mouse won't click properly in sf 18 waveform

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/27/2025, 10:46 PM

I have to make the waveform huge to move the mouse around. If I make it focused down to the point needed to edit, it seems to think there is a big space. Can't make a marker properly. Help. Can't edit audio at all right now. Someone please advise me.Had this happen a handful of times in the past and fixed it by turning paint on and off. that doesn't work.

Comments

SP. wrote on 12/28/2025, 3:14 AM

@jim-atkinson I assume you try to edit compressed audio files, for example MP3 files. Enable to always proxy compressed audio files in the program preferences.

rraud wrote on 12/28/2025, 11:01 AM

Seasons greetings @jim-atkinson, If you are not editing a lossy type file, the 'Proxy' setting will have no affect.
Otherwise, the 'Snapping' tool may be enabled and set to 'Grid', making it difficult to precisely place the cursor. It is usually best to have 'Snapping' enabled and set to Zero crossings. If you are surgically editing the waveform down to the millisecond or sample level, you may want to disable snapping altogether.
The 'Proxy compressed formats' setting is in the "Options> Preferences> General" menu and 'Snapping' is in the 'Options' menu.

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/28/2025, 11:17 AM

thank you. I am editing flac files. Tried the settings you both mentioned and I still can't click down to the millisecond. frustrating.

Further ideas? Really appreciate the help.

Jim A.

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/28/2025, 11:22 AM

if i click and try to move the cursor by using the right arrow on keypad, it jumps ahead 26 milliseconds.

rraud wrote on 12/28/2025, 1:34 PM

it jumps ahead 26 milliseconds.

Is your Zoom ratio set to a high resolution and did you try disabling 'Snapping' ?

Flac is a data compression format. I am not sure if it needs the proxy setting like some MP3s.

Do PCM files (.wav) exhibit the same behavior.

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/28/2025, 6:16 PM

 got it fixed. My big problem now is that i have trouble with another clicking item.

Traditionally all My SFs have allowed to click ahead a ways in the waveform, then stop the waveform from playing and it starts where that new click is set. Now when I stop it, it wants to play from where it stopped. Hard to explain but makes it quite difficult to edit.

Ideas?

Thanks so much. Jim A.

rraud wrote on 12/30/2025, 9:49 AM

Traditionally SF has allowed to click ahead a ways in the waveform, then stop the waveform from playing and it starts where that new click is set. Hard to explain

Seasons Greetings @jim-atkinson, These settings may cause the behavior:
"Options> Preferences> General> Spacebar and F12 Play/Pause instead of Play/Stop"
or
"Options> Seek Cursor on Playback"

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/30/2025, 10:04 AM

You are a genius. It awas the f12 setting in general settings. thank you thank you thank you. jim a.

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/31/2025, 12:58 AM

bad news. these settings worked for about 6 hours then reverted back broken. I sure hate to reset again. i went back thru your notes and did all your recommendations and it's still broken. Ideas?

SP. wrote on 12/31/2025, 8:14 AM

@jim-atkinson Convert the files to WAV before you edit them. Does this help?

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/31/2025, 11:58 AM

I've been editing the same since SF 6 way back when. I have 10,000 or so files, that would not really work. And I had to start using 14 anyway since doubleclicking doesn't work in 18.

jim-atkinson wrote on 12/31/2025, 12:14 PM

i got it working again. quantize for frames was off. happened as i was turning settings and off go get it to work. thank you so much. jim a.

rraud wrote on 12/31/2025, 1:53 PM

since double-clicking doesn't work in 18

It does work.. sort of.. you just have to double-click really really fast. As I recall, this annoying issue started with SF-16 and was never addressed and adjusting the click speed in the OS settings does not help. One of the reasons I use SF-15 most of the time.

David-Rees wrote on 1/2/2026, 11:09 AM

What is up with having to double-click super fast to select an area? Super annoying.

rraud wrote on 1/2/2026, 3:57 PM

Yes It sucks!
A work-around is using shortcut keys.. if there are markers or regions, use Ctrl+ Left or Right arrow keys to go to an adjacent maker, then Ctrl+ Shift+ Left or Right to select the region(s). Shift+ and hold Left or Right works good for selecting short region without markers.