PE11 and 12: Set Unnumbered Markers Shortcut Glitch

INTRODUCTION

The following computer keyboard shortcuts can be used to apply unnumbered or numbered markers to the running Timeline content during its playback in the Edit area monitor

• num* is the shortcut for the command "Set Unnumbered Marker"

• Shift+num* is the shortcut for the command "Set Next Available Numbered Timeline Marker"

This Timeline marker feature exists in at least Premiere Elements 4, 7, 8.0/8.0.1, 9.0/9.0.1, 10, 11, and 12, and these default keyboard shortcuts can be seen in Edit Menu/Keyboard Customization/Application/Help and changed to something else for these particular commands. Such a change in these keyboard shortcuts to execute these particular commands might be indicated if the computer keyboard in use did not come with a numerical keyboard.

The start and stop of the playback of the Timeline content in the Edit area monitor is controlled by pressing the Play/Pause Toggle (Space) button just below the Edit area monitor or by pressing the computer keyboard space bar.

Sounds good, so far, but.....


ISSUE

Does it matter to the Timeline marker feature described if the running Timeline is started by

• pressing on "Play/Pause Toggle (Space)" button (also known as just the Play button) just below the Edit area monitor 

or

• pressing the computer keyboard space bar?  

A first impression answer would probably be No. However recently a Premiere Elements 12 user in one of the online forums observed that she was not able to place unnumbered markers to the running Timeline using the num* shortcut when the playback was started with the Edit area monitor's Play button instead of the computer keyboard space bar. This unexpected observation was explored in Premiere Elements 4 through 12 Windows and the results reported in this blog post.

SOLUTION

The answer to the ISSUE question regarding shortcuts and the setting of unnumbered and numbered Timeline markers  in the running Timeline

                 Does it matter if the running Timeline is started by

• pressing on "Play/Pause Toggle (Space)" button (also known as just the Play button) just below the Edit area monitor 

or

• pressing the computer keyboard space bar? 

is No for Premiere Elements 4 through 10, but Yes for Premiere Elements 11 and 12. In versions 11 and 12,  pressing the computer keyboard space bar to start the playback is the way to be able to use num* and Shift+num* to place unnumbered and numbered Timeline markers respectively on the running Timeline. The results were the same whether or not the default shortcut (num* or Shift+num*) was changed to something else to execute the command of "Set Unnumbered Marker" or "Set Next Available Numbered Timeline Marker".

DETAILS

The keyboard shortcuts num* and Shift+num* Do Not Work When Running Timeline Is Started For Playback In Edit Area Monitor By Pressing Monitor's Play Button, Instead of Computer Keyboard Space Bar

Applies to Premiere Elements 12 and 11

Timeline Content Running in Edit Area Monitor

The computer keyboard shortcuts num* and Shift+num* only function to place unnumbered and numbered Timeline markers respectively on the running Timeline content when the Edit area monitor playback is initiated with the computer keyboard space bar. The unnumbered Timeline markers are solid blue tabs; the numbered Timeline markers are blue tabs, each with a sequential number (starting with 0) in its center. Note that they appear above the Timeline content, not in it.
See Figure 1 and compare to Figure 2.

Figure 1. Premiere Elements 12/12.1. num* And Shift+num* Used To Place Unnumbered And Numbered Markers In The Running Timeline Video Track 1 When The Edit Area Monitor Playback Was Started Using The Computer Keyboard Space Bar.

The list of numbered markers placed can be viewed in the "Go to Numbered Marker dialog" by right clicking the numbered marker on the Timeline or the Edit area monitor screen, selecting Go to Timeline Marker/Numbered/. There is no list available for the unnumbered markers placed.

File Selected In Timeline Running in Preview Window

There is a marked difference in the what goes on in the Preview Window in this regard. 
If a file on Video Track 1 is double clicked to select and open it in its Preview Window, computer keyboard shortcuts num* and Shift+num* function to place unnumbered and numbered markers respectively on the running content within the Preview Window whether the Preview Window playback was initiated with the Preview Window Play button or the computer keyboard space bar. The Preview Window markers are simultaneously copied to a corresponding location on the file in Video Track 1 in the Expert workspace. See Figure 2.

Figure 2. Premiere Elements 12/12.1. num* And Shift+num* Used To Place Unnumbered And Numbered Markers Within  The Running Preview Window File When The Preview Window Playback Was Started With the Preview Window Play Button Or Using The Computer Keyboard Space Bar.

Note: The unnumbered and numbered markers are not blue but gray in the Preview Windows and off white for their copies on Video Track 1 file. In spite of the look alike appearance of the Preview Window unnumbered and numbered markers, the numbered markers appear to be numbered markers based 

• the Preview Window counterparts on Video Track 1 are numbered

• if Preview Window numbered marker is right clicked, and Go to Clip Marker/Numbered selected from the menu that appears, then a Go To Numbered Marker dialog appears with a list of the numbered markers generated, including numbers, times, and comments associated with numbered markers. 

In Edit Menu/Keyboard Customization/Application/Help, the default keyboard shortcut num* is found for the command "Set Unnumbered Marker", and the default keyboard shortcut Shift+num* is found for the command "Set Next Available Numbered Timeline".


num* and Shift+num* Do Work When Running Timeline Is Started For Playback In Edit Area Monitor By Pressing Monitor's Play Button or using the Computer Keyboard Space Bar

Applies to Premiere Elements 10, 9.0/9.0.1, 8.0/8.0.1, 7, and 4

Other than that, the details given for Premiere Elements 11 and 12 above are the essentially the same with one or two minor exceptions.

In Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1 Preview Window, Go To Numbered Marker dialog could only be accessed by right clicking the Preview Window screen and not by right clicking one of the numbered markers in the Preview Window.

In Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1, 8.0/8.0.1, 7, and 4, but not 10, 11, and 12, there is a stop with the appearance of a Marker 0 dialog when the first (actually marked 0) numbered Timeline marker is applied to the running Timeline (Edit area monitor, not Preview Windows). To get beyond this point, it is necessary to fill in the dialog and click OK or just click OK. No stops are involved in the next sequential numbered markers applied.


COMMENTARY

This work all started to determine if it made a difference if PLAY button/Edit area monitor or space bar/computer keyboard was used to obtain a running Timeline for the setting of the unnumbered and numbered markers on Video Track 1 using shortcuts. The No and Yes answer evolved into many  other details, including Preview Windows comparisons. The essential findings are presented for consideration.

Also see

Premiere Elements/Working with clip and timeline markers
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/premiereelements/using/WS577D23E8-5A07-4ff8-A962-4A46F814AE6E.html

June 2013 Blog Post, PE: Forget Me Not Clip Details and Timeline Unnumbered Markers
http://www.atr935.blogspot.com/2013/06/pe11-forget-me-not-clip-details-and.html

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ATR