Wish DAW Plugin editor

Had a very similar idea today to the realize that glenn captured it, Thanks @GlennO !
+1 on that (maybe the reusable code could be an available fractal library for other developers reading this thread, that we could contribute together opensource to use this lib (that could therefore stay proprietary and closed for intellectual property reasons).
 
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Hell, I wouldn't even need the full editor, just a plugin with a button that loads a specific preset file into the Audition slot. Then you could dial in your tones, export the presets to your session folder, and load up whatever you needed per track fairly easily.
 
rossipedia said:
Hell, I wouldn't even need the full editor, just a plugin with a button that loads a specific preset file into the Audition slot. Then you could dial in your tones, export the presets to your session folder, and load up whatever you needed per track fairly easily.
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If what you need is specifically a preset change , I think you can use the midi program change number (corresponding to your preset) right now. Just make sure your midi output is set to the FAS unit.
 
Yeah, I know... but that requires I keep every preset for every session in the on-board memory. I want to keep the preset files located with the session itself and be able to load those in easily and painlessly, without having to store them permanently on the unit.
 
Would be great. All the awesome features of digital devices. They used to record as much as live - plugin features should on the short list.
 
+1
This is the very first thread I was looking for as I study-up waiting for my FM9 this week. I had assumed (hoped, wished) that Fractal, being the "king of the hill" would have had this feature in the bag. So many players are tracking their albums with Fractal gear with work-arounds for recalling where things were left off, I guess. I'm surprised there is no plugin or other way to preserve the exact settings of the track in the session. Does Fractal have an open API for 3rd parties to hook into?
 
Androo said:
+1
This is the very first thread I was looking for as I study-up waiting for my FM9 this week. I had assumed (hoped, wished) that Fractal, being the "king of the hill" would have had this feature in the bag. So many players are tracking their albums with Fractal gear with work-arounds for recalling where things were left off, I guess. I'm surprised there is no plugin or other way to preserve the exact settings of the track in the session. Does Fractal have an open API for 3rd parties to hook into?
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Alas, no, there is no open API to permit 3rd parties to fill a void like this. As for why this feature doesn't exist, features related to recording the Axe-FX tend to get low priority. Modeling and effects undergo continual improvement, but when it comes to features specific to recording, the Axe-FX is what it is and doesn't seem likely to change.
 
GlennO said:
Alas, no, there is no open API to permit 3rd parties to fill a void like this. As for why this feature doesn't exist, features related to recording the Axe-FX tend to get low priority. Modeling and effects undergo continual improvement, but when it comes to features specific to recording, the Axe-FX is what it is and doesn't seem likely to change.
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Are we sure there is not an open API in the sense of MIDI SysEx communication though ?
I mean yes for the editor, obviously the GUI functionality would not be available publicly, but I think that everything the editor uses is in the midi sysex protocol?
 
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Not that I'm aware of, no. The sysex API is just for remote control. Even if there was, it would be colossally inefficient to write a second editor app instead of altering Axe-Edit to optionally operate as a plugin. As I mentioned, the issue here is not technical feasibility, but rather prioritization of the needs of recording guitarists.
 
GlennO said:
Not that I'm aware of, no. The sysex API is just for remote control. Even if there was, it would be colossally inefficient to write a second editor app instead of altering Axe-Edit to optionally operate as a plugin. As I mentioned, the issue here is not technical feasibility, but rather prioritization of the needs of recording guitarists.
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I think everything axe edit uses has to be available via sysex (even the firmware updates actually) as it is all it uses to communicate with a host, now it is possible that not everything in this protocol is documented.

It would be hard to redevelop especially the GUI functionality yes, but it also depends on what your initial expectations are, if you want to reproduce the editor which was also the idea we had in mind when suggesting to share a library to call a client window capable of gui + midi communication.
As long as you use the (usb or din) midi connection you go through the midi protocol.

For those having Cubase or Logic Pro with possible customization of midi control surfaces, it could be fun to see what could be achieved there too.
It would not allow complete automation as if it were in a plugin of course, but could still be useful.
 
If you have sufficient documentation in your possession to implement the plugin described in the OP, or even the reduced send/receive plugin, go for it.
 
GlennO said:
If you have sufficient documentation in your possession to implement the plugin described in the OP, or even the reduced send/receive plugin, go for it.
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I'm quite busy actually joining the group of users implementing a DIY pedalboard hardware and embedded software contributions:

But if anyone else wants to start and contribute, one could I guess start with:
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=MIDI_SysEx
... that is publicly available as well as many other useful docs on the fractal web site.
Then copy paste a vst3/au plugin template from the JUCE (or possibly iPlug2) toolkits and contribute.
 
AFAIK, no, there is no publicly documented (or more importantly, publicly supported) API to do what is described in the OP. The current, existing, sysex API is primarily for remote control, e.g. midi foot controllers. Even if there is the necessary API, an ad hoc plugin that isn't supported by FAS isn't what this thread is about. I understand such a thing might be worthwhile, but in that case, I would suggest you start a new thread for that.
 
GlennO said:
AFAIK, no, there is no publicly documented (or more importantly, publicly supported) API to do what is described in the OP. The current, existing, sysex API is primarily for remote control, e.g. midi foot controllers. Even if there is the necessary API, an ad hoc plugin that isn't supported by FAS isn't what this thread is about. I understand such a thing might be worthwhile, but in that case, I would suggest you start a new thread for that.
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Yes, an ad-hoc plugin isn't the point. I asked about the API in hopes there was some hook to p(re)-load a preset in a few lines of code but that was admittedly optimistic. It doesn't hurt to ask. I think I'll just keep saving a copy of the preset within the project folder.

That gave me an idea that I can't try until Friday when my hardware arrives: assuming I can launch the editing software by "executing" the preset file then maybe a little script can do that for me. For example, I could name my track identically with the saved preset name and have the script launch "trackname.fileextension" for the selected track. That could let me change to the correct preset per track with a shortcut key instead of looking for it. This is what the OP kind-of-mostly didn't want, but maybe could still avoid the specific drawback mentioned by using a different track field, like a comment or note field, to save the preset name. Then renaming the track doesn't break the relationship. It's still kind of crude but the effort:reward ratio might be there if it works.
 
Literally just give me a way to send either
  • the raw BLOB of the *.syx file
  • a path to a *.syx preset file

to Axe Edit and have it import it.

I could do the rest with shell scripts and/or some basic UI toolkits
 
rossipedia said:
Literally just give me a way to send either
  • the raw BLOB of the *.syx file
  • a path to a *.syx preset file

to Axe Edit and have it import it.

I could do the rest with shell scripts and/or some basic UI toolkits
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Yes and no. Yes, it doesn't need to be a full blown editor. But, no, if it involves keeping track of files, IMHO that's not much better than today. I discuss that issue in some depth earlier in the thread. The whole point of this wish is to store the preset in the plugin for later retrieval.
 
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GlennO said:
Yes and no. Yes, it doesn't need to be a full blown editor. But, no, if it involves keeping track of files, IMHO that's not much better than today. I discuss that issue in some depth earlier in the thread. The whole point of this wish is to store the preset in the plugin for later retrieval.
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Although, the ability to send and receive a raw SYX blob would enable this, wouldn't it? You could decide where to store that blob, either on disk or directly in the plugin instance.
 
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