the edit menu

Generic actions

Undo/Redo: let you undo or redo the last changes you made to the piece.

Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Duplicate: let you cut, copy, paste, delete and duplicate the currently selected sounds in the score.

Note that the Delete action is mapped to the Backspace key rather than the Delete key: this is because the backspace key is easier to reach, specially on a laptop keyboard.

hint: HighC implements smart paste and duplicate operations to let you work faster. This means, using simple heuristics, HighC will try to infer where is the most likely place you want to put the new object. Normally, you won't need to guess much how this mechanism is implemented. However, to make better use of this mechanism, here is how it works:

when you paste and there is no object currently selected, HighC will just ensure the objects pasted are visible within the current view.
If there is a current selection, the pasted object will be placed relatively to the selection's location rather than at an absolute location. In addition, the relative location where to place the object is determined by the last moves you have performed just after having pasted the previous objects.

This lets you create repetitive patterns easily: first create a simple pattern, select it, copy/paste it, then move the selected objects (as a group) at the desired location. The next time you paste objects, those will be pasted at the same relative location. Repeatedly calling paste for as many bars as you want let you create a constant line easily.

Editing actions

Set Waveform: lets you assign the currently selected waveform (in the Waveform editor) to all the selected sounds. The waveform of a sound is represented by a randomly assigned color, which is visible in the waveform editor.

Set Envelope: lets you assign the currently selected envelope (in the Envelope editor) to all the selected sounds. The envelope of a sound is represented by the width of the sound, which has the same profile as its envelope.

Set Level...: Lets you set the level to all the selected objects, or increase or decrease this level by a relative amount. The level is a number between 1 (pppp) and 9 (ffff) that specifies the relative loudness of the sound with respect to the other sounds in the piece. To increase the level, make the number start with a "+" sign, to decrease it, make it start by a "-", to set it to a fixed value for all sounds, simply enter the desired level with no + or - preceeding signs. You may specify even higher or lower values to increase the dynamic range of your piece. The relative loudness of the sounds is represented visually by the transparency: loud sounds are opaque, while feeble sounds are almost fully transparent.

Selection actions

Select from Waveform: selects all the sounds that use the currently selected waveform.

Select from Envelope: selects all the sounds that use the currently selected envelope.

Select from Level...: prompts for a given level range, then selects all the sounds whose level is within the given interval.

Select from Pattern: selects all the sounds that use the currently selected pattern.

Select from Duration...: prompts for a given duration range, then selects all the sounds whose duration is within the given interval.

Select All: selects all the visible sounds in the piece.