Posted
Synfire 2.0.10 is a release candidate.
The custom "Projects" folder preference was remembered in - of all places - the Config folder, the location of which depends on said preference. It is now kept in a global folder. Please verify your custom "Projects" folder preference to make sure it points to the intended place.
Most recent work went into wrapping up the Sparks, Express and Demo editions and polish them for their intended target audiences. This includes the installation and upgrade procedures. Some of these changes are not listed here, as they are not relevant for Pro users.
- Improved startup dialog with templates and recently opened arrangements
- Factories: Add alternative scale sets to harmony menu
- Harmony: Allow protected chords to be renamed
- Harmony: Show warning if names clash
- Palette: Switching root note sometimes had no effect
- Progression: Layer tabs don't update
- Progression: Layer not played in isolation on preview
- Fixed several crashes as per submitted reports
- Import: Unable to select a folder for batch import (Windows)
- Installer: Fixed several deployment issues
- Localization: German, French localizations not installed correctly
- Snippets: Waterproofed single-instrument-groups mode
- Snippets: Fixed minor drag & drop issues
- File Dialog: Streamlined and added ability to reveal a file in Explorer/Finder
- Ability to open old HN2 Advanced songs
- Ability to clear recently opened files list
- Arrangements should not be linked to global rack by default
- Fixed issues opening older palette documents
- Library Browser: Ability to transpose harmony parameters to the dominating key of current container or a parallel major/minor key
- Library: Keep KIM Factories in RAM until quit
- Library: Library was released before window was completely closed
- Harmony: Fixed issues with JazzUp/Down
- Harmony: Option to Jazz Down to vanilla chords
- Auto-Chords legato clipped near end of container
- Tree modules had issues remembering their selection state
- String instrument panels not restored correctly after opening
- Instrument indicator should be red when plug-in could not be loaded
- Many dialog windows lacked a label
- Export: Crash exporting SMF
- Recording: First figure recognition should assume current Accidentals preference
- Recording: Shift + Click for overdub doesn't respond as advertised by tool tip
- Containers: Container with children that have aliases must not be divided
- Drones: Fixed a bug that blocked global rack from accepting dropped drones
- Drones: Dropping a rack module preset on a rack should preferably use the currently selected host
- External Sync: Minor fixes
Fri, 2022-10-07 - 12:35 Permalink
The new startup screen shows up by default and re-appears when the last window was closed. It's helpful for beginners and demo users, but also quite comfortable for power users. You can still use the main menu bar (Mac).
Add your own arrangement templates to the folder that opens when you click on the folder icon on top.
Fri, 2022-10-07 - 17:40 Permalink
Containers: Container with children that have aliases must not be divided
No, that was not the issue. Sent new crash reports with the last build.
Fri, 2022-10-07 - 18:03 Permalink
Last version crashes when opening a project from a OS folder, probably due to the new opening dialog. Reports sent.
The dialog is not resizable so some filenames are truncated.
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 09:09 Permalink
** update: I installed to external SSD and so far so good. ignore what follows!
Hello everyone. I'm having an issue installing 2.0.10 Build #7 on latest MAC OS Ventura build. Getting this msg: Installation of the package failed. (Folder <pathProjects>Config/Templates) The items installed so far will be removed again. It's been a few versions since I updated.
I see Andre's note above but unsure how this applied to a me. I uninstalled then reinstalled fresh but got the same message. Any thoughts as to how to proceed?
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 11:41 Permalink
> The dialog is not resizable so some filenames are truncated.
The new template start windows is welcome, but indeed I cannot read the file names of many of my last projects, libraries etc., because I keep them organised in subfolders, and the new window only shows truncated pathes.
Not sure what the best solution here is. The option to resize this window would be welcome. Alternatively/additionally perhaps not showing the (sub-)directories, but only the file names could reduce their length considerably. (E.g., in a comparable windows, Dorico does not shown full pathes either, only the file names.)
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 16:04 Permalink
Synfire 2.0.10 Build 10
- Fixed a crash when deleting multiple child containers
- Fixed a crash when opening files from Explorer/Finder
- Sound Wizard: Serious issue with plug-ins not loading when they should
- SMF Import: MIDI File preview was broken
- Racks: Fixed issues with drag & drop of presets and plug-ins
- Startup dialog should be resizable
- Various minor streamlining
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 21:08 Permalink
I just tried installing the latest update (2.0.10 build 10), but the installation failed, and instead the software was deinstalled. I tried downloading the software from scratch and started the installation process again. This time, the installer did no longer offer the option to upgrade, I could only install newly from scratch. Anyway, that failed as well. See attached screen shot.
I tried copying the details of the installation window to aid the process of debugging, but unfortunately that is not possible.
For completeness, I had run this installation process pretty often for likely every intermediate version since the first pre-release of Synfire 2, and have never had this problem before. I did not really do anything different this time.
Luckily, it seems at least the Documents\Synfire folder was at least left and was not deleted as well.
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 22:33 Permalink
> installation failed
Update: problem solved. Seemingly Synfine did not cleanly shut down before I tried the new installation -- the audio engine was still running in the background. After a new start (and a blue screen in between) an additional installation attempt was successful. Phew ;-)
Sat, 2022-10-08 - 23:40 Permalink
- Collapse or expand of parameter view does not work for snippets (at the tracks view for snippets within the structure view).
- Tool tip for collapse and expand the parameter view not correct: It's not a double click as stated, but a single click to perform the collapse or expand command.
Sun, 2022-10-09 - 20:15 Permalink
This green line in the time ruler that indicates the time span of the selected container: Isn't it possible to switch that off? It interferes when you want to mark a time period (for a loop or for the insertion position of a new container), because this green line replaces the blue line for the time selection.
Mon, 2022-10-10 - 19:13 Permalink
Synfire 2.0.10 Build #13
- Editions: Fine-tuning Sparks and Express
- Windows Installer: Make sure Synfire.exe and Engine.exe are stopped before install
- Windows Installer: Make sure fonts are installed correctly
- Updated default global rack after installation
- Mac: Added a default DLSMusicDevice device
- Snippets: Collapse/expand button is blocked
- Factories: Fixed a crash
- Library: Locked pools should disable Delete item on menu
- Parameters: Preview did not accept Harmony and vice versa
- Palette: Record was defunct
- Structure View: Dimmed container span on time ruler
Mon, 2022-10-10 - 21:52 Permalink
I can confirm that 6. 10. and 11. work fine now.
As for the time display, I'm with @tanders. It should be more obvious. Why shouldn't it switch immediately after a click? Nobody clicks in this field by mistake and if someone does, it's not a big deal either.
Tue, 2022-10-11 - 06:20 Permalink
Maybe it's just me (or maybe I misunderstand what the Skip parameter is supposed to do), but the Skip parameter doesn't seem to be working. I've generated a few Skip parameters in the Factory and I've tried using the preset templates and no matter what I do the phrase sounds exactly the same each time. I was under the impression that it was supposed to skip steps, but I here every step, even those that have the blue dot (which I assume represents a skipped step?).
Also, I still notice that the phrases I generate in the Factory do not transfer to the Arrangment page unless I go through a series of steps. But this doesn't just happen when I go from the Factory to the Arrangement. This also happens when I load a new plug in. So, for example, if I load a plug in for a new instruments, all the phrases I generated from the Factory disappear. So I have to go back to the Factory page to restore them and return to the Arrangement page every time I load a new plug in.
Tue, 2022-10-11 - 08:44 Permalink
Why shouldn't it switch immediately after a click? Nobody clicks in this field by mistake and if someone does, it's not a big deal either.
Yes and no. That little arrow clearly indicates there's an option menu to pop up after a delay. So users expect to hold the button for a while to pick from multiple options. The fact that there are only two (currently) is just an accident.
Maybe you haven't used the other pop-up button menus yet and that's why you find this confusing?
maybe I misunderstand what the Skip parameter is supposed to do
Skip requires a Step parameter which it pre-processes for the instrument before it is applied. The rationale behind this is that there's little use in each Figure skipping some of its own (implied) steps separately. The idea behind Skip is to synchronize multiple Figures.
phrases I generate in the Factory do not transfer to the Arrangment
Generated phrases go into the currently selected library. On the Arrangement page, you find them on the left sidebar.
if I load a plug in for a new instruments, all the phrases I generated from the Factory disappear
You can switch between the two sidebars (library vs. rack modules) on the window toolbar. Only one can be visible at a time but they are both there all the time.
Tue, 2022-10-11 - 14:21 Permalink
I've attached a photo to illustrate what I'm seeing. This is what the Arrangement page (or Structure tab) looks like immediately after I generate a phrase in the Factory. As you can see at the botton where I've circled, the box where the phrases are supposed to show up is empty. In order to see the phrases here after I generate them, I have to go back to the Factory page and click on one of the factories I've created in the top box then come back to the Arrangement page. Maybe I'm misremembering, but in earlier pre-releases this box would automatically show the phrases I generated without any need to return to the Factory tab and come back. Was this the case or is my brain deceiving me with a false memory?
Tue, 2022-10-11 - 14:43 Permalink
Ah, thanks. Looks like the tabs on the sidebar are not refreshed when the page is switched. No idea why this didn't occur to me earlier, as I'm currently working with phrases all day.
Workaround for the time being: Click on "Structure" tab again to rebuild the page.
Tue, 2022-10-11 - 22:31 Permalink
Yes and no. That little arrow clearly indicates there's an option menu to pop up after a delay. So users expect to hold the button for a while to pick from multiple options. The fact that there are only two (currently) is just an accident.
Maybe you haven't used the other pop-up button menus yet and that's why you find this confusing?
Indeed I haven't noticed the little arrow until now. Instead I read what the tool tip says (anyway many icons are not really self-explanatory). If there is a hold button functionality, it is usually stated in the tool tip. But obviously not always. This way, you can actually overlook a few "secret options".
Wed, 2022-10-12 - 08:36 Permalink
Logic X also uses these option triangles everywhere (they even show only when the mouse hovers over them). It's common on macOS to have this kind of "secret" options everywhere in order to keep the UI simple and clean. Pretty much the opposite of the Windows philosophy, where toolbars are full of icons with multipe levels.
Since there are only 2 states for the timecode display, I changed it to respond to a single click also.
Here are the other changes with the most recent build:
Synfire 2.0.10 Build# 15
- Progress not always shown while loading KIM Factories
- Revision of some example libraries
- Completion of Sparks, Express, Demo
- Phrase library sidebar tabs not updated correctly
- Fixed crash while loading global racks
- Fixed several crashes as reported so far
Wed, 2022-10-12 - 08:43 Permalink
Snippets bug where anything in the first segment of a snippet before the anchor is snipped has returned in the latest update
Symbols that reach before the beginning of the container, yes. This is due to the fact that snippets are spliced together in real-time.
Thu, 2022-10-13 - 00:24 Permalink
Now I am also testing:
- Recording has no recognizable latency anymore (compared to SF1) (good!)
- But when I recorded something in a new container, I was not able to hear the other container-figures anymore. Not during recording and after recording it is still silent.
- It also does not show the other container's content in the total arangement as greyed figure.
- When clicking on a note of a figure, it takes around 1.5 seconds until it plays a preview.
- hmm, after restart it seems to be ok.
- IMHO the icons should have a mouse over hint. Often I simply don't know what it means.
- It forgot my midi input channels after restart. Is this related to the demo version?
- Figure preview in library does not play most of the times.
- How to create now own Figure library - there is no "new/create"? And the show-in-explorer function is gone.
- It warns me of a windows zoom of 125%. But 100 and 150 would be ok. Looks like a bug for me.
- I opened a SF1 arrangement and agreet to takeover the existing instruments. Since then, SF2 does not load a working engine with FluidR3 anymore. I need to assign it for every new inserted instrument - restart the app does not help.
- The phrase bool box (left bottom corner of libraries), can't be adjusted in size/position. If a pool has many phrases, it is required to scroll.
