I have always found this a pain - when trying to get in very close, frame by frame on the timeliness, I find it a major challenge to move the entire timeline to a different location because the scrub bar (the one at the bottom) gets so small! I try to grab it and always miss it! I thought someone else would have come up with a way to fix this by now or even sony, but man it is a pain! I know I can use the arrows, but it just isn't the same...

Markers are handy for doing this.
Alternatively you could just enter the desired timecode number in the box at the bottom and go to that point.
That box is the left most of the 3 small boxes (Cursor Position - Ctrl+G) at the bottom right of the Vegas screen.

Generally I use the keyboard shortcut to zoom out a couple of clicks, then move to a new spot, then click a couple times to zoom back in. It's become second-nature over the years.

If I don't zoom out and I don't have far to move I always use the arrows rather than trying to move the tiny zoom bar.
If I know the new location is some distance away I always zoom out by either using the keyboard clicks or expand the little zoom bar you're trying to grab onto. Let the cursor hover over either edge of the zoom bar and you can drag it to zoom in or out as I'm sure you already know.

I also use the markers as mentioned but generally speaking I do a lot of zooming in and out during the normal course of editing.

The simple solution is to use your mouse wheel to quickly zoom in or out.

The mouse wheel can also change other attributes though, it's linked to where you are hovering the cursor. For example if you've drifted into an audio track header while looking intently at the timeline events, moving the wheel can change either the audio track volume or the pan.
As long as you're hovering in the right place (over the timeline area) it is the fastest way to zoom.
Mike you keep reminding me of all the shortcuts I've forgotten about. I keep sticking with habits that aren't the fastest but that I'm the most sure I'm not making an inadvertant change in something I don't want to affect.

it's linked to where you are hovering the cursor

I have a feeling it's not so much where the mouse is hovering, but more where you last clicked. So if your last action was to select a preset in a plugin, for example, just hovering the cursor over the timeline and using the mousewheel will scroll the preset list, not zoom the timeline. You first have to click in the area you want the mousewheel to affect.

I've gradually got into the position/click/scroll habit after years of undo, undo, undo!

Interestingly, the Mixer sliders don't appear to be affected by this behaviour. If you click and drag the sliders up or down (with the mousewheel) then move the cursor into a different area of the screen and scroll, the sliders don't move. It would be nice if that behaviour was consistent across the app, in order to prevent unwanted mousewheel adjustments, as Jay describes.

I just use the arrow key (which you don't like) and then click on the point and hit the up arrow key again, I can't imagine anything easier, but I've been doing it that way for a long time.

Good Morning,

I think everyone has this issue and the prior posts show how everyone tackles it. If i know I will be bouncing back and forth I place a markerat the end of a loop and then I just have to hit end.
I also use the wheel and have never had an accidental change, Knock on wood.

You would think they would come up with an easy solution for the minor issue.

I was off setting mulitple tracks by half frames yesterday and did a whole pile of this. would be nice to use a shuttle to click down and up to ones cursor. I would get a shuttle pro just for that.

...I was off setting mulitple tracks by half frames yesterday and did a whole pile of this. would be nice to use a shuttle to click down and up to ones cursor. I would get a shuttle pro just for that.
Not entirely sure what "click down and up to ones cursor means"... but, if you're looking for some easier timeline navigation...

Drop markers in the areas you're working, and hit ctrl-Left (right) Arrow to quickly navigate between them.

ctrl-shift-Left/Right will make a timeline selection from the cursor to the next marker, repeat as needed.

Hope this helps.

My pet peeve - I'd like to be able to select between different clips on the timeline without losing the cursor position. I'm always deciding I want to split an event at the cursor, but, the wrong clip (or no clip) is selected, and I can't select it without moving the cursor, try as I might...

My pet peeve - I'd like to be able to select between different clips on the timeline without losing the cursor position. I'm always deciding I want to split an event at the cursor, but, the wrong clip (or no clip) is selected, and I can't select it without moving the cursor, try as I might...

Seth, hold down the Ctrl key and click on the desired event or track header.
The cursor will stay where it currently is no matter where or what you click on.
Hope this helps.

That sounds like the ticket!

Will try some ctrl-clicking in my next session - thanks Mike.

Yes another good tip Mike!
As for the mouse wheel, I only have Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum consumer on this machine I'm sitting in front of. It definitely links the mouse wheel to where you're hovering without having to click first.
I'll have to check it on Vegas Pro later in the day on my other machine.

Happy to stand corrected, Jay! I was using Pro 8.0c when I checked it.

Just tested on the demo of 9 Pro and yes, the mousewheel affects the area it's hovering over without the need to click.

Personally I actually really like that behaviour! A great improvement over 8 - but I can see how it could cause issues.