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ideas, features request

hi there :)

here's are some ideas for qtractor :

better selection:
* it would be fine to be able to make range loops only when selection a range using the ruler/time widget (like ardour)
this way selecting midi/audio clips in the tracks view won't change the previously defined loop range.

* zooming could benefit from a zoom to selection/zoom session/default zoom predefined or default values. right now zooming can be a little troublesome when changing from big zoom ranges
vertical zooming would be fine too :)

* project management
i like the way ardour's projects are managed, one directory, organised by the software.
what do you think about this :
- when opening the software, i must open, or create a project.
- when creating a project, the software create a directory with the session's (project's) name
- the software organize its files (audio and midi) into this directory.
- when importing files, the user just have to choose if he/her want them to be linked, or really imported into the project directory
yes, just like ardour :)

* is it possible to have a clip merge facility ? would be teh counterpart of the split function
* don't know what it is called on other sequencer, but how about the possibility to record not only into new clips, but in existing one ?. sort of combined/merge midi recording.

that's what come to my mind for the moment :)
anyone, feel free to complete the list ;)

see ya

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rncbc's picture

- better selection
Loop ranges are set from the current edit head and tail positions (the blue line markers) by pressing Transport/Loop menu item or toolbar button. Once set it won't change unless you toggle/set it again to newer edit marker positions. The edit head and tail markers (left and right blue marker lines) can be moved freely, either on the main track canvas or in the top time ruler and they often do follow the current clip selection range. Loop ranges are shown by green line markers and changes only when you invoke the Transport/Loop menu or button action.

- zooming
Will you be surprised that zoom direction can be already selected? Yes, on current CVS (qtractor 0.3.0.1202 by the time of this writing) you have this zooming options: View/Zooom/Horizontal, Vertical or All. :)

- project management
Now Qtractor is not Ardour, is it? Qtractor session project file, a plain xml encoded file, just takes references of file paths relative to the session directory (File/Properties...). So, all files imported into a qtractor session are considered to be linked as in ardour parlance. That means you should not change, move orf rename those files outside of qtractor runtime context once a session is saved to a .qtr file. If that ever happens there's only one workaround: you must edit the .qtr xml file (under a regular text editor) and correct the affected file paths and session directory.

Making a bulk session file, where all media content is present on a single file archive, is a common feature request and is not that out of reach. However is not that a priority to me, to be sincere I would be pleased if someone else steps in and does all the necessary and proper implementation ;)

- clip merge facility
I've also thought about this one but, until now, there's nothing of the sort, yet.

- record into existing one
Another one which has been already requested before, most specially if not exclusively applicable to MIDI clip cases, of course. And, yes, one should put a proper name into that...

Keep them coming!
Cheers

- clip merge facility --- I've also thought about this one but, until now, there's nothing of the sort, yet.

+1 for merging clips. Really needed it today for a project :)

Eh, classic drums editor to complement the matrix editor, anyone? :)

rncbc's picture

Thinking about this merge facility, I'll ask how do you expect it to function, and in what use cases? I'm assuming it should only apply to a couple of exactly contiguous and/or overlapping clips, on the same track of course. It would merge the selected clip media contents (audio or MIDI) into a brand new file, something like Edit/Cip/Export on steroids. Does it sound sensible?

Cheers

Not necessarily contiguous. E.g. you have a track for bass guitar part and you have several clips there, so that during some part of the song bass is not playing. Then, when you change your song, you rethink the bass part and you actually want bass all the time. So instead of adding yet another clip you merge all the existing clips into one so that all MIDI events stay at their original place and the place between them is "filled with silence" :-)

Merging clips from several tracks might be useful too. In that case Qtractor should merge clips into the first selected track/clip. Or maybe have an option for that, though it most likely will make UI clumsey and bloated.

hi,
here 2 other ideas/requests :

1. would it be possible to select 1 as the value of the repeat count when copy/ repeat pasting ?
it would be necessary to have a position input filed of course
that way, it would be possible to paste a copied selection to a given position instead of trying to find the appropriate position with the mouse.

Let call this feature the "paste to" option !

2. what about a cleaning session option ?
when i create some "recording takes" and delete them, it would be cool that, if i don't want them anymore, to get rid of them (all unused audio/midi clips)

3. don't you want to support windows binaries vst(i) ? please...., oh please.... :D
im sure you know fst. that would be way too cool :)

i had something else on mind but i just forgot it :'(.

and by the way, i was not talking about a bundle (package) project format when saving a project.
just a directory!, with everything laying down there :)

and like the terminator said : "I'LL BE BACK !!!!" :D

PS: thx for all your efforts on the soft man, i really appreciate ;)

rncbc's picture

1. Paste to...
- Sounds like a good idea and might see it through eventually when I find myself bored enough :)) Now seriously: I like it and will do it. When time permits :D (damn, I must be high on prozac or something today)

2. Session cleanup...
- That's right, Qtractor needs a garbage collector, there's no doubt, period. However (damn me with these omniscient "but"s and "however's :) I tend to leverage development on the creative functions than on the destructive ones. So to speak. That's not to tell that it won't have those functions, but (omg) will get to that just later than sooner.

3. Windows binaries...
- Windows VSTs are allegedly supported through DSSI-VST already. It's not perfect still, it has issues that probably FST hasn't or is way better. I'll take your plea to the higher stands and put it on the MTL (my own TLA for the Mighty Todo List:). You never know when I get bored.

Hope this find you with good humor and inspiration,
it found mine, though

Cheers

By the way, what about using Vestige — open source reverse-engineered VST header?

rncbc's picture

Last time I've checked, the reverse-engineering was not complete, as there are features in qtractor as a VSTi host that vestige does not cope. Back again, I'll take a new look and check whether the missing features are that critical or can be overseen.

Thanks,
Cheers

Thanks :-)

hi,

1. i was working on a little project, and something appear to be quite annoying :).
when i select a bunch of clips, i'll loose my selection when changing the zoom ratio.
2. when moving a clip, the view goes back to the the playhead even if the "Fellow playhead" is not active.

hmmm......., maybe i should stop giving you that amount of requests...... or maybe my account will be blown away one of those days.....

see ya ;)

rncbc's picture

1... loose selection when changing zoom
- that will stay as is, I'm afraid; it's annoying, but it is like that since ever, although inconvenient--too may things to work out at this time, sorry:(

2... moving a clip,... follows playhead
- that might get fixed sooner, yea. good catch--it should stay where the clip is and nowhere else, no matter "Follow Playhead" is on or off. [UPDATE: Fixed on CVS, qtractor-0.3.0.1234+]

byee

man, the second point fix was faaaaaaaaaaaaaast !!!
THX

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