Yep.

Please be aware of the difference between (locking) event and track (for which it dosn't exist in VEGAS).

@Jonathan-Hill I'm using V19 but i don't remember V18 being that much different, If i selected all, i don't think i would expect them to move because of the locked event being included, 🤷‍♂️

Maybe try changing your workflow, use the Auto Ripple option instead? 🤷‍♂️👍

So, then why would you use lock? Maybe I am confusing a different option. Although this seems like it should be pretty simple to use. Although Yellandkeil is saying that it does not exist, which I think is starting to ring true. I just went to my brothers place where he has two video editors (neither Vegas). I tried the lock option on both of his editors and they worked as one would expect. You lock a track and it can't be moved or accessed until unlocked, and it has no effect on any other track. A locked track will play and be visible on the timeline but will no do anything else until it is unlocked. Pretty simple. I guess I can work around this by using "control" and deselecting the locked track but really, this should be simpler then it is. If I start locking a number of tracks, this could start getting confusing. I am hoping someone will point out that I have done a silly mistake and I can start using the lock feature easier then what is being suggested. Or even a software update would be nice too.

@Jonathan-Hill Hi, you keep saying 'lock track' but you also say 'I right clicked on the track and selected "switches" and checked- "lock". ' As @Yelandkeil says there's no lock track, you can lock an event/events on the timeline, but you can't lock a track? This is a little confusing, is lock track an option in V18? can you share a screen capture? Nvidia Geforce Experience if you have it, Alt+F1 captures an image, Alt+F9 records the screen if you didn't know👍

I have right clicked on the video track (the one just above the lower audio track). I have locked the track. So now I can not select it without unlocking it but now if I select by using "cntrol-A" it will become part of the selection, which it shouldn't, it's locked. If I was to select "all after cursor" again, it will be selected, which it shouldn't because it's locked. And because it's selected with the rest of the tracks, nothing will move because the lower track is locked.

As John_dennis wrote, I can use Control and deselect the locked track and that works, then I can move my other tracks around but I just find it funny that no other program have I used where lock works in this way. Lock is locked. Can't select it or have it interfere with the other tracks unless unlocked.

The selection function @john_dennis described is, as far as I know, a basic Windows function.
For example, in Explorer it is the same - common - procedure.

My brother just come over and tried locking a track and found that to be something he has never seen before either. Corel Draw, you lock a picture you can not select it or move it or adjust it until unlocked and if you "control-A" (select all) it will not be apart of the selection. Cubase audio, lock a track and you can not select it or move or adjust it until unlocked and if you select "all", the locked track will not be included in the selection. Seems weird to me, but it is what it is I guess. I will have to use CNTRL and deselect the locked track. Not user friendly but at least it's a work around.

Frustrated but thankful for the help.

Thanks.

@Jonathan-Hill I have right clicked on the video track (the one just above the lower audio track). I have locked the track. So now I can not select it without unlocking it but now if I select by using "cntrol-A" it will become part of the selection, which it shouldn't, it's locked. If I was to select "all after cursor" again, it will be selected, which it shouldn't because it's locked. And because it's selected with the rest of the tracks, nothing will move because the lower track is locked.

Ok, thanks for that, each piece of media on the timeline is called 'events', the tracks are the whole track listed 1,2,3 etc. on the left. Sorry to be pedantic but it gets confusing if the wrong term is used, 👍

Just because it's locked doesn't mean you can't select it, it just means you can't alter it without unlocking it, & if you select all or those to the right of the cursor that inc the locked event you're mixing the two choices, locked & unlocked, Vegas is choosing the safer option of locked so accidental movement/alteration isn't carried out,

Like in my video, if i had locked events i would use the ripple tool to move the events to the right of the cursor, if i want to move all events except the locked ones, pick one of the events at the start of the timeline,

@Jonathan-Hill

UR confused with track and event. If you right-click an empty track, you will not find that "lock track" which is in fact an EVENT-submenue:

I have to say, that I should have called it an event. I'm sorry about the confusion. I guess I am still learning. Either way, I want to lock a track or even lock an event. If I right click on an event I get an option under switches to lock (lock the event). I would love to just have "lock track", which I guess is un-available. Which really isn't nice to know. That does hurt.

So Gid, you seem to be picking up what I am saying. Is there not a way to "select all" without selecting the locked event, that's the whole reason I am locking the event, so I can go in and move things around without accidentally moving a track that needs to stay put. Is there a preference setting that can be changed? I mean, this is such a simple and standard feature on so many programs I find it perplexing that this is such a difficult thing to accomplish. And it's harder to get my head around when I see other video editors do it with ease.

Is the lock track feature on a different version of Vegas?

VEGAS has never had a "lock track" feature. You can lock events that are on the track, though. You can lock all of the events on a track which would, essential "lock the track" although you could still add new events to that track.

If you need to select all non-locked events, you could write a script that does that.

Write a script? Sounds interesting....but sounds complicated. Where do I find info on that?

I don't mind locking individual events, I can do that , I just want to select all non-locked events. Who wouldn't want that?

@Jonathan-Hill I'm on V19 but i think it's very similar to V18, the basic answer is no,

No lock track, no to select all without selecting the locked event, I went through all the keyboard shortcuts & preferences but nothing jumped out at me,

I tried Hitfilm Pro, Free DaVinci Resolve & Magix Edit Pro Premium,

Hitfilm Pro & Free DaVinci Resolve allowed me to lock a track, select all events therefore all tracks, then move everything but that locked track, MEP Premium is a simpler program, if i selected all, i had to un-select the locked track in order to move the others,

Free DaVinci Resolve has a Lock to position button at the top of the timeline & a Lock track button, there might be a way but it wouldn't lock just an individual event, it locked all tracks 🤷‍♂️ i couldn't find in any of those 3 editors with the ability to lock just an event/s, only the whole track,

To me Vegas is the winner here, although you can't lock a track (maybe should be a feature request) you can lock an individual event/s, then use the ripple tool to move the other events, In V19, the left mouse button held down + the right button clicked turns the mouse into the lasso selection option, so multiple events can be chosen & locked,

It also has Right click - Select events to the end or Select all after the cursor which gives a pop-up window,

Here's info about script to begin :

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/vegas-pro-scripting-faqs-resources--104563/

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/ever-asked-how-do-i-write-scripts-in-vegas-here-s-your-answer--127310/

My final thought on this is, I'm going to put all locked events on the top of the page, and use the selection tool to select everything under that track. I don't like it and I don't think it's correct but it is what it is. It's such a simple feature, I really don't understand why it's not part of the program but I guess the pro's out there do other things to get the job done.

I wasn't sure we could talk about DaVinci on here but that is what my brother uses. Drops in a video track and locks it. Done. I'm not trying to cut down or brag about another program, I love Vegas. But again....too simple of a feature not to be on there. In my opinion. Again, not sure who wouldn't want that.

I will check the info on the scrip.

Thanks again everyone.

@Jonathan-Hill It's ok to mention DaVinci as long as you don't derogate Vegas with it 😁👍

Write a script? Sounds interesting....but sounds complicated. Where do I find info on that?

My website has a ton of information on that - www.jetdv.com

Take this code and copy it into Notepad. Then save it as "Deselect Locked Events.cs" in {My documents}\Vegas Script Menu
 

using System;
using ScriptPortal.Vegas;

namespace Test_Script
{
    public class Class1
    {
        public Vegas myVegas;

        public void Main(Vegas vegas)
        {
            myVegas = vegas;

            foreach(Track myTrack in myVegas.Project.Tracks)
            {
                foreach(TrackEvent evnt in myTrack.Events)
                {
                    if (evnt.Selected && evnt.Locked)
                    {
                        evnt.Selected = false;
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

public class EntryPoint
{
    public void FromVegas(Vegas vegas)
    {
        Test_Script.Class1 test = new Test_Script.Class1();
        test.Main(vegas);
    }
}

I'll make a new tutorial on this one too. To actually "lock a track" you would simply lock all events on that track. A script can certainly do that too but you'd still be able to add new events to that track.