Questions & Answers

Smarter right-click and middle-click (middle button pan, etc)

+196 votes
5,958 views
asked Jun 29, 2016 in Look and Feel by Scoox (16,880 points)
edited Jul 25, 2022 by Scoox

Summary

tl;dr: Studio One under-utilises the middle click and the right click. Most notably, middle button panning is badly needed.

Hi all, this is a very simple but also very important workflow enhancement request. At the moment middle-click shows the tool picker, here's the tool picker:

The problem is the middle button doesn't do anything else. With the right button we see the same problem: it shows the context menu and, again, doesn't do anything else. Studio One could pack much more functionality into these mouse buttons by detecting if the mouse has/hasn't moved after the the click happens.

Improvement suggestions

In the clips area of Arrange View, the notes area of the Piano Roll and the waveform area of the Audio Editor:

  • Middle-click + swipe: Pan view. The user presses the middle button, then moves the mouse while holding the middle button down to pan the view left/right/up/down, then releases the middle button to stop panning. This is how it works in Bitwig, FL Studio, Cubase (I think) and actually loads of graphic design and CAD software.
  • Middle-click (mouse doesn't move): Open tool picker. Note: The tool picker is shown only after releasing middle button and only if the mouse hasn't moved. If the mouse moves before the  button is released, then Studio One is smart and understands that the movement is intentional and the user intends to pan the view (previous point above), so the tool picker is not shown in this case.
  • Right-click + swipe: Delete clips. FL Studio works like this, and it makes editing extremely fast.
  • Right-click (mouse doesn't move): Show context menu. The user presses the right button, then moves the mouse while holding the right button down over clips/notes to delete them, then releases the right button to stop deleting.
  • Left-click: Select stuff, etc—the way it works at the moment is fine.

On the ruler:

  • Middle-click + horizontal swipe: Pan view left/right.
  • Middle-click + vertical swipe: Ignored. This gives the user a way to pan the view just horizontally without having to worry about messing up the zoom level.
  • Middle-click (mouse doesn't move): Alternate/toggle between full view (zooms out horizontally just enough to show the entire arrangement) and the previous zoom level.
  • Right-click: Shows context menu (current behavior, no need to change unless you want the swipe to do something else).

We can see that the left click is already "smart" on the ruler, the way it works at the moment, so it makes sense that its siblings the middle and right click get the same smart treatment:

  • Left-click + swipe: Combined zoom & pan view.
  • Left-click (mouse doesn't move): Move playback cursor to click position.

I understand keeping the mouse perfectly still while clicking the button can be difficult, especially after a double espresso, so by "mouse doesn't move" we could really mean "mouse doesn't move more than a predefined number of pixels". For example, if the mouse doesn't move more than, say, 3 pixels in any direction between the time the button is pressed and released, then Studio One would understand that "the mouse didn't move". Conversely, if the mouse did move more than 3 pixels, then Studio One would intelligently interpret this as "the mouse movement was too big to be an accident, therefore we'll treat that as a swipe".

On any other panel that features a scrolling view (e.g. Mixer, Browser, Track/Event inspector):

  • Middle Click + Swipe: Pan view.

Modifiers

Combine the middle click with modifiers. For example, in the clips area of Arrange View, Ctrl + Left-click + Swipe could be used for combined horizontal zoom and pan a-la Ableton. Basically explore and exploit the possibilities.

One more thing...

Just one more small but very important detail: Once the tool picker is visible, if you middle-click outside the tool picker it doesn't go away! Strangely enough, the left button can be used both to pick tools and to close the picker by clicking outside, while the middle button can only be used to pick tools, which is inconsistent. When the picker is opened by accident, users will intuitively try to middle-click outside the picker to close it. This is an intuitive gesture commonly used in mobile apps, where you close a menu by tapping outside.

Sorry for the long and boring post........ if anything isn't clear ask me any questions in the comments below. Thanks everyone for reading and please vote this FR if you like it.

41 Answers

+18 votes
answered Jul 5, 2016 by Skip Jones (166,690 points)
selected Apr 30, 2018 by AlexTinsley
 
Best answer

Thank you for the feature request. 

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+12 votes
answered Jan 20, 2018 by Scoox (16,880 points)
This ain't gathering much support... seriously, the MMB is completely under-utilised in S1. Need to be able to pan in the various editors by grab-and-drag. Many graphic design applications work this way, FL Studio works this way. It enables accurate navigation and positioning. It would be a huge workflow improvement.
+7 votes
answered Apr 19, 2018 by yoshihidenori (510 points)
Please support!
+11 votes
answered Dec 5, 2018 by stefanschulz1 (570 points)
I am brand new to StudioOne coming from Cubase. One of the first things I notices is a break in producitivity by having to use Scrollbars or Shift-/Ctrl-Shift Mousewheel to pan in the editing windows. I got so used to using the Middle Mouse button for panning that I constantly open up the tool picker.

Using the Middle Mouse for panning is really common nowadays, be it the web browser or professional art programs like Photoshop or Affinity's tools. Would be great to have in StudioOne as well. Especially saving quite some mouse miles.

Thanks, Stefan
+13 votes
answered Feb 15, 2019 by Scoox (16,880 points)
Middle button to pan is very common in graphic design and 3D modelling software, it significantly enhances the user experience and increases productivity.
+5 votes
answered May 19, 2019 by richardhowle (560 points)
You've got a vote from me. As a prior Cubase user, it's the only deal breaker.

There's already a toolbox kinda thing if you right click anyway. Why have this function twice with both middle and right click?
+6 votes
answered May 19, 2019 by fschmidt (6,170 points)
Don't wait for the votes, just do it if the idea has only advantages.
+3 votes
answered May 22, 2019 by Scoox (16,880 points)
Pity this didn't make it into the 4.5 update.
–3 votes
answered Jul 7, 2019 by bradleyszyperski (1,140 points)
edited Jul 7, 2019 by bradleyszyperski

www.magicprefs.com for MAC OSX Users.
It's Free and its EVERYTHING your looking for.

The mouse in studio one should be full custom much like magicprefs allows you to do.

PRESONUS take some pointers. 
They are able to do everything everyone has asked to do with magic mouse in one small background applicaiton... and its free.

+1 vote
answered Sep 26, 2019 by jeremiahmcgowan (790 points)

Middle-click + scroll on wheel: vertical zoom in/out on ruler.

I agree with:

  • Middle-click + vertical swipe on ruler is ignored. (So this does not move the view at all)
  • Middle-click + horizontal swipe on ruler pans left/right. (The view is only moved horizontally by this and there is movement vertically, as described above)
It could be confusing or difficult to implement the part about moving or not moving (to open the tool picker) while holding the middle button. I think just the option to turn on or off the tool picker or the option to freely assign it would be helpful. You can already change tools with a right click or going up to the controls at the top or even the keyboard shortcuts, we don't need a fourth way, we could use the mouse wheel button to scroll horizontally and also to zoom in while holding and physically scrolling on the wheel itself.
+2 votes
answered Sep 26, 2019 by Scoox (16,880 points)
@jeremiahmcgowan Some interesting thoughts there, and you are probably right. I personally dislike that middle click took picker. It would be much better to move the two-dimensional took picker to the top of the right-click menu, similar to Bitwig. The ultimate solution is not a better picker but smarter tools that don't need constant switching.
+5 votes
answered Oct 26, 2019 by vladimirbulaev (310 points)

+100 for Modified behaviour of the Middle Mouse Button to allow pan and smooth zoom actions.

You haven't done it yet? Seriously?

0 votes
answered Jan 6, 2020 by faridhassan (360 points)
As a long time FL Studio User who switched to S1 2 month ago, this is still a huge issue for me and the only thing I keep missing.

At least an option to disable the zoom (and just keep the panning) on click & drag on the timeline would be a good start for me. I always accidentally zoom in / out if I just want to pan, which is extremly annoying to me.
0 votes
answered Mar 25, 2020 by lokanchung (150 points)
Studio One would be my to-go choice if it had this (mmb panning) and expresssion maps.
Already using other DAW, so I can't afford the full price but rent-to-own is too good...
0 votes
answered Apr 20, 2020 by jaminjohnson1 (190 points)
Would be nice to have a Scroll Horizontally and or Vertically under Cursor, like in Reaper's software. This way you don't have to press any key down or switch any macro page. Just point and zoom.  Also, What about an "Ignore scroll wheel over faders."
+1 vote
answered May 1, 2020 by coplukgereksiz (370 points)
you can middle drag to navigate in fl studio, ableton, reaper and not in studio one

and after trying these daws it's really pain to navigate in studio one
+1 vote
answered Jul 8, 2020 by Sodium (710 points)
Have to support this with an immense yes. This is a major deal breaker for me and that's why i'm using Cubase more and more when it comes to writing music.
+3 votes
answered Oct 20, 2020 by samuliteerilahti (1,080 points)

This is much needed, voted!

I would like to add my input to the request. 

As it is written it could be interpreted like the old web browser scrolling type of deal. I would like the scroll function to work like grabbing the canvas does in most other software. E.g. Cubase, Reaper, FL Studio, BitWig and most photo editing and 3D editing software. 

Specifically, Middle-click and drag drags the page, keeping the page fixed with the mouse cursor.

And it would be nice to have an option in the settings whether the user wishes to have the middle-click menu and/or scroll behavior, as I personally use keyboard shortcuts and never open the middle-click menu.

+4 votes
answered Nov 5, 2020 by samuliteerilahti (1,080 points)
To further clarify: Studio One currently seems to restrict scrolling to one axis at a time, this feature needs to be unrestricted. The middle mouse dragging needs to move the screen effortlessly across both x and y axes simultaneously with absolute coordinates in relation to the mouse cursor.
+2 votes
answered Feb 11, 2021 by stevenpalomino (1,110 points)
How has this been requested for 5 years and not implemented yet?!?
+1 vote
answered Feb 11, 2021 by Scoox (16,880 points)
@stevenpalomino Because, IMO, Presonus has got to the point where their software is popular enough that they don't need to beg for customers. Instead, now it's us customers begging them for features. In the beginning they were very eager to listen and please, but now their focus seems have steered in the direction of developing features that look impressive on marketing material but are, in practice, poorly implemented, half-baked or missing critical functionality.

I stopped holing my breath for a number of highly requested features a long time ago, and I absolutely stopped buying upgrades and I'm currently using a different DAW. The arranger track, for example, is close to useless. It's as if the goal was not to release a decent arrangement tool, but rather something that they could put the words "arrange" and "track" to so that management could tick the box and slap it on marketing material. Once management are content that the feature has been delivered, the feature is forgotten.
0 votes
answered Feb 13, 2021 by quanyeomans1 (1,930 points)
Just a side note: I've found that a small app called Smooze https://smooze.co/ provides some useful (close to the ones mentioned above) functionality to the MMB within Studio one. Once installed it turns a MMB click into a grabber tool which gives up/down and sLeft/Right panning in the arrange and also the Console. Not free Hand movement as in smooth smooth diagonal motion but still useful. Strangely holding down a command key on the mac whilst MMB dragging actual zooms Horizontally as well as Vertically. This is an awesome, if inexplicable bonus. Unfortunately the sensitivity is a little too high and I am as yet unable to work out whether that is customisable at all.
+3 votes
answered Feb 19, 2021 by taylorscott2 (4,240 points)
Please add this!!!
0 votes
answered Mar 13, 2021 by stevenpalomino (1,110 points)

Hey everyone.. since I see this has been requested for years I'm leaving my solution here. This app allows you to use the MMB to scroll.

0 votes
answered Mar 14, 2021 by Scoox (16,880 points)
edited Mar 14, 2021 by Scoox
@stevenpalomino Smart Scroll is only available for Mac. I was really hoping this feature would be added in the next update, but Studio One 5.2 has already landed. Disappointing.
+1 vote
answered Mar 14, 2021 by gianpaolopizziol (2,320 points)
5 years and waiting. Wow.. must be really hard for Presonus to implement..

Over a hundred votes as well... I guess requests will need 200 or more before Presonus pays attention.
+1 vote
answered Apr 19, 2021 by juhaseppnen (1,540 points)

Showing my support for this. Especially for the middle mouse panning features. 2021 please PreSonus smiley

+1 vote
answered May 13, 2021 by Beloved1 (1,490 points)
YES PLEASE.. Get it together on this request.. LOL.  Such a workflow killer.  Come On Devs.  let's make this happen.  Studio 5.3 or 5.4  This is such a common navigation method so it should definitely be implemented because that's how most users use a middle mouse button.
0 votes
answered Aug 9, 2021 by basdupr (300 points)
This is really needed... How do pro's pan around the views? Are they all using those fancy Apple Magic Mouses? What about Windows? Please, PreSonus, give us this option! This is the one thing holding me back. Seems like pedantic, but I'm really fighting with S1 every time I use it. It is so good, but please let me stop fighting the UX..!
+1 vote
answered Aug 10, 2021 by Scoox (16,880 points)
@basdupr I agree, as a Windows user some times I feel like a second-class citizen. Plus, if I was using MacOS, then I would be using Logic, not Studio One, because it gets things right and is a lot cheaper. Studio One gets many things right, but many features still feel half-baked and it seems the focus is always on new big features rather than finishing off existing ones.
0 votes
answered Aug 13, 2022 by victorgil85 (150 points)
Bump! I really need this. I've got arthritis on my right wrist and this behaviour could make things so much easier on the wrist, specially paired with an Evoluent mouse. Please devs, consider this.
+2 votes
answered Oct 3, 2022 by denisdratov (400 points)
Version 6.0 is out, and still nothing on the subject. Real pity and shame. The feature is crying to be implemented!
0 votes
answered Oct 11, 2022 by dinozukikj (210 points)
guys, In search of a solution I found out that nothing helps but this programme:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/mwaccelerator/

It at least lets you scroll faster in studio one...
0 votes
answered Mar 19, 2023 by Michael1985 (12,890 points)
edited Mar 20, 2023 by Michael1985
Ist it possible to use macros? You can do many different commands at once.

The tool picker is very important and opening up this way is a very needed workflow point.

I have no clue if this changes would change any feeling of it, but now as example all the smart tools are too much if the zooming level is too low. As example the automations where the curve tool gets in conflict with the bezier point tool.
+3 votes
answered Mar 22, 2023 by Scoox (16,880 points)
S1 6.1 just released, still nothing. This is the first thing I check every time, and the reason why I stopped using S1 at v4.5.
0 votes
answered Jul 19, 2023 by ma46 (370 points)
BUMP!! Come on, Presonus
+3 votes
answered Sep 26, 2023 by terrelharper (310 points)
edited Dec 23, 2023 by terrelharper
Update 6.5 today and still no. Sucks. So many other daw have this and its my biggest grip with studio one. The one thing stopping me from pulling the trigger on upgrading to Pro (and maybe no inversion on the chord track, But im getting Scaler 2 to remedy that).

There is a 3rd party app for windows, that makes it work for the, studioone plus, but:

1. It's slower in the editing windows than the arranger.

2. if you have dual monitors and the mouse slips onto one, it would force you to make an extra click to stop it.

Really hope they can implement this.
+3 votes
answered Oct 12, 2023 by mathiross (270 points)
Since Bitwig studio and Presonus implemented the .daw format to be able to export and import project across these 2 DAWs, I really consider switching from bitwig to Studio One.
Studio One is far more impressive to mix and master. But there's this zoom and pan problem: once you get used to it like in this young DAW Bitwig, you can't go back to the old ways to navigate through.

So, Presonus, soon 200 votes, can you consider to implement this 2023's basic feature? I just gave you 1700€ to buy a StudioLive 32R and I would be glad to add 300 for the pro version of Studio One but not until this middle click feature hasn't be implemented... How many other users in our case? You open the demo version, you notice you need Ctrl and Shift and mouse wheel and you immediately give up on working on this DAW...
0 votes
answered Feb 28 by MEHDIJafri (290 points)
Im gonna be honest and express my dissappoinment that such a simple and important feature has not been added for 5-7 years.

I downloaded studio one and spents so much time this month watching tutorials and downloading plusins etc. All that to realize the one of the most important navigation tools is completely absent. even after several years of requests.

If studio one doesn't have a solution I am canceling the subscription and moving back to Logic Pro or Cubase.

Smh another company that ignores its customer base and only focuses on catching new leads...
0 votes
answered Feb 29 by MEHDIJafri (290 points)
Bruh how has this not been implemented yet?...
This is a deal breaker for me tbh. Anyone reccomend a good DAW that has this feature?
...