Change color of record arm for monitoring inputs/ or show track manager

[ChristopherT]

From: https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=215786

Every time I open up a project to work on, I have lots of external audio and midi returns spread out over the track layouts that I may or may not want to record (yet), so I need to monitor input and see what is record disabled.
For eg: multiple Midi synths, iPads, H8000 FX returns, hardware delays, 8 channels of Kontakt returns from a laptop, console outputs etc.
Usually about 16 channels of audio are inputting back to Reaper.

So all of these inputs say they are record armed (red light) - but maybe only 2 of them are actually record armed (the rest are disabled).
I have no way of quickly finding out unless I click on every record arm light to show me if they are record disabled.

If I hover over the red lights - they all say record armed (even if they are disabled - which means they are not armed)
The track manager does not quickly show me the status of the record disable or monitor inputs on tracks

If I quickly want to record an overdub, I need to go and check all armed tracks to make sure that they will not be recording.

Or as Syncatron said in the other thread
"I might want to record one MIDI track while monitoring others. Or I might want to monitor some MIDI tracks and record guitar or some non-MIDI synth hardware"

Reaper really needs a way to indicate if tracks are record disabled at least.

On big sessions with hundreds of tracks, with inputs spread all over the track layouts, it is a hassle to have to check the record armed tracks are actually record armed - or record disabled.

Every other production software I have ever used has a input monitoring light - and red record is ONLY for the tracks that are literally record armed that will be recorded.
So on ProTools etc, I can open a project and boom - all my track inputs show they are input monitoring (usually with a input light green)
- and record armed means: record.

Not sure what can be done about this?

The Simplest requests that I can come up with to solve this is:

A - Change the red light to a different color for "Record: disable (input monitoring only)" So it is a green or blue light

B Have a input light and a record light - but Red is ONLY for recording

C - If none of the above is an option, then Track Manager shows what is record disabled, and also shows input monitoring so I can at least check there what is disabled, and monitoring input - and quickly change.
(but this option still leaves the same issue that record armed red light actually means nothing at all )

Any of the above would be a great help.

[mlprod]

Yea agreed.

Though IMHO the most logical thing would be to just skip having to record arm a track just to listen to the input. The input monitoring button alone would be enough.

[ChristopherT]

Input monitor button would be great
- as long as the behavior of the red light is then turned off if it is record disabled < because this is the main issue

[karbomusic]

I'm all for the feature request (or rather trying to solve the basic need) but a sanity check that it turns red for reasons other than it's being recorded, it's also part of the designation of a live/hot mic which is sort of important. So maybe an option as I never want a situation where my mic is live and the track in Reaper isn't red somewhere - I've sort of trusted that "line is hot" indicator for close to 40 years now.

[mlprod]

Check the pre release forum.

[ChristopherT]

Edit : Found it - but does not say much about it?
What is the actual change doing to the record button/light?

- very happy something is being done about this though

[Meo-Ada Mespotine]

@ChristopherT
You can find my answer in the appropriate Pre-release-thread now:

https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...3&postcount=37

[White Tie]

Please don't discuss pre-release features outside the pre-release forum. Even though you understand the difference between pre-release and full-release versions, not all users do, and regrettable misunderstandings and confusion have resulted in the past. Its so easy to avoid; just keep the talk in the pre forum, thanks

Please note that any feature that appears in a pre-release version might appear in its current form in the next Reaper version, or perhaps in a later version in its current form or a modified form, or in a different form at some point in the future, or indeed not at all and never make it to a release version of Reaper.

[Meo-Ada Mespotine]

@WhiteTie

You're right, I move my answer to the right forum