Automation Items How To thread

[nicholas]

Attachment updated for 5.40 pre2

I've started work on documenting this, and along the way am compiling a table of how to do various tasks - copy, move, edit etc automation items. This is up to date for Pre 5a

So far, I've got what I have by trial and error and am attaching a summary table for two reasons:

1. To help you. Some folks might find it handy.
2. To help me. There's bound to be things I've overlooked. Please post here and tell me what they are!

I'm keeping this separate from the main pre-release automation items thread so that it can stay focussed on this specific topic ... how do I do such and such and such, or can I do such and such?

Please, please don't use this thread for feature requests, etc.

[Sumalc]

Very useful as usual, thank you very much Nicholas.

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by Sumalc

Very useful as usual, thank you very much Nicholas.

Thx, please post again if you find any errors or if you can add anything.

[planetnine]

"How do we take a pass of standard "lane" automation and create an Automation Item from it?"

Edit: I can actually do it now. I was trying to copy the points and insert them in an AI elsewhere, but the workflow seems to be "convert envelope points within a time selection into an AI, which can then be duplicated"

I was trying to leave the original envelope unaltered, although I suppose it doesn't really matter




>

[planetnine]

Is the box to the right of Extend/Save/Delete Automation Item, a placeholder for an image? -or should it have appeared in the PDF?

"By creating multiple automation items and dragging them around as required, you can create situations where two or more automation items can be used simultaneously, in parallel, on the same envelope."

This could be one of the most powerful uses for AIs, especially with level or plugin automation: one as the meat of the pass, second as a trim.



>

[semiquaver]

typo: "Duplicate item as as unpooled"

cheers

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by planetnine

Is the box to the right of Extend/Save/Delete Automation Item, a placeholder for an image? -or should it have appeared in the PDF?

"By creating multiple automation items and dragging them around as required, you can create situations where two or more automation items can be used simultaneously, in parallel, on the same envelope."

This could be one of the most powerful uses for AIs, especially with level or plugin automation: one as the meat of the pass, second as a trim.
>

Should be this. BTW please check your email!

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by planetnine

I was trying to leave the original envelope unaltered, although I suppose it doesn't really matter
>

I guess you could convert it, copy it unpooled then delete the original AI but that might be a bit cumbersome.

[nicholas]

Originally Posted by semiquaver

typo: "Duplicate item as as unpooled"

cheers

Thanks, will fix

[nicholas]

Attachment updated here:
http://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php...90&postcount=1

[nicholas]

Updated for pre 5a:

http://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php...90&postcount=1

[DANIELE]

Thank you, I'll look at this as soon as I can.

[DANIELE]

I'll try to ask it here, when I put multiple automation items on the same envelope to use them simultaneously what is it the supposed behavior?

I expect to have the sum of them, am I right?

Thank you.

[jm duchenne]

Hi,
Is there a way to synchronize the movements of an AI with an Item (like regular lane envelopes), or to group the AI with an Item, and to group several AI together without having to select them each time ?
Perhaps later ?

[Argitoth]

Originally Posted by jm duchenne

Is there a way to synchronize the movements of an AI with an Item

That's what I wanted to do with API, but would not be as good of a solution as something built-in. Ultimately I'd want an AI to stretch and move with an item. At the same time I'd most likely go with API because I do many things with actions rather than mouse.

[musicbynumbers]

Originally Posted by jm duchenne

Hi,
Is there a way to synchronize the movements of an AI with an Item (like regular lane envelopes), or to group the AI with an Item, and to group several AI together without having to select them each time ?
Perhaps later ?

Hopefully this is coming but it's not in yet

[jm duchenne]

Originally Posted by musicbynumbers

Hopefully this is coming but it's not in yet

OK, thanks... it is often difficult to know if I miss a shortcut or if it is simply not possible !

[EvilDragon]

With automation you get more precision, compared to 128 or (if VST supports) 16384 values of parameter resolution.

[Alkamist]

Originally Posted by TonE

While there is all activity about Automation Items, a side question: Which is better, using automation envelopes or directly midi cc for automating parameters? To me it seems, the midi cc method is much faster, e.g. for quick parameter modulations. So, is the midi cc way, not better then? At least for quick modulations. And you can use midi cc items, in the same way, if not better, like AI.

There are trade-offs for each unfortunately. Automation has more precision vertically, and MIDI CC has more precision horizontally. For whatever reason, plugin programmers and most people are completely fine with automation updates being tied to buffer size, so automation changes are sluggish and inaccurate. Usually it goes unnoticed I guess for small changes.

Depending on the way the plugin implements the MIDI CC data, it can be made to not depend on buffer size I believe. MIDI CC also has the benefit of being able to be sent from track to track, so you can link multiple instruments to a CC number and send a single track to them to modulate. This isn't possible with automation in Reaper, I wish it was.

If you want to program CC data but using automation lines, I made a JS plugin that can do that. I made a thread for it in the JSFX section: http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=188117

[nicholas]

Updated for 5.40 pre 2

http://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php...90&postcount=1