Save and recall workspace states

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fabiospark
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Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:08 pm

Save and recall workspace states

Post by fabiospark » Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:18 pm

Does anybody know if it is possible, directly or through a workaround, to save the state of a workspace at a given moment and then recall it later?

At least the tracks status: on/off, armed/not armed, muted, soloed, mappings, etc.

For instance, think of a project template for one man band tracking with the tracks for all the audio sources one can have as inputs:
2 mics for ac guitar, 2 mics for two voices, 2 mics for a piano, 1 click track and 1 reference track.
At first I would only select the click and select and arm the two guitar mics to track the guitar part.
Then I would deselect the click, disarm the guitars, and select and arm the pianos.
Then I would disarm the pianos and select and arm the first voice.
Then I would disarm the first voice and select and arm the second voice.
Then I would disarm the second voice and select the reference.
Should I decide to do some punch in with the guitar or any other source, to go back to that "state" I would have to deselect every track I need to
and then go back and reselect the others to get back to the "end tracking" status".

As the template and the steps will always be the same for the tracking sessions of the next projects, it would be nice to be able to create "tracks status" macros to recall the config (status) you need for that tracking step: "Tracking guitar"; "Tracking piano"; "Tracking voice 1", etc..
Of course it would even be nicer if we could have a sort of a custom menu or a toolbar or a ribbon with the ability to add buttons to launch the macros, ike MS Office "assign macro" buttons.
I think it would quickly become the most frequented place in Ableton GUI: wouldn't it?
Thanks.

[jur]
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Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by [jur] » Sun Apr 11, 2021 1:56 pm

Topic moved to the Feature Wishlist sub-forum.
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Angstrom
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Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by Angstrom » Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:43 pm

Here’s a bit of a non answer

As is the usual yet slightly unsatisfying response to most of these workflow automation questions “you can do that in Max”
I say “unsatisfying” because while the API exposes everything required and there will be numerous “mix snapshot” type devices in the M4L public repo ... you’ll find most are not quite what you want.

I made one for myself but it’s more of a live performance tool which resets the sends to -inf, or resets the mix as required for each song (so I can ruin it again) or drops out the bass channel, etc. To be recalled. Essentially a series of different panic buttons.

But as I say ... you’d find it unsuitable for what you want. The horrifying actual real world answer will be: try to build one yourself in M4L, make a bit of a mess of it and eventually give up.
Source: bitter experience.

fabiospark
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Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:08 pm

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by fabiospark » Sun Apr 11, 2021 2:55 pm

Yeah, when I wrote my post, I thought for a moment to add "(M4L?)" in the first line, after "directly or through a workaround" but I decided against it because I once tried to look into M4L device creation and I found it just a waste of time because I couldn't figure out how to proceed and I didn't find an example (or template) to use as a guide, so I gave up. I know a little of VBA, AutoLISP, and some PLC programming but the mindset I managed to build learning thode languages was clearly not enough.

Justo out of curiosity, should I develop a tool like the one I described (aka, a list of states), where should then will I have to place it?

Thanks.

chapelier fou
Posts: 6002
Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 12:15 pm

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by chapelier fou » Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:51 am

Check out my Grand Duc device on maxforlive.com. Maybe you’ll like it.
MacBook Pro 13" Retina i7 2.8 GHz OS 10.13, L10.0.1, M4L.
MacStudio M1Max 32Go OS 12.3.1

doubleUG
Posts: 246
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:19 am

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by doubleUG » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:51 pm

copy the text, open Live > drag in empty M4L device > open Max editor > paste > save M4L device
https://docs.cycling74.com/max8/vignett ... ng_patches

https://doubleUG.bandcamp.com/releases

jonljacobi
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Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:36 am

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by jonljacobi » Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:19 pm

T'would be nice. It would be especially nice if you could switch rapidly between them using the menu or keystrokes. Like Cakewalk's lenses.

Wouldn't take much work either. Every time you save you're basically saving the workspace state so the code is already there. Make this a suggestion at centercode. Or I will if you want.

fabiospark
Posts: 50
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:08 pm

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by fabiospark » Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:18 pm

doubleUG wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:51 pm
perhaps https://www.ableton.com/de/packs/kapture/
That is the idea. Thanks for pointing me to it.
I tried it but it seems it doesn't save/recall the track arm state though.

If anybody knows it can, please let me know how to do it.

Thanks.
Last edited by fabiospark on Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

fabiospark
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Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:08 pm

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by fabiospark » Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:32 pm

jonljacobi wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 7:19 pm
...
Make this a suggestion at centercode. Or I will if you want.
I really know nothing about centercode so, please go ahead, if you don't mind...

I had a look at the device in edit mode and I can see there is a .js file at the heart of it
so I wonder if any skilled m4l and/or js programmer would see any value in expanding Kapture2 functionalities
or make it more configurable.

But for know, as it is, it's better than nothing.
Thanks.
f.

jonljacobi
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Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:36 am

Re: Save and recall workspace states

Post by jonljacobi » Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:36 pm

I'll see if it's been suggested, and suggest it if not. It can speed workflow significantly if used properly. And like I said, they already know how to do it.

~Jon

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