From: Shamus Hammons Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 03:13:40 +0000 (-0600) Subject: Initial work on fixing up Plugins section. X-Git-Url: http://shamusworld.gotdns.org/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?a=commitdiff_plain;h=62f44f618e8577492283c2ccac9701ef699716c3;p=ardour-manual Initial work on fixing up Plugins section. --- diff --git a/include/favorite-plugins-window.html b/include/favorite-plugins-window.html index 20b6265..e106405 100644 --- a/include/favorite-plugins-window.html +++ b/include/favorite-plugins-window.html @@ -1,4 +1,9 @@ +
+Favorite Plugins window +
The Favorite Plugins window.
+
+

The Favorite Plugins window is on the top-left side of the Mixer Window. Like other elements in that window it has variable height and can be hidden by dragging it to zero-height. If it is not visible, the top-handle can be grabbed and dragged down to reveal it.

@@ -7,14 +12,19 @@ Plugin names that have a right facing triangle next to them have presets associated with them; clicking on the triangle will cause all presets associated with the plugin to show in the list.

-

Features

+

Features

+ +
+Dragging plugin to Favorites window +
Dragging a plugin to the window.
+

The Favorite Plugins window provides easy access to frequently used plugins:

- When favorites are added with the Plugin Manager, they are appended to the bottom of the list. + When favorites are added with the Plugin Manager, they are appended to the bottom of the list.

diff --git a/include/favorite-plugins-window_2.html b/include/favorite-plugins-window_2.html index 2679034..e106405 100644 --- a/include/favorite-plugins-window_2.html +++ b/include/favorite-plugins-window_2.html @@ -1,6 +1,8 @@ -Favorite Plugins wind -ow +
+Favorite Plugins window +
The Favorite Plugins window.
+

The Favorite Plugins window is on the top-left side of the Mixer Window. Like other elements in that window it has variable height and can be hidden by dragging it to zero-height. If it is not visible, the top-handle can be grabbed and dragged down to reveal it. @@ -10,9 +12,13 @@ ow"> Plugin names that have a right facing triangle next to them have presets associated with them; clicking on the triangle will cause all presets associated with the plugin to show in the list.

-

Features

+

Features

+ +
+Dragging plugin to Favorites window +
Dragging a plugin to the window.
+
-Dragging plugin to Favorites window

The Favorite Plugins window provides easy access to frequently used plugins:

diff --git a/include/managing-plugin-presets.html b/include/managing-plugin-presets.html index 7fe79f2..1eb50c2 100644 --- a/include/managing-plugin-presets.html +++ b/include/managing-plugin-presets.html @@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ These include 4 controls for managing plugin presets.

+

Add pictures

+

What Is a Plugin Preset?

+

A preset for a plugin is simply a saved set of values for all of a plugin's parameters. If you load a preset, you are restoring @@ -15,6 +18,7 @@

The Preset Selector

+

The preset selector is a regular selector that can be clicked to display a list of all known presets for this plugin. This @@ -23,6 +27,7 @@

Load a New Preset

+

Click on the preset selector to pop up a menu showing the names of all available presets. Click on the name of the preset you wish to load. @@ -31,6 +36,7 @@

Create a Preset

+

To save the current plugin settings as a new preset, click on the Add button at the top of the window. A dialog @@ -38,6 +44,7 @@

Save a Preset

+

If you wish to modify the settings in an existing preset, first use the preset selector to load the preset, then adjust the settings as @@ -47,11 +54,11 @@

Delete a preset

+

To delete an existing preset, use the preset selector to load the preset. Click the Delete button, and the preset will be removed. The preset selector turn blank, showing that no preset is currently loaded (although the settings will stay as they were).

- diff --git a/include/plugin-manager.html b/include/plugin-manager.html index 602895e..b47b0ec 100644 --- a/include/plugin-manager.html +++ b/include/plugin-manager.html @@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ The Plugin Manager serves two purposes. Primarily it is used to control the display status of plugins. It can also be used to find and insert plugins into the - Processor Box. It is + Processor Box. It is displayed either by a double-click in the Processor Box or by choosing New Plugin > Plugin Manager… from the Processor Box context menu. diff --git a/include/plugins-bundled-with-ardour.html b/include/plugins-bundled-with-ardour.html index 2e0d277..97420ae 100644 --- a/include/plugins-bundled-with-ardour.html +++ b/include/plugins-bundled-with-ardour.html @@ -1,6 +1,14 @@

- Ardour now comes with the following plugins as part of a standard installation: + Ardour does not come with any built-in signal processors of its own (other + than volume faders) but does ship, since v5.0, with the small group of + plugins listed below. These plugins are listed as authored by "Ardour Team", + which are LV2 plugins, and are named with "a-" as the start of the name (like + a-EQ) or are listed as authored by "Ardour LUA Task Force" in which case they + are example (but still useful) LUA scripts. These plugins use Ardour's + generic GUI, and they work on all supported platforms so that projects + started on one platform will sound the same on another platform—if they + use just these plugins.

@@ -15,11 +23,11 @@
a-Fluid Synth
Wraps the Fluidsynth SoundFont2 synthesis engine as a new sample player
a-High/Low Pass Filter
-
Independent high and low pass filters with steepness up to 48dB/octave
+
Independent high and low pass filters with steepness up to 48dB per octave
a-Inline Scope
A mixer strip inline waveform display
a-Inline Spectrogram
-
A mixer strip inline specturm display
+
A mixer strip inline spectrum display
a-MIDI Monitor
A mixer strip inline display to show recent MIDI events
a-Reverb
diff --git a/include/processor-box.html b/include/processor-box.html index 2e807f9..b913e30 100644 --- a/include/processor-box.html +++ b/include/processor-box.html @@ -1,5 +1,7 @@ -

the Processor Box

+
+the Processor Box +

In Ardour terminology, a processor is anything which treats the signal in some way and gets plugged into a mixer strip. Ardour provides several builtin processors such as the fader or panners. Processors can also be plugins used for effects or as instruments, as well as sends or inserts which affect signal routing. @@ -49,7 +51,10 @@

To Enable/Disable a Processor

-a typical processor +
+a typical processor +
A typical processor.
+

To the left of the name of each processor is a small LED symbol; if this is lit-up, the processor is active. Clicking on it will deactivate the processor and effectively bypass it. @@ -62,13 +67,13 @@

Selecting Processors

- A processor in the processor box can be selected with a Left-click on it; it will be highlighed in red. Other processors can be selected at the same time by Left-clicking on them while holding down the ‌ key, and ranges can be selected by Left-clicking on them while holding down the Shift key + A processor in the processor box can be selected with a Left-click on it; it will be highlighed in red. Other processors can be selected at the same time by Left-clicking on them while holding down the key, and ranges can be selected by Left-clicking on them while holding down the key.

Removing Processors

- Context-click on the processor to be removed, and select Delete; or Right-click on it; or Left-click on it and press the Delete key. If multiple processors are selected, they will all be deleted at the same time. + Context-click on the processor to be removed, and select Delete; or Right-click on it; or Left-click on it and press the Delete key. If multiple processors are selected, they will all be deleted at the same time.

diff --git a/include/using-windows-vst-plugins-on-linux.html b/include/using-windows-vst-plugins-on-linux.html index c8fcddd..25ae2f4 100644 --- a/include/using-windows-vst-plugins-on-linux.html +++ b/include/using-windows-vst-plugins-on-linux.html @@ -1,31 +1,66 @@

- Thanks to the combined work of Torben Hohn, Kjetil Mattheusen, Paul Davis and a few other developers, it is possible to use Windows VST plugins (that is, plugins in VST format built and distributed for the Windows platforms) on Ardour running on Linux. (Note: there is no VST support of any kind on OS X). + Thanks to the combined work of Torben Hohn, Kjetil Mattheusen, Paul + Davis and a few other developers, it is possible to use Windows + VST + plugins (that is, plugins in VST format built and distributed + for the Windows platforms) on Ardour running on Linux. (Note: there + is no VST support of any kind on OS X).

-

However, doing so has three substantial downsides:

+

However, doing so has three substantial downsides:

- The dependence on Wine makes it almost impossible for the Ardour project to support this feature. Wine's functionality generally improves over time, but any given release of Wine may behave worse with some or all Windows VST plugins. It may even just crash Ardour completely. + The dependence on Wine makes it almost impossible for the Ardour + project to support this feature. Wine's functionality generally + improves over time, but any given release of Wine may behave worse + with some or all Windows VST plugins. It may even just crash Ardour + completely.

- Step back and think about what "using Windows VSTs" really means: taking bits of software written with only one idea in mind—running on the Windows platform—and then trying to use them on an entirely different platform. It is a bit of a miracle (largely thanks to the incredible work done by the Wine project) that it works at all. But is this the basis of a stable, reliable DAW for a non-Windows platform? Getting Ardour on Linux to pretend that its really a Windows application running on Windows? + Step back and think about what "using Windows VSTs" really means: + taking bits of software written with only one idea in mind—running + on the Windows platform—and then trying to use them on an entirely + different platform. It is a bit of a miracle (largely thanks to the + incredible work done by the Wine project) that it works at all. But is + this the basis of a stable, reliable DAW for a non-Windows platform? + Getting Ardour on Linux to pretend that its really a Windows + application running on Windows?

- We understand that there are many outstanding plugins available as Windows VSTs and that in many cases, no equivalent is available for Ardour's Linux-based users. If your workflow is so dependent on those plugins, then remain on Windows (or potentially consider using an actual Windows VST host running inside of Wine). If you can make the effort, you will get a better environment by using a normal build of Ardour and exploring the world of plugins built to run on Linux natively. This covers LADSPA, LV2 and Linux VST formats, and even some outstanding proprietary plugins such as those from LinuxDSP and Loomer. + It is understandable that there are many outstanding plugins available as + Windows VSTs and, that in many cases, no equivalent is available for Linux. + If a workflow is so dependent on those plugins, Ardour should be used on + Windows (or potentially used with an actual Windows VST host running inside + of Wine). If the effort can be made, a better environment can be obtained by + using a normal build of Ardour and exploring the world of plugins built to + run on Linux natively. This covers LADSPA, LV2 and Linux VST formats, and + even some outstanding proprietary plugins such as those from + Loomer.

A Plea To Plugin Manufacturers

- Please consider porting your plugins so that users can enjoy them on Linux too. Several other commercial plugin developers have already done this. You can choose between using "Linux VST" (which is what Loomer and others have done)—you will find toolkits like JUCE that help to make this fairly easy—or using LV2 format which is ultimately more flexible but probably more work. We have users—thousands of users—on Linux who would like to use your plugins. + Please consider porting your plugins so that users can enjoy them on + Linux too. Several other commercial plugin developers have already + done this. You can choose between using "Linux VST" (which is what + Loomer and others have done)—you will find toolkits like JUCE that + help to make this fairly easy—or using LV2 format which is + ultimately more flexible but probably more work. We have + users—thousands of users—on Linux who would like to use your + plugins.

diff --git a/include/working-with-ardour-built-plugin-editors.html b/include/working-with-ardour-built-plugin-editors.html index 57ad9ba..41e3fb6 100644 --- a/include/working-with-ardour-built-plugin-editors.html +++ b/include/working-with-ardour-built-plugin-editors.html @@ -4,23 +4,26 @@ processor box. A new window will appear showing the editor/GUI for the plugin.

+ +

Add a pic showing the generic GUI

+

If a plugin does not have its own GUI, Ardour will construct a generic plugin editor from a small set of common control elements. Ardour will do this even for plugins that have their - own, if you disable Edit > Preferences > - GUI > Use Plugins' own interface instead of Ardour's + own, if Edit > Preferences > + GUI > Use Plugins' own interface instead of Ardour's is disabled.

+

- You can temporarily switch to the generic UI by context-clicking on - a processor and selecting Edit with generic controls. This will be necessary to - access the plugin automation controls. + The generic UI can be temporarily switched to by context-clicking on + a processor and selecting Edit with generic controls. + This is necessary in order to access the plugin + automation controls.

+

- In the generic UI, you can re-set any controller to its default by - Left-clicking on it. + In the generic UI, any controller can be reset to its default state by + Left-clicking on it.

- - diff --git a/include/working-with-plugins.html b/include/working-with-plugins.html index ca0d664..8cc057d 100644 --- a/include/working-with-plugins.html +++ b/include/working-with-plugins.html @@ -1,33 +1,20 @@ - - -

Plugins are bits of software that get loaded by Ardour in order to:

+

+ Plugins are bits of software that get loaded by Ardour in order to:

-

Ardour does not come with any built-in signal processors of its own - (other than volume faders) but does ship with a small group of - plugins starting at Ardour 5.0. The shipped plugins are listed as authored by "Ardour Team" - and named with "a-" as the start of the name (Like a-EQ) or Authored by - "Ardour LUA Task Force" in which case they are example (but still useful) - LUA scripts. The included plugins are LV2 or LUA scripts and use - Ardour's generic GUI. They work on all supported platforms so that - projects started on one platform will sound the same on another platform - if they use just these plugins or other plugins that - are cross platform. - They are written by 3rd parties, though we do provide some - information on how to get them. +

+ They are usually written by 3rd parties, though a few come as part of a standard Ardour install. The sources for plugins are many and varied; see here for some information on how to get them.

-

-Ardour supports a variety of different plugin standards: -

-
+

+ Ardour supports a variety of different plugin standards: +

+
LADSPA
An early, simple, lightweight plugin API, audio effects only, @@ -58,10 +45,10 @@ Ardour supports a variety of different plugin standards:

Adding/Removing/Copying Plugins

-

Within Ardour, plugins are just another type -of Processor and so the techniques for -adding/removing/copying/moving processors apply to plugins as -well. These techniques are covered on -the Processor -Box page.

+

+ Within Ardour, plugins are just another type of Processor and so + the techniques for adding/removing/copying/moving processors apply to plugins + as well. These techniques are covered on the + Processor Box page. +