Tracktion Software

Father Ham · Post by **Father Ham** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:05 pm

This is a screenshot of Tracktion2 running on Gentoo Linux under WINE.

If you would like a native port, please reply to this thread.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:14 pm

Yes, but just to give more people more options. I don't think I'll use it myself, but as long as the port isn't achingly painful (which it SHOULDN'T be), it'd be nice to be the first efficient mainstream audio app available for Linux junkies.

Greg

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:16 pm

james0tucson · Post by **james0tucson** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 6:41 pm

Father Ham wrote:

This is a screenshot of Tracktion2 running on Gentoo Linux under WINE.

If you would like a native port, please reply to this thread.

Do you run into performance problems with the emulation layers? What component tells the windows app that it's running ASIO, and how is performance down to the native driver? What's the audio I/O latency like? How is MIDI timing? What about the filesystem? Can you tweak your system to a degree that actually outperforms windows? Are there possibilities for automation in your system that don't exist in windows? What steps are required to set this system up, besides installing Gentoo, WINE, and T2? Are you able to install T2 without booting windows? Does it burn up T2's machine ID for authorization? Would you be allowed to run under Wine or under Windows depending on your mood, or do you need two licenses to do this?

Is it possible to integrate an audio program running under WINE with native audio or midi components? Can you use T2 to record or filter an audio stream that is produced in another Linux app? Can it function as a MIDI device with input from some other Linux app?

Father Ham · Post by **Father Ham** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 8:57 pm

james0tucson wrote: Do you run into performance problems with the emulation layers?

I first ran Tracktion under WINE minutes before the original post. As of right now there is no audio working. The GUI itself loaded up quickly and you should be pleased to hear that it feels as fast as in native Windows.

I do have audio working in other apps under WINE. Tracktion2's settings shows this error:

I don't think ASIO works with WINE. It uses DirectSound as the interface and you can use ALSA or JACK.

WINE isn't emulation.

james0tucson wrote: What steps are required to set this system up, besides installing Gentoo, WINE, and T2?

You don't need Gentoo, any Linux distro should do. Even booting off a livecd so that you don't need to install. Just install WINE, and either run the tracktion.exe already installed or install it fresh.

james0tucson wrote: Are you able to install T2 without booting windows?

Yes.

I use NTFS in windows, and writing to it from Linux is dangerous so I simply downloaded the T2 demo, and ran it directly off my Linux desktop... the setup pops up and it installs to ~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Tracktion2. You then navigate there and double-click traction.exe. Not only do you not need to boot windows to do this, you don't need windows at all.

james0tucson wrote: Is it possible to integrate an audio program running under WINE with native audio or midi components?

Yes. I have a GUI app called JACK Patch Bay. If I were using JACK with WINE I should be able to wire (it actually shows wires) any of my connections together. So I could run a VSTi in WINE, and plug it into something like Ardour.

james0tucson wrote: Can you use T2 to record or filter an audio stream that is produced in another Linux app?

Maybe someone with access to the Tracktion source can take a look at why there are errors when attempting to initialize the audio under WINE, then I can answer your questions better.

But I am really most interested in a native approach. JUCE is already ported to Linux. I have brought this up with Linux Audio Developers and basically if Tracktion were to be ported it would become the most popular Linux audio application instantaneously.

Things like Ardour are nice and all, but Tracktion is the first solid and uniquely useful application that has hope of being ported. Imagine the publicity.

We really don't even need all of the fluff either, like full VST support. First off if it just had JACK support and no filters, but fully native, it would still be amazing. Add in LADSPA plugin support and I no longer need Windows for audio.

Radek · Post by **Radek** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:34 am

I WANT a native version of Traction2 for a Linux so much (along energy-xt) I would gladly pay extra for it!!

james0tucson · Post by **james0tucson** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 12:35 am

"Things like Ardour are nice and all, but Tracktion is the first solid and uniquely useful application that has hope of being ported. Imagine the publicity. "

Thanks for your answers... But I'll wager EnergyXT beats Tracktion to be first.

Father Ham · Post by **Father Ham** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 3:28 am

james0tucson wrote:"Things like Ardour are nice and all, but Tracktion is the first solid and uniquely useful application that has hope of being ported. Imagine the publicity. "

Thanks for your answers... But I'll wager EnergyXT beats Tracktion to be first.

Maybe so... but I don't really like EnergyXT and don't see it as having much mainstream potential. Whereas, Traction is user friendly, and that is exactly what Linux needs for audio right now. There are already apps similar in nature to EnergyXT with GUI's best left to the technical minded.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:26 am

I don't think Jorgen has any intention of porting eXT to Linus...? Last I heard (which might be a long time ago) he was quite happy with Windows-only.

I'm sure his code is platform-dependent, meaning a fully full-on port in order to get it going in Linux or Mac, a tast that I'm under the impression he's not keen to undertake.

Greg

valley · Post by **valley** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 4:28 am

james0tucson wrote:But I'll wager EnergyXT beats Tracktion to be first.

Most likely, but only because Mackie would need to have a support infrastructure in place for supporting linux before a release could be made. Porting Tracktion to Linux isn't really a technical challenge (Jules has already done 80% of the work), but it is far from a lightweight customer service challenge.

leeturne · Post by **leeturne** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:01 am

valley wrote:
james0tucson wrote:But I'll wager EnergyXT beats Tracktion to be first.
Most likely, but only because Mackie would need to have a support infrastructure in place for supporting linux before a release could be made. Porting Tracktion to Linux isn't really a technical challenge (Jules has already done 80% of the work), but it is far from a lightweight customer service challenge.

Exactly. The best way to support an application such as T2 under Linux is to bundle it with a distro with everything configured towards the application. I run a variety of Linux, Microsoft and Mac platforms both at work and home and if you standardise on your distribution then support is much easier. The problem comes when you have to provide multiple kernel support (2.4 and 2.6), installation support (apt, rpm, YAST etc.) and GUI support (e.g. it can look great in Gnome but crap in ICE). This is why something like CCRMA is a good option.

Def Dave · Post by **Def Dave** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 10:32 am

Lunch Money wrote:I don't think Jorgen has any intention of porting eXT to Linus...? Last I heard (which might be a long time ago) he was quite happy with Windows-only.

I'm sure his code is platform-dependent, meaning a fully full-on port in order to get it going in Linux or Mac, a tast that I'm under the impression he's not keen to undertake.

Greg

Just to let you know:

jorgen wrote:I use xp, linux and osx on a daily basis and I must say linux is my favorite.

So, Im not the only one wanting a binary (no compiling needed) linux verison then?

jorgen

posted in http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ur&start=0

peace

David

Radek · Post by **Radek** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 11:56 am

leeturne wrote:
valley wrote:
james0tucson wrote:But I'll wager EnergyXT beats Tracktion to be first.
Most likely, but only because Mackie would need to have a support infrastructure in place for supporting linux before a release could be made. Porting Tracktion to Linux isn't really a technical challenge (Jules has already done 80% of the work), but it is far from a lightweight customer service challenge.
Exactly. The best way to support an application such as T2 under Linux is to bundle it with a distro with everything configured towards the application. I run a variety of Linux, Microsoft and Mac platforms both at work and home and if you standardise on your distribution then support is much easier. The problem comes when you have to provide multiple kernel support (2.4 and 2.6), installation support (apt, rpm, YAST etc.) and GUI support (e.g. it can look great in Gnome but crap in ICE). This is why something like CCRMA is a good option.

Even better. The cd might be a "live Linux" so no installation on a hdd is required. There is already such prepared Linux for a DAW:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may05/a ... iotogo.htm

The best recommendation for a Linux being used for serious DAW is the new Korg's Oasys. It's basically Linux computer with appropriate software running on it.

If a serious company (Korg it is) is daring to use a Linux for its flagship product then I see no reason why others shouldn't follow.

Def Dave · Post by **Def Dave** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 1:14 pm

you guys need to check out http://www.jacklab.net!
These guys will make a distri based on open suse with some serious kernel work.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Tue Oct 11, 2005 2:25 pm

Def Dave - cool to know, and I'm glad to be wrong.

Tracktion Software

KVR Audio

T2 Linux