MSF Question Regarding Presets vs. Devices

[dmbaer]

In putting what is hopefully the final polish on a couple of devices in MSF, I realized something still confuses me.

When I save a preset as a device, I can see where the file is created, and I can see the accompanying preset file as soon as I save a preset. I know where those files are, but where is the actual preset file (not the device file). I'm asking because some of these finished devices represent ten hours or more of work. I'd like to back them off more frequently than my once-a-month full-disk backup. I might have known the answer to this at one point, but I can't find any files that are likely candidates with Windows Explorer searching, so I have to ask this question, which is probably a fairly stupid one.

[MeldaProduction]

Are you asking about the normal presets?? These are at the single path for all plugins:

Windows: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\MeldaProduction
OSX: HOME/Library/Application support/MeldaProduction

[dmbaer]

The terminology is a bit confusing, but maybe I just don't know the correct terms.

In MSF we have edit mode and in edit mode we can create and edit PRESETs. We can save these PRESETs as DEVICEs. In non-edit mode we can load a DEVICE, tweak some parameters and save it as a PRESET. Whoops - which kind of PRESET is being referenced when using that term?

I know where to find the file definitions of DEVICEs and associated DEVICE PRESETs. What I'm asking is: where is the file(s) in which edit mode PRESETs are held?

Does that clarify my question?

[David]

Actually glad to see that it's not just beginners like myself who've found this confusing!

But in the most recent MSF document (https://www.meldaproduction.com/doc/MSoundFactory), it seems pretty clear what terms will be used going forward (or at least for now):

Global presets in the plugin title - are mostly useful when designing your own sounds etc. These contain all settings of the instrument, except for the global oversampling, A-H presets and potentially a few more globals.
Instruments (a'ka devices) in the categorizer on the left - these are THE instruments. These are actually the same as the global presets, but they also contain the info about the categorization. And they can have their own presets... see next item. The idea here is that these instruments are the ones that are deployed to the end user's computer. An example may be a Steinway Piano. It's not just a sound, it's an instrument, which you can shape in various ways using the parameters provided on the easy screen (hence MPs).
Instrument presets - these are presets for each instrument, the button is in the title of the instrument panel.

I know that doesn't answer your excellent question about where Global Presets are stored.
To which I'll add: What exactly gets copied for pasting here or elsewhere, when the Toolbar icon in lower right is clicked; Devices or Global Presets? I'm guessing Global P; right?

[dmbaer]

Actually glad to see that it's not just beginners like myself who've found this confusing!

But in the most recent MSF document (https://www.meldaproduction.com/doc/MSoundFactory), it seems pretty clear what terms will be used going forward (or at least for now):

Global presets in the plugin title - are mostly useful when designing your own sounds etc. These contain all settings of the instrument, except for the global oversampling, A-H presets and potentially a few more globals.
Instruments (a'ka devices) in the categorizer on the left - these are THE instruments. These are actually the same as the global presets, but they also contain the info about the categorization. And they can have their own presets... see next item. The idea here is that these instruments are the ones that are deployed to the end user's computer. An example may be a Steinway Piano. It's not just a sound, it's an instrument, which you can shape in various ways using the parameters provided on the easy screen (hence MPs).

Instrument presets - these are presets for each instrument, the button is in the title of the instrument panel.

I know that doesn't answer your excellent question about where Global Presets are stored.
To which I'll add: What exactly gets copied for pasting here or elsewhere, when the Toolbar icon in lower right is clicked; Devices or Global Presets? I'm guessing Global P; right?

Ah, thanks for that. This information was either not in the document when I last read it three or four months ago or the information just didn't register. But having command of the correct terminology is a good thing.

As to your question, I'm fairly certain it works like this: what gets copied is whatever is currently loaded, irrespective of whether that got loaded as a global preset or an instrument/device.

[David]

"But having command of the correct terminology is a good thing."
Definitely! Thanks on Copying; sounds plausible:)

Just uploaded a YT video Intro on Instrument Mode, which I hope clarifies the differences between both Edit and Easy Screen Modes AND the Presets pertinent to either, along with basics on building (many thanks for earlier help with that from several here, in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=138&t=520095)

Making it certainly helped me to get the setup, well enough at least that I now know what to expect and how to get exactly what I want from them, at least. No doubt there remain hidden depths and features, being a MELDA invention:)
Posted in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=138&t=524276&p=7390584#p7390584

[MeldaProduction]

Yeah, it's a bit confusing indeed. Hopefully we'll find a way to make it cleaner at some point.

Anyways dmbaer, you wrote "I can see where the file is created, and I can see the accompanying preset file as soon as I save a preset. I know where those files are", so I must be missing something.

[dmbaer]

Anyways dmbaer, you wrote "I can see where the file is created, and I can see the accompanying preset file as soon as I save a preset. I know where those files are", so I must be missing something.

I know where the files containing the definitions of devices and device presets are. I'm trying to locate the files containing the global presets. I thought I knew where that was at one point, but now I can't find them.

[MeldaProduction]

Then I can only repeat what I already wrote in this topic:

Windows: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\MeldaProduction
OSX: HOME/Library/Application support/MeldaProduction

[David]

I found an .xml file there, in which I was able to locate at least one GPreset I'd made. How exactly to …DO anything with it is definitely beyond me!

[dmbaer]

I found an .xml file there, in which I was able to locate at least one GPreset I'd made. How exactly to …DO anything with it is definitely beyond me!

What I was interested in (thus the question) was just making a quick copy on another drive after a lengthy session building/improving a global preset. In case of drive crash or other mishap, I would not have to go back to my most recent full drive backup and lose hours of work in doing so.

[jmg8]

Could the backup feature help you here?
In the preset browser, there are backup and restore buttons.

In addition to this. If you want to manually backup. In the above location there will be a file that ends in "presets.xml", this is the one to back up. Hope this helps.

[dmbaer]

Could the backup feature help you here?

Don't know. I never noticed an Backup feature in the first place. Hmmm ... have to check that out.

[MeldaProduction]

Exactly! Backup is available from literally every preset window