Grabbing the Fade Offset Handle at DVinfo.net

Reg Gothard · September 10th, 2007, 08:34 PM

(Newbie alert...)
It seems trivial but it's driving me nuts...
Mousing into the corner/edge of an event to grab the fade offset handle (the quarter circle icon with right/left arrow) seems to be hit and miss for me.
Admittedly, in the "View" menu I have everything checked (Event media markers, active take info, waveforms, etc etc), which makes event edges a little crowded, but turning them off doesn't seem to make any difference (except for "active take information", which improves the situation marginally).
I can easily get the mute/fade/opacity bar and the edge trimmer, but I have to be lucky to get the fade offset handle. Sometimes it can take me five or more seconds to get the right icon showing. It's only five seconds, but aggregate them and then add the grrrrrr factor....
So my question is "is there a sure-fire way to grab that fade offset handle first time every time?"
Thanks in advance...

Steve Leverich · September 10th, 2007, 09:57 PM

Try putting the cursor at the edge of the clip and zooming in til there's only about half a minute showing on the time line... Steve

Sorry, missed the "newb alert" the two easiest ways to zoom in to cursor are the up cursor arrow and the mouse scroll wheel if you have one. It's really fast to click on the clip edge, shove the mouse wheel forward, hover over the corner of the clip til the little "pie wedge" appears, then click and drag...

Curt Talbot · September 10th, 2007, 10:09 PM

Reg, something else to keep in mind is that if you have lowered the volume/opacity bar you need to grab the edge where the bar is, not at the top corner where you normally would if you haven't touched the bar.

Reg Gothard · September 10th, 2007, 10:41 PM

Thanks both.
Tried the zoom out to half a minute on screen trick - definitely improved the situation dramatically - but still not "sure-fire".
Will keep in mind the point about the opacity bar moving the target.

I guess this is one of the things I learn to get used to:
Select the cut point - roll the wheel forward - fish for the "pie wedge" - drag as required - roll wheel back again if necessary...
(Was hoping there was a key-press combo or something that "told" Vegas you're fishing for pie and and not edge or fade... <sigh>)

...and I should also read up on the "auto-crossfade" settings in preferences and any other ways that Vegas tries to help make fades easier.
Thanks again.

September 10th, 2007, 08:34 PM	#1
Reg Gothard Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Okotoks, Alberta, Canada Posts: 50	Grabbing the Fade Offset Handle (Newbie alert...) It seems trivial but it's driving me nuts... Mousing into the corner/edge of an event to grab the fade offset handle (the quarter circle icon with right/left arrow) seems to be hit and miss for me. Admittedly, in the "View" menu I have everything checked (Event media markers, active take info, waveforms, etc etc), which makes event edges a little crowded, but turning them off doesn't seem to make any difference (except for "active take information", which improves the situation marginally). I can easily get the mute/fade/opacity bar and the edge trimmer, but I have to be lucky to get the fade offset handle. Sometimes it can take me five or more seconds to get the right icon showing. It's only five seconds, but aggregate them and then add the grrrrrr factor.... So my question is "is there a sure-fire way to grab that fade offset handle first time every time?" Thanks in advance...

September 10th, 2007, 09:57 PM	#2
Steve Leverich Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Albany Oregon Posts: 173	Try putting the cursor at the edge of the clip and zooming in til there's only about half a minute showing on the time line... Steve Sorry, missed the "newb alert" the two easiest ways to zoom in to cursor are the up cursor arrow and the mouse scroll wheel if you have one. It's really fast to click on the clip edge, shove the mouse wheel forward, hover over the corner of the clip til the little "pie wedge" appears, then click and drag... Last edited by Steve Leverich; September 10th, 2007 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Added points

September 10th, 2007, 10:09 PM	#3
Curt Talbot Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Regina, SK Canada Posts: 104 Images: 1	Reg, something else to keep in mind is that if you have lowered the volume/opacity bar you need to grab the edge where the bar is, not at the top corner where you normally would if you haven't touched the bar.

September 10th, 2007, 10:41 PM	#4
Reg Gothard Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Okotoks, Alberta, Canada Posts: 50	Thanks both. Tried the zoom out to half a minute on screen trick - definitely improved the situation dramatically - but still not "sure-fire". Will keep in mind the point about the opacity bar moving the target. I guess this is one of the things I learn to get used to: Select the cut point - roll the wheel forward - fish for the "pie wedge" - drag as required - roll wheel back again if necessary... (Was hoping there was a key-press combo or something that "told" Vegas you're fishing for pie and and not edge or fade... <sigh>) ...and I should also read up on the "auto-crossfade" settings in preferences and any other ways that Vegas tries to help make fades easier. Thanks again.