About the M9 preferences

[sl23]

Sorry It's taken so long, been a bit busy.

I've taken a look at the Preferences list and I think the first thing required is to organise the Prefs into categories forming a sort of tree structure. This would do two things:

1. Reduce the left hand list text used to describe many Prefs.
2. Make finding specific Prefs easier.

So, before I go ahead with the renaming, do you have any objections with this kind of reorganisation into a tree structure?
I'm willing to do it all for you, so that your time isn't wasted in the actual organisation and rewriting, just changing the code where necessary.

I feel this reorganising is necessary as the Prefs list is getting longer and longer, making finding a specific setting hard to find. Personally, I have often found it difficult to locate certain settings even when trying to search for them.

Everything I propose would obviously be posted here for your approval first. I understand your need to focus on M9's release at present. So maybe this should be done at a later date? I can always work on it and present it later when you're more able to deal with it.

Any objections?

[MuTools]

Yes sorting the preferences in a handful of relevant groups is a good idea.

[Michael L]

I think the first thing required is to organise the Prefs into categories forming a sort of tree structure

There are quite a few menus, trees and categories.

You might name preference categories using the name of their related menu, to show the connection.

For example the Auto Create Transient Markers preference relates to Create Transient Markers in the New Audio Sequence Part dialogue that may popup when dropping in a new sample.

[sl23]

Ok, I've spent a few hours creating a rough draft. All settings have been placed into one of 10 Categories:

• App

• Audio

• Composer

• Directories

• Editor

• GUI

• MIDI

• Updates

• VST

• Warnings

I've attached the INI file I used as a zip file.

AppPrefs.zip

The names have changed in many instances, for many reasons. Sometimes, it just sounds better, other times it makes sense to compact the name as the omitted word(s) often add nothing to the description or function. The reduction of text makes skimming through the list easier and quicker.

Some of the Pref's have descriptions, do you have a file for these which I can again edit for you for easier readability? For example, the first Pref has the first sentence spread over two lines, then a single CRLF to the next sentence. It would make more sense to have the first sentence fill the available width of the description box, then have two CRLF's before the next sentence to allow easier reading.

Suggestions welcome from all peeps...

[oldcastle]

Sorry for the silly question, but how do I use the AppPrefs.ini file? Where do I install it?

[MuTools]

Sorry for the silly question, but how do I use the AppPrefs.ini file? Where do I install it?

It's nothing real yet, this topic is about a possible future improvement for M9.x

[oldcastle]

Noted

[MuTools]

Thx sl23 for your proposal. I'll certainly look at this after the M9.0 release.

[Michael L]

Thanks for opening up this topic for discussion, sl23!

As I said above, many trees grow in MuLab. I sometimes wonder if category names could be shared among trees to simplify & show connections, but that is not a simple task! However, I see you are adding new category names such as MIDI, Directories, Updates and Warnings. Your renaming is better, and the way you grouped the preferences makes sense semantically, but I wonder if creating new categories actually simplifies the Preferences workflow.

My suggestion is to:
- Have only one level, with no tree or category names.
- Reword the existing preferences so ones that occur together in the MuLab workflow are grouped together alphabetically (eg the Mouse scroll, double click, hover, etc all begin with "Mouse")
- Include the entire list in your post. Each of us making comments can copy that into our reply, and then edit/update just that one post.

- - -

Exactly 4000 posts ago, I joined kvr to contribute to the MuTools Forum so it is great to make this historic post here.

[dakkra]

Exactly 4000 posts ago, I joined kvr to contribute to the MuTools Forum so it is great to make this historic post here.

[sl23]

Thanks for your comments Michael. Personally, I am against long lists, like long context menus, they slow down workflow imo.

In order for your suggestion to work for those of us with poor eyesight, there would need to be a separator between each category and I think rather than heading every Pref with a title, a main title would suit better. I'll put something together later, see what you think.

But is there a possibility of adding both options and switching between them with a user Pref? Maybe it's getting too complex now!

I chose to upload a file rather than post the entire list to reduce space. But if it's preferable, I'll just post the list here.

[sl23]

Does anyone know what these settings are for:
AutoSnapNewAudioSequenceLength = Can't find this in the manual. Would it belong to the category 'Composer'?
AutoFocusTheModalWindow = Can't find this in the Pref's window, yet it appears in the AppPreferences.txt file. What is it and Is it still used?
MuLab8ExeFilepath = Is this required? What is it's purpose?

[sl23]

As Michael suggested the list be in full view but Categorised, here is the list, with renaming suggestions:
Note: Each Category should be separated by a single blank line to make things less cluttered.
Note: Categories should be Bolded and/or, preferably, coloured differently to make them stand out more.

App
AutoSaveTimeOut = Auto Save Time
CreateAudioFileOverviewLengthThreshold = Create Waveform OVW file
DefaultAutoScroll = Auto Scroll
DragDoubleClickDetectorMoveThreshold = Drag Detection
MaxTotalPluginLatency = Plugin Latency
MiddleCIndex
MouseHoverDelayTime = Mouse Hover Delay
MultiWaveformCPURAMUsage = MFO CPU+RAM usage
MultiWaveformSize = MFO Size
OpenSubMenuDelayTime = Sub-menu Delay
ProcessWeightLimit = Project CPU Limit
UseUnfoldedContextMenus = Unfolded Menu's
WindowsProcessPriority

Audio
AudioFileStreamBlockSize = File Buffer Size
AudioLevelDisplayStyle = Meter Level Display
AudioRecordingFileType = Recording File Type
AudioRecordingIn32BitFloats = Record In 32bit
AudioRecordingLatencyCompensation = Recording Latency
AudioRecordingMinimumLevelThreshold = Recording Level Threshold
AutoCheckForModifiedAudioFiles = Check for Modified Files
AutoCreateTransientMarkers = Create Transient Markers
AutoPlayRecordedLiveClips = Auto Play Recorded Clips
SampleFileLengthWarningThreshold = Sample File Length Threshold
SampleInterpolation

Composer
StandardCopyPartIsSharedCopy = Copy Part is Shared Copy

Directories
DocsFolderPath = Docs Folder
ExternalAudioEditor
FactoryLibraryFolder = Factory Library
MuLab8ExeFilepath = MuLab 8 Exe Path (Is this required? What is it's purpose?)
UserLibraryFolder = User Library

Editor
AutoLoopNewSequences = Loop New Sequences
EditorNavigation
MonitorOnDrawNotes = Monitor Drawn Notes
NewNoteVelocity
RightClickDeletesNotes

GUI
DefaultMouseTool
DockedMainModuleEditor = Docked Main Editor
DockedModularArea
DrawGUIFocusBox = GUI Focus Box
GUICornerRounding
GUIFocusOnHover
GUIScale
IntegrateMainTransportInProjectPanel = Integrate Main Transport
LevelMeterMaximumLevelFallDownTime = Level Meter Decay
MainEditorGridContrast = Editor Grid Contrast
MenuFontSize
PianoKeyLanesContrast
PlayCursorLineSize
ProjectBrowserDockedMode
ProjectBrowserDockSide
ShowFloatingWindowsBar = Floating Windows Bar
ShowFocusedModuleKeyboard = Focused Module Keyboard
ShowMenuInfoPopups = Menu Tooltips
StandardFloatingPartEditors = Floating Part Editors
UnfocusedTrackRackColoring = Unfocused Track+Rack Colour
UsePlayAndPauseSymbolsForPlayButton = Play+Pause Symbols

MIDI
ActivateModuleEditorAutoMIDIFocusesModule = Module MIDI Focus
FilterIncomingAllNotesOffEvents = Filter All Note Off
MIDIOutputTimeShift
SupportMIDI = MIDI Support

Updates
AutoCheckForUpdates = Check for Updates
ShowNewBetaTestVersions = Show Beta Updates

VST
FocusedVSTParameterEditor = Focused Parameter
UseVSTProgramNameAsDefaultVSTName = Program Name as Default Name

Warnings
AlertErrorLevel = Error Alerts
ConfirmDeletes = Delete Confirmation

Other - Unknowns
AutoSnapNewAudioSequenceLength
AutoFocusTheModalWindow = Can't find this in the Pref's window

[Michael L]

Well, I never got so deep into Preferences!

Your idea to create categories and rename is much clearer than the random order.

As a tweak, perhaps category names based on workflow actions to give a better picture of how Prefs are related.

This list is incomplete (and names may be too short) but for example:

Import Audio
Auto Create Transient Markers
Auto Snap New Audio Sequence Length
Check for Modified Files
Create Overview File Threshold
File Length Warning Threshold
File Stream Block Size
Sample Interpolation Method
Set Buffer Size

Navigate
Default Auto Scroll
Default Mouse Tool
Drag Detection Threshold
Mouse wheel Editor Navigation
Hover Delay
Hover GUI Focus
Open Floating Editor
Open Sub-menu Delay
Show Menu Tooltips
Unfold Context Menus

Record
32 bit Floats
Auto Play Recorded Clips
Latency Compensation
Level Threshold
Max Plugin Latency
Meter Level Display
Default File Type

Compose
Copy Part is Shared Copy
Loop New Sequences
Monitor Drawn Notes
New Note Velocity
Right Click Deletes Notes

BTW, I think the Preferences should be seen all at once cuz we often look just for one Pref so it's easier to scan. Context menus are a different use case.

Edit: changed headings from colour to bold

[pljones]

Your headings are unreadable due to no contrast on my screen. Can you just use bold?