Some controls not working on VST in Reaper... SOLVED

[Spogg]

Thanks RJ and no problems now.

But...

like tulamide, I like to know the exact details

Where I'm at now is that it seems that some Ruby stuff works and some doesn't, when the stream is off.
So, what is the bit of code or whatever in Ruby that causes this odd behaviour? How can I predict what will work and what won't? Can I say that knobs will always work but other things might not?

Cheers

Spogg

[tulamide]

Hey Spogg,

congratulation for having solved this!

I want you to look at the line more closely:

Run FX when stopped.

You had this un-checked. So your system was set to don't run FX when stopped. Do you see what this means?

Flowstone is the only VST plugin that at least tries to exectute the order from Reaper! So the reall buggy ones are all the other plugins that keep running although they shouldn't!

Regarding Ruby: It is somewhere in between green and stream. Its clock is slaved to the asio clock when asio is running, it is in total sample sync via frames while accessing audio. At the same time it can do everything that green can, even if there is no audio out.

Basically it is almost no wonder that it behaves like that

But keep on investigating. I would be interested to hear why Flowstone isn't concequently shutting down, but only partly, when this setting is un-checked.

[RJHollins]

--- EDIT --- this post written before, but posted after T's message ....

Hi Spogg,

I wish we still had the SM forum link ... I had posted of this issue a lot ... anyway

I remember that the new pull-down menu selectors did not work. When I replaced them with the old SM pull-downs, they did. [old were GREEN, new [FS] were RUBY.

2. I had a countdown TIMER routine. I needed to delay the activation of ProgramChange commands coming from my FS-VST plugin. I needed to wait until the DAW had finished loading in everything. That would NOT work when placed only on the MASTER trk without any multi-trks inserted. [this was a real pain, as my tester was using the Master Trk for a fast test/check, and said the interface would not function].

The Reaper setting that NuBeat identified fixed all that.

To your question ... yes, it would be good to know what RUBY is tied to this issue if is is something specific.

On a totally un-related ...

IS there some parameter or call that could be picked up with FS that flags that the DAW has fully loaded a project ??
I know it might sound crazy, but I'm currently using a user defined count-down timer that delays initiation of sending MIDI parameters into the chain until a group of VSTi samplers have loaded in their sounds. It's a guess game with many variables [including overall system speed].

anyway ... following this thread with interest.

[Spogg]

GOT IT (I think!).

I've spent a few hours on this and finally found what Ruby code fails to run when the DAW is inactive.

It's the Output(n) command.

Everything else running purely "inside" Ruby modules continues to function with no stream, but any Ruby module that produces an output doesn't give the output.
I really don't see why this should be but I just bet you that tulamide will teach me something (I hope!).

I've attached the schematic and its VST which indicates what's happening here. The knobs move, the switches change, the LEDs light up but there is no output displayed on the readouts, unless the stream is on. And it's not the readouts, as you will see from the green-only column, which uses the same readout module. I have used 2 readouts that use Ruby and they work with the stream off because they don't produce an output; the value displayed is generated purely inside the Ruby module, so they work.

I'm still thinking bug and I personally don't welcome this behaviour. All the other VSTs I tried all worked fully with stream off and I can see that this is down to the Ruby Output command not functioning as I would expect. It gives the user the impression that the VST is dodgy and they have to make config changes to run FS plugins whereas they don't for other VSTs.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this...

Cheers

Spogg

[tulamide]

To prevent any possible influence from mouse events (your examples all send to an output from within a mouse method), I created a simple test plugin where a RubyEdit generates a trigger every second and sends it to an output. A second RubyEdit increases a number on incoming triggers and draws the number.

I can confirm it is the Ruby output. Explained test only works when the option in Reaper is checked. Which also means, it behaves correctly!But it also shows that only the Ruby outputs work correctly.

It's probably easier to make the Ruby outputs working wrong, than all the other working right.

And there I'm pretty stubborn: Something doesn't get right just because the majority works that way! It clearly says to not run fx when stopped, and the Ruby outputs do so. But I understand that you prefer the plugin to work like the majority.

And something is buggy for sure, either the Ruby outputs or all the rest of a schematic!

[Spogg]

To prevent any possible influence from mouse events (your examples all send to an output from within a mouse method), I created a simple test plugin where a RubyEdit generates a trigger every second and sends it to an output. A second RubyEdit increases a number on incoming triggers and draws the number.

I can confirm it is the Ruby output. Explained test only works when the option in Reaper is checked. Which also means, it behaves correctly!But it also shows that only the Ruby outputs work correctly.

It's probably easier to make the Ruby outputs working wrong, than all the other working right.

And there I'm pretty stubborn: Something doesn't get right just because the majority works that way! It clearly says to not run fx when stopped, and the Ruby outputs do so. But I understand that you prefer the plugin to work like the majority.

And something is buggy for sure, either the Ruby outputs or all the rest of a schematic!

Hey thanks for doing all that tulamide, very much appreciated.

I could understand if the output issue was only affecting audio stream (frame) outputs but I see that Ruby can output all kinds of stuff. As to which is "right" I'll fight you over a beer one day maybe

Like in your float value accuracy topic, what I would like is consistency and I think that since green runs then so should Ruby, with no stream.

Do you think I should report this as a bug?

Cheers

Spogg

[tulamide]

Haha, trying to hit me with my own weapons? I am for consistency, but I also said I don't care in which way
I'm looking forward to having a beer with you some day

Do you think I should report this as a bug?

I quote myself: "(6) Find the unusual. If it is a bug you will always find at least one thing that's unusual."
So you should bring it to their attention, and we can pass the decision to DSPR.

[RJHollins]

Only DSPR would know if this is a bug, an over-sight, or a attribute of RUBY output.

2. I also cannot confirm that this 'frozen' controls happen in any other DAW than REAPER.

3. If only REAPER ... is it possible that THEY went to far into the official specs, yet offer an option to over-ride. I don't know. [I mention this in light of certain DAW's and plugin chainers RELY on the VST 'MAGIC' number to identify a plugin, where other DAW's use filename. The strict 'Standard' IS this 'Magic' number. [and yes, I have run into this issue with other plugins NOT from FS]].

4. So ... it would be helpful to hear the 'Official' position on this.

Until then ... continued thanks to NuBeat for identifying a solution.

[Spogg]

@RJ

I got the same issue in Sonar 8 but I don't have any other DAWs to test. However, because of this it's at least not only Reaper.

Cheers

Spogg

[RJHollins]

Spogg,

ah ... thanks for sharing that info.

Since my new computer build, I've not installed my other [older] DAW's.

Still, this is not good, and raises other questions ... like FS project as a 'stand alone' ... they are suppose to work ?!?