Horizontal Sliders (e.g. Key+) are really difficult to set to specific value?

[Anthony Bennett]

This might just be a me thing, but for years I've found it really difficult to operate the Horizontal Sliders (e.g. the Key+ value on a MIDI track) using the mouse to get to a specific value. I often find myself going 2 over, then 2 under, then 1 over, then 1 under, then 1 over, then 2 under, etc etc trying to get to a specific value.

I know I can double-click on it to return it to zero.

Mouse-over then mouse wheel scroll increments/decrements in 12's (octaves) which I find very useful.

I would love an option to be able to just right-click and have a text enter box open so I can just type in a value. That would be quicker for me 90% of the time.

[Amberwolf]

In my ancient SONAR version, pressing the Enter key while a control is highlighted (in focus) provides that text entry box. 

Holding hte shift key while mousing drastically slows the rate of response of the controls for fine adjustments.

Hopefully these aren't removed in modern versions.

 

 

For controls in progrrams and synths that don't provide fine response rate modifiers, and for dragging notes, clip edges, etc in SONAR, I also use the response rate button on my trackball to change to a really slow cursor movement for precision (I have to do this more often than most would becuase I have such poor control over my hands). 

Edited October 14 by Amberwolf

[Chaps]

There is a thread by Scott Garrigus that explains how to use the F2 key to directly enter numbers into the fields. There is a link to a video that explains it very clearly.

https://discuss.cakewalk.com/topic/88863-cakewalk-music-tips-11-faster-workflow-with-f2-cakewalk-sonar-tutorial-by-scott-r-garrigus/#comment-606462

For the Key field I found that by clicking in the box and holding the left button down I can use the Number Pad to increase or decrease the numbers one at a time or two at a time. The 4 and 6 keys will change the number one at a time and the 7,1,9, and 3 keys will change one at a time and then two at a time. I pretty much just use 4 to decrease and 6 to increase.

[sjoens]

What I've never liked is the Console View Gain and Pan knobs (X1 thru CbB) can only be adjusted by moving the knob.  There is no double-click direct entry method for either one - tho the F2 method does work.

Edited for clarity

Edited 21 hours ago by sjoens

[Bristol_Jonesey]

4 hours ago, sjoens said:

What I've never liked is the Console View Gain and Pan knobs can only be adjusted by moving the knob.  There is no direct entry method for either one.

Yes there is

You need to double click in the value box below the control.

Double click the knob itself to return to the default value 0.0

Edited October 14 by Bristol_Jonesey

[sjoens]

Edit:  In X1 thru CbB, double-clicking anywhere around the Gain and Pan value displays has never done anything here.

Addition:  The "hot spot" (selected) around the Gain and Pan knobs only surrounds the knob itself.  In the Inspector Mix module the "hot spot" surrounds the knob and the value display, so double-clicking to open the text entry box works there as well as F2.

Edited 20 hours ago by sjoens

[Anthony Bennett]

On 10/14/2025 at 12:19 PM, Chaps said:

There is a thread by Scott Garrigus that explains how to use the F2 key to directly enter numbers into the fields.

Bingo! Thank you!

Yep, didn't realise that by clicking on the object so that is has focus (confirmed by small corner brackets on object) that you can then use the F2 key (or Enter key also worked) to trigger a direct number entry option!

I get that double-click is generally used to 'reset' an object to a default value, so that can't be used to enter into a value entry mode.
Maybe a right-mouse click option would've made sense to trigger value entry? Right-mouse click doesn't seem to have a purpose across most of the strip UI from what I can see?

Edited 21 hours ago by Anthony Bennett