AudioThing releases Hand Clapper - Update v1.5.2

[Aloysius]

Sounds like a great update. Thank you. Just downloaded and ready to install.

[audiothing]

... To update, please go to http://www.audiothing.net/updates/

i don't know why, but i ended up buying this via PluginBoutique. is it possible to update through your site?

Absolutely, as long as you use the same email address you used with PluginBoutique. Anyway, they will update their installers soon.

[jbuonacc]

got it, thanks!

[audiothing]

got it, thanks!

You are welcome.
This is just a temporary measure as hopefully we will introduce a proper user area sooner or later.

[stardustmedia]

I have an issue loading the saved preset in another computer that has the same Logic and OS:

- I loaded the preset "21 Dark Wave" into two instances of Hand Clapper v1.1.0
- Edited both versions slightly so I go a nice wide stereo sound
- Saved that Logic project
- Opened that Logic project at home, same Logic 10.2.1 and OS 10.9.5, a different Mac though
- And during opening of the session, Hand Clapper asked to locate the audio file for "Dark Clap.wav"

So...
1.) I didn't expect that behaviour. I'd rather like that the saved Logic session reloads the plugin parameters as saved.
2.) Where are those audio files? I could't find them. And the manual doesn't tell that.

[audiothing]

I have an issue loading the saved preset in another computer that has the same Logic and OS:

- I loaded the preset "21 Dark Wave" into two instances of Hand Clapper v1.1.0
- Edited both versions slightly so I go a nice wide stereo sound
- Saved that Logic project
- Opened that Logic project at home, same Logic 10.2.1 and OS 10.9.5, a different Mac though
- And during opening of the session, Hand Clapper asked to locate the audio file for "Dark Clap.wav"

So...
1.) I didn't expect that behaviour. I'd rather like that the saved Logic session reloads the plugin parameters as saved.
2.) Where are those audio files? I could't find them. And the manual doesn't tell that.

Hmm, I didn't think about that possibility. Samples are stored in your user home/Music/Audio Music Apps/AudioThing/Samples/HandClapper (on OSX of course). So perhaps you have different usernames so the path is not the same on both systems.

The problem is that when saving DAW sessions the file path is saved as absolute path. When saved as preset the path is stored as relative to the preset.

A workaround could be to copy that sample to a location where the path is exactly the same on both systems (re-save the preset just in case).
I'm preparing an update with a couple of minor bug fixes but if you have suggestions on how to handle such situations I'll work on it.

[zyzygis]

How about an option to save the sample with the preset?

[stardustmedia]

Hmm, I didn't think about that possibility. Samples are stored in your user home/Music/Audio Music Apps/AudioThing/Samples/HandClapper (on OSX of course). So perhaps you have different usernames so the path is not the same on both systems.


The problem is that when saving DAW sessions the file path is saved as absolute path. When saved as preset the path is stored as relative to the preset.

A workaround could be to copy that sample to a location where the path is exactly the same on both systems (re-save the preset just in case).
I'm preparing an update with a couple of minor bug fixes but if you have suggestions on how to handle such situations I'll work on it.

No worries. It must happen the first time to me, since the update.

Yes, I think I have different user names. I try to change the user name at home. I guess that shouldn't be an big issue. Another solution for me could be to use an external drive, that is labelled the same. But I'm not sure if that's enough.

I can come up with following ideas (more requirements, than solutions, hoping that helps you too):

1. During installation ask the user where he wants the samples to be saved: Default or individual path. This information must be somehow saved.
2. Add a more detailed information to the "Finder" that opens automatically when Hand Clapper can't find the sample, like this:
   
   1. Error message like: "I can't find sample <FILENAME> that I expect here <USEDSAMPLE-PATH>". The default path for the AudioThing Hand Clapper samples on this computer is <DEFAULT-PATH> or <INDIVIDUAL-PATH>.
   2. The path of the used sample must be saved within the preset under any circumstances: plugin, DAW, etc.
3. May I ask you to update the online manual with the folder path, where users can find the samples? In such situations that information can be very helpful

Another possibility is to save the samples within the preset, as @zyzygis mentioned it. Although, as far as I understand it, it still wouldn't change the problem when opening that preset on another computer. Path information and the preset itself has to be saved on that other computer as well.

Yet another idea: Would it be possible that Hand Clapper (or any other of your plugins) automatically saves presets into the project folder without prompting for it? Like Logic saves recorded audio automatically into the path .../<project>/audio. Could be optionally activated in the menu, toggle between: <DEFAULT / INDIVIDUAL> or <PROJECT>.

I think I stop now

[audiothing]

How about an option to save the sample with the preset?

I could probably embed the sample in binary form inside the XML preset, but the size of the presets might get too big introducing other problems. I'm not sure, but I'll test it when I can.

[audiothing]

No worries. It must happen the first time to me, since the update.

Yes, I think I have different user names. I try to change the user name at home. I guess that shouldn't be an big issue. Another solution for me could be to use an external drive, that is labelled the same. But I'm not sure if that's enough.

As longa as the path is the same, it should work.

I can come up with following ideas (more requirements, than solutions, hoping that helps you too):

1. During installation ask the user where he wants the samples to be saved: Default or individual path. This information must be somehow saved.

This is possible indeed, I've done it for Fog Convolver (but that is a much more complex plugin of course). I'll think about it.

[*]Add a more detailed information to the "Finder" that opens automatically when Hand Clapper can't find the sample, like this:

1. Error message like: "I can't find sample <FILENAME> that I expect here <USEDSAMPLE-PATH>". The default path for the AudioThing Hand Clapper samples on this computer is <DEFAULT-PATH> or <INDIVIDUAL-PATH>.
2. The path of the used sample must be saved within the preset under any circumstances: plugin, DAW, etc.

a) That's very useful. Will do it for sure.
b) Already works like that. The path of the sample is stored in the preset as a relative path, and in the DAW project as an absolute path (because relative path can be tricky, relative to what? Perhaps the plugin itself? Then I don't think it will solve the problem for different systems).

[*]May I ask you to update the online manual with the folder path, where users can find the samples? In such situations that information can be very helpful [/list]

Absolutely. I can also probably add an option in the More menu to show the folder.

Another possibility is to save the samples within the preset, as @zyzygis mentioned it. Although, as far as I understand it, it still wouldn't change the problem when opening that preset on another computer. Path information and the preset itself has to be saved on that other computer as well.

I think zyzygis meant to embed the sample inside the preset. As said before, this could be done (I think) but can lead to other problems since the preset (which is just an XML file) can get way too large. I'll test it when I can, but I don't think this should be the way to do that.

Yet another idea: Would it be possible that Hand Clapper (or any other of your plugins) automatically saves presets into the project folder without prompting for it? Like Logic saves recorded audio automatically into the path .../<project>/audio. Could be optionally activated in the menu, toggle between: <DEFAULT / INDIVIDUAL> or <PROJECT>.

I think I stop now

This might be a nightmare considering all the DAW and MAC/PC different settings.
Thanks for all the suggestion anyway. I'll see what I can do.

Anyway, I still think that moving the sample away (external HD or common folder) with the EXACT same path on both system might be the easiest solution. I'm not sure but probably alias/symbolic links might also work (if not that should be an easy fix).

[bungle]

NIs sample folder Aliasing works well enough in Maschine.
You can create kits from any folders of samples anywhere on any drive.
Those folders are saved as folders in user settings and each one has an Alias
When you send the folders and kits to other people, they link to the folders in user settings and just type in the correct alias's
Doesn't matter where the content is, it loads

[stardustmedia]

NIs sample folder Aliasing works well enough in Maschine.
You can create kits from any folders of samples anywhere on any drive.
Those folders are saved as folders in user settings and each one has an Alias
When you send the folders and kits to other people, they link to the folders in user settings and just type in the correct alias's
Doesn't matter where the content is, it loads

Yup, NI works easy and great. But it doesn't work when you open the session on another computer. It won't find the samples, even if the path "looks" the same (obviously it is not the same). My "bug" report was about that.

I have two computers, where all samples are stored on a drive called SAMPLEZ. They are exact clones, so the whole folder structure within them is the same.
E.g. when I load multiple samples from "/SAMPLEZ/Battery 4 User Samples/909 Kits", and save that on the first machine, I cannot open it without pinpointing to the folder on the second machine, although the path is "/SAMPLEZ/Battery 4 User Samples/909 Kits". The same for Kontakt.

It's no biggie. It's enough to choose the superior folder "Batter 4 User Samples" and it finds and loads correctly.

If Hand Clapper will give us the option to set an individual path for the presets and samples, I'll use anyway my Dropbox for that. So all presets are automatically shared. I do that already with Fabfilter for example. Works great.

[bungle]

Yeah you completely misunderstand the Alias system, the whole point is that it opens perfectly on any system no matter where the content is, no matter what drive, even different file systems ala Windows vs OSX.
That is exactly what the NI system does.

/my folder/dah dah/Audiothing samples
Is exactly the same as
/deh deh/dah dah/Audiothing samples
No matter where either is located or the file format of the drive.
Because an Alias (for instance the word audiothing) is given to the root folders 'my folder' and 'deh deh' within the plugin settings.

So now all the plugin ever sees is
Audiothing/dah dah/Audiothing samples

Note here that you only set this up per folder
So on computer 1
My folder/dah dah/Audiothing samples is the sample location, in settings this is the sample location and in settings the Alias is Audiothing.
On computer 2
Deh deh/dah dah/Audiothing samples is the sample location, in settings you change the locatuon to this and enter the alias Audiothing.

It works perfectly and that is why there are 1000s of third party expansions for Maschine that just work once you type in the Alias, no matter where or what OS you installed on.

[stardustmedia]

Yeah you completely misunderstand the Alias system, the whole point is that opens perfectly on any system no matter where the content is.
That is exactly what the NI system does.

/my folder/dah dah/Audiothing samples
Is exactly the same as
/deh deh/dah dah/Audiothing samples
Because an Alias (for instance the word audiothing) is given to the folders 'my folder' and 'deh deh'
Either is added to the plugins settings and the correct aluas entered (audiothing)

So no all the plugin ever sees is
Audiothing/dah dah/Audiothing samples

It works perfectly and that is why there are 1000s of thirdy party expansions for Maschine that just work once you type in the Alias, no matter where or what OS you installed on.

Oh... yes, now I see you mean something else. Thanks for pointing out, though I don't really understand the system. Does that mean that it must search for the alias on all drives (on the other computer)?

[bungle]

No you put the exact root folder in settings., no matter what sub folders and such it alwaysworks from root.