v3 Beta Feedback And Discussion (Bugs, Features, Suggestions)

[musicdevelopments]

Many thanks, BluGenes for the replies...
A new update with folder tracks will arrive shortly. The track area is the last one that needs UI rework.

Splitting lines does not change any names automatically. The names do not necessarily have to be unique, those are for your reference only. Constantly renaming parts and lines may not be a good idea.

[musicdevelopments]

Yes, true, but at the moment Esc closes any modal menu inside a window.
Since the Chord Selector is a window itself, Esc should work the same way (closing modal menus rather than closing the whole window).
I realized that for some reason Esc is passed to the main window so there is a small issue here. This will be fixed but AFAIK there is nothing that could be closed in the Chord Selector.

Thanks,
Attila

OK, cool, I grasp that distinction (I'm a programmer myself, BTW).

However, it is perfectly fine (and often desirable) for the Esc key to close a dialog.

Closing via Esc is almost always identical to using the Cancel button (assuming there is one).

[musicdevelopments]

I fully support the idea of improving the rules editor! This will happen only after v4.0.

I am a bit behind schedule (as usual) so v4.0 cannot be finished in September. In the first phase I wanted to finish user interface improvements, while keeping backward compatibility. I am almost done with what I planned for the UI.

The next phase means the internal rework/reorganization which will take for about 4 weeks to fix bad design decisions from the distant past This involves changing the source code at hundreds or thousands of places, which means I won't be able to build the program for a few weeks.

Thanks,
Attila

the ability to add custom chords to the rules editor.

+1

[lulukom]

I wish you good creative work! Good luck with your difficult task. We are looking forward to the release of version 4! Thank !

[musicdevelopments]

Hi,

I'm noticing that I don't have vertical control of the Phrase - Chord tab dialog size,
with the consequence that I can't expand the dialog height enough to fully see the Help text.

Hi Steve,

I have fixed this, thank you!

Also, it would be nice if all of these tabs remembered their dialog sizing after the user changes it. If we open something wider or taller because it is necessary in order to get the full view, it would certainly be most rapid if that did not have to be repeated the next time. Thanks!

This worked like that for inspectors opened as layers over the main UI but I realized that you were opening inspectors in a window. I fixed this annoying bug too. In addition I accidentally removed the setting "Open Inspectors In Separate Window" which will be available again. I hope to upload a new beta tomorrow.

Thanks!
Attila

[musicdevelopments]

I wish you good creative work! Good luck with your difficult task. We are looking forward to the release of version 4! Thank !

Thank you, lulukom!

[sj1]

Yes, true, but at the moment Esc closes any modal menu inside a window.
Since the Chord Selector is a window itself, Esc should work the same way (closing modal menus rather than closing the whole window).
I realized that for some reason Esc is passed to the main window so there is a small issue here. This will be fixed but AFAIK there is nothing that could be closed in the Chord Selector.

Thanks,
Attila

OK, cool, I grasp that distinction (I'm a programmer myself, BTW).

However, it is perfectly fine (and often desirable) for the Esc key to close a dialog.

Closing via Esc is almost always identical to using the Cancel button (assuming there is one).

So, a modal-within-a-modal needs to be treated differently from a first level modal? I'm not sure I see why, but thanks for explaining the distinction.

As a user, I just want a quick keyboard way out of whatever level of modal I'm currently in!

Of course I tried the 'W' to dismiss the Chord Selector, but that did not work either.

So, if the answer is that the only way out of the Chord Selector is going to be mousing to the 'x', then I find that unfortunate.

FWIW, I do believe there should *always* be a quick keyboard way out of a modal. In this context, I'm considering the Chord Selector an operational "modal", as it pops up over the Composition, affects the Composition, and must ultimately be dismissed to return to the Composition.

BTW, folder tracks will be a great addition!

[sj1]

The next phase means the internal rework/reorganization which will take for about 4 weeks to fix bad design decisions from the distant past This involves changing the source code at hundreds or thousands of places, which means I won't be able to build the program for a few weeks.

Ouch! Don'tcha hate when that happens!

Kudos for analyzing where you want to go and what it will take to get there and then stepping up to it!

[musicdevelopments]

• Chord notes displayed as #1, #2, #3 instead of the old misleading Root, 3rd, 5th...

FWIW, I believe I'm beginning to understand the relationship between phrases, the Phrase Editor, the voicing display at the Composition level, and the Phrase display at the Composition level.

The point is that the phrase works on notes which are not necessarily the notes of a traditional chord. For example {A2, A3, A4}, or {C4, D4, E4, F4, E4}. The phrase does not know anything about these notes, it refers to notes by index #1, #2, #3, etc. Referring to A2 as 'root', A3 as '3rd' and A4 as '5th' is not correct and will confuse the user. The same with the other example. I used several naming conventions in the past for this, but I think this is the most logical. It is possible to describe any complex note relationships, like #TOP is the highest chord note (E4 in the second example), #TOP-1 is the second highest (F4 in the second example), and #3+II+1 means "third chord note plus 2 scale steps plus 1 semitone". (The phrase does not know about concrete notes.)

However in the voicing editor, true chord notes are displayed, so it is correct to show "Root", "3", "5" etc.

Thanks,
Attila

[BluGenes]

Many thanks, BluGenes for the replies...
A new update with folder tracks will arrive shortly. The track area is the last one that needs UI rework.

Absolutely my pleasure...

[sj1]

The point is that the phrase works on notes which are not necessarily the notes of a traditional chord. For example {A2, A3, A4}, or {C4, D4, E4, F4, E4}. The phrase does not know anything about these notes, it refers to notes by index #1, #2, #3, etc. Referring to A2 as 'root', A3 as '3rd' and A4 as '5th' is not correct and will confuse the user. The same with the other example. I used several naming conventions in the past for this, but I think this is the most logical. It is possible to describe any complex note relationships, like #TOP is the highest chord note (E4 in the second example), #TOP-1 is the second highest (F4 in the second example), and #3+II+1 means "third chord note plus 2 scale steps plus 1 semitone". (The phrase does not know about concrete notes.)

Hi Attila,

I follow what you are saying here (which wouldn't have been true 2 weeks ago).

I think I may have made some valid suggestions/comments (?) over the last number of days, but to get the sense of them, please read all of them first if you can (in both this topic and the Feature Suggestions topic) before considering any one of them, as there has been some evolution in my understanding and what it leads me to suggest.

Thanks!

P.S. I am *not* suggesting the elimination of #1, #2, etc. displays, but I do think there are contexts in which alternate displays could be very enlightening.

[sj1]

Hi,

In the Master Track, I'm observing that Alt-Click and Dbl-Click on a Chord have the same effect, which is to split the chord.

Since we must Alt-Click to join a split (and can't Dbl-Click to join a split) it would make more sense IMO to leave Alt-Click to do both splits and joins and to get Dbl-Click out of the way of that process entirely.

I'm finding it very common to Dbl-Click on a chord when I have no intention of splitting that chord. Yes, one could say "well, don't do that!" - but I'm just reporting here what actually happens. I doubt I am or will be the only person in the world this happens to. It would make things much easier if it didn't.

Also, if possible, it would be very helpful if any change in structure on either Master Track or Timeline could be instantly undone with Ctrl-Z.

Like, "Ooops, I goofed!" Ctrl-Z "OK, I'm good again!".

[musicdevelopments]

So I would suggest also providing both of these:

Master Track - Set As Timeline Region And Start Playback P
Master Track - Set As Timeline Region And Start Playback in Loop L


and in every case of Start Playback in Loop, please actually do that.
(IOW, move the play head to the start of the Loop and start looping!)

Hi,

I fixed the issues you reported, and added
"Set As Timeline Region And Start Playback In Loop"
and a new shortcut for "Toggle Loop".

Thanks!
Attila

[musicdevelopments]

Since we must Alt-Click to join a split (and can't Dbl-Click to join a split) it would make more sense IMO to leave Alt-Click to do both splits and joins and to get Dbl-Click out of the way of that process entirely.

Hi Steve,

I agree. If there are no objections, I removed double-clicking as splitting a chord. We can figure out later what should happen for double-clicking on a chord (e.g. opening the chord suggestions or chord selector?).

Thanks,
Attila

[lulukom]

what should happen for double-clicking on a chord (e.g. opening the chord suggestions or chord selector?).

+1 !