Shape files

Every shape you draw, generate or record lives in the SHAPES list on the left of the Shape tab. The same list appears in the Rack tab, so you can drag shapes straight onto pads. Shapes are saved with your project, and you can export them as .scratch files to reuse in other projects or share.

Shapes list actions

Click a shape in the list to select it and open it in the Shape editor. The buttons under the list work on the selected shape:

Button	What it does
New	Creates a new shape called “New Shape” and selects it.
Copy	Duplicates the selected shape, adding “copy” to its name.
Rename	Opens a box where you type a new name.
Delete	Removes the selected shape after asking you to confirm. If any pads play it, the message lists them; those pads are left empty.
Import	Adds one or more `.scratch` files to the list.
Export	Saves the selected shape as a `.scratch` file.
Generate…	Opens the technique generator.

Copy, Rename, Delete and Export are greyed out until a shape is selected.

.scratch files

A .scratch file holds one shape: its name, its length in beats, its travel unit and both lanes. The file is plain text, so it’s small and easy to share.

Export suggests a file named after the shape in Documents\ScratchCraft\Shapes. You can save it anywhere.
Import opens the same folder and lets you pick several files at once. Each imported shape is added as a new shape, and the status line says how many were imported. If none of the files is a valid shape, it says so.

Shapes saved by early versions of ScratchCraft, before shapes had a travel unit, load with Seconds travel, converted at the current tempo.

Dragging shapes onto pads

On the Rack tab, drag a shape from the list and drop it on a pad. The pad switches to Shape mode and plays that shape. An empty Shape pad shows DROP SHAPE as a reminder.

To change the shape on a pad you’ve already set up, drop a different one on it, or pick one from the Shape box in the pad inspector. See Pad modes.

Editing a shape changes it everywhere it’s used: every pad that plays it picks up the edit.