SOLVED: FX window sizing; Auto vs Dedicated = Is this a bug?

mister happy · 02-17-2023, 08:58 AM

Hi,
I noticed an issue with a Synth VST3i I have been running. Every time I opened its window in REAPER I would have to resize the window with a bottom corner "Left+Drag" to open the window far enough to get to the preset browser's scroll bar. It was starting to seem inconvenient so I investigated the circumstance.

I finally figured out that this was associated with my choice to "Run As" this particular VSTi as a Dedicated Process.

I went back and forth a few times and figured out that for some reason when I choose the FX option to Run as a dedicated process, the window does not open to display the entire GUI of the FX, so I have to drag the window open each time I want to see the whole display.

This does not seem to happen on all FX, only the modern ones with resizable windows, and of those with resizable windows just some not all.

Full disclosure; my studio DAW is still running Win 7 x64 Pro (Lots of happy I/O hardware and smooth running ASIO drivers etc.) and the VSTi that I noticed this on is not supported in Win 7, but I have been using it in Win 7 for over a year. The VSTi runs rock solid as a dedicated process and is a little flaky and prone to crashing REAPER when I run it in an automatic process, so I have been running it as a dedicated process.

Nevertheless, I have found that the window display issue also occurs with FX that are clearly described by the manufacturer as supported in Win 7. I had not noticed this previously, because those FX run fine in Run as automatic process mode.

I have attached two screen shots showing the window sizing.

I am writing to ask if someone could look at this and determine if it applies as a bug that may be fixed, or if it is just a problem for users happy using an old DAW.

Thank you!

vitalker · 02-17-2023, 09:04 AM

Did you check "embed" thing at the bottom of the list for setting bridge mode? Looks like not. Not, it's not a bug, because you still have this window, but it is independent from plugin's GUI.

mister happy · 02-17-2023, 10:20 AM

I did not choose

Embed Bridged UI (May not work with all plugins, less crash resilient)

because the Dedicated process choice solved the issue with crashing, so it did not occur to me to explore an option described as less crash resilient.

What is the embed bridged UI meant to do?

When I chose the Run as Dedicated process I did not explicitly intend to run the 64bit VSTi in a bridged mode, but that seemed to be the effect of making that choice. I don't recall when I noticed that the VSTi was running in a bridge window. When I did notice I admit I was a bit confused, but the VSTi ran without any hiccups so I forgot about it. It was not until much later that I learned the relationship between the choice of Run as a Dedicated Process and the reduced size of GUI display.

Is the Embed Bridged UI (May not work with all plugins, less crash resilient) choice meant for this specific circumstance?

Thank you.

Postscript: Just to be clear. I am not speaking about the size of the window frame, I am speaking about the actual cropping of the display of the GUI.

vitalker · 02-17-2023, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister happy

Postscript: Just to be clear. I am not speaking about the size of the window frame, I am speaking about the actual cropping of the display of the GUI.

Ah, sorry. You should have been more specific. I thought you were talking about control panel for FX on the top of window. Then it it is indeed a bug.

mister happy · 02-17-2023, 11:08 AM

I tried my best to be clear. :-)

The specific issue:

"when I choose the FX option to Run as a dedicated process, the window does not open to display the entire GUI of the FX"

Thank you!

vitalker · 02-17-2023, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister happy

I tried my best to be clear. :-)

The specific issue:

"when I choose the FX option to Run as a dedicated process, the window does not open to display the entire GUI of the FX"

Thank you!

I'd call it the GUI is truncated.

mister happy · 02-18-2023, 06:51 PM

I am wondering if I am the only person dumb enough to notice the GUI truncation and if this is or is not intended behavior.

:-)

vitalker · 02-19-2023, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mister happy

I am wondering if I am the only person dumb enough to notice the GUI truncation and if this is or is not intended behavior.

:-)

Does it happen with all plugins?

mister happy · 02-19-2023, 07:26 AM

As far as I can tell

"This does not seem to happen on all FX, only the modern ones with resizable windows, and of those with resizable windows just some not all.
"

It seems like the ones that are scaleable with the bottom corner drag are affected, while those that simply have more than one arbitrary size setting are not.

My observations are not conclusive but I do know it occurs with the newer AAS plugins and moderately mature Fab Filter plugins that share the bottom-corner drag scaling feature.

vitalker · 02-19-2023, 07:27 AM

Can't say for sure, but maybe it's because you are using Windows 7 and these plugins don't officially support it?

mister happy · 02-19-2023, 05:49 PM

I thought of that too but

"Nevertheless, I have found that the window display issue also occurs with FX that are clearly described by the manufacturer as supported in Win 7. I had not noticed this previously, because those FX run fine in Run as automatic process mode."

For example; the FabFilter VST plugins, that I mentioned having observed this problem with, are clearly described as follows:

Requirements
Windows
Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or Vista
64-bit or 32-bit

The fact that most plugins work fine in the automatic process is why I think that the situation I am describing is unfamiliar to everyday users. In my circumstance, one particular plugin is more stable when run as a dedicated process, so I am hoping that the truncation or cropping of the display is a bug with a simple fix.

I will certainly understand if this turns out to be caused by use of a legacy OS, and I have been hoping that someone using Win 10/11 Mac Linux etc. would take an interest in this thread and try running a similar plugin, one with a bottom corner drag resize feature, in both the Automatic and Dedicated process to see if this is a general bug that just has not been noticed or mentioned previously or if this is just a very special circumstance.

Thank you.

Justin · 02-19-2023, 09:38 PM

Hmm yeah that could be a bug in the bridging size calculation, we will look into that!

mister happy · 02-20-2023, 07:47 AM

Thank you!

Ghostman · 03-13-2023, 04:24 PM

THis is also on Mac OS. Fully updated Ventura 13.2

mister happy · 03-23-2023, 09:11 AM

Hi @Justin

Have you had a chance to consider if this issue amounts to a bug that can be improved?

Thank you!

mister happy · 04-24-2023, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin

Hmm yeah that could be a bug in the bridging size calculation, we will look into that!

Hi @Justin

Have you had a chance to consider if this issue amounts to a bug that can be improved?

Thank you!

Ghostman · 04-28-2023, 07:15 AM

Bumping this issue to see if this can be resolved.

Justin · 04-29-2023, 07:14 PM

fix coming soon!

mister happy · 04-30-2023, 08:17 AM

Thank you!

mister happy · 06-09-2023, 09:57 AM

Hi,
I am writing to acknowledge and give thanks for the fact that a fix for the issue reported in the OP was implemented in REAPER v6.80.

THANK YOU!