Accessing the Toolbox

Logic's toolbox offers essential graphic manipulation of data within a variety of windows. These tools are indispensable, changing the pointer to act in a variety of helpful ways. It is therefore extremely important that we have easy access to these regularly used objects. Let's take a moment to discuss the ways we can gain quick access to the toolbox.

There are many areas within Logic that offer a toolbox. The choices represented change in correlation to a window or editor's function:

Arrange window

Event List

Score Editor

Hyper Editor

Matrix Editor

Environment

Audio window

Sample Editor

Audio Configuration window

As you can see in the pictures above, these toolboxes vary in number as well as types of tools. Even so, there is a great deal of overlap with common tools (the Arrow, for instance).

In all cases, the toolbox is located on the far left side of the screen, usually a distance away from where you wish to utilize the tool. This distance may seem small the first few times you drag your pointer across the screen, but if you find yourself switching tools often while editing (and most of us do), then this can grow to be tedious and un-ergonomic. In the following exercises, you will a look at Logic's shortcuts to allow quick access to the toolbox, enabling you to work in a more efficient manner.

Using the Alternate Tool

When working with objects in any window, you always have two tools available at the mouse position: the currently selected tool and an alternate tool available when depressing the Command key. Being able to switch at the place where you are actually performing your work (mouse position) enables you to quickly toggle back and forth between often-used tools, which speeds workflow.

1.	Close the Key Commands window if it is still open from the previous exercise.
2.	Bring up Screenset 1.
3.	In the Arrange window, if not active already, click the Arrow tool in the toolbox (at the far left side of the screen).
4.	While looking at the toolbox, press the Command key. The highlighted tool changes from the Arrow tool to the Pencil tool while the key is depressed.
5.	Move the cursor over the main part of the Arrange window and press the Command key again, this time looking at the cursor. The cursor changes to the Pencil tool.

This is referred to as the alternate tool. You can think of it as a momentary toggle to another tool that you preset.

Assigning the Alternate Tool

The assignment of the alternate tool consists of two steps:

1.	Hold down the Command key.
2.	Click the tool that you wish to assign to the alternate tool.

This assignment can be different for each window that has a toolbox. These alternate assignments are saved with the screenset, so let's add these to the screensets that you created earlier in this chapter.

1.	Hold down the Command key and click the Pencil tool.
2.	Lock the screenset by using the key command Shift-L.
3.	Bring up Screenset 4. This screenset contains both an Arrange window and a Matrix Editor.
4.	Hold down the Command key, and click the Velocity tool in the Matrix Editor.

You now have independent assignments for the alternate tool for each screenset. Try toggling back and forth with the alternate tool in each screenset (1 and 4).

TIP

Take some time to think about which tools are used most often in each of the editors, and assign alternate tools in your screensets using the technique you just learned.

Quickly Accessing the Toolbox

1.	While in Screenset 4, move the pointer to the middle of the Matrix Editor.
2.	Press the Esc key. A floating toolbox should display at the pointer position.
3.	Click the Eraser tool. The toolbox disappears, and the pointer is now an Eraser tool.

This can save many a trip across the screen to select a new tool, bringing up the toolbox when and where you need it for editing.

TIP

Many users prefer assigning key commands to their most used tools. This has a distinct advantage in that it lets you access common tools that are shared by separate editors (the Arrow tool, for instance). Try searching for the tool names in the Key Commands window to see your choices.

Working with Hardwired Toolbox Commands

Just as holding down the Command key lets you momentarily toggle to an alternate tool, Logic can carry out common functions by using tools in conjunction with a modifier key. These "hardwired" commands aren't listed within menus, so a list of the most useful ones is provided for reference.

Modifier + Tool Functions

Key	With Tool	Result
Control	Any tool	Pointer turns into Zoom tool
Option	Arrow tool	Creates copy at dragged location
Shift	Pencil tool	Imports audio file at clicked location
Shift	Arrow tool (in Track Automation area)	Selects automation nodes
Ctrl-Option	Arrow tool (with two selected automation nodes)	Adjusts automation curves
Control	Fade tool	Adjusts the crossfade curve
Option	Fade tool	Deletes cross-fade
Option	Arrow tool	Time stretch/expands MIDI Region when resizing

Controlling the Toolbox with a Two-Button Mouse

When using a two-button mouse with Logic, you gain more options to access the toolbox. To do this, you must first designate the function of the right mouse button, choosing between two modes of operation.

Choosing the Mode of Operation

These options are set within Logic's preferences.

1.	Start off by choosing Logic Pro 7 > Preferences to view the preferences menu. From here you can select different preferences categories (Global, Audio, and so on). Once you select a category, you can access different aspects by selecting the tabs.
2.	Choose Logic Pro 7 > Preferences and click the Global icon.
3.	Select the Editing tab. You are now looking at Logic's Editing preferences, which include assignment of the second mouse button.
4.	Click the pop-up menu next to the Right Mouse Button preference to view the choices. The first option, Is Assignable to a Tool, enables you to assign a tool of your choice to the right mouse button. Essentially, this assignment works similarly to the Command tool you looked at earlier. However, it functions independently of the Command tool, in effect providing three tool choices at your disposal at any given time.
5.	Select the Is Assignable to a Tool option within the Right Mouse Button pop-up menu. The second option, Opens Toolbox, works similarly to pressing the Esc key (see "Quickly Accessing the Toolbox," earlier in this lesson), displaying a toolbox at your current mouse position.
6.	Close the Preferences window.

Assigning a Tool

The assignment of a tool to the right mouse button follows a similar process to that of assigning an alternate tool.

1.	Click a tool in an editor's toolbox with the right mouse button.
2.	The next time you click an object or within a window, the chosen tool will appear.

NOTE

This assignment is independent with respect to the different editors. Each of Logic's editors offers slightly different tool choices, and each can have its own alternate or right-button tool.