20.11.28 Track/Clip Menu Opinion [request partial revert]

[ndq0345934]

Happy there is always progress with Shotcut…; However, some changed item positions for menus are slowing user workflow (adding clicks) …

Please return “Lift (Z)” to top-level right-click.
Please return all 3 Track-options (Add Audio, Add Video, Insert Track, Remove Track) to top-level right-click.

[Somenath_Garai]

I too think the same. A partial revert will be appreciated!

[DRM]

I brought up a similar issue in the thread for the beta of 20.11.28. Here was Dan’s response:

@shotcut

@DRM

Can’t the menu for when right clicking in an empty space just have Remove and Replace as the two options as it was before?

All the new menu API can do is make menu items disabled or blank rows but not hidden/collapsed. I had already thought about this. In order to make it like before, I would have to rewrite the code so there is a separate menu defined for each clip state: blank, audio clip, video clip, and transition. Then, move all the menus into a different code area and trigger them differently depending on context. It is a big change. Maybe someday, but not for this version.

[shotcut]

Actually, that citation from @DRM is not accurate, and technically the change does not require more clicks but more mouse movement. The problem is that the new menu API is not a popup window and cannot be made back into one without completely rewriting all of the timeline and keyframes to use a totally different API. The new menus are rather embedded (like a menu on a web page). This means when they do not fit within the panel, they become a scrolling list without a scrollbar that is always visible. And, no, I cannot make the scrollbar always visible. This can confuse new and casual users to not see menu items. Using submenus reduces the size of the lists to mitigate this problem. All of this has already been mentioned elsewhere in the beta thread.
I believe most people already use the backspace or delete key to Lift a clip, and thus was put into a submenu.

[ndq0345934]

I’m trying to retrain my “old-dog” self for “Z”-key lifting… (not super easy )
Track option are less disturbing because used less frequent.
Thanks all.