Redesign scrubbing (Reaper-esque scrubbing for Audacity)

[petersampsonaudacity]

Describe the bug Scrubbing in Audacity is overly complex and difficult to use resulting in a poor UX.

Given that we are basing some of or new Looping behavior on the way that Reaper does things - see: Add a "Play Loop Region Only" mode #2325 Playback looping. The waveform selection affects the start point of looping playback #2321 Loop play plays the preceding selection before looping #2112

Perhaps we could consider changing the Scrubbing GUI in Audacity so that it behaves the same or similar to much simpler and more "discoverable way that Reaper does it.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Try using scrubbing in Audacity
2. Try using scrubbing in Reaper

Expected behavior With Reaper

1. get some audio
2. hover your cursor over the Play cursor
3. Observe: cursor changes to "Open hand" - indicates draggability
4. Click& drag (left and/or right)
5. Observe: "Open hand" moves away from playhead
6. Observe: Playhead moves towards "Open hand" and scrub plays
7. Observe: when play cursor reaches "Open hand" scrub play stops
8. Observe: Scrub play speed is governed by zoom level - which can be altered by using the mouse scroll wheel while scrubbing

Also note that this does not leave the user stuck in a scrubbing mode as is currently the case with Audacity when you turn scrubbing "on"

Note too that Reaper requires no menu commands to effect its scrubbing.

I found the Reaper mechanism to be extremely "discoverable" - I never needed to consult the manual.

Screenshots None

Additional information (please complete the following information):

• OS: Windows 10
• Version Reaper 6.42

Additional context Flagged for @Tantacrul as a UX/design usability issue

[petersampsonaudacity]

@Paul-Licameli wrote in Issue: Scrub preview doesn't appear #2294

I also hope QA will do more testing of scrubbing and Design will suggest how to improve this user interface that never wholly satisfied us.

[petersampsonaudacity]

It's similarly easy to scrub in iMovie on my Macbook Pro - but there it's even better in its use of the icons

1. hover over the white triangle positional (play) cursor
2. Observe: "Open hand" icon appears - indicates the possibility of click&drag
3. Click and hold down left mouse button
4. Observe: Icon changes to "Closed hand" indicating draggability
5. drag left and/or right
6. Observe: scrubbing - and in particular the positional white triangle cursor moves with the "Closed hand"

Once again all very simple - and extremely "discoverable" - no reading of the manual necessary.

[Paul-Licameli]

Have an always visible play head, distinct from the selection, and it almost becomes obvious.

But note that when our play head is visible and pinned, click and drag is already used for something: moving the pin. It can be more useful to have it near the right, not centered, for recording.

[petersampsonaudacity]

But note that when our play head is visible and pinned, click and drag is already used for something: moving the pin. It can be more useful to have it near the right, not centered, for recording.

Indeed, but note carefully that the pinned head is only visible (and draggable for repositioning) whn Playing (or recording) is actually taking place.

One would normally want to scrub while the audio is not playing - so therefore in this case the click and drag could still be available for scrubbing without usage conflict.

[Paul-Licameli]

But note that when our play head is visible and pinned, click and drag is already used for something: moving the pin. It can be more useful to have it near the right, not centered, for recording.

Indeed, but note carefully that the pinned head is only visible (and draggable for repositioning) whn Playing (or recording) is actually taking place.

One would normally want to scrub while the audio is not playing - so therefore in this case the click and drag could still be available for scrubbing without usage conflict.

On the other hand, would you ever want scrub to work with a pinned playhead too? Don't grab the play head, but instead grab the scrub ruler and slide it under the fixed head.