Specifications

Chapter 28: Automation 471
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting
Automation
Cutting automation data is different from delet-
ing it, and yields different results (although both
change the existing automation data). Copying
automation leaves the original automation data
intact.
You delete automation data by selecting a range
of breakpoints and pressing Backspace (Win-
dows) or Delete (Macintosh). See “Deleting Au-
tomation” on page 464 for details.
You cut automation data by selecting a range of
breakpoints from an automation playlist and se-
lecting the Cut command.
When you cut automation data and when you
paste it into a new location, anchor breakpoints
are added to the beginning and end points of
the data. This is done to preserve the true slope
(of continuous controls, such as Volume faders
or pans) or state (of switched or stepped con-
trols, such as Mutes) of the automation data
both inside and outside the selection.
The following illustrations show the difference
between cutting and deleting automation data.
In Figure 29, a track is set to display volume au-
tomation, and a range of automation data is se-
lected.
If the Cut command is chosen, anchor break-
points are created at each end of the selection,
and the automation slope on either side of the
cut data is preserved, as shown in Figure 30.
If the data is deleted by pressing Backspace
(Windows) or Delete (Macintosh), the automa-
tion data is removed, and automation values
span the gap between pre-existing breakpoints,
as in Figure 31.
In addition, if cut or copied data is pasted else-
where in a track, breakpoints are created at the
end points of the pasted data to preserve its
“neighboring” (incoming and outgoing) auto-
mation value and slope, as shown in Figure 32.
Editing and Track Views
Audio and MIDI tracks each have a Track View
that acts as the main format for purposes of ed-
iting. When the main format is displayed, any
edits performed on the track apply to all data in
the track.
Figure 29. Selecting automation data
Figure 30. After cutting the automation data
Figure 31. After deleting the automation data
Figure 32. After pasting the automation data in
another location