Try to configure Novation LaunchControl Mini

[binbinhfr]

> one "thing" can do something different when used in different contexts.

yes this concept is quite original. I do not remember seing it in other languages.
And it's quite unatural, because you have to read the code with 3 different points of view, or 3 different "parsings"

> * typical FORTH "interpreter" is less then 30 bytes (not a typo!).

?  you cannot even program "hello world" with this !!!   

> After decades all these ideas still fascinate me.

I can understand that it is a challenge for the mind !

You should like puzzle games like TIS-100 by Zachtronics, Shenzhen I/O, exapunks. They presents puzzles that you must solve with simple computer languages. I have a lot of fun with them, scratching my head for hours ! 

[azslow3]

> * typical FORTH "interpreter" is less then 30 bytes (not a typo!).

?  you cannot even program "hello world" with this !!!   

That is the code of interpreter, it requires a bit more (not really a lot) defined binary functions (for particular CPU) and CPU independent binary code (quite some). From my knowledge, the only devices which still native support that language are PS printers (Postscript files are FORTH programs).

I forgot to mention one really unique feature of FORTH, which concept I don't use in AZ Controller. It is relatively easy to write interpreter of some other language in FORTH and then continue writing a program in that language, by continue I mean in the same source file... The best example I know comes from one book "knowledge databases in FORTH" (I don't remember exact title), which starts with "... FORTH is not great for demonstration the following ideas, so we first write LIST interpreter" (~2 pages of FORTH program), followed by examples written in LISP 

[binbinhfr]

So, after a hard day of work, let's go back to Work !!! 

I tested the new version, here is what I noticed :

- at start, the STOP but2 is still not light. Should always be. All other buttons are correctly initialized.

- knob A3 = very good for me. I do not manage to understand if it naviguates in relative or absolute ? I mean : if I put the knob at 0, is it always max zoom out, and at 127 always max zoom in ?

- the knob A4 for track up/down is way to fast. As soon as I touch it, it goes to track 1 or last track...   
  I suppose that the knob has 128 (or 256?) values and that, if one value = one track number, it's way too sensible. Is their a way to divide the absolute value of the knob by 5 and assign the corresponding track number ? because usually, I have less than 128/5 = 25 tracks.
 
- knob A5 = perfect !!!

- arrows = great in all modes ! (even with red only  )

>> Based you your preferences, Behringer X-Touch Mini will be better controller for you (it has less knobs, but they are encoders and it has more buttons).
>So do you want me to change this param and see if it works better for me ? I'll tell you.

I noticed that I misunderstood your sentence. I thought you were asking me to test a "xtouch" compatibility mode or something like that.
But you want me to buy some stuff !!! It's not christmas yet, and I have other priority concerning music gear   

And honestly with what you've done to my little LaunchControl, I'm perfectly happy with it, and he is too. 

[binbinhfr]

In addition to my previous post, now that I really use the Launchcontrol regularly, I mett another wished requirement :
is it possible to have a different behaviour when you are in the piano roll or in the event list ?

because if I'm in the piano roll, the jog and zooms still affects the track view.
I'm often working on the piano roll or event list, that i'm using to correct some faulty midi notes I played on the piano (postprocessing, what a shame !!!).
It would be nice if they could affect the piano roll, and even the event list (to travel up and down in the list).

Have a nice evening !

[azslow3]

Btn2 had a bug in the last change, should work on initialization now.

I have tried to "slow down" A4, 1/5. May be put that functionality on buttons/pads instead? Finite knobs are not best for such operation. We can define it as "absolute", so particular knob range corresponds to absolute track. It will "jump" them after you change modes, but for under 25 tracks can be more convenient to use.

Original Sonar developer was genius and ahead of time... But not all operations are mirrored into Surface interface (unlike f.e. in REAPER). So, detection of Piano roll/Event list focus is not possible without other level tricks... I had an idea to implement my own Accessibility ideas into AZ Controller, but that has not happened yet, except talking feedback. BTW since Launchcontrol has no display, in case you can't see display from the place you use it, that can be interesting for you. F.e. when current track is changed AZ Controller can pronounce its name. But you need Windows sounds working in parallel with DAW for that, so normally other/build-in audio interface assigned to windows sounds (and speakers connected to it).

I have mentioned X-Touch Mini just as future proposal, in case you consider additional DAW controller(s). Anything with encoders instead of finite knobs is better for the purpose. And more buttons can be more usefully then more knobs (if table space is valuable).

[azslow3]

There was one more bug with b2...

Please update to the latest release, 0.5r10

RTZ (B1 in record mode) should indicate weather you are on "Loop in" or not (will not work without new release installed).

Note I have no access to "selection" time, only to "current", "loop", "punch" and "data cursor". So I have implemented logical comparisons,
"current time in/on loop/punch".

[binbinhfr]

> Btn2 had a bug in the last change, should work on initialization now.

yes it seems to work now 

> I have tried to "slow down" A4, 1/5.

speed is perfect now !

> May be put that functionality on buttons/pads instead?

No it's convenient like this. 5 knobs to move around freely and quickly.

> Finite knobs are not best for such operation.

I understand.

> We can define it as "absolute", so particular knob range corresponds to absolute track. It will "jump" them after you change modes, but for under 25 tracks can be more convenient to use.

Yes, because for the moment, I admit  that I do not understand the behaviour : it reacts strangely, sometimes reacting only when I pass the middle value (64) and not always able to reach the top or bottom track, even if I have less than 25 tracks (always the case).

It would be great to have an absolute correspondance : knob value 0-127 / 5 -> track number.
But it would be that, when loading the file, the selected track DOES NOT replicate the knob position. (when I open a file, I like to be on the track where I was working when I closed the file).

I understand that on first use, it will do a jump. No problem.

> Original Sonar developer was genius and ahead of time...

Yes I remember cakewalk in the early 90's, it was already a nice software !

> So, detection of Piano roll/Event list focus is not possible without other level tricks... I had an idea to implement my own Accessibility ideas into AZ Controller, but that has not happened yet, except talking feedback.

I'm sure you have many ideas !  Your brain must be a volcano. 

> BTW since Launchcontrol has no display, in case you can't see display from the place you use it, that can be interesting for you. F.e. when current track is changed AZ Controller can pronounce its name. But you need Windows sounds working in parallel with DAW for that, so normally other/build-in audio interface assigned to windows sounds (and speakers connected to it).

Well nice feature, but I do not like this too much. I hate the car GPS speaking to direct me on the road. 
And I'm not so far from my screen. Just that I am standing up while recording, with my heavy sax around the neck and tied to headphones, so it's not easy to bend and manipulate the keyb/mouse in this situation. 

> I have mentioned X-Touch Mini just as future proposal, in case you consider additional DAW controller(s). Anything with encoders instead of finite knobs is better for the purpose. And more buttons can be more usefully then more knobs (if table space is valuable).

Yes, and I even see that xtouch mini encoder are also clickable, like on the X32...
But are you able to control the led around the knobs ?
Drawback : buttons have only 1 color...
We'll see for CHristmas if I can find a used one in good shape... 

> There was one more bug with b2...
> Please update to the latest release, 0.5r10

done.

> RTZ (B1 in record mode) should indicate weather you are on "Loop in" or not (will not work without new release installed).

yes nice !  So I see that I'm in good position for recording !

> Note I have no access to "selection" time, only to "current", "loop", "punch" and "data cursor". So I have implemented logical comparisons,
"current time in/on loop/punch".

ok.
what is data cursor ?
do you have access to song length ? (so that we can make the JOG wheel more clever ?)
I'm still wondering how we can find a clever absolute mode, that would avoid jumps, with some kind of elastic behaviour if the knob absolute position if far from the controled value starting point...

BTW, is the knobA3 (horizontal zoom) absolute ? It could also naviguate into the whole range of the cakewalk zoom (that seems to have min & max boundaries if I look at the "icon" at the bottom right corner of the track view.
Same question with vertical zoom range.

Anyway , thanks a lot again for this new version.

-----------------------------

As I don't know all the cakewalk functions you can access, maybe you have ideas to populate the unused knobs in record mode ?

EDIT :
Oh yes, do you have access to snap values ? Would it be possible with a knob (A6 ?) to naviguate in absolute, for a knob going from 0 to 127,
between snap-TO values (1/64 to whole), then snap off, then snap-BY (whole to 1/64).
These are 15 "values" or logical positions, but we can make it 16 and use a double range for snapp-off in the middle position ?
so it would be :
0-7 = snap-to 1/64
8-15 = snap-to 1/32
...
48-55 = snap-to whole
56-63 = snap off
64-71 = snap off (duplicate, so easier to find the off position)
72-79 = snap-by whole
...
120-127 = snap-by 1/64

Do you think it's possible ?

Feel free to send me to the Devil, if you think that I'm too demanding !   

[azslow3]

With snap it could be interesting. Unfortunately that doesn't work in Sonar X2 (some bugs on Sonar side). I have to check with current Cakewalk.
In any case, "to" or "by" can be toggled, but current state is unknown. The same for "smart". As I wrote, Cakewalk exposes just a subset of options to surfaces.

[binbinhfr]

> In any case, "to" or "by" can be toggled,

great

> but current state is unknown.

Is it important if we make it absolute ?
Again, it's not a problem if there is a jump when I touch the knob.

> The same for "smart".

I thought you wrote you had access to current/now time : it's the reference for the jog transport, no ?

[azslow3]

For Snap, Cakewalk expose current snap status, but only "on" or "off". So, no way to say it is "smart" or not.
The rest are just commands, so "toggle to/by", "toggle smart" and "toggle snap to grid". Without knowledge is it "to/by" nor "smart" now, it is not possible set it "absolute".

But real problem, at least in X2 (I have not tested current Cakewalk yet) is that all these commands work 1-2 times and then stop working (any toggle or setting the grid size
produce absolutely no effect).

[binbinhfr]

ah ok, then forget it, it was just an idea to complete the remaining knobs with functions that I use very often when rearranging a song. 

[azslow3]

It seems like Snap commands work in current Cakewalk. So why not 

[binbinhfr]

Hey !!!!   Great, it seems to react perfectly.   
It moves from off to 1/64. I love it. Will be very useful.

But I did not understand what you're saying about "smart".  (is there a smart snap feature that I missed ?)
You say that you cannot read the "snap to/by" status, but can you write it ?
if yes, then we can use the double absolute scale I described before

0-7 = snap-TO 1/64
8-15 = snap-TO 1/32
...
48-55 = snap-TO whole
56-63 = snap off
64-71 = snap off (duplicate, so easier to find the off position)
72-79 = snap-BY whole
...
120-127 = snap-BY 1/64

[azslow3]

There is "smart" mode, if you check Snap settings. It is also indicated inside the icon on toolbar. Snap to grid command turn it off and I can't read its current status.
I also can't read to/by status and there is only toggle command for it. So your idea can't be implemented, sorry.

[Bassman]

Hi

I have Snap Settings from bar to 128th on rotor 1 in my launch control preset....

Heinz.