v4: SWS/S&M Extension

[sws]

Hey everyone,

I wanted to give a little update with regards to SWS/S&M and v4:

1) It looks like SWS works just fine with Reaper v4, although due to subtle differences there may be issues. Please, as always, post bug reports to the SWS tracker linked in my signature. We are committed to making the extension as stable and bug-free as possible.

2) There is definitely some overlap of features with v4 and SWS/S&M. We are going to take this opportunity to do a little house cleaning. So, in the next few weeks, you will see separate SWS versions for v3 (mostly unchanged from today) and then a new v4 only version with a cleaned up action list, menu structure, and removal of deprecated features. Support for the v3 version of SWS will be limited as I want to encourage everyone to upgrade to v4.

Thanks to you, the community, for your continued support!
Tim

[musicbynumbers]

Thanks for the update tim,

but leave that track list alone for now!

Track manager is not quite there yet!

[theopposite]

this is a cool example of how extensions can fulfill user's immediate needs, and also inspire future native features. thanks guys!

[Shan]

Originally Posted by sws

2) There is definitely some overlap of features with v4 and SWS/S&M. We are going to take this opportunity to do a little house cleaning.

Thanks for the update. If possible, please leave the Track List for now.

Shane

[jas]

Tim, you are the best of the best.

[Kundalinguist]

Thanks Tim (and friends).

[nicholas]

As ever, thanks Tim!

[JHughes]

Thanks for the update.

[Jeffos]

house cleaning !?? I don't understand Tim: my house is very clean.
humm most probably another english expression..

ok, just a heads up: as Tim said things are mostly fine, but, due to a slight change in REAPER v4, please note all S&M take related actions can be funky when you have empty takes around. Will look at that..

[beingmf]

First of all – awesome as usual! Thanks for all the effort!

Originally Posted by sws

Support for the v3 version of SWS will be limited as I want to encourage everyone to upgrade to v4.

But I hope, this won't happen until the official release of 4...

[Subz]

Originally Posted by sws

2) There is definitely some overlap of features with v4 and SWS/S&M. We are going to take this opportunity to do a little house cleaning. So, in the next few weeks, you will see separate SWS versions for v3 (mostly unchanged from today) and then a new v4 only version with a cleaned up action list,

could this house cleaning break custom actions?

Subz

[EvilDragon]

I guess so.

[Subz]

would there be a way that you could put code in the V4 sws that could replace missing sws extensions with there native replacements for custom actions?

or, (more simple & safer i would guess)

don't remove the actions just hide them, so there still in there to run any old custom actions that use them, but not visible in the Actions window,

Subz

[sws]

Originally Posted by Subz

would there be a way that you could put code in the V4 sws that could replace missing sws extensions with there native replacements for custom actions?

Yeah, I've been thinking about this, actually. I think I may do something @ startup, or maybe in the installer, or as a separate utility. It'll "remap" your actions by scanning/fixing your reaper-kb.ini file appropriately.

In plain terms - don't worry, I really don't want to break your workflow. Smoothing your workflow is what SWS is all about, right?

[gwok]

great job, and many thanks!

if i could add my 2cents, please keep the snapshots. I tried replacing them with screenset trackviews, though they don't quite have the flow yet that sanpshots do (for me anyway)

though do what you gotta do, I'll adapt

thanks again

[Jeffos]

Hi all!

A new SWS Extension beta build is available here (v2.0.0 build #1).

Since we have no QA/testing team, we rely on our loyal users to find those subtle issues and/or post feedback, complain, etc.. Please, first take a look at the SWS Extension Beta Policy.
You can report issues in this thread our in the dedicated issue in the SWS tracker.

This beta is supported in REAPER > v3.74 and v4alpha (that's why we post about it here). Please, note that it's on-going work! Other beta builds will follow: more v4 support, more v4 related features, more house cleaning (actions, menu, etc.), FNG extension integration (Win support at least), etc..

In short, this 1st beta features:

• Preliminary V4 updates (S&M, Padre, Xenakios)
• Preliminary screenset support, please test! There's a couple missing features for the moment, like saving the snapshot options panel being visible with each screenset, and saving column widths
• Updated SWS Autocolor view: now also features auto track icon (yes, it's back!)
• Many S&M updates including a new "Resources" view: FX chains + Track templates + goodies. See details below.
• PiP support
• OSX locking improvments, please test (e.g. snapshots, auto-icon, almost all S&M actions, ..)
• House cleaning, fixes

___________________

Details, full changelog:


S&M FX chains view -> Resources view

BETA CAUTION !! Due to a change in the way S&M.ini file is managed, you may face some issues when switching between SWS official <-> SWS beta. Well, a clean upgrade is automatically managed for SWS official -> SWS beta, but you'll probably loose your FX Chains setup if you switch back to SWS beta -> SWS official. So a backup of the "official" S&M.ini might be a good idea (or sticking with the beta as the new S&M.ini format won't change). This file is in REAPER's resource path, this is where your configured track template and FX chain slots are saved.

So, the "FX chains" view turned into a "Resources" view: FX chains + Track templates + goodies. The same features that exist for FX chains are now available for track templates too. A cool thing now is that we can patch tracks with track templates (and not only "add track template as new track"). Well, some other sort of snapshots..
Also, saving track templates and FX chains is eased thanks to the "auto-save" feature, see below. A new feature "Auto-fill" also allows creating slots automatically.



Bonus: check out Tallisman's awesome FX Chain library here!

• Auto-save feature:
  An "Auto-save" button has been added: it automatically saves the selected tracks' FX chains (or track templates) and insert the related files/slots in the resource list.
  It's a one "click feature", i.e. no file browser is displayed: filenames are automatically generated from track names and saved in REAPER's default FX chains (or track templates) resource path.
  This "auto save" directory can be customized (new popup menu items "Set auto save directory") and filenames can now be renamed ("Name" column is editable).
• Auto-fill feature:
  If not already present, all FX chain (or track template) files found in the related resource path and its sub-folders are automatically inserted at the selected slot.
• Applying track templates preserves items:
  - if there's no item present in an applied track template file, the current ones are preserved
  - if some items are present in an applied track template file, those ones are used instead
  - if several tracks are present in a track template file, only the first one is used (when *applying*, when importing, all tracks present in the file are indeed added)
• New actions:
  SWS/S&M: Open Resources window (FX chains)... - just renamed (replaces "Open FX chains view...")
  SWS/S&M: Open Resources window (track templates)...
  SWS/S&M: Load/apply track template to selected tracks, slot n - where n is in [1;10]
  SWS/S&M: Load/apply track template to selected tracks, prompt for slot
  SWS/S&M: Load/import tracks from track template, slot n - where n is in [1;10]
  SWS/S&M: Load/import tracks from track template, prompt for slot
  => Tagged "Xenakios/SWS: Load track template n" actions as deprecated
  SWS/S&M: Clear track template slot...
  Added actions that paste FX chains slots (exiting ones only "apply", i.e. replace FX Chains):
  SWS/S&M: Load/paste FX chain to selected tracks, slot n - where n is in [1;8]
  SWS/S&M: Load/paste FX chain to selected tracks, prompt for slot
  SWS/S&M: Load/paste FX chain to selected items, slot n - where n is in [1;8]
  SWS/S&M: Load/paste FX chain to selected items, prompt for slot
  SWS/S&M: Load/paste FX chain to selected items, all takes, prompt for slot
• New popup menu items:
  - For FX chains and track templates: added "Auto fill (from resource path)"
  - Load/apply track template to selected tracks
  - Load/import tracks from track template
  - Set FX chain auto save directory...
  - Set track template auto save directory...
  - Auto save FX chains and insert slots (from track selection)
  - Auto save track templates and insert slots (from track selection)
  -> those 2 last menu items do the same things than the auto-save button, files are saved and inserted at the selected slot
  - Delete slots & files
  -> on Win, files are sent to the recycle bin
  - Show path in Explorer/Finder...
• Column "Name" is now editable (file renaming from the view)
• Drag'n'drop improvments:
  - Internal drag'n'drop of slots (i.e. now moves slots rather than copying them)
  - More 'natural' + fixed shortcomings: d'n'd of empty slots, selection after d'n'd, d'n'd when the list is empty, etc..
• Paths pointing to unexisting files aren't reseted anymore

Updated SWS Autocolor view: now also features auto track icon (the view has been renamed into "SWS Auto Color/Icon")

Demo:



Rmk: current color configurations will be preserved when upgrading..

• Added a column "Icon" in the view (right-click in this column or double-click it to set an icon filename) and a tick box "Enable auto icon".
• Also added action "SWS/S&M Toggle auto icon enable"

Notes/help view updates:

• Action help: now, when selecting custom macros, the related (veeeery long!) custom id is displayed in the text field (i.e. custom notes about macros are no more saved but that eases the copy/paste of custom ids)
• Action help: added "ALR" button. Just to make clear the online help (i.e. to the Action List Reference wiki) feature
• Added actions in order to make things clear:
  - SWS/S&M: Open Notes/Help window (project notes)...
  - SWS/S&M: Open Notes/Help window (item notes)...
  - SWS/S&M: Open Notes/Help window (track notes )...
  - SWS/S&M: Open Notes/Help window (action help)...

Here's an anim showing how to use notes, action help & online help (new "ALR" button missing there!)




Live Configs updates:

• Added "Auto track selection" option/tick box
• Added advanced parameter "CC_DELAY" in S&M.ini (in REAPER's resource directory) - to be tweaked manually!
  If this parameter is set to 0, MIDI CC events will trigger their related "Apply live config" action *immediately* but, in this case, when moving a fader on a large scale for example, all configs in between will also be applied. With a delay (e.g. 250ms, the default value) only the last stable CC value will be taken into account.
• Fixed activate/deactivate actions not obeying the config's "Enable" parameter
• Added actions (in the main section) "SWS/S&M: Toggle enable live config n" - where n is in [1;8]
• Undo points for all controls

House cleaning:

• Removed the folowing split actions:
  Contrary to their related native versions, the following ones were spliting selected items *and only them*, see related thread.
  Due to REAPER v3.67's new native pref "If no items are selected, some split/trim/delete actions affect all items at the edit cursor", those actions are less useful (well, they would still split only selected items even if that native pref is ticked). Also removed because of the spam in the action list (many split actions).
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at play cursor
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at time selection
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at edit cursor (no change selection)
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at time selection (select left)
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at time selection (select right)
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at edit or play cursor
  SWS/S&M: Split selected items at edit or play cursor
• Removed the following take actions (due to native actions "Rotate take lanes forward/backward" added in REAPER v3.67):
  SWS/S&M: Takes - Move all up (cycling) in selected items"
  SWS/S&M: Takes - Move all down (cycling) in selected items"
• Cleaned the main "Extensions" menu a bit + added following menu items: Cue Buss, Find and Live Configs...

Other updates/fixes:

• Themable GUIs improvments: hover, pressed,.. states for buttons, things look better, un-stretched PNGs, focus tweaks, better use of 3D colors (if defined), etc..
• S&M Cue buss: "Open Cue Buss window" is now a toggle action (+ reports a toggle state)
• S&M Cue buss: When creating a cue buss, auto scroll to created the track (TCP)
• Fixed toggle states reported by some S&M views

[Subz]

will test this on my "default setting" portable install i have here for testing bugs are not related to my custom reaper setup

my main V4 alpha has a Finger in it

Thank You!!

Subz

[musicbynumbers]

Thanks guys! Will try later!

Wanted to ask if I make a reasonable donation if you might consider doing the request for a filter mode in the snapshots which will only show snapshots related to the selected track(s)?

This would be a great way of having track presets very quick and easy to find!

[sws]

Originally Posted by musicbynumbers

Wanted to ask if I make a reasonable donation if you might consider doing the request for a filter mode in the snapshots which will only show snapshots related to the selected track(s)?

That's easy, no donation necessary. We'll get it done for you.

[jas]

+1 Brilliant!

[sws]

Note, OSX and x64 builds are now posted.

A couple of corrections/additions to Jeffos's post:

-The first beta is version 2.0.0 build #1

-You need Reaper v3.74 or later

-Screenset support *is* in this beta, and is definitely something that needs testing! There's a couple missing features, like saving the snapshot options panel being visible with each screenset, and saving column widths, but those are coming.

Known issues:
Autoicon doesn't remove icons if you change the name of the track
Autoicon doesn't respect project overriding of an auto-set icon
Screensets don't save "internal" SWS window states

[musicbynumbers]

Originally Posted by sws

That's easy, no donation necessary. We'll get it done for you.

Yeah! (Followed by a Star jump and air punch of celebration!)

[Bevosss]

Thanks Tim and the sws crew!

Btw I just added your tracklist and snapshots to a docker and saved the screenset, they did then start appearing in other screensets, the solution is to undock and close them in the other screensets and then save the screenset again. Go through all your screensets and do likewise.

After you do this, it's all good...hope that helps someone.

[sws]

Originally Posted by Bevosss

Btw I just added your tracklist and snapshots to a docker and saved the screenset, they did then start appearing in other screensets, the solution is to undock and close them in the other screensets and then save the screenset again. Go through all your screensets and do likewise.

Hmm, that's not expected, I would call that a bug. I will fix. However, yes you're right, your workaround is fine.

[slops]

first off to sws/jeffos/xenakois/whoever the hell else...

thank you so much!!!

if i took time the time to explain how you all have immensely helped my workflow for music making, as well as my dayjob doing post production/sound design it would take forever. between you guys and j/c/s i feel beyond spoiled as a lowly audio engineer/sound designer. it sounds really dumb but seriously, i feel spoiled compared to people forced to use pro tools/cubase/logic/etc...

anyway i've always procrastinated asking for one feature i've really wanted which is the ability to set an action to insert an fx on item/track. i always imagined it working the same as custom console commands (a txt file where you list the fx names you want added as selectable to the actions list). the way it works it now is off fx chains which is awesome and i am thankful that this is even an option. but the fx chains only go up to 8 as far as i know.

is there any possibilty that adding a fx to a item/track could be a console command and each fx is added to the console txt file? working in sound design i am constantly adding eqs and compressors to items all day long and having actions i setup to do this would be awesome. right now (thanks to your new action additions) i can do it with fx chains which is great. but i am just looking forward to the future as far as different fx i might repeatedly want to add to items/tracks.

if this is is possible is it would be awesome.
if not i can always make a fx chain for whatever i want to use and quickly add that to whatever item/track i want.
i figured i might as well throw it out there and ask...

either way thanks and just want you guys to know everything you do is really appreciated...!!!!

[Kundalinguist]

Reaper would be less without SWS. Thanks team for some great new addons.

[Jeffos]

For the first time, I hit the char. limit in the post above but some crashes have been fixed too (pixeltarian's one, Jason's one and most probably a bunch of other issues..) and I can't add auto-icon the limitations..

@subz: LOL! yeah.. there definitly are worst places to put a finger. But you should be able to put it soon where it should be

@slops: thanks! in other words, what you'd like is to register your own actions (with your own wordings and more than 8) that apply/paste fx chain or track template *slots* on items/tracks, am I right?

[slops]

Originally Posted by Jeffos

@slops: thanks! in other words, what you'd like is to register your own actions (with your own wordings and more than 8) that apply/paste fx chain or track template *slots* on items/tracks, am I right?

pretty much.
well, i guess more than fx chains i was picturing specifying particular fx plugins. i was thinking more along the lines of a way that you could set and select specific fx to be inserted on a track or item.

for example, in the console commands text file i've setup actions to select certain tracks as i've named them:

+Sdrums
+Sguitar
+Svocals
etc...

i was imagining a console command to add fx to a item/track, so it would be something like:

+Freaeq
+Fdensity
+Fblockfish
etc...

and that console command for adding fx could be specified in the console commands txt file (the same way +S can be specified).

basically, this way you could specify whatever specific fx plugins to be added, and create actions for each one. right now this can be done by creating an fx chain for each effect, but a console command to do this by specific plugin name would be pretty useful.

well either way you go about it, thanks!

[sws]

Originally Posted by Veto

...i seem to have a problem finding that "cc_delay" param in S&M.ini...

Open and close the S&M Live Configs window and it'll be added to the S&M.ini file for you. Be sure you're in the right folder too with Reaper->Options->Show resource path.

Tim

[sws]

That's not the Live Configs window from the beta (v2.0.0 #1), you must be using the release version (v1.8.6 #9).

[Subz]

Sorry for the OT, but that cat is looking at your mouse like it wants to eat it

makes it hard for me to focus on the words

Subz

[sws]

Hey guys, Beta #2 released. Download here. Not too much new:

Fix to close our windows on initial screenset load (thanks Bevosss)
Auto color/icon updates:
+Icons are removed if a track changes name to something not recognized
+Auto-icon won't overwrite custom icons
+Added "Ignore" field to the color, so you can auto-icon without changing color of that track too
+Proper priority order icon setting
+Performance enhancements

Thanks for testing!

Next up is the Fingers' groove extension, probably tomorrow.

[delphi]

Originally Posted by sws

Next up is the Fingers' groove extension, probably tomorrow.

Yesssss! Big up!

[musicbynumbers]

Cool! will test this weekend

Wondering if it's possible to cut and paste my old auto icons as I have a copy of the ini file with them in or has it all changed now?

[Kundalinguist]

Originally Posted by sws

...
Next up is the Fingers' groove extension, probably tomorrow.

Now I have a reason to live. How much do you want for that cat, btw?

[gofer]

Woah! Awesome.

I'm late to the party. Checking instantly. Cheers

[Kundalinguist]

Don't forget velocity. I gotta have velocity. Preciousssssss velocity.

[Tallisman]

another late comer...
great job. and thanks!

[Bevosss]

Hey Tim, Auto-Icon is not working for me correctly...where is the file located? When I bring up the screen I still have my setup as before, but some tracks are not activating the auto-icon, if I create a new track some icons disappear, create another track and those icons return with others disappearing...bizarre!

I'm thinking it's corrupted perhaps? Maybe I should do a fresh wipe and install? I couldn't find the auto-icon file though sorry...

Just for reference, it's a portable install to Programs/REAPER/4, XP SP3 Dux build 32bit...and I installed your beta build #2 to Programs/REAPER/4/Plugins.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Cheers!

EDIT: plus an easy bug, if Auto-Icon is added to a docker and screenset, but is not the active tab, the keyboard shortcut for showing Auto-Icon has to be pressed twice, as the first time pressed it closes the tab (unlike other windows such as undo etc which toggle to active if the tab is visible...hope I explained that correctly!)

EDIT2: also, pressing my screenset shortcut toggles the icons on/off with each press! I removed auto-icon from any screensets (I only had it in one) and saved it, the behaviour persists.

[beingmf]

Talking about distracting avatars – subz, what happened to yours? I miss it so much

On topic: I didn't dare to try it because of the possible loss of FX chains etc. Has nobody had any problems?