Loss of 'Dynamic Editing' w/reassigned J-K-L keys

Hello everyone,

First time user of FCP and Cafe LA. Here's my problem and I'm sure someone can show me the way and the light:

As a long-time Avid user I'm very excited to be using Final Cut on my
next feature. When as was setting up my room and etc. I wanted to set up
my keyboard as I had done on the Avid. Essentially, I remove most of
the unwanted/unused buttons on the keyboard and I streamline it to
the buttons and commands I use the most. This involves shifting the J-
K-L key functions, play backwards, stop, play, over to the left a bit
and I assign them to S-D-F.

I find, since I am right handed, and my right hand is on the mouse,
the repositioned play/stop keys are easier for me to use and allows for a more natural position if shifted to the left.

The problem comes in that once I've re-assigned the keys as I
mentioned, the 'dynamic editing' function does not work. When I
double click on a cut and try to slowly roll back and forth over the
it to find just the right in and out points, the 'dynamic editing'
function which mimics the Avid's trim-mode is unavailable. It seems
to only work when the play backwards/stop/play functions are assigned to the J-K-L keys specifically.

Is this a problem anyone else has noticed? Is there an embedded function assigned to J-K-L that needs to be shifted as well, or is there a work-around so I can
actually re-assign my play backwards-stop-play functions to S-D-F and still use dynamic editing?

Thanks for a great website and one that I will be referring to
constantly as I cut my next project!

Thanks one and all,
Raul Davalos, A.C.E.

Sorry, I forgot to mention the following:

Here are the facts:
Using FC v. 5
MacPro G5
Mac OS 10.4.1
Fiber/Share

Raul

hey, Raul.
welcome on board.

i just tried this, and it;s working for me.
in the keyboard layout window, i found the "transport" keys, and assigned them to s,d, & f.
(i left the original jkl where there were)
i;m getting all the variations of jkl, fast, slow, and frame-by-frame
both in the timeline, and in the trim window.

which version of version 5?


nick

Working here too. I'm on 6.0.1.

I usually tell people new to FCP that it's better to get used to the default set for FCP, because when you rearrange you can lose a lot of useful functions, like f for match frame, for eg.

Of course you can remap anything that you lose, and it's entirely up to you and how you feel comfortable, but there is also the thing about having to always reset keyboards when you move to a new system, or to another house's system. If you know and use the default set, you're good to go.

Thanks Jude and Nick.

I think we're using version 5.1 but I'll check at the office when I go in tomorrow.

I think I'll take the suggestion which I've heard before about not remapping the keyboard until I get used to the FCP way. Frankly, its just the J-K-L keys that bug me because they're way over to the right. Feels un-natural. So I'll use my lay-over key protector with the button icons and give it a shot.

I'll also try remapping the J-K-L keys (transport) to S-D-F just to try and figure out why it didn't work before.

Otherwise, all's well and I'm finding FCP pretty amazing. A little annoying, because I'm used to Avid, and I need to make sure we don't have that many sequences open at once. It can get pretty hairy and find yourself making changes on the wrong version of a reel. But that's just a consequence of a previous habit on my part.

Thanks and I'll check in as I make my way through the show. I'll certainly call for help when I hit a wall on something.
Thanks agai!
Raul

Yeah - I often find my keyboard pushed way over to the left since I mostly operate the keyboard with my left hand and the mouse with my right. Luckily I have a wide desk, so this isn't really a problem, but I agree that it's a bit of a strain that most systems use jkl, as if we had both hands on the keyboard at all times.

Glad you're having some fun during the niggly changeover period. It's so easy to just get grumpy that things don't work like they did on any other system you're moving over from.

Yeah, I am having fun. There'll come a point soon when I don't think of this stuff anymore and concentrate on whether the performances and the scenes are playing well.

I've made the transitions before from Moviola to KEM to Lightworks to Avid and now FCP. Ultimately we're doing the same thing. Hemingway and Tolstoy and Dickens wrote many fine books with a pencil or quill - not that I'm in their league! - but just because we're using the latest version of 'Word' doesn't make us better writers. :-)

Raul
ps: I'm sure there'll be plenty of grumpy moments to come.

Some people might disagree, but I firmly believe that it's much easier in FCP to get by with only the barest number of shortcuts, much easier than in Avid. Because FCP is much more mouse-friendly (and computer-literate) than Avid. You can literally never use the keyboard if you want. Impossible to do in Avid. So if you're having trouble mixing up FCP and Avid shortcuts, just stick to the most basic ones (JKLIO, F9, F10, Copy-Cut-Paste). You'll be fine...and as you say, it lets you focus on the real editing rather than get bogged down by minutiae and unfamiliar controls.


www.derekmok.com

as an avid user, you'll probably re-map matchframe (f) to F1 (or is it F2)

and it might take you a little while to need the slip and slide tools (normally s and ss)
but they are useful.
you do similar things in avid's trim window,
but as you can only select ONE edit point on a track in FCP, it doesnt work in the same way, and you need to summon up the tools.

distort (d) is for compositing. grab the corners of a wire-framed image and tug them where ever you please.
you may not need it ever!


nick

The FCP keyset is 4 times deeper than Avid's. There's incredible capability under the hood.

I used to demo an entire edit, from Logging, Capture, Editing, Effects and Output entirely from the keyboard. You can't do that in Avid.

Yet the fun of always being in "segment mode" encourages mouse use as well.

- Loren
Today's FCP keytip:
Set Video In & Out separate from Audio with Control I & O !

Final Cut Studio 2 KeyGuide? Power Pack.
Now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

I think my saving grace fro FCP keyboard shortcuts (and your all going to laugh me off the boards) was world of warcraft. I was never that big into using a ton of shortcuts until I played this game. And before I knew it, I was going throug my manuals looking for the shortcuts. Damn video games, messing with my head.

On a side note, Maybe looking into a jog and shuttle wheel (like oneoof contour's) could help as well, map out your buttons that way.

-Zander