Audio Channels - Dialog Window / Interface Blank / Non-functional

[Incredible_hand16B8]

Multi-channel audio is still an unhelpful opaque user-experience in Premiere Pro.

Screen cap is from a 4 channel clip in the timeline, using the "audio channels" command (command?)

Notes:
- dialog is titled “modify clip” but this is pulled up from right-click > “Audio Channels” in the timeline
- Preset, Clip Channel Format, and Active Channels Per Clip are all blank. Why?

- Preset, Clip Channel Format, and Active Channels Per Clip can all be selected (blue outline) but not changed (no drop downs)

- Active Channels Per Clip should read “4”

- Number of Audio Clips can be selected and changed, but to no effect
- “Preview Media Source Channel” is blank, it should read 1 or be editable?

- "Apply changes to all matching clips in sequence" implies that there should be things that can be done in this dialog that can be applied to other clips.

Hard to say what’s going on here because the documentation doesn’t tell you about this dialog.

( @Kevin-Monahan Documentation inadequate.)

What function is the right click  > “Audio Channels” supposed to serve in the timeline? How do I get it to serve that function?

This is probably related to the general inconsistency there is in working with audio channels in Premiere Pro: see here and here and here for examples of unresolved / ongoing issues.

R.

[mstegner]

Hi @Incredible_hand16B8,

This appears to be a bug with Productions that was recently fixed.  You can try the fix in the Premiere Pro Beta version after build 23.6.0x25.

[Incredible_hand16B8]

@mstegner 

mstegner,

Your statement would imply there is an issue known to Adobe and the Premiere Pro team regarding some aspect of what I have reported above. However no such issue is documented and reported to users by Adobe or the Premiere Pro team.

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/known-issues.html

@Kevin-Monahan

(Documentation inadequate - known issue not reported to users.)

R.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi,

Here's the documentation I found on the topic: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/clips-channels-tracks.html

It sounds like you would like to see some "How To" style learn documentation embedded here. Is that right? I'd be happy ot pass on any other specifics as to what you'd like to see here.

Someone like an engineer (like @mstegner) can answer specific questions about expected behavior.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Incredible_hand16B8]

@Kevin-Monahan 

"Here's the documentation I found on the topic ... It sounds like you would like to see some "How To" style learn documentation"

Kevin,

You have not understood or addressed my post. I have read the documentation which you have linked. Nowhere does it address the contextual menu which pops up if you right click on a clip in the timeline. This is what I have described above, for which I have provided illustrative screen caps.

I am not asking for "How To" style learning documentation.

I am asking for a simple explanation of the dialog - meaning a breakdown of the functions and the expected behaviour when choosing options. This is basic "user manual" type stuff: what does it do? what sorts of results can be expected? provide some illustrated examples.

There are MANY examples with Premiere Pro where such information is not provided ANYWHERE. I have outlined several instances in the forums (as you know), and audio is one area where the Adobe documentation is particularly inadequate. We can leave standards and guidelines out of it (for the moment) - I just want Adobe to explain the software it puts out.

I asked this question above: "What function is the right click > “Audio Channels” supposed to serve in the timeline?" ...

But I can rephrase it in a general question that the documentation should answer: "How is this software supposed to work?" Explain the details of each function or option.

When you say "Someone like an engineer (like @mstegner) can answer specific questions about expected behavior." it strikes me as ... shall we say 'inefficient', maybe 'user-hostile'? ...  that users would have to track down a software engineer to answer the questions I've asked; they're basic questions that user manuals should answer.

I'd be interested to know what purpose Adobe thinks documentation is supposed to serve.

mstegner describe the above behaviour as an undocument known issue (why is it undocumented? - another question I asked) but as a user I don't even know what that dialog is supposed to do:

- It's not described anywhere

- the dialog is labelled “modify clip” but this is pulled up from right-click > “Audio Channels” in the timeline

- The "modify clip" title and "Apply changes to all matching clips in sequence" checkbox imply that there should be things that can be done in this dialog

If this is just a way of seeing settings (ie. performs no function except to display information) then its labelled wrong and poorly designed - that should be reported as a bug and fixed.

If this should be providing functionality (ie. all the things it appears to allow me to do) then it is not functioning that way - that should be reported as a bug and fixed.

R.

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi,

I have read the documentation which you have linked. Nowhere does it address the contextual menu which pops up if you right click on a clip in the timeline. This is what I have described above and which I have provided screen caps to illustrate.

Sorry about that. I was not sure that you saw the article. I can pass along this issue to the docs team.

I am not asking for "How To" style learning documentation.

I am asking for a simple explanation of the dialog - meaning a breakdown of the functions and the expected behaviour when choosing options. This is basic "user manual" type stuff: what does it do? what sorts of results can be expected? provide some illustrated examples.

Sorry about that misunderstanding. I was thinking that something like a video here on how to set up Modify Audio Channels for different scenarios might be useful. But yes, more illustrations and more detailed instructions are needed. I'll let the writers know.

...audio is one area where the Adobe documentation is particularly inadequate. 

I'll let them know of your concerns.

that users would have to track down a software engineer to answer the questions I've asked; they're basic questions that user manuals should answer.

Since he is on the thread, I thought he could answer your specific questions. The User Guide could be better in this area, for sure, though. I'll forward along your concerns.

Thanks,

Kevin