#10 [Feature Request] Scroll through all files of a rank with the arrow keys

[Christoph Schmitz]

It would save a lot of time if it would be possible to scroll through the file list with the arrow keys (e.g. up and down, or left and right) and show the file information. Currently I have to double click each individual file name to show its contents. Currently it is already possible to go to another file with the up and down keys if a file is selected, but then it is required to press the Enter key. And this moves the focus to the loop list.

[Lars Palo]

Actually, this is already possible. After you've selected a working folder the filelist will be populated and the top file selected. Then you can navigate down with the "X" key and up with "S". Then to open the selected file you press Ctrl+F and you'll see the loops and cues inside. Note, you can navigate the loop list independently with the "D" and "C" keys. All this is documented in the help under "Keyboard shortcuts". The help can be reached with F1.

[Christoph Schmitz]

These are actually still two (or better three keys), which have to be pressed.

X (or S) and then Ctrl-F is not very convenient (with and without Ctrl key). What speaks against opening the corresponding loops automatically when pressing X (or S)?

[Lars Palo]

What speaks against opening the corresponding loops automatically when pressing X (or S)?

1. Safety consideration. Not only loops are opened - the whole file is loaded into memory when the file is opened (Ctrl+F). Consider what would happen if there are changes done to the current file and another is loaded - all changes would be discarded. And no, I won't add a dialog asking: File is changed. Are you really sure you want to open another one? The operation you suggest would be the same as if a single click of the mouse would not only change the selected file but also open it in the same action.
2. Convenient keyboard usage. The way LA is working now allows you to change the selection to a file far away in the list and then open it in a separate operation. If the change of selection also would open the newly selected file if would be impossible, with keyboard keys, to open any other file than the neighbours of the current file. To get to a file far away in the list you'd have to step through many file openings/closings in a single operation.

So in short - file selection in the listctrl and opening the selected file are two separate operations and will so remain. What I might consider is adding a new operation that intentionally closes current open file (if any) and opens next (upper or lower) file in the listctrl, but this would have to be secured by combination key presses (similar to the Ctrl+Alt+S that save current file and open next) to avoid accidental usage.