u-he

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:42 pm

After downloading the demo and messing with it, I have a question. If you play a note, starting changing parameters, and let go of the note, the note will continue sounding. Is this intentional?

beej · Post by **beej** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 10:51 pm

What's your platform and plugin format?

I get this using Logic with the caps lock keyboard on - but this is a Logic issue and happens on everything (when you open flip menus, not changing knobs).

I reported this to Apple via the Logic feedback page...

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:48 am

I think this is a problem in some hosts. It gets the key down event before you click into the plugin gui. But when you click into the plugin gui it takes over the keyboard focus and so any key up event goes into the plugin. These hosts that offer a virtual keyboard should IMHO not assume that their keyboard focus persists.

My stuff needs keyboard focus because I'm silently working on full accessibility by keyboard for the user interface, i.e. to support the needs of visually impaired people. And even if I don't get there perfectly, there are some functions that will sooner or later be handled by keyboard input.

Cheers,

Urs

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:02 pm

I use FLStudio on a PC. It's not really a big deal, just curious.

beej · Post by **beej** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:15 pm

BTW I love the fact that the preset list and other scrolly things support the mouse scroll wheel. I just wish Spectrasonics would do this in the browser in RMX - they keep saying it's impossible to do it properly...

magog · Post by **magog** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 12:44 am

Urs wrote: My stuff needs keyboard focus because I'm silently working on full accessibility by keyboard for the user interface, i.e. to support the needs of visually impaired people. And even if I don't get there perfectly, there are some functions that will sooner or later be handled by keyboard input.

This is fabulous news! I wish other plugin authors would do this! In the general case, software has become more and more keyboard accessible over the years, but music plugins have stayed mouse only.

A related question: is there a technical reason that Filterscape (and presumably Zebra) can't use the preset management built in to the VST host?

Both Chainer and Cubase have tree-based preset browsers that are completely keyboard accessible and well-integrated into the host UI. I feel that the tendency of plugin authors to reinvent patch browsers is a step backwards: each plugin ends up with its own interface, and each interface has its own usability quirks and problems. The biggest one for me is keyboard accessibility, but other common problems are: not responding to the scroll wheel, or having a non-standard scrollbar (e.g. you can't drag the position bar or you can't click above or below it to page up and down).

I'm guessing that the VST or AU specs are too limiting in some way to use the hosts preset managment?

In all other respects other than the preset browser, I think that Filterscape and Zebra have the best plugin UIs I've ever seen.

Michael

akozlov · Post by **akozlov** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 9:38 pm

Urs, could you make this keyboard focus grabbing behavior optional rather than compulsory?

Timfonie · Post by **Timfonie** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 12:09 am

Urs wrote:

(...) I'm silently working on full accessibility by keyboard for the user interface

I love that!

Apart from increased accessibility for visually impaired people it can speed up work-flow and provides us with the opportunity to variate the way we control Zebra (which might be good for both our health and mood

).

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:18 am

Yes, but it's still a hard and long way to go.

I think this option will not arrive before I have managed to implement skins for user interfaces (along with a special accessibility skin)...

Timfonie · Post by **Timfonie** » Sat Oct 14, 2006 10:59 am

I'll be patient.

u-he

KVR Audio

Z2 question.