VST GUI parameters not updating from bigwig device parameter changes (Fixed at 1.1.2)

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Almost none of my VST effects have their parameter updated on the GUI when automated or controlled from the device parameters anymore, and several of my instruments. What's going on? Using 1.1.

Specific examples are izoptope Trash 2, NI Reverbs, 2CAudio B2, Ohmicide. There are lots more but is this a new known issue?

Also seeing strange glitches in the GUIs of many plug-ins when parameters change. Like a white box over the parameter momentarily.

EDIT: Looks this got fixed at 1.1.2
thanks!
Last edited by Echoes in the Attic on Thu Dec 04, 2014 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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If you're mapping a container's macro controls to your hardware and then mapping your contained VST's parameters to said macro controls, that's the cause.

And, if I understand the issue correctly, here's why:

Macro controls can be linked to more than one parameter. Depending on the math behind the amount of change to macro = what amount of which parameter, it may not be able to adjust for all linked controls.

I simply link to the parameters within the VSTs representation in Bitwig's track device boxes. Those get updated automatically when presets change, no matter what hardware is connected to them. And if your hardware supports bi-directional updates, it should display whatever you change in the VST Window or that track-box instrument in the channel chain.

I only use the macro controls when I've decided on a parameter set that I'm going to use or would like to save and continue working on later (as in, not switching presets and having that function not update macro controls of whatever is linked to them). If I use it, great, if I don't, I have another small text file (or addition to a text file) that is of trivial size, oh well. All my parameters are still linked, but I do sometimes forget to unlink macro controls of the plug-in to Bitwig's Macro Controls (actually, I just unlink all of the container's macro controls as I fear not hearing what the designer intended in making the preset that I have selected (mine own presets included).

Don't forget to save changes to parameters WITHIN the VST (you can save another Device Chain preset, however if you pull that on to a new track, it won't have any of your previous track's MIDI controls to VST parameters.

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Nope, no macros being used. Just moving the knob in the device parameter list and it doesn't change in the GUIs. Which would mean that if I was using a control surface to change a value it also wouldn't change in the GUI. And so if I change something in the GUI that has been changed via bigwig device, it would jump.

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Do you have automation on those controls? What options do you have when you right click them?

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Right click on the gui? It the Bitwig device knob? These are fresh instances if plug-ins I'm talking about in a freh project with nothing going on.

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Yup, support e-mail time for you, good sir.

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Really this isn't happening for anyone else? Another thing I've noticed is that for the plug-ins where the GUI doesn't update, it actually usually does the first time I move the knob in the bigwig device list, but not after I let go and move it again...

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Yep, I'm in same situation. Half or more of plugins I owned doesn't update on 1.1.1RC1. It's only work while input source is playing.

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jhorology wrote:Yep, I'm in same situation. Half or more of plugins I owned doesn't update on 1.1.1RC1. It's only work while input source is playing.
AHA! You're right. I didn't notice before why sometimes it worked and sometimes not. Since writing this post I haven't used Bigwig in regular way, I've only tested some things and didn't notice that while playback is engaged, the GUI parameters do update to show what the device parameter is set to and then do follow movements. How strange. Once playback occurs GUI parameters follow automation but not before. Perhaps this an identifiable bug now. Not a very major one.

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I didn't even think about needing parameter visual feedback when not playing. My bad.

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powermat wrote:I didn't even think about needing parameter visual feedback when not playing. My bad.
Yeah the truth there really isn't a case when you'd need it without playing. It just so happened that I was mapping out a few effect plug-in while not actually writing or playing, which is when I discovered the lack of GUI response for most effect plug-ins. Then I decided to test a bunch of plug-ins and found only two synths with the issue and lots of effects. However during the testing I hadn't actually been playing any track. I might as well report it, in case they care.

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was just checking this out here. looks like any mapped macro stops updating visually in device view too, if there's no audio being produced by the vst, e.g. the transport can be stopped but a vst reverb's tail is still ringing out. as soon as the verb tail dies, the mapped params stop visually updating. maybe a cpu-saving feature?

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garyboozy wrote:was just checking this out here. looks like any mapped macro stops updating visually in device view too, if there's no audio being produced by the vst, e.g. the transport can be stopped but a vst reverb's tail is still ringing out. as soon as the verb tail dies, the mapped params stop visually updating. maybe a cpu-saving feature?
Yeah it's pretty much the same thing. Tweaking the parameter in the device list or a macro that is assigned to it. Any GUIs don't update unless there is sound, which isn't a big deal. You'd pretty much only be tweaking when listening to midi or playing. I just wonder why some GUIs don't behave that way and some do. I think most effects do behave that way, but most instruments don't. Dexed synth is one that does behave that way.

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is this related to the 'auto-suspend' options when you right-click a vst device?
no mention of this in the manual...

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Yeah, this was added at the last moment since it's hard to get it to work automatically in all cases (VSTs "should" report when they are ready to sleep, but as usual, some do, some don't).

Basically, devices are put to sleep if they don't do anything to save CPU.
For audio effects it's rather simple to determine - if nothing comes out or goes in, they can sleep.
For Instruments it's similar, no notes in and no audio out -> they should be asleep.

But for instance things like step sequencers only send out stuff if they get transport information and they don't get transport information if they are asleep and since they send out anything if they don't get transport information...
You get the drift... ;-)

So if you have devices where the automatic system doesn't work, set auto-suspend to off.
And if you have devices that should go off if nothing happens but they don't - try turning it on (but make sure it works in all situations for the plugin in question).

And if you have situations where it's problematic that things don't refresh, send it to tech support please.

Cheers,

Tom
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