran users can be confused about and disagree on...

I guess what I'm failing to understand is why you want a de-select AND a change focus command, when the whole reason for deselecting as far as I can see is to THEN change focus.

Why not just change focus directly, without the extra step of deselecting all?

I'm all for simpler and more direct operation, and I'm not having any issues doing all of the things described here (for the first time ever in Reason).

I've always used the "standard" master keyboard approach in Reason, and that may be another thing separating your experience and mine, since I never need to edit a track that I don't also want to play. OK, I just tried working the way you work - seems totally obvious where to click to select key focus. Even when I shrink the track to the smallest possible size I cannot accidentally change key focus when selecting a track, or accidentally loose my selection. Probably need to use this mode in the "heat of the moment" when working on a track to see what you're talking about. Still, seems very clear and intuitive to me at first glance, and pretty 'bulletproof'.

I also don't see a way around the edit selector buttons in multi lane edit mode. You can still select a single track as before if you want, or select focus with the arrows. With your suggestion you'd need to add a button to exit multi-lane edit mode, since clicking anywhere just changes focus but keeps you in multi-lane edit mode, right? I prefer the Props way (for once!), as it keeps consistency with the way the other parts of the UI work, and the way the sequencer works when NOT in multi lane edit. Meaning, clicking a track selects it - ALWAYS.

[joeyluck]

No, I don't need both. Without the weird workarounds of the UI additions, you wouldn't need any of this.

I'm not trying to say that adding the shortcut means these other UI elements would need to go. But just trying to explain to you the purpose of a select none shortcut used by many applications and operating systems since you were having difficulty understanding its purpose.

With a deselect shortcut, you would not need those new arrow buttons to switch focus and maintain selections. You wouldn't need all these workarounds of "click here but not there...and click here to do this, but not here if you want it to do this..." etc.

I don't care in this situation about selecting another track. I'm not looking for an answer of going from all tracks selected to one specific track selected. Just deselect. You would have a shortcut...and a menu item, bringing it to the forefront. And I don't want to get caught up in tracks...this is for anything.

I guess I find it interesting you would have what seems to be a polar opposite view about removing browse focus...where you don't understand people's workflows of clicking a blank spot in the rack...and pointing out the other ways to do it. And you can with the little 'x' in the Browser or the Escape key. Yet, in this situation you seem to be more in favor of clicking area to deselect. So I'm a little confused I guess in the difference here.

And maybe folks would like to use the Escape key to deselect? I dunno. Like I said earlier, iZotope RX has Command-D assigned by default. I'm on macOS so I can change whatever it is, so it's more about having the menu item/shortcut than it is about having it specifically be a certain key combination. Just the capability would be great.

[aeox]

I don't really understand the need for a deselect key. Or is it.. "just because" ? Could very well be a OCD thing.

[selig]

No, I don't need both. Without the weird workarounds of the UI additions, you wouldn't need any of this.

As it is, you don't need any of this - you just click on one item in the group and that one item is selected. This is how the Apple Finder works too, FWIW.

I'm not trying to say that adding the shortcut means these other UI elements would need to go. But just trying to explain to you the purpose of a select none shortcut used by many applications and operating systems since you were having difficulty understanding its purpose.

Indeed, and I'm not saying there's no reason to not keep clicking in blank areas to deselect all, if that gets you where you want to go.

With a deselect shortcut, you would not need those new arrow buttons to switch focus and maintain selections. You wouldn't need all these workarounds of "click here but not there...and click here to do this, but not here if you want it to do this..." etc.

But you're breaking convention in Reason, and creating an extra step where there is none. Why do that? Right now it's one click to change focus (either the arrows or on a grey note), and one click to exit that mode and select a new track for editing etc. But what you're suggesting is to add a step, no? To first de-select all, THEN make a new selection, if I'm following you correctly. This seems counter intuitive to me, that's all.

I don't care in this situation about selecting another track. I'm not looking for an answer of going from all tracks selected to one specific track selected. Just deselect. You would have a shortcut...and a menu item, bringing it to the forefront. And I don't want to get caught up in tracks...this is for anything.

For example…? it sounds like you're saying "I don't care if it doesn't do anything, I just want it". It would be like suggesting adding a command to select every third file in a list, or to undo the last 7 commands - sure, it can be done, but the first question a UI designer is going to ask is to hear a use case, because there COULD be a better/quicker way of doing what you want than what you're suggesting. And also, the suggestion itself includes no actual application for any particular use, so further questions are inevitable.

I guess I find it interesting you would have what seems to be a polar opposite view about removing browse focus...where you don't understand people's workflows of clicking a blank spot in the rack...and pointing out the other ways to do it. And you can with the little 'x' in the Browser or the Escape key. Yet, in this situation you seem to be more in favor of clicking area to deselect. So I'm a little confused I guess in the difference here.

It's not that at all. What I don't understand is the two step process for going from a group selection to a single selection, or the use case for removing browse focus - this is coming from my "designer" mind, which will always ask that question. This has nothing to do with HOW it's done (the act of clicking outside the main area to de-select is irrelevant here). The question on MY mind is "how can this be done more elegantly", so I FIRST have to ascertain WHAT is the desired outcome.

To be clear, I'm not sure I EVER click in an area to de-select, and never have. As I expressed earlier, the technique I learned years ago is simpler and 100% repeatable in every app/situation, and can be done without moving my focus away from the subject/object: first Command/Click to de-select the object in question from the group, then just click to select ONLY that object. The mouse never moves, you just basically click twice in the same place. I've been doing it this way since 1986, and it still works perfectly and as quickly now as ever. Still, UIs improve, and I'm glad the Finder and Reason both now allow a single click to accomplish this task!

And maybe folks would like to use the Escape key to deselect? I dunno. Like I said earlier, iZotope RX has Command-D assigned by default. I'm on macOS so I can change whatever it is, so it's more about having the menu item/shortcut than it is about having it specifically be a certain key combination. Just the capability would be great.

And again I am left to ask, WHY? Why would it be great to be able to de-select all with a key command, if you can already do what you want in Reason with one click? What else is there that a "de-select all" would accomplish for you? Serious question, I'm honestly trying to understand the application of this function here.

I'm not trying to drive you (or anyone else) nuts with the question, but I'm not sure I've heard any answer other than "to select one object from a group", which is already easily possible in Reason (and one of the new features of this 10.2 release). And you say that's not why you want this feature (I THINK that's what you're saying), but not what else you could achieve with this command.

Reason adds features so slowly, I'm more about finding ways to get the job done NOW, while also making suggestions for the future.

[joeyluck]

Yeah I think at this point if you don't get it, it's probably not worth trying to explain again. It's really ok

You misinterpreted some things. With the shortcut command you would still do things with one click...and it would remove the purpose of all the GUI additions that you need a manual to understand. As in you wouldn't lose your selection and you could click ANYWHERE on a track for instance to change focus. You wouldn't need the silly confusing buttons. And selection would be removed just the same as with many other apps via the shortcut or clicking outside the area. But again, not arguing for the removal of the new additions, just trying to explain how the use of select none could have kept bloat out of the interface.

I do remember you using Pro Tools. How do you go about it there? Pro Tools uses 'select none' and something like option-clicking or whatever for changing selections. You mention Finder in macOS, it supports this too

It's a very basic and pretty universal function. Perhaps researching outside of the app that doesn't use it would help to understand? Maybe write to iZotope or Avid and ask why? And maybe somebody can explain better? This isn't someone asking for an invention. And Propellerhead has said that they didn't want to add a separate selection button for choosing which tracks are included in multi-edit because they want it to behave more like other functions familiar in an OS... This is one of those.

[Fotu]

Yes it can be quite clumsy and become a mess. How the tracks are subtly highlighted to show they are selected certainly doesn't help. A quick shortcut to deselect would help.

This is totally addressed in the newest (d93) version just release. It's simple, it's consistent across the UI in all views (finally), and it works exactly as one would expect.

Try it now: select all tracks, then click on one. Magic!

This is definitely NOT how the sequencer track selection used to work, and it was frustrating as hell. Thankfully that is now a thing of the past.

[Politely ignoring the rest of this thread, but checking this out, and...] Oh Joy! Yes, clearing a multi-track selection is indeed fixed in d93! Thanks for pointing this out!

[Namyo85]

Undo won't work if you adjusted ALL the notes selected by adjusting 1 of them as the ctrl + A will now not be the last undo, it will be the 2nd last undo

It will if you haven't changed anything which was the point I was making.

[Creativemind]

Undo won't work if you adjusted ALL the notes selected by adjusting 1 of them as the ctrl + A will now not be the last undo, it will be the 2nd last undo

It will if you haven't changed anything which was the point I was making.

Maybe but Reason undoes so many little insignificant things (which I know a lot of people like about it's undo) that it might not be.