Well this Renoise version is dedicated to the improvement of the overall GUI, and even if huge steps have been made for now, there a re still little things that would make the new grouping system a bit closer to what users could expect from it.
Case one : 1 group & 1 master channel
- Create a new song
- Delete all the tracks with Ctrl + Shift + T
- Of course you can’t delete the Track 1 normal track
- Your pattern block is focused in the Track 1 track
- Create a Group 02 with Ctrl + G
6. You’ll see that Track 1 is automatically inserted in the Group 02, cool
7. Try to delete this group with Ctrl + Shift + G
8. The group isn’t deleted, only Track 01 has disappeared, something looks uncomplete here
In this specific case Renoise always need to keep something in the Normal track section. So you’ll need to create first an ungrouped normal Track 01 and then, once this Track 01 is created, you 'll be able to delete the group with Ctrl + Shift + G.
I’d like Renoise to be more intuitive on this point. It should automatically insert a Track 01 first and then clean the Group 02. What so you think about it ?
Case two : what about “ungrouping” tracks in one click ?
Something that is missing for now in the grouping system. Let’s imagine with the help of Ctrl + G I’ve successfully created a Group 02 with 6 normal Tracks in one group level, but finally I realise that I will make a minimalistic song and that I will not need this grouping system this time. (Sorry devteam guys). Of course I want to keep my normal tracks and I’m searching for a way to quickly “ungroup” them like in lots of other softwares. I’d like to see my tracks “jumping out” of this Group Level. I’m searching in the popup context menu, an “ungroup” option or something related. Too bad : nothing about it. I click on the delete group with a little hope, but too bad, it radically deletes this group and everything inside… So I have to hit Ctrl + Z and okay, I’ll drag & drop my tracks one after the other somewhere else. But let’s say it : I’d like renoise to be a little bit more easy to use on this point. It should be able to “move outside” all the tracks in one click.
What means “moving outside” ?
To make a perfect grouping system, Renoise should propose in the context popup menu (after the collapse/expand options):
- ungroup all tracks in a group level and move them to the upper group level
- ungroup all tracks in a group level and all its sub-levels and move them all to the upper group level
- ungroup all tracks in a group level and move them outside of the group
- ungroup all tracks in a group level and all its sub-levels and move them all outside of the group
What do you think about it ?
Case three : drag and drop multiple tracks from/to group levels.
Okay this is an idea that has allready been discussed beforebut it completes well the 2 previously described ideas. Imagine that I have 7 groups, with 2 sub-levels for each one, and lots of nested tracks. I realise that I’ve created by mistake 12 tracks in the wrong group. I try to select those multiple tracks and to move them in another group or another level in just one mouse movment. I’m searching for a simple way to do it. I’m naturally clicking on the tracks names with the Shift button hoping to realise a typical multi-track selection. That does not work. I’m trying to make a multiple track selection through the matrix, what works but there’s no way to handle groups from there. So okay, I’ll do it one track after another track. But let’s say that I’d like Renoise to be more convenient on this point, Renoise could allow an easy multiple track selection for easier multiple track drag & drops between groups.
We could then add to the popup context menu
- ungroup selected tracks and move them to the upper group level
- ungroup selected tracks and move them outside of the group
What do you think about it ?