Visual feedback for data, audio within a patch...

[ethnix73]

Hi Senso,

Would it be difficult to implement the option to have some kind of visual feedback to be able to see data or audio circulating through wires and modules?
It could be useful when a patch become weird

Here's is a exemple taken from Augur VSTi (you have to click on it i believe):

[bsork]

If I'm not mistaken, all the relevant modules (ie those with a time line) have moving cursors indicating the position. That would amount to the same thing as that moving dot in the clip, as far as I can see. You don't get numbers, though.

While patching, I often click the little dot in the middle of a wire to select it, and can then see all the data going through. (Well, not all data actually; I think it's only the first value of arrays.) VERY handy for debugging!

[senso]

A powerful debug tools for Usine!
But generally it cost a lot of cpu...
The actual 'wire monitor' tool is helpful.

[ethnix73]

I'm using the "wire monitor". And it's great for debugging patch.

My idea is to have an option to see "moving dot' from module to module...Just imagine, in the clip, that the numbers are modules in a patch. For exemple, you could see the "moving dot" going from the midi in to audio out within your patch.

Perhaps a useless idea

[Clearscreen]

could this be done by showing the path of a dot in an xy module?

[bsork]

I think two different things are being mixed up here. The clips shows something I suppose is an EG, and a dot that shows the current position in the envelope, quite similar to for instance the Curve with Points module and it's cursor. Trying to expose all the values going through the wires wouldn't only cost a lot of CPU, but IMHO also mean a massive information overload unless there are updates for some kind of interval (once per second, every second bar, or whatever).

I guess the Draw Trajectory user module could be used for something like this when one needs it. IIRC there is an add-on that does something similar, or...?

BTW, since we're on the subject of visual feedback, I came to think of something I think could help when patches get complex: An arrow indicating the direction of the wire instead of the little dot in the middle. Perhaps also a pixel or three extra thickness on selected wires (either directly or as connected to a selected module).

[ethnix73]

The little video i've uploaded was just there to explain more clearly 'cause my english is not as good as it should...It seems it had given only more confusion :rolleyes:

My idea does not concern EG, but visual feedback within a patch...

[bsork]

Sorry, I obviously misunderstood what you where asking for. But don't you think that a lot of moving dots or something like that on the wires would only add to the confusion in a complex patch? Sure, I wouldn't mind more visual feedback myself either when wires are going everywhere, but I don't think a lot animated stuff would be more than eye-candy.

An example from Reason that perhaps could be implemented: A balloon help pops up when "hovering" the mouse over a connection showing what the "cable" is connected to at the other end. With Usine I think it would be better showing module_name.outlet and module_name.inlet when hovering over or selecting a wire. The module_name could eg be the caption, possibly overriden by any text given by right-clicking the module.