Custom Track Colors

[lmv]

Waveform IS actively being developed, take my word for it.

Better than taking anybody's word, just check the release log:

https://marketplace.tracktion.com/release-notes?v=12

12.5.11 released 06/29/23

You have to have an account with Tracktion and be logged in to view that page.

I don't like gaudy track colors and prefer a couple of simple muted colors.

I'd be after something like this:

WF 091623-1.png

I find brightly colored projects that use a lot of different colors distracting and tiring when viewed for long periods.

Sounds and looks like my own color scheme. It's not "gaudy" and you can import it if you like. I won't even upload it. Just save this in a plain text file with "any name.waveformColours" and import it:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<COLOURSETTINGS hue="272.0" saturation="0.0" backgroundBrightness="90.0" highlightsBrightness="0.0"
                vividness="0.0" primaryAccentHue="200.0" secondaryAccentHue="0.0"/>

I recommend you backup your current theme first.

[nowgad]

Forum member nowgad has his own opinions which he's quite entitled to. However, some of us don't share his dim view.

OK. I will only be glad if Tracktion Waveform gets rid of errors. Even at the moment, daw is quite usable. But working with large projects is torture. Most of the errors I encounter are related to a large number of tracks and a lot of automation/modulation and midi. And yes, I agree that the direction of creating content for instant messengers prevails in Waveform updates.

[Teksonik]

Sounds and looks like my own color scheme. It's not "gaudy" and you can import it if you like. I won't even upload it. Just save this in a plain text file with "any name.waveformColours" and import it:

Custom Track Colors have nothing to do with the Theme other than being affected by the saturation amount. I've made a dozen custom themes so far so that's not the issue.

It has to do with the limited number of track color choices. We are limited to 18 and most of those I would never use because I find those colors gaudy (purple, pink, etc) or hard on the eyes for long periods of viewing (red):

WF 093023-1.png

Just the ability to set custom RGB or Hex values for track colors as we can in other DAWs is all I'm asking for.

[lmv]

OK. I will only be glad if Tracktion Waveform gets rid of errors. Even at the moment, daw is quite usable. But working with large projects is torture. Most of the errors I encounter are related to a large number of tracks and a lot of automation/modulation and midi. And yes, I agree that the direction of creating content for instant messengers prevails in Waveform updates.

Number one, you are a jerk. That topic that you've been painstakingly updating every single frigging day has become completely ridiculous. I have searched for some way to block that one topic but I couldn't find any. I even blocked you, but the topic is still there so that doesn't work either. I reported the post and asked the moderators to lock that topic, but I was ignored. That topic is rude, immature and 100% unhelpful. I am sick of having to look at it every time I come to the forum. You and your hissy fit topic are very likely part of the reason why Tracktion staff won't interact anymore.

Number two, if you go as far as saying that "working with large projects is torture" then you very clearly should be using another DAW. Heck, why not? I ditched WF for a long time and have been considering ditching it again because there is something about it that annoys me considerably. I won't come here to announce my departure (this ain't an airport) if I make that decision and I won't twist Tracktion's arm like you've been doing for months to get what you want. That is insane and I am truly sorry that KVR allows that to go on. You've expressed your frustration. That's what forums are for. Now it's in their ballpark. But you insist on your guerrilla and achieve nothing with it. Use another DAW already. Your complaint is grave. If the flaw is that big that you think it's "torture" then the product doesn't suit your needs. Get another product. It's all about the measure. Saying that "WF isn't an adequate tool for this or that" is fine. Waging war against a company because their product doesn't fully meet your expectations is very far from reasonable. Use another DAW. Find your peace. Who knows, maybe you will never look back.

Custom Track Colors have nothing to do with the Theme other than being affected by the saturation amount. I've made a dozen custom themes so far so that's not the issue.
(...)
Just the ability to set custom RGB or Hex values for track colors as we can in other DAWs is all I'm asking for.

You specifically complained that the colors are too bright (you said "gaudy"). Well, you can make them less bright and have a more soothing environment. My color scheme does that. It won't increase the choice of colors but will make the existing colors less bright. Maybe it's not ideal but heck, I for one refuse to waste the developers' time on that it's such a tiny minor issue. Decrease the brightness. That can be done.

I don't like the "in other DAWs" angle. There are many others things you can do "in other DAWs" that you can't do in Waveform and the other way around is also true. Nothing wrong with asking for a feature, but playing the "in other DAWs" card is pointless. "in other DAWs" I could use WineASIO, "in other DAWs" I could create additional I/O ports (heck, that's what JACK is for!), "in other DAWs" I wouldn't have to deal with the shortcomings of JUCE, all of these things are a lot more important than colors (I could easily live with a monochrome DAW) but well, DAWs are complex animals and I think it's very fair that developers spend their time on other priorities.

[nowgad]

Number one, you are a jerk.

I see the words of an adult.
“Secondly,” by the way, I didn’t see it.

add: First of all, I want to ask your forgiveness for making you cry or get irritated when you see the truth every evening in the topic I created. Secondly, Tracktion states that Waveform supports over 4,000 tracks in a single project. Thirdly, regarding the use of other DAWs: I did not ask your advice.

[Teksonik]

You specifically complained that the colors are too bright (you said "gaudy").

No if you'll learn to read I specifically said.....

I don't like gaudy track colors and prefer a couple of simple muted colors.

It's even in the title of the thread. Please try to keep up with the discussion or keep out of it.

Again a theme does not allow us to create custom track colors. Pink is still pink no matter the brightness or saturation. Get it?

I mentioned other DAWs because they do allow customs colors so obviously it's a well recognized feature and not impossible or even difficult to implement. It's not some wild out there request, it's a normal thing found in most if not all other major DAWs.

I think it's very fair that developers spend their time on other priorities.

You mean things that are a priority to you?

I've seen this type of attitude in the forums of every one of the 6 DAWs I own. People fighting against a simple feature request just because they don't understand that request.

Custom track colors is a simple feature request, nothing more. If you're going to get triggered by that then there's the door. Don't let it hit you on the way out......

[Watchful]

Tek, this is a feature that has been requested before. Back when the developers interacted with us, the answer was pretty clear they're not going to introduce that feature as they hope to prevent support calls with white-on-white menus, for example. The 18 colors that are there are all we're going to get. Case closed, I think.

[Teksonik]

What do custom track colors have to do with white on white menus? Track Colors have nothing to do with menus. Maybe we're not on the same page here. This is what I'm talking about:

WF 093023-1.png

Those are track colors. For just one example here is how FL Studio handles the ability to create custom track colors:

FL 101023-1.png

We can enter either RGB or Hex values and there are other options as well. This ability has existed for many versions and no one has managed to break FL because of the feature. It's a similar case in other DAWs as well. Like I said this is not some far out feature. It's really quite common.

It sounds like the people asking for the feature didn't explain themselves clearly so when I upgrade to Pro I'll bring it up again with a detailed explanation, screenshots etc. So case not closed yet.

Is this the most important feature for Waveform? No of course not but it's something I'd like to see.

I've settled on an all gold theme and just use the amber/gold track colors for now. It's a functioning workaround but that doesn't diminish my desire for custom track colors.

[lmv]

I did not ask your advice.

Yes, you did. You posted in a forum. People will reply. It's what forums are for. If you don't want replies what you want is called a blog.

No if you'll learn to read I specifically said.....

Yes, I love it when angry people tell me I can't read. I've been working with translation, editing, proofreading and copy writing for 27 years. Before that, I was an English teacher for 11 years. I speak three languages and have actually worked with five. I wrote for a technology blog for three years where I was *invited* to proofread the other editors' articles. Contesting you doesn't make me illiterate overnight.

I don't like gaudy track colors and prefer a couple of simple muted colors.
It's even in the title of the thread. Please try to keep up with the discussion or keep out of it.

Is this when I am supposed to tell you to learn how to use forums? Is this when I am supposed to tell you that I have been a member of more than 150 forums and mailing lists and managed or moderated three of them since the 90s, since we are squabbling? Either way, you asked for something (more colors) and, under the same breath, expressed your wish for more subdued ("muted") colors because the available ones are gaudy. Well, in forums and mailing lists, we very often address both what the original poster described specifically and what their intention may be. That's because the original poster may fail to understand what they really want (yes, it happens) or because what they want specifically is not available or even possible and we try to offer the next best thing. And we do that because we want to help. Waveform has a restricted palette to adorn widgets. Exact custom colors like you want are merely not possible. What is the next best thing? In most circumstances, there wouldn't be any. But since you mentioned "gaudy" colors, said they are too bright and cause you discomfort, expressed your wish for "muted" colors (once again in your uncouth reply) and even posted two images that illustrated some kind of pastel blue, it was very reasonable for me to suggest the only recourse you can have in Waveform which is adjusting global shades. What I proposed is not all, but it is part of what you asked specifically. You even reiterated the part about "muted" colors. So don't call me illiterate. You just come across as childish by doing that.

Again a theme does not allow us to create custom track colors. Pink is still pink no matter the brightness or saturation. Get it?

See, you just reiterated in one single line that you demand custom colors (which are not available) and reminded us once again that what you really want is the ability to choose brightness or saturation. The two ideas in the same line. And you get all worked up and accuse me of being illiterate because - note the irony - I did understand everything you said and suggested something absolutely in line with what you want.

Or maybe you're mad because I criticized you for it. Criticism is part and parcel of forums and you totally deserve it. You have six DAWs? Six? Obviously, none of them is good enough for you. Six DAWs and you come here to complain about colors, even stating that you already have that precious feature in many other DAWs? Your problem is obvious: you are impossible to please. Even when you have exactly what you want in other DAWs, you still want to have an issue with the one DAW that doesn't have just exactly what you want. On top of it all, this is all about a DAW whose developing team is badly understaffed and has ceased to interact with this forum, the only corner of the Internet that the developers themselves used to consider an official support channel. I begin to understand why. Maybe you should upgrade your hobby from making presets to making DAWs. I suspect you won't be happy with any of them either, but maybe it's worth a try. Maybe you will find your Holy Grail.

I've seen this type of attitude in the forums of every one of the 6 DAWs I own. People fighting against a simple feature request just because they don't understand that request.

And I've seen your type of attitude in the Linux forums. Distro hopping. There are literally hundreds of Linux distros out there, but this special kind of individual is happy with none of them. I understand. I did some distro hopping in the beginning. Everything was so new to me and there was such a plethora of options I kept turning my head every which way. That was 21 years ago. Then I hopped two more times and finally settled. I've been with the current distro for 11 years. Yes, I would like this or that to be different, but making a fuss about all kinds of detail would just hurt me, nobody else. Life must go on. How can it not go on when you can choose from hundreds of distros or even SIX DAWs? Try telling that story to an old time producer who had no DAW and had to record everything on tape in the snow uphill both ways.

You mean things that are a priority to you?

I still miss the old Tracktion 5/6 GUI and I might mention that in a thread (I just did), but I'm not making that a feature request. It's clear that there are more important things to worry about. Functionality is always more important. Do you see me criticize other requests? I see people ask for things I don't even use. But they're related to function. They seem to be important. Colors? Holy heck, no, I can't agree with that. I hated it when Tracktion became Waveform and made a very dark theme the default. I loathe dark themes. The current options are not ideal to me either, I spent some 15 minutes trying to find a good compromise. My problem is actually worse than yours: I don't want custom colors for tracks only, I want custom colors for the entire GUI. Everything! I'm dead serious. It's not unheard of, at least not on Linux. But I have a sense of priority. I struggled a little with the built-in color mechanism and reached a compromise. I also wanted "muted" colors, just like you. I have them. Life goes on. I only have one DAW, not six. I don't want the Tracktion developers wasting their time on something so unimportant while much more important issues exist. This kind of counter argument is very typical of forums, happens every day. But yes, I get it. You want to be combative. You want to stand up to me. You take BS from no one. I get it. "Learn to read." Wow. How original. I'm going to pretend I haven't seen that one 100 times before in decades of experience with forums. What is next? I know: telling me you didn't read past the first line or paragraph to show how much you despise me, right? Pretend you didn't read everything in search of some insult that may be grounds for banning. Right again?

Don't let it hit you on the way out.

You don't get to tell me to go away. You don't own the forum. Block me if you want. Again, use what is available. On my part, I can promise you I won't try to help you again, not because I'm angry but because I think it's impossible to please you. But why take chances? Go ahead and block me. Do you use any social media? I'm just asking because this is a great chance to post something about how great it feels to block someone. You're guaranteed to get a good salvo of likes and applause. Trust me. I know forums.

[nowgad]

Yes, you did.

Something is chattering you from side to side. It seems that you have been moderating verbiage for too long and normal logic is inaccessible to you.

[Watchful]

Take,

Whether it's menus, track colors, plugin colors, or MIDI note colors, we've only got the 18 they give us and no more...and they're not going to change that. That was what they told us a couple years ago.

Trust me, I'd love additional colors, like you're asking for. I could make use of that.