Searchable undo history?

[plurye]

Anyone else want this? Not infrequently, I'll run across a few bars where I prefer a version of a given track that existed many moves ago (maybe I included it in a quantize action and didn't mean to, or I accidentally erased automation from a track, etc.) Don't know if everyone knows this, but you can essentially time travel with DP:

1. Use the undo history to go back to some earlier stage of a file
2. Make a selection and "copy"
3. Use the undo history to go back to the latest version of the file
4. Paste in your selection from the past—voilà, past meets present.

Anyway, the undo history gets very long very fast, and sometimes it's a challenge to find what I'm looking for. So I'd love to be able to search for, e.g., "Quantize Events in Track 'Piano.'" Just thought I'd see if anyone else would find this useful.

PL

[Radiogal]

Yes I´d like that too!!!

If I remember correctly, in earlier DP versions one could go back in the Undo History and make a side path from another time, and then go back to the latest event in the main history path.. To bad it was taken away, but probably done for a reason.

[plurye]

Yes I´d like that too!!!

If I remember correctly, in earlier DP versions one could go back in the Undo History and make a side path from another time, and then go back to the latest event in the main history path.. To bad it was taken away, but probably done for a reason.

Pretty sure it's still there—you just "display all branches," and if you go back to a different branch, any new actions will be on that side branch. But you can still go back to the "main" branch at any time. (Of course, I may not be fully understanding what you're saying.) What I'm doing is a little different, but "searchable undo" would help with both!

PL

[Radiogal]

Wow, you mean that it's still there?!!? Big SMILE on my face!!! Gotta check that out ASAP!

[Shooshie]

Anyone else want this? Not infrequently, I'll run across a few bars where I prefer a version of a given track that existed many moves ago (maybe I included it in a quantize action and didn't mean to, or I accidentally erased automation from a track, etc.) Don't know if everyone knows this, but you can essentially time travel with DP:

1. Use the undo history to go back to some earlier stage of a file
2. Make a selection and "copy"
3. Use the undo history to go back to the latest version of the file
4. Paste in your selection from the past—voilà, past meets present.

Anyway, the undo history gets very long very fast, and sometimes it's a challenge to find what I'm looking for. So I'd love to be able to search for, e.g., "Quantize Events in Track 'Piano.'" Just thought I'd see if anyone else would find this useful.

PL

I've used this method (1 - Going back in undo, 2 - Copying, 3 - Returning to present, 4 - Pasting) for as long as I can remember. It's a good method!

As to others who responded about Branching Undo History, I've been unable to get that to work in DP8. In fact, it may have started a version or two back. I can't remember when I was last able to use a branching undo path. It's been a long, long time. For years, I thought I was doing something wrong, but never got around to checking up on it. Today, I did check on it, and what I found was that it doesn't work!

I've got another thread started on that subject, so as not to dilute this thread. If you have information about the Branching Undo History in DP8 (or any other version), please let us know in that thread.

Thanks,

Shoosh

PS: in the meantime, the original poster's method for copying from the past and pasting it into the present is the closest thing we have to a working Branching Undo History, and is an important technique to have in your arsenal of working methods.

[plurye]

Thanks, Shooshie—always appreciate your posts! Guess I hadn't realized that new actions performed after a trip back in time don't continue on the branch you've returned to. While you're at it, care to comment on the idea of being able to do text searches in the undo history window?

PL

[Shooshie]

Thanks, Shooshie—always appreciate your posts! Guess I hadn't realized that new actions performed after a trip back in time don't continue on the branch you've returned to. While you're at it, care to comment on the idea of being able to do text searches in the undo history window?

PL

It seems like that would be very easy to implement. I suggest sending that to MOTU as a suggestion.