diff --git a/src/Prefs.cpp b/src/Prefs.cpp
index 1e50017f2..3978762ff 100755
--- a/src/Prefs.cpp
+++ b/src/Prefs.cpp
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ bool ChoiceSetting::Write( const wxString &value )
 }
 
 EnumSettingBase::EnumSettingBase(
-   const wxString &key,
+   const SettingBase &key,
    EnumValueSymbols symbols,
    long defaultSymbol,
 
@@ -398,3 +398,23 @@ void PreferenceInitializer::ReinitializeAll()
    for ( auto pInitializer : allInitializers() )
       (*pInitializer)();
 }
+
+wxConfigBase *SettingBase::GetConfig() const
+{
+   return gPrefs;
+}
+
+bool SettingBase::Delete()
+{
+   auto config = GetConfig();
+   return config && config->DeleteEntry( GetPath() );
+}
+
+bool BoolSetting::Toggle()
+{
+   bool value = Read();
+   if ( Write( !value ) )
+      return !value;
+   else
+      return value;
+}
diff --git a/src/Prefs.h b/src/Prefs.h
index 1ffdb6cb7..6fa4cea41 100644
--- a/src/Prefs.h
+++ b/src/Prefs.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 // the second part (after the r) indicates the number of times the prefs have been reset within the same version
 #define AUDACITY_PREFS_VERSION_STRING "1.1.1r1"
 
+#include <functional>
+
 #include "../include/audacity/ComponentInterface.h"
 #include "MemoryX.h" // for wxArrayStringEx
 #include "widgets/FileConfig.h"
@@ -55,6 +57,168 @@ extern int gMenusDirty;
 struct ByColumns_t{};
 extern ByColumns_t ByColumns;
 
+//! Base class for settings objects.  It holds a configuration key path.
+/* The constructors are non-explicit for convenience */
+class AUDACITY_DLL_API SettingBase
+{
+public:
+   SettingBase( const char *path ) : mPath{ path } {}
+   SettingBase( const wxChar *path ) : mPath{ path } {}
+   SettingBase( const wxString &path ) : mPath{ path } {}
+
+   wxConfigBase *GetConfig() const;
+
+   const wxString &GetPath() const { return mPath; }
+
+   //! Delete the key if present, and return true iff it was.
+   bool Delete();
+
+protected:
+   SettingBase( const SettingBase& ) = default;
+   const RegistryPath mPath;
+};
+
+//! Class template adds an in-memory cache of a value to SettingBase.
+template< typename T >
+class CachingSettingBase : public SettingBase
+{
+public:
+   explicit CachingSettingBase( const SettingBase &path )
+      : SettingBase{ path } {}
+protected:
+   CachingSettingBase( const CachingSettingBase & ) = default;
+   mutable T mCurrentValue{};
+   mutable bool mValid{false};
+};
+
+//! Class template adds default value, read, and write methods to CachingSetingBase
+template< typename T >
+class Setting : public CachingSettingBase< T >
+{
+public:
+   using CachingSettingBase< T >::CachingSettingBase;
+
+   using DefaultValueFunction = std::function< T() >;
+
+   //! Usual overload supplies a default value
+   Setting( const SettingBase &path, const T &defaultValue )
+      : CachingSettingBase< T >{ path }
+      , mDefaultValue{ defaultValue }
+   {}
+
+   //! This overload causes recomputation of the default each time it is needed
+   Setting( const SettingBase &path, DefaultValueFunction function )
+      : CachingSettingBase< T >{ path }
+      , mFunction{ function }
+   {}
+   
+
+   const T& GetDefault() const
+   {
+      if ( mFunction )
+         mDefaultValue = mFunction();
+      return mDefaultValue;
+   }
+
+   //! overload of Read returning a success flag
+   /*! The cache is unchanged if that is false */
+   bool Read( T *pVar ) const
+   {
+      if ( pVar && this->mValid ) {
+         *pVar = this->mCurrentValue;
+         return true;
+      }
+      const auto config = this->GetConfig();
+      if ( pVar && config ) {
+         if ((this->mValid = config->Read( this->mPath, &this->mCurrentValue )))
+            *pVar = this->mCurrentValue;
+         return this->mValid;
+      }
+      return (this->mValid = false);
+   }
+
+   //! overload of Read, always returning a value
+   /*! The value is the default stored in this in case the key is known to be absent from the config;
+    but it returns type T's default value if there was failure to read the config */
+   T Read() const
+   {
+      return ReadWithDefault( GetDefault() );
+   }
+
+   //! new direct use is discouraged but it may be needed in legacy code
+   /*! Use the given default in case the preference is not defined, which may not be the
+    default-default stored in this object. */
+   T ReadWithDefault( const T &defaultValue ) const
+   {
+      const auto config = this->GetConfig();
+      return config
+         ? ( this->mValid = true, this->mCurrentValue =
+               config->ReadObject( this->mPath, defaultValue ) )
+         : T{};
+   }
+
+   //! Write value to config and return true if successful
+   bool Write( const T &value )
+   {
+      const auto config = this->GetConfig();
+      if ( config ) {
+         this->mCurrentValue = value;
+         return DoWrite();
+      }
+      return false;
+   }
+
+   //! Reset to the default value
+   bool Reset()
+   {
+      return Write( GetDefault() );
+   }
+
+protected:
+   //! Write cached value to config and return true if successful
+   /*! (But the config object is not flushed) */
+   bool DoWrite( )
+   {
+      const auto config = this->GetConfig();
+      return this->mValid =
+         config ? config->Write( this->mPath, this->mCurrentValue ) : false;
+   }
+
+   mutable T mDefaultValue{};
+   const DefaultValueFunction mFunction;
+};
+
+//! This specialization of Setting for bool adds a Toggle method to negate the saved value
+class BoolSetting final : public Setting< bool >
+{
+public:
+   using Setting::Setting;
+
+   //! Write the negation of the previous value, and then return the current value.
+   bool Toggle();
+};
+
+//! Specialization of Setting for int
+class IntSetting final : public Setting< int >
+{
+public:
+   using Setting::Setting;
+};
+
+//! Specialization of Setting for double
+class DoubleSetting final : public Setting< double >
+{
+public:
+   using Setting::Setting;
+};
+
+//! Specialization of Setting for strings
+class StringSetting final : public Setting< wxString >
+{
+public:
+   using Setting::Setting;
+};
+
 /// A table of EnumValueSymbol that you can access by "row" with
 /// operator [] but also allowing access to the "columns" of internal or
 /// translated strings, and also allowing convenient column-wise construction
@@ -90,11 +254,11 @@ class AUDACITY_DLL_API ChoiceSetting
 {
 public:
    ChoiceSetting(
-      const wxString &key,
+      const SettingBase &key,
       EnumValueSymbols symbols,
       long defaultSymbol = -1
    )
-      : mKey{ key }
+      : mKey{ key.GetPath() }
 
       , mSymbols{ std::move( symbols ) }
 
@@ -140,7 +304,7 @@ class AUDACITY_DLL_API EnumSettingBase : public ChoiceSetting
 {
 public:
    EnumSettingBase(
-      const wxString &key,
+      const SettingBase &key,
       EnumValueSymbols symbols,
       long defaultSymbol,
 
@@ -175,7 +339,7 @@ class EnumSetting : public EnumSettingBase
 public:
 
    EnumSetting(
-      const wxString &key,
+      const SettingBase &key,
       EnumValueSymbols symbols,
       long defaultSymbol,
 
diff --git a/src/ShuttleGui.cpp b/src/ShuttleGui.cpp
index 55e683289..1d84710b0 100644
--- a/src/ShuttleGui.cpp
+++ b/src/ShuttleGui.cpp
@@ -1815,7 +1815,7 @@ bool ShuttleGuiBase::DoStep( int iStep )
 /// between gui and stack variable and stack variable and shuttle.
 wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiBase::TieCheckBox(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting)
+   const BoolSetting &Setting)
 {
    wxCheckBox * pCheck=NULL;
 
@@ -1832,7 +1832,7 @@ wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiBase::TieCheckBox(
 /// between gui and stack variable and stack variable and shuttle.
 wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiBase::TieCheckBoxOnRight(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting)
+   const BoolSetting & Setting)
 {
    wxCheckBox * pCheck=NULL;
 
@@ -1849,7 +1849,7 @@ wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiBase::TieCheckBoxOnRight(
 /// between gui and stack variable and stack variable and shuttle.
 wxSlider * ShuttleGuiBase::TieSlider(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting & Setting,
    const int max,
    const int min)
 {
@@ -1868,7 +1868,7 @@ wxSlider * ShuttleGuiBase::TieSlider(
 /// between gui and stack variable and stack variable and shuttle.
 wxSpinCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieSpinCtrl(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const int max,
    const int min)
 {
@@ -1887,7 +1887,7 @@ wxSpinCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieSpinCtrl(
 /// between gui and stack variable and stack variable and shuttle.
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieTextBox(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< wxString > &Setting,
+   const StringSetting & Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    wxTextCtrl * pText=(wxTextCtrl*)NULL;
@@ -1905,7 +1905,7 @@ wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieTextBox(
 /// This one does it for double values...
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieIntegerTextBox(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    wxTextCtrl * pText=(wxTextCtrl*)NULL;
@@ -1923,7 +1923,7 @@ wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieIntegerTextBox(
 /// This one does it for double values...
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiBase::TieNumericTextBox(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< double > &Setting,
+   const DoubleSetting & Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    wxTextCtrl * pText=(wxTextCtrl*)NULL;
@@ -1984,7 +1984,7 @@ wxChoice *ShuttleGuiBase::TieChoice(
 ///                             if null, then use 0, 1, 2, ...
 wxChoice * ShuttleGuiBase::TieNumberAsChoice(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting & Setting,
    const TranslatableStrings & Choices,
    const std::vector<int> * pInternalChoices,
    int iNoMatchSelector)
diff --git a/src/ShuttleGui.h b/src/ShuttleGui.h
index 11be1c669..dbca45efd 100644
--- a/src/ShuttleGui.h
+++ b/src/ShuttleGui.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "MemoryX.h"
 #include <wx/listbase.h> // for wxLIST_FORMAT_LEFT
 
+#include "Prefs.h"
 #include "WrappedType.h"
 
 class ChoiceSetting;
@@ -103,20 +104,6 @@ using wxStaticBoxWrapper = wxStaticBox;
 using wxSliderWrapper = wxSlider;
 #endif
 
-template< typename T > class SettingSpec {
-public:
-   SettingSpec( const RegistryPath &path, const T &defaultValue = {} )
-      : mPath{ path }, mDefaultValue{ defaultValue }
-   {}
-
-   const RegistryPath &GetPath() const { return mPath; }
-   const T &GetDefault() const { return mDefaultValue; }
-
-private:
-   RegistryPath mPath;
-   T mDefaultValue;
-};
-
 namespace DialogDefinition {
 
 struct Item {
@@ -450,10 +437,10 @@ public:
 // so it doesn't need an argument that is writeable.
    virtual wxCheckBox * TieCheckBox(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting);
+      const BoolSetting &Setting);
    virtual wxCheckBox * TieCheckBoxOnRight(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting);
+      const BoolSetting &Setting);
 
    virtual wxChoice *TieChoice(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
@@ -466,31 +453,31 @@ public:
    // emitting scripting information about Preferences.
    virtual wxChoice * TieNumberAsChoice(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const TranslatableStrings & Choices,
       const std::vector<int> * pInternalChoices = nullptr,
       int iNoMatchSelector = 0 );
 
    virtual wxTextCtrl * TieTextBox(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< wxString > &Setting,
+      const StringSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars);
    virtual wxTextCtrl * TieIntegerTextBox(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars);
    virtual wxTextCtrl * TieNumericTextBox(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< double > &Setting,
+      const DoubleSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars);
    virtual wxSlider * TieSlider(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int max,
       const int min = 0);
    virtual wxSpinCtrl * TieSpinCtrl(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int max,
       const int min);
 //-- End of variants.
diff --git a/src/commands/CommandManager.cpp b/src/commands/CommandManager.cpp
index 18cd0041d..3e7031a47 100644
--- a/src/commands/CommandManager.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CommandManager.cpp
@@ -586,6 +586,12 @@ auto CommandManager::Options::MakeCheckFn(
    return [=](AudacityProject&){ return gPrefs->ReadBool( key, defaultValue ); };
 }
 
+auto CommandManager::Options::MakeCheckFn(
+   const BoolSetting &setting ) -> CheckFn
+{
+   return MakeCheckFn( setting.GetPath(), setting.GetDefault() );
+}
+
 ///
 /// Add a list of menu items to the current menu.  When the user selects any
 /// one of these, the given functor will be called
diff --git a/src/commands/CommandManager.h b/src/commands/CommandManager.h
index c844eb6b3..afc98c60a 100644
--- a/src/commands/CommandManager.h
+++ b/src/commands/CommandManager.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ class wxMenu;
 class wxMenuBar;
 using CommandParameter = CommandID;
 
+class BoolSetting;
+
 struct MenuBarListEntry;
 struct SubMenuListEntry;
 struct CommandListEntry;
@@ -139,6 +141,11 @@ class AUDACITY_DLL_API CommandManager final
          checker = MakeCheckFn( key, defaultValue );
          return std::move(*this);
       }
+      // Take a BoolSetting
+      Options &&CheckTest ( const BoolSetting &setting ) && {
+         checker = MakeCheckFn( setting );
+         return std::move(*this);
+      }
 
       const wxChar *accel{ wxT("") };
       CheckFn checker; // default value means it's not a check item
@@ -155,6 +162,8 @@ class AUDACITY_DLL_API CommandManager final
    private:
       static CheckFn
          MakeCheckFn( const wxString key, bool defaultValue );
+      static CheckFn
+         MakeCheckFn( const BoolSetting &setting );
    };
 
    void AddItemList(const CommandID & name,
diff --git a/src/commands/GetInfoCommand.cpp b/src/commands/GetInfoCommand.cpp
index 080422a88..a99137dd9 100644
--- a/src/commands/GetInfoCommand.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/GetInfoCommand.cpp
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ bool GetInfoCommand::SendMenus(const CommandContext &context)
    return true;
 }
 
+#include "../Prefs.h"
+
 namespace {
 
 /**************************************************************************//**
@@ -204,10 +206,10 @@ public:
 
    wxCheckBox * TieCheckBox(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting) override;
+      const BoolSetting &Setting) override;
    wxCheckBox * TieCheckBoxOnRight(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting) override;
+      const BoolSetting &Setting) override;
 
    wxChoice *TieChoice(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
@@ -215,30 +217,30 @@ public:
 
    wxChoice * TieNumberAsChoice(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const TranslatableStrings & Choices,
       const std::vector<int> * pInternalChoices, int iNoMatchSelector ) override;
 
    wxTextCtrl * TieTextBox(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< wxString > &Setting,
+      const StringSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars) override;
    wxTextCtrl * TieIntegerTextBox(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars) override;
    wxTextCtrl * TieNumericTextBox(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< double > &Setting,
+      const DoubleSetting &Setting,
       const int nChars) override;
    wxSlider * TieSlider(
       const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int max,
       const int min = 0) override;
    wxSpinCtrl * TieSpinCtrl(
       const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-      const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+      const IntSetting &Setting,
       const int max,
       const int min) override;
 };
@@ -256,7 +258,7 @@ ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::~ShuttleGuiGetDefinition(void)
 
 wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieCheckBox(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting)
+   const BoolSetting &Setting)
 {
    StartStruct();
    AddItem( Setting.GetPath(), "id" );
@@ -269,7 +271,7 @@ wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieCheckBox(
 
 wxCheckBox * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieCheckBoxOnRight(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< bool > &Setting)
+   const BoolSetting &Setting)
 {
    StartStruct();
    AddItem( Setting.GetPath(), "id" );
@@ -301,7 +303,7 @@ wxChoice * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieChoice(
 
 wxChoice * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieNumberAsChoice(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const TranslatableStrings & Choices,
    const std::vector<int> * pInternalChoices, int iNoMatchSelector)
 {
@@ -320,7 +322,7 @@ wxChoice * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieNumberAsChoice(
 
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieTextBox(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< wxString > &Setting,
+   const StringSetting &Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    StartStruct();
@@ -334,7 +336,7 @@ wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieTextBox(
 
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieIntegerTextBox(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    StartStruct();
@@ -348,7 +350,7 @@ wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieIntegerTextBox(
 
 wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieNumericTextBox(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< double > &Setting,
+   const DoubleSetting &Setting,
    const int nChars)
 {
    StartStruct();
@@ -362,7 +364,7 @@ wxTextCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieNumericTextBox(
 
 wxSlider * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieSlider(
    const TranslatableString & Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const int max,
    const int min) 
 {
@@ -377,7 +379,7 @@ wxSlider * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieSlider(
 
 wxSpinCtrl * ShuttleGuiGetDefinition::TieSpinCtrl(
    const TranslatableString &Prompt,
-   const SettingSpec< int > &Setting,
+   const IntSetting &Setting,
    const int max,
    const int min) 
 {
diff --git a/src/prefs/WarningsPrefs.cpp b/src/prefs/WarningsPrefs.cpp
index 450af98ca..5dc25952d 100644
--- a/src/prefs/WarningsPrefs.cpp
+++ b/src/prefs/WarningsPrefs.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 #include <wx/defs.h>
 
+#include "../Prefs.h"
 #include "../ShuttleGui.h"
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/widgets/Warning.cpp b/src/widgets/Warning.cpp
index 97171093c..deddb61da 100644
--- a/src/widgets/Warning.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/Warning.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ the ability to not see similar warnings again for this session.
 
 #include "Warning.h"
 
-#include "../Prefs.h"
 #include "../ShuttleGui.h"
 
 #include <wx/artprov.h>