manual/include/creating-range-markers.html

<p>
  <dfn>Range markers</dfn> are essentially two
  <a href="@@creating-location-markers"> location markers</a> that appear in the
  <a href="@@ruler">Range Markers</a> ruler, and are grouped together to mark
  the beginning and end of a section on the timeline.
</p>

<h2>Creating a Range on the Timeline</h2>

<p>
  There are multiple ways to create range markers:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking on the Range Markers ruler at the
    top of the timeline, then selecting <kbd class="menu">New Range</kbd>.
  </li>
  <li>
    <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-clicking and dragging right on the Range
    Markers ruler. This will render a red-filled area across all tracks and
    busses to help preview the extent of the range in creation. Once the mouse
    button is released, a paired range marker will be created.
  </li>
  <li>
    Selecting a range in the Editor window, then
    <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking and selecting
    <kbd class="menu">Add Range Markers</kbd>.
  </li>
  <li>
    Clicking <kbd class="button">New Range</kbd> button at the bottom of the
    <kbd class="window">Ranges&nbsp;&amp; Marks</kbd> sidebar. The markers will
    be created around the playhead position, unless the playhead in at the time
    origin (in which case the markers will be placed at the time origin
    position).
  </li>
  <li>
    <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking a location or a CD marker and
    selecting <kbd class="menu">Create Range to Next Marker</kbd>. This will
    create a pair of range markers that start at the selected marked and end at
    the position of the next location or CD marker (both rulers are taken into
    account).
  </li>
</ul>

<h2>Editing a Range</h2>

<p>
  Both markers of a range can be independently moved along the timeline by
  clicking and dragging them to the desired location. They can also be moved
  together by <kbd class="mod2n"></kbd>-dragging one of the markers.
</p>

<p>
  Any pair or range markers, including session start/end markers, can be
  repositioned to the extents of an existing range selection on the timeline by 
  <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on either of the markers and selecting
  <kbd class="menu">Set Range from Selection</kbd> in the menu.
</p>

<h3>Renaming Range Markers</h3>

<p>
  Ardour provides several ways to rename an existing pair of range markers:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    Double-clicking either of the two range markers will show a dialog for
    setting a new caption for the markers.
  </li>
  <li>
    The same can be achieved by right-clicking on either of the markers and
    selecting the <kbd class="menu">Rename Range…</kbd> menu item.
  </li>
  <li>
    Additionally, the name can be edited in the
    <kbd class="window">Ranges&nbsp;&amp; Marks</kbd> sidebar.
  </li>
</ul>

<h2>Removing Range Markers</h2>

<p>
  Range markers can be deleted in several ways:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    By clicking on one of the markers and pressing the <kbd>Del</kbd> key.
  </li>
  <li>
    By right-clicking on one of the markers and selecting
    <kbd class="menu">Remove Range</kbd>.
  </li>
  <li>
    By clicking the markers' <kbd class="button">x</kbd> button in the
    <em>Ranges&nbsp;&amp; Marks</em> sidebar.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  Additionally, all ranges can be removed at once by
  <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on an empty part of the Range Markers
  ruler and selecting the <kbd class="menu">Clear All Ranges</kbd> menu item.

<h2>More Options</h2>

<p>
  The context (right-click) menu for range markers has more options than the
  ones mentioned above:
</p>

<table class="dl">
  <tr>
    <th>Play Range</th>
    <td>
      Starts playback at the left marker in the pair and stops at the right
      marker.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Locate to Marker</th>
    <td>
      Moves the playhead to the selected marker.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Play from Marker</th>
    <td>
      Moves the playhead to the selected marker and starts playback.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Loop Range</th>
    <td>
      Creates a loop range off the selected range markers pair and starts
      playback.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Set Marker from Playhead</th>
    <td>
      Changes the position of the selected marker to that of the playhead.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Zoom to Range</th>
    <td>
      Changes the zoom so that the area defined by the range markers would be
      maximized yet visible entirely within Ardour's window.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Loudness Assistant…</th>
    <td>
      Launches the Loudness Assistant to analyze the selection defined by the
      selected pair of range markers.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Export Range…</th>
    <td>
      Exports the selection defined by the selected pair of range markers.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Promote to Time Origin</th>
    <td>
      This makes the position of the chosen range marker the origin time. This
      is mostly useful when the <em>Display delta to origin marker</em> clock
      mode is enabled to display the difference between current playhead
      position and the origin time. Absolute time stays unaffected.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Hide Range</th>
    <td>
      This hides the range from the Range Markers ruler. Marker's visibility
      can be restored in the <em>Ranges&nbsp;&amp; Marks</em> sidebar.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Separate Regions in Range</th>
    <td>
      Cuts all regions crossing the positions of the range markers.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Select All in Range</th>
    <td>
      Select entire regions that cross the borders of the range markers.
    </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Select Range</th>
    <td>
      Create a selection from the range markers in all selected tracks and
      busses.
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>