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For processes that take Parameters, Soundshaper opens a customised PARAMETER PAGE.
This section describes how to set parameter values.To test your parameter settings, optionally click the PREVIEW button.
When you have finished setting parameters:
Click the RENDER button (or ENTER key) to run the process and return to the Main Page.
Or click the CANCEL button (or ESC key) to quit the page and the process.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
For most processes, you need to set values for the various PARAMETERS which control the process. Soundshaper knows the requirements of each process and sets up the page accordingly, displaying only the relevant parameters, with appropriate value ranges and normally a default starting value.
Parameters typically take a single numerical value, though very many can optionally be time-varying, with the single value replaced by a text data file, usually of time value pairs.
Many parameters are optional, or may have a default value which will be applied if you do not set a value. Other parameters may require a specific type of text datafile, and these types are described in the CDP documentation (CDP Files & Codes).
SOUNDFILE PLAYER
New in Soundshaper 6 is the addition of the soundfile viewer/player, mirroring that on the Main Page. The player is described fully in the SOUNDFILE PLAYER section.
The player shows the input soundfile, and later the result of any PREVIEW. For Spectral processes (filetype .ana), it shows the soundfile equivalent and its file length. The actual input file-length is given in the top-right of the page; for spectral files, this is invariably slightly longer than the player's soundfile. Some CDP file types cannot be played, however (e.g. pitch, formant and envelope files) and in these cases, the player is not available.
PREVIEWS
Also new in Soundshaper 6 is a preview facility on the Parameter Page, allowing you to quickly experiment with and compare different parameter settings, before returning the chosen one to the Main Page.
Previews are described in the PREVIEW section below.
MODES and PROCESS GROUPS
Many CDP programs have MODES, which are normally related aspects of the same process. (Occasionally they are in effect different processes and Soundshaper presents them as such.)
Select a Mode by clicking on the appropriate "Radio Button" Mode 1 is usually pre-selected. (Keyboard Shortcut: CTRL+F1,2,...etc.) For example, for FILTER SWEEP you choose between High-Pass, Low-Pass, Band-Pass and Notch:
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Each mode is associated with a selection of parameters. Parameters that are not relevant to the mode are hidden.
Most of the time, Soundshaper's Modes and CDP's Modes coincide. There are exceptions, however: sometimes Soundshaper may split a CDP program over two or more processes, where CDP acknowledges only one function with several Modes. CDP Error Messages always refer to the CDP Mode number.
MERGED PROCESSES
It is quite common throughout Soundshaper for related CDP functions to share the same parameter page, as separate modes. This occurs especially when a new function is released which is little more than a modal variant of an existing one. For example, WAVESET-DISTORT FREQUENCY (Shortname: CycFreq), merges four CDP Distort functions: Multiply, Divide, Harmonic and Fractal. If the grouping is a new one, the original or previous function can still be run within a Patch and there will normally be a legacy item (in the menu XTRA | LEGACY) to access and change the original parameter values.
The CDP function name and Mode number (if applicable) is always shown in the Status Panel at the bottom of the page and clicking on this leads to CDP's Reference Documentation for the function.
PROCESS GROUPS
In some cases, processes have been grouped together and appear on the one Parameter page, as they share identical (or very similar) parameters and grouping permits them to share presets too. One process in the group will be pre-selected by the menu item, but there is a radio-button group to select the related processes:
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Wherever possible, parameters in common have their values transferred between processes when you change process. If there is not a match, the default parameter value will be shown. Soundshaper does not store your current parameter settings as you switch processes, so if you change your mind and switch back again, the default value will re-appear. You can avoid this pitfall by storing settings in one of the Snapshot buttons before changing the process.
Initially, only some TEXTURE processes were grouped in this way (e.g. Ornate, grouped with PreOrnate and PostOrnate). However, the practice has been greatly extended with the advent of new processes in CDP Release 8.
OPTIONS
Many processes also have a range of OPTIONS. (They are often referred to as "flags" in the CDP documentation.) These are selected by checkboxes at the left of the page (or by keyboard shortcuts Ctrl+Alt+F1, F2, F3,.. etc.):
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You can normally select more than one Option, as required.
SETTING PARAMETER VALUES
As you choose a Mode, various parameter panels become visible or invisible:
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Each parameter has its own panel clicking anywhere within the panel makes that the current parameter. You can also use Shortcut Keys (CTRL+1 etc), listed in the Parameter Menu, to select a parameter quickly (assuming it is visible). The currently selected parameter is shown in a small panel at the bottom-left of the screen.
When a process has more parameters than can fit on the page, a scroll bar allows you to scroll down to reveal the remaining parameters.
OPERATING FADERS
Most parameters have a standard fader control and a Parameter Edit Box for entering single values directly. The range of values is given below the fader; if you set values within the given range, Soundshaper should assemble a valid CDP command line.
Drag the fader to the position required.
To fine-tune the value, either:
- click on the arrow buttons or
- click in the groove to the right or left of the fader "handle", then use the Left-Right keyboard arrow keys (< and >).
Having operated one of the L-R cursor keys, you can then use the following:
- Up/Down arrow keys move the fader by a larger increment.
- Page Up/Down keys increment or decrement the value by 10% of the range.
- The INSERT key moves the fader to its middle position (not always the middle of the range).
- The DELETE key moves the fader to the default value.
MANUAL EDITING
The actual numerical value is shown in the Parameter Edit Box, which you can edit manually to obtain a finer resolution (e.g. more decimal points) or a wider range of values.
The Edit-Box value is the one passed to the CDP process and stored in Snapshots or Presets.PARAMETER VALUE RANGES
Many faders do not offer the full CDP range for a parameter, perhaps because it is too wide to handle or is of use only in extreme cases. The full legal range is given in the Hints and/or the Usage Description. You are free to enter any value you like into the Edit Box; however, values that exceed the CDP range will generate a CDP Error message.
Error Checking
Soundshaper has comprehensive error checking of values that fall outside Soundshaper parameter ranges.
- If you exceed the Soundshaper range, a warning is given, which you can over-ride if you want a more extreme value.
- Data in time-varying breakpoint files (see below) is also checked, both for time (so that it doesn't exceed the length of the Infile) and value.
- Many High / Low parameter pairs are checked, plus some more specialist parameter dependencies, where one parameter is dependent on the value in another (e.g. in the process ZIGZAG).
File-Dependent Ranges
Certain parameters have ranges which Soundshaper adjusts according to various aspects of the Infile, including:
- file-length very commonly, the maximum value is the length of the file in seconds or milliseconds.
- windows (spectral processes) the number of analysis windows in the file.
- channel (spectral processes) the number of analysis channels in the file.
- channel bandwidth (spectral processes) the analysis resolution.
The values relating to spectral processes can be checked from the Main Page by looking at the PVOC settings: Menu Spectral | PVOC | PVOC Settings (Ctrl+F5). On the Parameter Page, you can see the values passed to the page using HELP | Show Analysis File info (or Alt+\). Some of these values, such as the number of analysis channels or time-windows, are needed for spectral-process parameters (for example, AVERAGE and BLUR).
RANDOM VALUES
Values can be randomized: click on the Parameter Panel's R button. If the Limit checkbox is checked, randomization is limited to a set percentage of the fader range (e.g. 5% as shown below):
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The larger RANDOMIZE button randomizes all (single) parameter values, without performing any checks on them. Some results might be nonsensical (e.g. END before START) and need further adjustment. Some CDP processes already have randomization in the form of a SCATTER parameter, or linked LOW-HIGH values (e.g. in GRAIN, and TEXTURE processes).
START-END TIMES
Many processes (especially in the EDIT menu) have parameters, such as START or FROM, that refer to a time in the Infile. If Option 3 Loops/Markers to Paramters is set on the Main Page and Process At Loop Points or Process At Markers is also selected on the Main Page, the Loop Points or visible Marker times are transferred to the relevant START/FROM or END times on the Parameter Page. The whole (sound)file is processed within CDP, using these times (or their replacements, if you edit them).
This feature is also described in the section Timed Processes.
OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
Optional Parameters have a Y/N checkbox (yes/no) and the name is enclosed within brackets. Check the Y/N box if you want to include the parameter, or simply operate the fader or enter a value in the edit box.
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If an optional parameter is not set, CDP may use a default value. The edit box shows the default value. Otherwise, it shows a typical "off" value, such as 0.
HIDING OPTIONAL PARAMETERS
You can hide optional parameters on Parameter pages. This may make many processes easier to use and the key parameters easier to see.To hide them globally, select Options | Hide Optional Parameters (or Shift+F11) on the Main Page. Parameter Pages will be displayed with any optional parameters hidden.
To hide them on a Parameter Page, select Params | Hide Optional Parameters (or Shift+F11) on the Parameter Page. Here you can use Shift+F11 as a toggle switch to hide / unhide parameters as necessary. (When they're hidden, the Menu item is renamed "Show Optional Params"). If you have opted to hide parameters globally, you can still show them on an individual page, without affecting the global setting.
N.B. Hiding parameters deselects any Optional Parameters which have already been selected: the Y/N checkbox becomes unchecked. Similarly, if a preset which contains an optional parameter is recalled while "Hide" is on, the optional parameter will not be visible and will not be implemented. Hence it is advisable to show all parameters before recalling presets.
HINTS & HELP
IN and OUT FILES
The Parameter Page's top-right panel shows data about the process's Infiles, including the main Infile length:
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while at the bottom of the page, the bottom-right status panel shows the expected Outfile type for the process.
For some functions (mostly INFO ones), Soundshaper displays an Outfile Edit box where you must enter an outfile name and, optionally, choose an output folder. A possible name is usually suggested. If a named outfile is compulsory, Soundshaper will not run the process until you enter one.
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INFORMATION PANEL
Mode, Parameter and Options descriptions are shown in an Information Panel at the bottom of the screen as the mouse passes over the appropriate Parameter panel or Mode /Option selector:
- Mode / Option Description. the Information Panel shows a description of the chosen Mode or Option.
- Parameter Decription. Clicking on the fader, or elsewhere within the panel, brings up parameter information in the Information Panel. This usually includes range information the legal range may often be well beyond the range of the fader and you can manually edit the value box to suit your requirements.
QUICK HELP
Further help is available as a pop-up Quick Help. This provides a summary of the process and its key parameters, as implemented in Soundshaper, with accurate parameter value-ranges. (The aim is complement the description in the CDP documentation, which may have a different order of modes and parameters, and slightly different parameter names.)
Hit F1 (or Menu: Help | Quick Help) to open the pop-up Help in its own window. The window's text can be re-sized and it is closed using the ESC key or its own CLOSE button.
CDP DOCUMENTATION
The CDP process name is given in the Information Panel at the bottom of the page (and on the Main page). Clicking on this leads to the CDP Help page, as does Menu: Help | CDP Help (or Alt+F1), if you have set the path to the CDP Docs folder in SETTINGS. If the option on the Main and Parameter pages "Online CDP Help" (Shift+F12) is checked and your computer is online, the link is to the online CDP Documentation, which is always the most up-to-date. (The online documentation also opens in the subsection for the process itself, whereas the offline version opens in the appropriate .html page.)
CDP also has a concise Usage Statement for each program. To see this, type the program name (only) in a command-line console window that has been set up for CDP. (A typical batch file for this is described in Appendix: CDP Console.)
SOUNDSHAPER HELP
Menu: Help | Help ( or Shift+Ctrl+F1) is linked to this manual. If the process is a spectral one (only), the link should be to a description in this manual's CDP section. (If this is not available, Soundshaper launches the equivalent page in CDP Help.)
The links to Quick Help, CDP Docs and the Soundshaper Manual mirror those on the Main Page. The only difference is that Quick Help on the Main Page must be checked before the process is selected, whereas here on the Parameter Page, the process has already been chosen.
TIME-VARYING PARAMETERS & DATAFILES
Many parameters can vary with time. Selecting the 'T-V' (Time-varying) checkbox brings up a default filename (within your User Folder) instead of a numerical value
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Some datafiles are not actually time-varying: for these, 'T-V' is just a convenient short label for 'Datafile'. Other datafiles are compulsory. For these there is no T-V checkbox: the Parameter Panel shows the value type as "filename" or "datafile" and the default filename is displayed.
DEFAULT DATAFILES
Soundshaper is supplied with default datafiles covering almost all processes; in many cases, the values (especially the time-varying ones) are notional and are intended as templates. You might wish to customize and overwrite some of these with values that better suit your needs.
When you first check T-V, the default datafile is loaded if it exists. (Even if it is not found, its filename is still displayed in the Parameter Edit box: the filename and its default location are given as a possible starting point.)
The default location for default data is the Process Folder within your User Folder. (The User Folder is set in SETTINGS; the Process Folder is created automatically, using the Soundshaper Short Name.) Soundshaper looks there for the following file:
[User-Folder]\[Process-name]\[Parameter-name].brk /.txtIf not found there, it looks in the root of [User-Folder]:
[User-Folder]\[Parameter-name].brk /.txtThe second location could sometimes be a better place to store datafiles that are common to several processes (e.g. ratio.brk).
BREAKPOINT FILES
Most datafiles are time-varying Breakpoint files (.brk) of time and value pairs.
They are graphed in Soundshaper's GRAPH EDIT as a series of straight lines.A typical breakpoint table might be:
[TIME] [VALUE] (not part of the file!) 0 0 1.8361 71.2 2.394 67.2 3.096 0There are two important conventions about breakpoint files within CDP:
- Values are interpolated linearly (i.e. they change continuously) from one time to the next.
To hold the same value over a period, enter two successive times with the same value, and then perhaps change value:1.8361 71.2 2.394 71.2 2.3941 67.2- Times must normally increase, even if only by a tiny amount. (Times are normally defined in seconds, to 6 decimal places.)
Other datafiles
Many data files are not time-value breakpoint, but have a special format. These are always textfiles and most have the suffix .txt. The various formats are listed in CDP's documentation under FILE TYPES (filestxt.htm). Most (though not all) of these cannot be edited visually in GRAPH-EDIT (see below).
AUTO-SCALE
AUTO-SCALE is a checkbox on the Parameter Page, mirrored in the Main Page Options (Shift+F8) and SETTINGS Page (Options tab). Checking Auto-scale in Settings checks it on the Main Page; if checked there it is checked on the Parameter Page. (Checking/unchecking the "local" Parameter-page checkbox does not change the Option on the Main Page.)
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- If Auto-Scale is checked (or Shift+F8), the time-values of any time-varying datafile that is loaded are automatically scaled in proportion, exactly as if you had clicked the Edit-Memo's SCALE button.
- Scaling takes place when the datafile is loaded into (and displayed in) the Datafile Edit memo.
- At this point, the datafile itself has NOT been altered an asterisk is added to its name, as is common in word-processors and sound editors.
- If the file has been time-scaled, the SAVE CHANGES button is also visible. To keep the changes, click this button.
- You are recommended to set the Main-page Option, so that datafiles are automatically scaled on the Parameter page.
- There are occasions when time-scaling is not appropriate. (For example, if you run one of the CDP supplied tutorials, these depend on specific times for specific files.) In these circumstances, uncheck the option on the Parameter page.
Similarly, if you load your own datafile and are not sure whether scaling is appropriate, uncheck the option before loading the file. An example of this would be loading a file of From-To times (used e.g. in Multicuts): Auto-scaling risks changing the "From" times, but none of the "To" ones.
- Any default datafile that has been scaled can be recalled using the DEFAULT button: when recalled in this way, the default file is NOT scaled, even if the checkbox is checked. (If you then need to re-scale it, use the SCALE button.)
OUTFILE-BASED DATAFILES
In some CDP processes, Time-Varying datafiles are based not on Infile Length, but on the length of the OUTFILE. Here, you should try to specify the outfile DURATION first of all, so that Soundshaper can make the appropriate comparisons. Scaling is also based on the given Outfile DURATION. A list of these processes is given in the Appendix (see Outfile Based Time-Variation).
EDITING DATAFILES
When you select T-V, or click on the Parameter Panel if T-V is already checked, the datafile, if it exists, is displayed in the Datafile Edit Memo ready for editing:
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If AUTO-SCALE is checked, the time values of a time-varying datafile are automatically scaled.
The memo can be edited, much like a "Notepad" application. (Ctrl+E can be used to place the cursor in the edit box.)
When anything has been altered, the SAVE CHANGES button appears (as in the above screenshot).Various buttons are available:
- OPEN (CTRL+B) / SAVE (CTRL+S) / SAVE AS (CTRL+A) are standard file-selector buttons.
The initial folder for these can be pre-set: see LOADING/SAVING DATAFILES below.
SAVE overwrites the current datafile (use with caution); SAVE AS allows the file to be saved to another name or folder.
- EDIT (F6): the file is sent to Soundshaper's GRAPH EDIT page (details below).
- DEFAULT (F7) opens the default datafile for the parameter, if one exists.
- SCALE (F8) scales the left-hand column times (if applicable). The final time is assumed to equal the file-length and earlier times are scaled in proportion. If the AUTO-SCALE checkbox is checked (see AUTO-SCALE below), the times may already have been scaled automatically.
- PROJECT (CTRL+J) selects a current Project Folder for loading / saving datafiles. This can also be selected from the File Menu. Menu: Help | Show current Project Folder displays the current Project Folder.
- CLEAR (Ctrl+Del) clears the Edit memo.
SAVE CHANGES
The SAVE CHANGES button appears whenever there are any changes to the displayed datafile.
When the button is clicked (or CTRL+W), the datafile is saved to a temporary file in a cell-subfolder of the TEMP.OUTFILES folder (e.g. ~A_1\~rate.brk), ready to run.(The tilde character (~) indicates that the file and sub-folder are both temporary. The basic filename, e.g. 'rate', is not changed. The parameter edit box displays a shortened path, omitting the TEMP.OUTFILES folder, which Soundshaper prefixes as required.)
When you click OK to run the process, datafiles are saved to the temporary versions. If the cell is re-edited, the temporary name, not the original one, is shown in the Parameter Edit box. If you change your mind, you can easily recall the unedited default file (click DEFAULT button) or re-load your own file.
There are two reasons for using temporary files:
- Saving datafiles with the original paths would tie them to a specific folder and computer.
- Temporary files can be edited and re-edited without altering the original (or default) file on which they were based, which can therefore act as a template for future use.
N.B. Always click the SAVE CHANGES button when it appears. This includes time-scaling and generating Previews.
Until your changes have been saved, they are easily lost if you edit any other parameter.
Likewise, if you click the Graph-Edit button before clicking SAVE CHANGES, the original unscaled file is loaded into Graph-Edit.LOADING / SAVING DATAFILES
For speedy loading and saving of datafiles, a group of radio buttons allows you to pre-select an initial folder. This is used for all loading and saving operations on the Parameter Page:
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- Default Folder: this is [User-Folder]\[Process_name]\ (e.g. C:\CDP\TXT\Vibrato\).
The Default folder, or Process Folder, is a subfolder of your User-Folder.
Soundshaper looks in this folder first when searching for default datafiles and presets.
- Temp. Folder: the cell subfolder of your TEMP. OUTFILES folder (e.g. C:\CDP\TEMP\~A_1\ for cell A_1).
This is the folder in which the datafile will be saved before being run, or after you click SAVE CHANGES.
- Project Folder: A previously-selected Project Folder. If none has been selected, this starts in your User-Folder.
To select a Project Folder, see File | Select Project Folder (CTRL+J). This can be any folder you like, on any drive. The Project Folder is remembered on the Parameter page until you change it. (There are only two actual Parameter pages, set up differently for each process: one with 10 faders, the other with 20.)
Menu: Help | Show current Project Folder displays the current Project Folder.
(Note that this need not be the same as the Project Folder set globally in Settings.)Drag and Drop
Datafiles (.brk or .txt as appropriate) may also be loaded by DRAG + DROP from any open folder, such as a Project folder. The Datafile Edit Memo must be visible;. The edit box shows the correct type for the datafile (.brk or .txt); loading the wrong type generates an error message.
MARKERS and LOOPS TO DATA FILE
As on the Main page, time points can be entered as Markers on the Parameter page. The number of available Markers on both pages is now 100. Markers chosen on the Main page are normally passed to the Parameter page, and vice versa. This action is controlled by Option F3.
Loop Points and Markers can both be sent to the Data Edit Memo, either over-writing or replacing any times in the data.
The LoopPoint and Endtime buttons add the current loop-start and file-length values to the Markers list, as on the Main page. This allow you to step through the sound, adding suitable time-points one by one.
Additionally, on the Parameter Page, if a datafile is open in the Data Memo and the LoopPt to Data checkbox is checked, the time-point is also added to the data list. This applies similarly to adding the End Time.
Alternatively, LoopStart to Left Marker (see Markers Menu) puts the Loopstart time into the Left Marker slot, which must be empty. If LoopPt to Data is also checked, it replaces the time on the current line in the Data Memo (where the cursor is). Another option is Play Point to Markers (F3), which adds the play-cursor time to Markers; this can be done while the sound is playing.
Markers to Data Memo. You can send all the Markers to the Data Memo: see Markers Menu | Markers to Data Memo (Ctrl+Alt+D). A popup query offers a choice of overwriting the existing times (but not the values) or clearing the Memo and putting in the marker times and basic default values (the non-time-varying default is used). This latter option is a good starting point for graphic editing.
Some care may be needed, with the overwrite option, that the resulting times within the Data Memo are still in ascending order. (This is a basic requirement for times within CDP datafiles.)
As Soundshaper knows the format of each kind of datafile, it interprets the times accordingly. For parameters that use From-To pairs of times, it passes each pair to the Data Mamo: Marker 0 and 1, 1 and 2, 2 and 3, etc. If the pairs you want are not consecutive for example, 1 and 2, then 3 and 4 you will have to delete the unwanted entries manually.
Data Memo to Markers. You can also send all the Data Memo times to Markers: see Markers Menu | Data Memo to Markers(Alt+D). This is a useful way of sharing timepoints edited in Graph-Edit with other parameters that may need to match those times.
GRAPH-EDIT BUTTON
Clicking on the Graph-Edit button
sends the datafile, if it exists, to the Graph-Edit page. (Otherwise, you can start afresh on the Graph-Edit page with correct time and value scales.)
A dialog box offers several options for displaying the data:
- IMPORT: Display the data within the normal X (time) and Y (value) ranges for the parameter (usually the best option).
- OPEN: Display the data within range limits set by the file's own maximum and minimum values.
- OPENX: Display the data within the parameter's X (time) range, but using the data's maximum value for the Y range.
- RESCALE: Rescale the X (time) values proportionally to fit the current Infile. Cap Y values that exceed the current parameter's range (i.e. values that exceed the max. value are set to max.).
See the GRAPH-EDIT section for details on operating Graph-Edit.
When you click on OK in Graph-Edit, the data is saved to the temporary filename and appears in the Datafile Edit memo for further editing as required. If you click CANCEL, the data is not saved.
FILE LENGTH
While the (sound)file-length shown on the Main Page and the Parameter page is correct to 6 figures, the length shown in parameter edit boxes and sent to the Graph-Edit page is correct to the nearest (lower) millisecond. This is to avoid the possibility of any time-varying values exceeding the actual length of the file. If your final timepoint must be at the very end of the file, edit the final timepoint manually in the parameter edit box (single-value) or Edit Memo (datafile) and ignore any warnings given.
Note also that the final timepoint in a time-varying datafile might not at the end of the (sound)file. Auto-scaling assumes that it is.
Graph-Edit always supplies additional points at the start and end, as necessary although you will be asked if you want save these, they are normally discarded.
SNAPSHOTS
A single set of parameters can be stored temporarily as a SNAPSHOT. Snapshots are cleared when you exit Soundshaper.
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STORING A SNAPSHOT
- Click on one of the twelve Snapshot buttons. The button changes colour to green on black.
- The current parameter settings are stored.
- Datafile names are included, but not the files themselves, so take care that you do not overwrite these subsequently.
RECALLING / DELETING A SNAPSHOT
- To recall a snapshot, click on one of the green-labelled buttons.
- To delete a snapshot, double-click on one of the green-labelled buttons and click YES when prompted.
- The snapshot slots are shared by many different processes. If your recalled Snapshot would mean a change of process, you are prompted to confirm the change.
PARAMETER FILES
In addition to Snapshots, which are temporary storage, a single Parameter set can also be saved to file as a Parameter File (.prm), which is in effect a single PRESET.
- To save a Parameter file, see Menu: File | Save Snapshot to Parameter File (CTRL+K).
- To load a Parameter file, see Menu: File | Load Snapshot form Parameter File (CTRL+L).
You can also load a Parameter File by Drag+Drop from any open folder.Despite the menu titles referring to "Snapshot", the Parameter File simply saves the current parameter settings, whether these have been stored as a Snapshot or not.
The default folder for saving Parameter files is the Process Folder ([User-Folder]\[Process_name]); Soundshaper will open this first for both Saving or Loading, if it exists.
Datafiles associated with Parameter files are stored alongside them in a sub-folder of the same name. The datafile's name is preserved, less any tilde (~) that the filename had from being stored as a temporary file.
Parameter files are an easy way of saving presets, prior to building a collection of them in a Preset file (see below). They are used extensively by Soundshaper to store cell parameters, both in the TEMP. OUTFILES folder and when saving Patches. You can in fact load a parameter file directly from a patch sub-folder if you know that it matches the current process.
In addition to loading Parameter File presets on the Parameter Page, Soundshaper supports dragging and dropping them onto the Main Page. This leads immediately to the Parameter Page, where you OK the settings or can change them.
SAVE SETTINGS TO TEXT
The current parameter settings can also be saved as a readable textfile: select File | Save Settings to Text.
The file lists the date, the input and output files, the process name and the Soundshaper Mode, as well as the parameter names and values / datafile-names. Optional parameters not selected have the value "NO".
PRESETS
Presets are parameter sets which have been saved to a Preset file (.dat).
- Preset files can contain as little as one or as many presets as you like, up to a limit of 100 presets per CDP process.
- Preset files may contain presets from a variety of processes and there is no limit to the number of Preset files you can have.
- On a Parameter page, only those presets belonging to the current process are shown.
DEFAULT PRESET FILES
When the Parameter page appears, Soundshaper attempts to load a default Preset file, based on the Soundshaper Short Name for the process. This may be either the "official" collection for the process, or one you have built up, using the default name.
The standard default name and location for a process's Preset file is:
[User-folder]\[Process-name]\[Process-name].dat
for example: C:\CDP\TXT\Vibrato\Vibrato.dat.Soundshaper also checks the former default location
[User-folder]\PRESETS\[Process-name]\[Process-name].dat
and also
[User-folder]\PRESETS\[Process-name].dat .The first of these files to be found is loaded. If the file contains any presets, the Presets drop-down box reads 'Presets', otherwise it reads 'none':
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OTHER PRESET FILES
Any Preset file (.dat) can be loaded on a Parameter page, via File Menu: Load Presets (CTRL+P), or by DRAG + DROP from any open folder, such as a Project folder. Only those presets relevant to the current process are shown. If the file contains any relevant presets, the Presets drop-down box reads 'Presets', otherwise it reads 'none'.
A typical application would be loading a Preset file (which might be a mixed-process one) from a Project folder.
GLOBAL PRESET FILES
It is possible to set a GLOBAL PRESET FILE, which has precedence over the default one for the process. The file is "global" in scope, because it is applied to every process, though only those presets relevant to a particular process are displayed. The format of the file is no different from any other preset file.
Typically, a GLOBAL PRESET FILE might contain presets for different processes, or might be a personal collection, perhaps dedicated to one particular project. For example, a CDP tutorial describing a variety of processes might be distributed with presets for these, all contained in the one preset file.
The current Global preset file can be assigned on the Main Page (File | Presets | Select Global Presets File or Ctrl+Alt+F9), or on the SETTINGS PAGE (Settings Tab). The latter allows a global file to be available on startup, without any obligation to use it in that session.
Once you have assigned a preset file as global, activate global presets by selecting Options | Use Global Presets (Shift+F9) on the Main Page, or Options | Use Global Presets (Shift+F9) on the Parameter Page. The Main-page options are associated with the Settings file (Soundshaper.cfg or a personal .cfg file), so both the file and the option to use it could be part of your initial set-up.
Note that if the Global Presets option is set, then any preset file loaded (e.g. by Drag+Drop) will be assumed to be global in scope. This includes a preset file dropped onto the Main Page, as well as a Parameter Page.
RECALLING PRESETS
To recall a preset:
- Click on the arrow beside the drop-down box to reveal the list of presets for the process.
- Click on an item in the displayed list. The settings will be recalled, in the same manner as recalling a Snapshot.
- The special preset *default* (if present) restores the default settings for the page. These are initial parameter settings, which may not always be suitable for running the process.
CREATING PRESETS
To save your own presets:
To create a presetfile:
- create a Preset file (in Soundshaper's binary .dat format), then
- save presets to this file.
You may find the Snapshot pad useful to store settings initially, and for transferring settings between files.
- Select File | New Presets File (Ctrl+N) on a Parameter Page.
The file-selector opens in the default folder [User-folder]\[Process-name]\.- Enter the name of the file you wish to create.
The default name [process-name].dat will be offered first. This might already exist. Also note that this filename will be used to distribute new presets with Soundshaper updates.
(Despite this, it is a good idea to expand the supplied file with your own presets.)- The new file will become the current Preset file, available to receive new presets.
Alternatively:
To save a preset to the current presetfile:
If there is no current Preset file open on the page, clicking NEW for a new preset will allow you to create a suitable file, as above.
- Edit the parameter settings or recall a snapshot from a setting you have previously test-run.
- Click on the NEW button (or Shift+Ctrl+N). Its caption changes to ADD.
- Enter a name for the preset in the drop-down Presets box.
- Enter an optional description (max. 50 characters) in the Preset Description box.
- Click on the ADD button: the preset is saved to disk and appears at the bottom of the drop-down list.
Note: If you duplicate an existing preset name, the previous preset is not erased.To overwrite a preset:
- Select the preset name you wish to overwrite this recalls the setting.
- Change parameter values as required, or recall a snapshot for the current process.
- Edit the preset description as required.
- Click on the OVERWRITE button (Shift+Ctrl+O).
Only the preset name is preserved. All other details may be changed.
The overwritten preset moves to the end of the presets list, since internally it is regarded as a new preset.To delete a preset:
- Select the preset you wish to delete, by recalling it.
- Click on the DELETE button (Shift+Ctrl+Del). The preset is removed from the Preset file.
Datafiles within Presets
Datafiles associated with presets are stored alongside them in a sub-folder of the same name as the preset (exactly as with Parameter files). The datafile's name is preserved, less any tilde (~) that the filename had from being stored as a temporary file.
Soundshaper does not store the full path of the datafile within the preset. If it did, the preset would not be portable to another computer. Instead, it stores and displays a short path+filename, to which Soundshaper prefixes the Preset folder when the preset is in use. For example, the datafile [User-folder]\Vibrato\BestVibes\rate.brk associated with a preset BestVibes would be stored (and recalled) as BestVibes\rate.brk.
To see the current Preset folder that Soundshaper will prefix to the short path, select:
Menu: Help | Show Datafile (prefix) Folder (or F5).DISPLAYING PRESET FILE CONTENTS
To examine the contents of any Preset file:
- Drag+Drop the preset file (.dat) onto the Main Page.
- Select Main Page: File | Presets | List Presets (or Shift+Alt+F9).
The file's preset labels are read into the Report Window for viewing and the contents can then be saved to a textfile.- The Report Window displays, for each preset in the file:
- the Process Name (using Soundshaper Short Names)
- the Preset Name
- the Preset description, if any.
MULTIPLE PARAMETER SETS
MULTI-PARAMS CHECKBOX
For stereo or multi-channel Infiles, the File Panel normally includes a Multi-Params Checkbox:
Check this if you want to apply a different parameter set to each channel.
For example:
- Set the Parameters for Channel 1.
- Store the parameter set in Snapshot 1. Do the same for Channels 2 and upwards (max. 8 channels).
If Multi-Params is checked:
- Any parameter set in Snapshot N is applied to Channel N (up to a maximum of 8 channels).
If the input is e.g. 4-channel, then only Snapshots 1-4 are used for multiple parameter sets.
- If all channel-related snapshots are empty, the single current parameter set is applied to all channels.
Also note:- If there are empty snapshots, the last-used preceding snapshot is applied to the empty-snapshots' channels.
For example, with an 8-channel file:
- if Snapshots 1, 3, 5 and 7 are stored, the odd-numbered Snapshots are applied to the even-numbered channels (Snapshot 1 to Chans 1 + 2; Snapshot 3 to Chans 3 + 4, etc.)
- if Snapshots 1 and 5 are the only parameter sets stored, Snapshot 1 is applied to Chans 1-4 and Snapshot 5 to Chans 5-8.
The channel-count here is for the Infile only, not the Outfile. Several multi-channel processes take mono inputs and produce multi-channel outputs, but it is the CDP process itself that creates these extra channels, so multi-channel/multi-parameter sets are not applicable.
Other multi-channel processes take multi-channel input and produce multi-channel output. If Multi-Params is checked and each input channel has its own parameter set each producing a multi-channel output the outputs are mixed to produce the overall number of output channels. E.g. an 4-channel input file producing a 4-channel output can still have a different parameter set per channel, but the various 4-channel outputs will be mixed to create an overall 4-channel output.
PREVIEWS
There is now a Preview facility on the Parameter Page. This allows you to quickly experiment with and compare different parameter settings, before returning the chosen one to the Main Page. 99 preview slots are currently available.
To run a preview with the current set of parameters, click the PREVIEW button instead of RENDER. The soundfile display then shows and plays the previewed result, while a preview number appears below the PREVIEW button:
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You can compare this with the source sound by clicking the checkbox Play Source.
The preview up/down arrows select an earlier or later-numbered preview and its set of parameters.
(Do not click PREVIEW each time, as each click of the Preview button generates a new preview.)For Spectral processes, the Parameter page displays and plays the soundfile (.wav) equivalent. The soundfile length is shown below the display, but the Infile Length of the true input file – the spectral one – is also given (top right); this is invariably slightly longer.
If a Preview is not possible, the PREVIEW button is not shown. In addition, some kinds of input file cannot be displayed. This particularly applies to Pitch Data files (.frq), Formant files (.for) and Envelope files (.evl).
When working with data files (.brk etc.), you may notice that after creating or recalling a Previews, these have been saved internally to a different filename, such as ~X_1\~width.brk. Whenever you click the SAVE CHANGES button, the filename changes to a temporary file corresponding to the output cell e.g. ~A_1\~width.brk. (This use of temporary filenames is necessary to make patches portable.) Previews use a notional patchgrid row X, so if PREVIEW is clicked, the name might change to ~X_1\~width.brk, then when RENDER is clicked, it will change back to ~A_1\~width.brk, though possibly with different values from before, according to the selected Preview. This is quite normal file-handling by Soundshaper and is best ignored.
RENDER
When you are satisfied with a choice of parameters, click the RENDER button (formerly "OK") or hit the ENTER key to return it to the Main Page. Until you have selected a new process, you can still return to the Parameter Page and your Previews.
Note that clicking CANCEL deletes the current set of previews; however, you can save parameter sets via the Snapshot buttons if you're not sure.
There is no obligation to generate a Preview, of course. You can also recall a Preview, tweak a value or two and go straight to RENDER.
Clicking RENDER (or ENTER Key) runs the process and returns to the Main Page. If the result is unsuitable, double-clicking on the cell re-opens the Parameter Page, where the previous settings can be adjusted and re-run. Alternatively, either UNDO or DELETE clears the cell.
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