Graphical interfaces are supposed to be “intuitive” but the Timeline “Scrub while dragging” button escapes me. The keyboard shortcuts page talks about “skimming” the Timeline. Skimming also produces sound - which I was hoping this button would toggle off and on. So far I have found it does nothing. Clues please!
-=Ken=-
‘Intuition’ means to instinctively understand, but as instinct is largely genetic it therefore can quite easily be different from person to person. 
However, the ‘Scrub while dragging’ toggle has never worked like a traditional ‘scrub’ for me. But on my system, enabling the ‘Scrub while dragging’ button disables reverse scrubbing. Disabling it and reverse drag scrubbing is re enabled. I get no sound in either direction enabled or not.
Holding ‘Shift’ to scrub/seek without pressing the mouse button is faster and occasionally useful because it’s faster to skim through and is independent of the ‘Scrub’ button (which requires holding the mouse button down).
Scrubbing works as expected and brilliantly in DaVinci Resolve, sound as well…
Remember, that Shortcut is still in Development. So always expect the unexpected. 
Thanks for the reply, Steve. Since the button is on the Timeline window you would expect it to do something only while it has focus. On my system everything works the same, scrubbing (or skimming) either direction, no matter if the button is toggled or not. So, it’s good to know I haven’t missed something - it is simply not activated at the moment. I am hoping this button will toggle audio during scrubbing when it gets annoying. It is reminiscent of my old analog tape editing days.
I do miss keyframing and I’m happy it is #1 on the Roadmap. But Shotcut impressed me right from the start after loading my HDV files and finding they displayed properly in 16:9 format, something all other Linux video editors except Kdenlive failed to do. Kdenlive on my system crashed so frequently I couldn’t get anything done! Also, the ability to load the latest .deb image on Mint 17.3 wins high praise. I can live very well with the current limitations. I also use Kino or dvgrab to capture my old tapes from an A/D converter box.
Steve, I started using PCs before Steve Jobs claimed to invent the graphical user interface. The GUI is supposed to be more intuitive - but who can remember what all those icons mean? 
PS: I just looked under Settings and found the Scrub audio toggle. It works but still no interaction with the Scrub while dragging button.
-=Ken=-
What I mean’t was that while you may not find the UI intuitive many others do. Besides, are there no tool tips on hover over the icons for the Linux version?
Yes, of course there are tool tips in Linux. Let’s see…
Plus means A (the actual plus didn’t post here correctly)
Minus means X
The icon that looks like a little book lying open - means S
I suggest replacing those icons with… A, X and S 
And why does the tool tip for the original question say “Scrub” when the official shortcuts refer to skimming?
Anyway, I didn’t intend to demean your high regard for GUIs. I have always questioned their usability in complex interfaces. And I am thankful that most video editors support the J/K/L transport controls convention. If you use more than one editor the functions may be mapped differently.
Regards,
-=Ken=-
What your mind’s pattern recognition system reveals to you as a little book lying open, I see as a graphical representation of a split timeline.
So in my mind that icon describes the function exactly.
I don’t see the word ‘skimming’ mentioned anywhere on the shortcuts page.
I do however read skim - scrub/seek - which is explaining that while holding Shift you can ‘Skim’ while scrubbing (as I mentioned in post#2). Without holding Shift you can only scrub.
I was politely trying to make a point about ‘intuition’. Nothing more.
The reason I personally use Shotcut as my quick editor of choice is precisely because (to me) it is faster loading and more intuitive than many others I have tried and in some cases have purchased.
[quote=“Steve_Ledger, post:7, topic:2364”]
What your mind’s pattern recognition system reveals to you as a little book lying open, I see as a graphical representation of a split timeline. [/quote]
Yes, I’m afraid so. And, I’ll bet there are a number of other icons which are the same.
Thanks for clarifying that for me, Steve. As it turns out the reference to skim is found lower on the shortcuts page under Other Notes. Your explanation is the best of all.
And now I have figured out how to quote. Stumbled through that one. Everyone’s interface is different!
Cheers!
-=Ken=-
Yes, this is what I was referring to
“Scrub” is basically another word for seek. There is a setting to control whether audio plays, but it also depends on the format and audio codec - some support it better than others.
“Scrub while dragging” is just like it sounds. Do you want the player to seek to the Timeline position at the left edge of the clip you are dragging (from either Source or elsewhere on the Timeline)? You may notice that the playhead moves when you are dragging.
“Skim” is the term for seeking that takes place by simply moving your mouse over an image based on the horizontal axis. Other editors that offer this usually enable this by default and require no keyboard modifier. I chose to not expose a setting and instead require a keyboard modifier.
I have not used a video editor which supported “skim.” However, I do like your Ctrl key modifier implementation for this feature. I am liking most of your choices Dan. Thanks for a very nice editor.
-=Ken=-
Interesting. I have to side with you on this, as I find (a year later) the “scrub while dragging” button seems funny. I caught that too. For me, whether on or off, it doesn’t affect the perfect scrubbing forward and back with sound, while holding the left mouse button. Of course holding shift to skim works well too.
The actual button does light up when clicked, but yields no result. Seems to be inactive or disabled.
The sound is only heard when scrubbing more slowly, either way, depending on RAM and drive activity.
That’s about the only hiccup I can find in ShotCut while learning how to edit videos.
Your profile picture cracks me up.
Cheers
Oh hey 
I just discovered what it does.
When the “scrub while dragging” button is on, it keeps the playhead on the left of the clip being moved, while it is off, it doesn’t carry the playhead with the clip being dragged/moved. Handy! lol
Glad I see that now.
Cheers.
I’ve tried 'Scrub when dragging,
then saw the Project window showed the frame on current playhead,
and the playhead was always be the left-end of selected clip on timeline.
but we just see ‘the frame on current playhead’ (nothing else),
Could you please tell me what is the purpose of this function 
?
In this weird example, I want the Arial/Verdana graphic to start when the rider gets to the first tree.
Thank you for your vivid explanation 
!
I think you tell me information below:
Could you please tell me how do you create your gif above ?
