Is There A Way To "Turn Off" The SMART Tool?

[Jim Fogle]

I would like to turn off the SMART Tool cursor feature so when I first open an existing project, or create a new project, the default mouse cursor selection is the Select "I" cursor bar.  Is there a way to turn-off or disable the SMART Tool cursor feature?

[mdiemer]

Hear Hear! The "select" tool is my preferred default in staff view, but the "smart" tool is too stupid to know that. so half the time I start working, I put in weird notes, usually two octaves below the staff, which of course I have to erase. Which is giving me ulcers...not how I like to start working...

Edited March 15, 2021 by mdiemer

[John Vere]

Just select the tool you want from the menu in the top left corner. Or am I missing something.  

[Nigel Mackay]

4 minutes ago, John Vere said:

Just select the tool you want from the menu in the top left corner. Or am I missing something.  

They want it already selected when Cakewalk starts.

[Will.]

3 hours ago, Jim Fogle said:

I would like to turn off the SMART Tool cursor feature so when I first open an existing project, or create a new project, the default mouse cursor selection is the Select "I" cursor bar.  Is there a way to turn-off or disable the SMART Tool cursor feature?

Save it as your default template. That's how mine was saved (by accident.) I got so used to shortcuts over the years, that changing tools anywhere in the workflow became muscle memory. 

That "T" Shortcut is golden OR you can use F5 - F6 - F7 - F8  depending what's comfortable for you. I don't think you can turn it off other than deselecting it, BUT - If you want to turn off the "AIM ASSISTANT" just press the letter "X" 

[user 905133]

I rarely use the so-called Smart Tool.  But I do know the functionality can be programmed by right clicking on the button. Have you tried unchecking all of the button's functions?  Maybe that leaves the button disabled (until we enable the behaviors).

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by User 905133
to fix typos

[mdiemer]

10 hours ago, User 905133 said:

I rarely use the so-called Smart Tool.  But I do know the functionality can be programmed by right clicking on the button. Have you tried unchecking all of the button's functions?  Maybe that leaves the button disabled (until we enable the behaviors).

 

I tried that a long time ago, no it doesn't do anything.

[mdiemer]

12 hours ago, John Vere said:

Just select the tool you want from the menu in the top left corner. Or am I missing something.  

Yes. you're missing that it should allow you to set the default once and for all. So you can get right into your workflow without messing it up right off the bat.

[mdiemer]

12 hours ago, Nigel Mackay said:

They want it already selected when Cakewalk starts.

Right, we want to be able to set it to the default that we want. The Smart tool is one-dimensional, it assumed everyone has the same workflow. Like, "they're in staff view, they want to put notes in."  but in staff view you can do much more than that. I do most of my work with the Select tool. After selecting the notes I need to change, I can adjust velocity, transposition and length very quickly. Or copy cut and paste. I do put in notes occasionally. Most of them were put in when I first made the project, using step-record, however, so I only use the draw tool for spot work here and there. for my workflow, the Select tool is definitely the one I want to be default.  A smart toll that actually was smart would let me decide the default.

[John Vere]

Fair enough, I've personally never noticed a difference because the cursor behaves the way I expect it to. I would say the smart tool was a huge improvement to my workflow. So that said, I would also think the majority of Cakewalk users feel the same way and therefore the Software developers had to choose something and they choose the Smart tool as the default. 

So this becomes a feature request item and if enough people like the idea the developers just might include it in a future release. 

[mdiemer]

11 hours ago, Will_Kaydo said:

Save it as your default template. That's how mine was saved (by accident.) I got so used to shortcuts over the years, that changing tools anywhere in the workflow became muscle memory. 

That "T" Shortcut is golden OR you can use F5 - F6 - F7 - F8  depending what's comfortable for you. I don't think you can turn it off other than deselecting it, BUT - If you want to turn off the "AIM ASSISTANT" just press the letter "X" 

Do you mean save the custom view or workspace? That won't do it. If you mean an overall template, I don't work with templates, I like to be able to set up each project independently.

[John Vere]

It is sort of like saying" why does the tempo always default to 120 BPM, I never use that"   The answer is if you use software a little bit of set up is always going to be required and there are tools that do most of this for you like templates and workspaces. And I don't think it's possible to include every tiny little detail of your hearts desire using those tools. It is what it is. 

Edited March 15, 2021 by John Vere

[Will.]

4 hours ago, mdiemer said:

Do you mean save the custom view or workspace? That won't do it. If you mean an overall template, I don't work with templates, I like to be able to set up each project independently.

Dont you work with EMPTY templates? 

[mdiemer]

6 hours ago, John Vere said:

It is sort of like saying" why does the tempo always default to 120 BPM, I never use that"   The answer is if you use software a little bit of set up is always going to be required and there are tools that do most of this for you like templates and workspaces. And I don't think it's possible to include every tiny little detail of your hearts desire using those tools. It is what it is. 

If Staff View were actually usable as a notation program, it would make sense to have the draw tool be the default action. But the devs themselves have stated it is more of an editing feature. Staff view is terrible as notation, but great as a midi editing tool. Don't take my word for it; Jerry Gerber has also said so. 

It makes more sense to let the user decide what shall be the default action. Then people who use it primarily to enter notes can make the draw tool the default. And people who do the bulk of their midi editing in  staff view can make the select tool the default. Then it would really be a Smart Tool.  If it's an easy fix, they should do it. If not, I understand, they have more pressing concerns. that's all I'm saying. 

Hopefully the devs care about the people who use their software in ways that others would consider weird, or out of the mainstream. After all, they created Staff View, and gave it its various capabilities. that's what makes Cakewalk so great. It has many ways of doing things. And there are people who use it in ways the majority might consider foreign and therefore not deserving of attention. We all count!

[mdiemer]

3 hours ago, Will_Kaydo said:

Dont you work with EMPTY templates? 

If I'm starting a brand new project, I start from scratch. most of the time I'm revising older projects, which are already set up in sonar. i just open them in Cakewalk. I've even opened pre-Sonar projects, as well as importing from other DAWS. So it's rare lately that I'm starting from scratch. 

[John Vere]

26 minutes ago, mdiemer said:

If I'm starting a brand new project, I start from scratch. most of the time I'm revising older projects, which are already set up in sonar. i just open them in Cakewalk. I've even opened pre-Sonar projects, as well as importing from other DAWS. So it's rare lately that I'm starting from scratch. 

This is sort of what I do too. I had to think for a minute but I have been in the habit of using blank CWP, Projects, not templates. The results are the same. 

Or like @mdiemer I just open a project and delete the data and audio. Then use save as to create the fresh project. A lot of my project will start as midi files which are really  blank projects.  There isn't even a master bus.  I'll use track templates to set those up. I also have dozens of CWP files that are just drum tracks that run for 200 measures. They are all copied out of my Roland 505 using midi sync. I can find a beat I need quickly that way. But I made those in Sonar 6 so there's certainly nothing going on there. 

Only time I use templates is when I am making a tutorial or I'll use the 16 track template when setting out to record a live band. 

[Will.]

9 hours ago, mdiemer said:

If I'm starting a brand new project, I start from scratch. most of the time I'm revising older projects, which are already set up in sonar. i just open them in Cakewalk. I've even opened pre-Sonar projects, as well as importing from other DAWS. So it's rare lately that I'm starting from scratch. 

That's what I was referring to as "Empty" ( a.k.a BLANK) template. I only use custom "Blank" templates. Meaning: If I make any small changes to my workstations OR the template itself - I "replace" the existing one.  

Edited March 16, 2021 by Will_Kaydo

[Starship Krupa]

I noticed that I was too dependent on (or maybe "used to") the Smart Tool, expecting and trying to finesse it into performing the operation I wanted.

Now instead of cursing whenever it wanted to draw when I wanted to move or whatever, I just got good at going up to the F5-10 keys. Comping especially became less nerve-wracking with the Edit Tool selected, and the Piano Roll View easier to get things done with the Select or Move Tool.