Logic Pro 9 Key Modifier List

Still accepting additions and corrections to this ongoing. Feel free to reply here with any you find.

 

Remember, these are built-in modifiers and not configurable in the key commands.

 

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Display:

 

Press Option and click the Window menu, select Environment, to open the Environment window as float.

 

Press Option and click the waveform zoom button to restore it to normal zoom.

 

 

Navigation:

 

Press Control and Option to access the Zoom tool when other tools are selected.

 

Press Shift and Control, click-hold the Arrange window background, then drag it in the desired directionTo scroll both vertically and horizontally at the same time

 

Press Command, the mouse wheel scrolls horizontally.

 

Press Option, the mouse wheel zooms in or out vertically.

 

Press Option-Command, the mouse wheel zooms in or out horizontally.

 

Press Option-Control, the mouse wheel zooms in or out in both directions.

 

Press Control while entering the first digit to recall two-digit screensets (greater than 1-9).

 

Pressing Control and clicking the local menus in turn eliminates the need to click each one twice.

 

 

Bar Ruler/Playhead

 

Press Command and click the marker In the Bar ruler to set the playhead at the start of a marker

 

Click and hold the playhead and then press Control to fine adjust the playhead location.

 

Click and hold and the punch-in locator start or end times, then press Control to override the snap setting and use the transport divisions.

 

Click and hold and the locator start or end times, then press Control to override the snap setting and use the transport divisions.

 

 

Signature Track

 

Press Shift and double-click in the Signature track to view the Signature List.

 

 

Tempo Track

 

Press Option while dragging a node to copy a tempo change event.

 

Press Control while dragging vertically to allow fine adjustment of the tempo node or line value.

 

Press Shift and click or drag to select (while pressing Control), and drag all nodes to the target position to copy or move multiple tempo change events (Any tempo change events at the target positions are replaced by the moved or copied events.)

 

Press Shift while dragging a node left or right to make finer tempo change movements

 

Press Shift and double-click in the Tempo track to view the Tempo List.

 

 

Tempo List

 

 

Marker Track

 

Press Option and click anywhere on the marker to set the playhead to the start of that marker.

 

Press Command and double-click the marker, while Logic Pro is stopped to begin playback at the start of a marker

 

 

Marker List

 

Press Option and click a marker In the Marker List with the Finger tool. The locators are set to the beginning and end points of the selected marker.

 

 

Beatmapping Track

 

Press Shift and click the vertical lines at the bottom of the Beat Mapping track to assign multiple markers as beatmapping positions, if the Marker track is visible.

 

 

Locators

 

Press Shift and click a position in the Bar ruler to set the start or end point of a cycle, (whichever is closest).

 

 

Track Operations

 

Press Option and click drag the track header down to create a new track with same channel or instrument. All selected regions are moved to that new track.

 

Press Option key when reassigning a track channel strip to globally reassign multiple tracks that share a channel strip destination

 

Press Shift and click the track header to invert the region selections. (If none selected, then all get selected.)

 

Press Shift and click the track header while the transport solo button is active to invert the solo status of selected regions. (If none selected, then all get solo'd.)

 

Press Option and click track solo for exclusive solo.

 

Press Option and click track header, (or channel strip) to select the track without selecting the track's regions.

 

 

Regions-Arrange

 

Pointer Tool

Press Option while dragging region(s) to copy to a new position.

 

Press Option and Shift while dragging an audio region to create a cloned (alias) region.

 

Press Control while moving/resizing regions to override snap settings and use the division value in the transport bar.

 

Click-hold, then press Shift and drag regions to restrict movement to vertical.

 

Click-hold, then press Control and Shift while moving/resizing regions to override snap settings and use tick values if editing at lower zoom levels, or sample values if at higher zoom levels.

 

Click-hold, then press Option and Shift while changing the length with the Pointer tool to make all selected regions the same absolute length. (Only operates when changing region end, not start.)

 

Press Control and Shift to apply a region fade.

 

Press Control and Shift to modify the curve of an existing region fade.

 

Press Option to override Fade tool region click zones and get back the loop cursor. (If fade zones are enabled in prefs.)

 

Pencil Tool

 

Press Shift and click a location on an audio track to add an audio file to that location. (Open File dialog)

 

Scissor Tool

 

Press Control after you select the region with the Scissors tool to divide at the division value shown in the Transport bar. (Press and hold mouse on region, then press Control.)

 

Press Control and Shift to divide regions with even more precision. (Ticks or samples depending on zoom level.)

 

Press Option while cutting a region with the Scissors tool to divide a region into several portions with the same length.

 

Marquee Tool

 

Press Shift to alter the current marquee selection, from either the left or

right side, or up or down. (There's a few serious caveats to this one. ed.)

 

Press Control while making your marquee selection to snap to the division value shown in the Transport bar. (If the zoom level is high enough, this becomes samples.)

 

Press Control and Shift while making your marquee selection to snap to the finest possible resolution in the chosen Snap mode

 

 

Time Stretching

 

Press Option, click-drag the region end to time stretch it.

 

When time stretching multiple regions:

Press Shift for same absolute end position; no time correction.

 

Press Option for same absolute length change, with time correction.

 

Press Option and Shift for same absolute region length, with time correction.

 

Press Control after clicking for finer resolution length changes, but cannot be used in conjunction with Option; no time correction.

 

Flex Markers

 

Press Option while you drag the flex marker to move it without time stretching.

 

 

Automation

 

Press Command and click the track header's Automation Parameter menu and choose a destination parameter to copy or convert the automation data of one parameter to another.

 

Press Option and triple-click anywhere on an automation track to open a dialog that allows all automation data (of the current type) to be deleted.

 

Press Option and click the track header disclosure triangle to open or close all automation subtracks (up to 30).

 

Press Option and choose an automation mode in the Automation Mode menu in the Mixer or Arrange channel strip to set the same automation mode for all tracks

 

Pointer Tool

 

Click-hold, then press Control while dragging automation nodes or lines vertically to allow fine adjustment of the automation node or line value.

 

Click-hold, then press Shift and drag regions to restrict movement to vertical.

 

Press Shift and click to select other areas in addition to an existing selection. to create noncontiguous selections.

 

Press Shift and click a node—in front, or following a selected area to extend the current selection.

 

Press Shift and click a node or line to toggle its selection state.

 

Press Shift and dragging allows a rectangular selection. The selected area will toggle.

 

Press Option and click, when no automation data is selected, selects all data following the current mouse position, allowing you to drag this selection.

 

Press Option and double-click, when no automation data is selected, will select all data.

 

Press Option and Shift while dragging with the Pointer tool to create one node on each side of the rectangular selection area

 

Press Option, Control, and Shift while dragging with the Pointer tool to create two nodes on each side of a rectangular selection area

 

Press Control and Shift and drag with the standard Pointer tool to curve an automation line.

 

Automation Select Tool

 

Press Option and click the region header area with the Automation Select tool to create one node at each region border.

 

Press Control, Option and Shift and click the region header area with the Automation Select tool to create two nodes at each region border.

 

 

Regions-Arrange, MIDI Specific

 

Press Option while using the MIDI > Set Optimal Region Sizes Rounded by Bar command to round the region borders to the nearest denominator value.

 

 

Regions-Audio Bin

 

Press Option while pointer is a 2-headed arrow to adjust the boundaries of the region without moving the anchor.

 

 

Regions-Sample Editor

 

Press Option while moving the region end marker to prevent the anchor from moving.

 

Press Shift while dragging to adjust the selection start and end.

 

Press Option to drag the selection without changing the selection's length. (Temporary hand tool.)

 

 

Piano Roll

 

Pointer Tool

 

Press Option while dragging note(s) to copy to a new position.

 

Press Control to temporarily change the editing grid to divisions. (Press and hold mouse, then press Control.)

 

Press Control-Shift to temporarily change the editing grid to ticks.

 

Press Shift while altering the length of one of the selected notes to set the same end point for several notes

 

Press Option-Shift while dragging the length of one of several selected notes to make those notes the same length.

 

Velocity Tool

 

Press Option while dragging up with the velocity tool to override the max limit of the highest velocity note.

 

Press Option and Shift while dragging one of the notes with the Velocity tool to assign the same velocity value to all selected notes

 

 

Piano Roll Hyperdraw

 

Press Control while dragging a node selection to adjust nodes with higher precision.

 

 

Hyper Editor

 

Press Option while raising or lowering the values of all events in the selection, until the grabbed event beam reaches the maximum or minimum value. (Adjusts all selected event values when the dragged event has reached an extreme value.)

 

Press Shift and drag to select multiple events.

 

Press Shift and click the appropriate event definition names to select all events on multiple lanes.

 

Press Shift, and drag to the new position and lane to move selected events

 

Shift and click each event definition with the Pointer or Pencil tool to select/deselect multiple event definitions. (Enables group editing of definitions.)

 

 

Event List

 

Press Shift and Option while dragging to set a parameter to the same value for all selected events

 

 

Channel Strips

 

Press Option and click any insert, instrument or send slot to bypass it.

 

Press Option and click the fader or send pot to set their gain to unity.

 

Press Option and click the Group slot of the channel strip to assign the most recent group setting to another channel strip.

 

Press Control and click the channel strip solo button to toggle its solo-safe status.

 

 

Group Settings

 

Press Shift while choosing a group to assign a channel strip to multiple groups.

 

 

Score

 

Press Shift key while dragging events to restrict movement to one direction (vertical or horizontal)

 

Press Option while inserting a jazz symbol and it will remain independent of any note.

 

Press Option while dragging the “*” (asterix) with the mouse for absolute change (all values set to an equal value). The parameter is set to the same value for all selected objects. This allows you to set all notes of a chord to the same length or velocity, or set all selected objects to the same height ( Vertical Pos), for example.

 

Press Option and Control while grabbing a note with the Pointer tool temporarily activates the Velocity tool. (Not working, apparently)

 

Press Option as you insert the N-tuplet symbol and the most recently

inserted N-tuplet settings are used, without the dialog opening.

 

Press Shift to insert an object from the Part box into all currently selected regions, at the same position.

 

Press Option while selecting a note in the Part box and dragging it to the desired position to insert an independent note directly. (Independent grace notes cannot be inserted directly. They need to be created by converting regular or independent notes.)

 

Press Option while dragging an existing chord grid to copy an existing chord grid symbol.

 

Press Shift, then use the Pointer tool to move global text objects both vertically and horizontally

 

Press Option while moving bar(s) with the Layout tool and line breaks edited in this way only affect the two (directly concerned) staff systems. All other staff systems are unchanged. (When you move a bar with the Layout tool, all manually edited line breaks in subsequent lines are deleted, and the (automatic) line breaks are recalculated from that line downward. If you want to prevent this behavior, perhaps because you only want to change one detail and keep the other staffs as they were.)

 

 

Surround Panning

 

Press Command to lock diversity while panning.

 

Press Command-Option to lock the angle while panning.

 

Press Option and click the blue dot to reset angle and diversity.

 

 

Environment

 

Press Option while clicking an object's output terminal to select the cable destination.

 

Press Shift to move keyboard or fader objects by their surface if the name or bar is not visible.

 

Press Option while dragging any fader in a group selection to change all values in a linear fashion. (The absolute value differences are maintained.)

 

Press Shift and Option and drag any fader in a group selection and all faders change to the same value.

 

Press Option while double-clicking a Fader object to convert the fader to a Sysex fader. The fader's event definition window opens automatically.

 

 

File Operations

 

Press Option while using the File-Open-MIDI file command if you want to use external MIDI instruments for each MIDI track. (As a default behavior, Logic Pro automatically creates software instrument tracks for each MIDI track, and assigns an appropriate GarageBand instrument to each, when you open a MIDI file.)

 

 

EXS24 Editor

 

Click the dropdown triangle next to the zone name (file name). You'll see a menu option "Open in Sample Editor". Hold down the command key before selecting that menu item and it will open in a new sample editor window.

 

More . . . .

Edited March 29, 2010 by fader8

What an excellent list. Thanks for sharing it.

 

Press Shift and double-click in the Signature track to view the Signature List.

 

That's a good one, but she missed this counterpart: Press Shift and double-click in the Tempo track to view the Tempo List.

 

Something else that might be worth noting: if you perform the action while the list is already open as part of the main Arrange window, what you'll get is the list in the form of a separate window.

 

For some strange reason the Marker Track doesn't work the same way. Shift-doubleclick is ignored.

What a valuable resource!

Thank you for posting this. Thank your student too, please.

A few other comments for now.

 

Press Option and click a marker In the Marker List with the Finger tool. The locators are set to the beginning and end points of the selected marker.

 

Except that you get the same result if you don't bother pressing Option. What matters is clicking with the Finger tool. Which is the command-click tool (for the Marker List) by default, I think. In other words, you can just do command-click.

 

Press Command and double-click the marker, while Logic Pro is stopped to begin playback at the start of a marker

 

I think that would be clearer if it said this: "Press Command and double-click the marker in the Bar ruler …" . Because you get a different result when you perform that action on the marker in the marker track.

 

Press Option and click drag the track number down to create a new track …

 

You don't have to grab the track number. You can grab any part of the track header.

 

Press Option and click track solo for exclusive solo.

 

It would be clearer if this said "Press Option and click track solo for exclusive solo, if the button you are clicking is currently off. If it's currently on, the result is to unsolo all tracks."

 

Press Shift and click a location on an audio track to add an audio file to that location. (Open File dialog)

 

That works only if you're using the Pencil tool.

A few other comments . . .

Done and done, thanks 45rpm.

 

I created a Bar Ruler/Playhead section.

 

I've added some channel strip stuff and reorganized a little too.

Added some Bar Ruler/Playhead commands.

Added modifiers for the pointer tools fade functions.

Hey - that MIDIfile loading one had totally passed me by - a handy one to know...

This list was recently handed to me by a brown-nosing student. Actually, she did a pretty good job. .[/i]

 

Hope she hasn't registered!

Cool list,though!

Added some more automation stuff.

 

I can't get this one to work:

 

Press Shift and Option and double-click anywhere on an automation track to open a dialog that allows all automation data (of the current type) to be deleted.

 

I checked and it's definitely on page 819 of the manual, but I don't think it works. Can someone confirm this?

I checked and it's definitely on page 819 of the manual, but I don't think it works. Can someone confirm this?

 

Hey Fader

 

I couldn't find this in the LP8 manual on that page but found it in the LP9 online manual.

 

Tried it over and over and could not get it to work either.

option triple click opens up the dialogue box.

 

option dbl click selects all nodes.

 

option single click selects that node and any others "downstream" (and perhaps one "upstream" as well)

option triple click opens up the dialogue box.

Thanks Doug! That's it alright. Looks like we had your other two. If you think of any more, just holler.

Doug, thanks, that's helpful. But it's kind of a strange design, because option-double-click delete and option-triple-click return create the same result. I can't imagine why the latter would ever be preferable.

 

Logic trivia question. Is there any other example of Logic recognizing a triple-click? I searched, and it's not in the manual.

Logic trivia question. Is there any other example of Logic recognizing a triple-click? I searched, and it's not in the manual.

 

I don't think Logic thinks of it as a triple click. It's a selection, then an Option-double-click.

 

In fact you can select whatever you want, however you want (for example with the Marquee) and then Option-double-click it to get the Delete dialog.

David, thanks, that's interesting, but I think it actually works both ways. In other words, you and Doug are both correct. Consider these two scenarios:

 

A) Nothing in the automation track is selected. Option-double-click selects all. Now that all is selected, option-double-click again makes the dialog appear.

 

B) Nothing in the automation track is selected. Option-triple-click makes the dialog appear.

 

You're describing A, and it's true that A works. But B also works. That means that Logic is detecting a triple-click. Because if you start with nothing in the automation track selected, option-triple-click definitely give you a result that's different from option-double-click followed by a separate option-click. When the machine behaves differently depending on the interval between the second click and the third click, that means (by definition) that a triple-click is being detected.

 

And it's still a strange design, because A and B are both inferior to option-double-click delete.

 

I think the fact that I'm interested in stuff like this proves that I'm really a nerd.

The B method really does seem to mechanically to be a triple click (and there is no previous selection).

 

I really dug into automation in Logic 8 and there was a quirk (and not a good one) when using the dialogue box. The sad thing is I'll have to review my videos to remember what it was. This may well have been fixed in version 9.

Yes, for the user, it's interpreted as an Option triple click for "Select everything and open the delete dialog". The way I see it, it's just an Option-double-click to select everything, then an Option-double-click to open the delete dialog. I mean both those commands exist in themselves, they're both double-clicks, and if you make a triple click you aggregate both commands into one.

 

Kinda like... if your Editing area is closed in the Arrange area and you triple click a MIDI region, you'll open and close the Piano Roll. I don't interpret it as a new "Peak inside MIDI region using Piano Roll then close it" triple-click key command. It's simply a double-click to open the region in the Piano Roll, a double-click to close the Piano Roll. Here again, both commands exist on their own as double-click, but triple-click and you'll aggregate both commands.

 

I think there are most probably many more cases of triple-clicks being interpreted as series of two double-clicks in Logic and in general on Mac OS, I'll see if I can come up with a better example.

Kind of going OT here:

 

Ok, here's an example of another "triple click". Open up Soundtrack Pro and go to the time display (upper left area, above track headers - SMPTE time code readout). On the right edge of the time readout (not beats) click 3 times and you'll get the entire time code to highlight......

if you make a triple click you aggregate both commands into one.

 

That's a perfectly fine way to look at it, but nevertheless the programmer has made a decision to detect a triple-click, and respond with a certain action. As to why he did this, or whether it was a good idea to this, those are separate issues. But by observation we can notice that he did this.

 

if your Editing area is closed in the Arrange area and you triple click a MIDI region, you'll open and close the Piano Roll

 

Thanks, that's very interesting, I never noticed that (and I see he does the corresponding thing with audio regions, too). But that's definitely another instance of the programmer making a decision to detect a triple-click.

 

And I guess I shouldn't necessarily assume the programmer made a decision. It could be a bug, i.e., something he did without realizing he was doing it.

 

I don't interpret it as a new "Peak inside MIDI region using Piano Roll then close it" triple-click key command. It's simply a double-click to open the region in the Piano Roll, a double-click to close the Piano Roll. Here again, both commands exist on their own.

 

But a double-click to open the region in the Piano Roll followed by a double-click to close the Piano Roll really and truly consist of a total of four clicks. What's interesting is that he responds to a double-click followed by a double-click, but he also responds to a triple-click. The two actions are different, even though the result is the same.

 

You're correct that it would be silly to have a command for "Peak inside MIDI region using Piano Roll then close it." But that's really and truly what the programmer did. Why? Probably it's a bug and he didn't realize he was doing it.

 

I think there are most probably many more cases of triple-clicks being interpreted as series of two double-clicks in Logic and in general on Mac OS

 

Believe it or not, wiki has an article about triple-clicking. I think normally it's not what we're seeing in Logic, i.e., an alternative to two double-clicks.

 

The B method really does seem to mechanically to be a triple click

 

Yes, it is. And you can prove it to yourself by varying the time between click #2 and click #3. If the interval is long, click #3 is ignored. If the interval is short, the dialog appears. By definition, this means that a triple-click is being detected.

 

click 3 times and you'll get the entire time code to highlight

 

That's a good example of something that's very common. You'll see that in the Finder, and you'll see it most word processors. Double-click selects a word, and triple-click selects the whole line. You'll see the same behavior editing any multi-word file (or folder) name in the Finder.

 

But this is fundamentally different than what we're seeing in Logic, because it's not an instance of a triple-click giving the same result as two double-clicks. In my opinion, that's a weird thing, and you're not going to see it in too many places outside of Logic. For that matter, I don't think we see it in too many places inside of Logic.

click 3 times and you'll get the entire time code to highlight

 

Aside from seeing this phenomenon in Soundtrack, you can also see it in Logic. For example, open the Marker List, and edit the marker name (down at the bottom). Double-click selects the word. Triple-click selects the whole line. This is normal text-editing behavior. What's unusual is this strange business about triple-click sometimes taking the place of two double-clicks.

An interesting (and good) distinction about triple clicking replacing a function also completed by two double clicks. In the case of the automation scenario, I never knew until now that you could get the dialogue box by double clicking twice.

 

I do prefer the triple click as it's one fluid action, and my finger has to perform one less click, saving its strength for more grueling edits down the road.

I do prefer the triple click as it's one fluid action

 

I definitely agree that a triple-click is superior to two double-clicks, as a general rule. But in this instance, you have another choice: option-double-click delete. I don't understand why option-triple-click return would be considered preferable to that. That's the part that's hanging me up.

An interesting (and good) distinction about triple clicking replacing a function also completed by two double clicks. In the case of the automation scenario, I never knew until now that you could get the dialogue box by double clicking twice.

 

Or double-clicking once, if you've previously selected the material, which you can do without double-clicking, for example by dragging the Marquee tool...

 

45rpm... I guess we'll have to agree to disagree... not a big deal. But I think you're wrong. The key command is clearly "Option-double-click to delete what's selected". But if you try to use it with nothing selected, you'll have to triple click so that you can first select the data. It's not something that the programmers intended any more than triple clicking a region in the Arrange area to have a peak inside its content.

Edited February 14, 2010 by David Nahmani

Oh, we're talking real-life work flow?

 

I don't use the dialogue box except once in awhile, when my index finger gets going and triple clicks instead of dbl clicking. I option dbl click/delete most often. I agree, it's preferred.

 

David - I didn't see your post.

 

As far as work flow goes, once an area is selected, what advantage is there to option dbl click for the dialogue box rather than just hit delete?

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree

 

But I'm not sure that we're really disagreeing about anything. Maybe we're just disagreeing about whether or not we're disagreeing!

 

The key command is clearly "Option-double-click to delete what's selected".

 

But I can simply press delete to delete what's selected, so there's no reason to provide an alternate way to do this that is more difficult and adds no value.

 

But if you try to use it with nothing selected, you'll have to triple click so that you can first select the data.

 

Well, it's not really that you have to triple click. It's that you can. This is one of the choices the user has, but it seems to be a choice that's inferior to simply doing option-double-click delete. This is what Doug asked (and also what I'm asking): why would a user ever prefer to use either method that causes the dialog to appear (and there are two such methods: option-double-click followed by option-double-click, or option-triple click)? It requires more steps, for no gain of any kind. It would be different, for example, if the dialog presented certain options. Like, let's say, delete only those nodes with certain characteristics. But it doesn't do that. The dialog adds no value.

 

It's not something that the programmers intended any more than triple clicking a region in the Arrange area to have a peak inside its content.

 

I think this is really the key point, and this is where you and I are in so-called violent agreement. What we're all noticing is that the program recognizes the triple-click, but it does so in a situation where the user gains nothing by doing things that way. So it's hard to understand why the feature is set up that way. I think you're right, that it was simply not intended. I'm not sure what to call it; 'bug' may not be the right word, because it's really just an innocuous little quirk.

 

Anyway, while this one little thing is insignificant, I think it's actually very helpful to be able to have this kind of discussion about the tiniest details in Logic, so I greatly appreciate that you provide a venue for that, and I appreciate your patience with my questions and comments.

 

I don't use the dialogue box except once in awhile, when my index finger gets going and triple clicks instead of dbl clicking.

 

But you would actually be better off if the program simply ignored the third click. Because then you could just proceed to do what you were planning to do: press the delete key. But because the program chooses to not ignore your inadvertent third click, your process is interrupted, because you have to tell your finger to hit return instead of delete. This is a perfect example of a program getting in your way and slowing you down for no good reason whatsoever.

But a double-click to open the region in the Piano Roll followed by a double-click to close the Piano Roll really and truly consist of a total of four clicks. What's interesting is that he responds to a double-click followed by a double-click, but he also responds to a triple-click. The two actions are different, even though the result is the same.

 

My guess is that the code goes like this:

 

Did the user click here? If yes, has there been a click at the same spot in the last 150 milliseconds? If yes, then count it as a double-click.

 

That would mean this happens on a triple-click:

 

1st click - counts as a click

2nd click - counts as a double click

3rd click - counts as a double click

That would mean this happens on a triple-click:

 

1st click - counts as a click

2nd click - counts as a double click

3rd click - counts as a double click

 

My thoughts, exactly. Makes a lot of sense to me.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree

 

But I'm not sure that we're really disagreeing about anything. Maybe we're just disagreeing about whether or not we're disagreeing!

 

Not sure whether or not I agree with you there. Let me think about this.

That would mean this happens on a triple-click:

 

1st click - counts as a click

2nd click - counts as a double click

3rd click - counts as a double click

 

I think I grasp what you're saying, but let me make sure.

 

Consider the following two actions:

 

A) option-double-click followed by option-double-click

B) option-triple-click

 

What we're noticing is that Logic (in this particular instance) is responding to A and B in an identical manner. We're talking about why it works this way, or how it works this way.

 

You're speculating that the programmer sees click #1 and click #2, and interprets them together as a double-click. And then the programmer sees click #2 and click #3 and interprets them together as another double-click.

 

I like your theory, and I agree that this might be a perfectly accurate description of what the program is doing. It's absolutely consistent with what we observe the program doing. But the point I'm trying to make it is that this is a bizarre design, contrary to normal Mac interface practice. One click is not supposed to be counted twice. I.e., once click #2 has been paired with click #1, it should no longer be considered available to be paired with click #3.

 

In terms of normal interface design, single-click, double-click and triple-click are all discrete, separate events. Any individual click can be a part of one of those events, but not part of more than one.

 

Here's another simple way to say it: it's definitely not normal on a Mac (and I bet this is also true for Windows) for a triple-click to be treated as the equivalent of two double-clicks, and vice versa. Here's a simple experiment to illustrate the point. Double-click on one word in this paragraph. Wait a moment, and then double-click on it again. Your first action selected the word, and your second action simply reselected the word. Now triple click on a word. This action has the effect of selecting the whole paragraph. This is normal Mac text-editing behavior. The point is that a single triple-click definitely does not have the same meaning as two double-clicks. But that's what Logic is doing, in this instance.

 

I think it would be interesting to find examples of other programs that do the same thing, but I have a feeling that such examples would be hard to find.

 

And just to be clear, there are two separate issues here. (I realize the word "issues" is too strong; by "issues" I just mean 'quirky, unusual design choices that are innocuous but interesting to notice.') The first issue is that the dialog exists at all. It shouldn't. It has no purpose, and the user would be better off if it didn't exist. The second issue is that Logic presents a situation where a triple-click is treated as the equivalent of two double-clicks. This is very unusual. We don't expect the computer to work this way.

 

And here's another quirky thing about triple-clicking in Logic. In a track header, try triple-clicking on the track name. The result? The editing area flashes and disappears. In other words, the result is nothing (i.e., nothing useful to the user). Logic definitely shouldn't do this. Rather, the third click should be treated as a separate single-click (i.e., it should be ignored).

 

This example is similar to what David noticed about triple-clicking on a region, but it's not quite the same thing. In that example, a triple-click is the equivalent of two double-clicks. In the track-name example, this is not the case. Try it, you'll see what I mean.

 

All the numeric fields in the Transport Bar work the same way as the track name. On the other hand, try a triple-click on the numbers in the Tempo List, or the other lists. The editing area remains open (although it flashes in an odd way).

 

All these issues are very minor, but I think ultimately it would be nice if they get cleaned up. Therefore I think it's good to give them some of this kind of analysis. If there aren't a few nerds willing to ponder stuff like this, it never gets addressed.

 

Let me think about this.

 

Ha!