Old 02-24-2022, 12:41 PM   #1
geo316
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Default Blank Panel for Mixer

Can anyone explain how to create and install a blank mixer panel for the old 5.0 default theme (or point me to instructions)? I'm good with graphics creation - IF thats needed...
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Old 02-24-2022, 02:45 PM   #2
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If I understand correctly, you can easily create an MCP layout that's a blank panel (using WALTER and editing png's). It will still be considered a track, just like any other. Not sure if that's a problem. You can hide it from the TCP / arrange view, but track numbering will still be affected by the blank panels.
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Old 02-25-2022, 12:14 AM   #3
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You need to unzip the Default_5.0.ReaperThemeZip, then go to the Default_5.0_unpacked folder and delete the png's whose name starts with mcp_. Then load the unzipped Default_5.0.ReaperTheme. Some deleted mcp_ png's will then be replaced with tcp_ and other png's.
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Old 02-25-2022, 03:42 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mawi View Post
You need to unzip the Default_5.0.ReaperThemeZip, then go to the Default_5.0_unpacked folder and delete the png's whose name starts with mcp_. Then load the unzipped Default_5.0.ReaperTheme. Some deleted mcp_ png's will then be replaced with tcp_ and other png's.
Deleting the pngs won't fix anything. Even if you remove them all, in the end they will get replaced with hard-coded ones I think.

What you will have to do to make a blank panel is to add a "blank mcp" section to the walter code, and in that section remove all code for populating the graphical elements, except for the background panel. At least I believe this is kind of right.
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Old 02-25-2022, 05:43 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ErBird View Post
If I understand correctly, you can easily create an MCP layout that's a blank panel (using WALTER and editing png's). It will still be considered a track, just like any other. Not sure if that's a problem. You can hide it from the TCP / arrange view, but track numbering will still be affected by the blank panels.
This is exactly what I'm looking to do. I don't care about track numbering, I just want an obvious space to put between groups of tracks on some projects...
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Old 02-25-2022, 06:04 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramses View Post
Deleting the pngs won't fix anything. Even if you remove them all, in the end they will get replaced with hard-coded ones I think.

What you will have to do to make a blank panel is to add a "blank mcp" section to the walter code, and in that section remove all code for populating the graphical elements, except for the background panel. At least I believe this is kind of right.
I suppose you mean the "Walter code" in rtconfig.txt... I looked through it but it wasn't very obvious to me where the section that defines the controls on a track is located. I imagine the new "blank map" section would go near it...

Also I'm not clear on how a new track would be inserted into a project with the new blank layout from inside Reaper. would it (can it) appear in a menu?

If I can be pointed to any documentation or video I'd much appreciate it...
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Old 02-25-2022, 06:26 PM   #7
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Unzip the 5.0 theme.
In rtconfig you want to scroll down to "THE MIXER".
Below that are the MCP layouts (Layout ... EndLayout)
You can copy one of the existing layouts. Rename it then disable elements by commenting them out. For example:
set mcp.pan ...
becomes
;set mcp.pan

You may still have to edit some PNG's. Copy the folder of the layout you based your layout on and rename it with your layout name.

You can have Reaper open while editing the theme. Use the "Switch to next/previous color theme" actions to refresh the theme in Reaper and see the changes you've made.

Last edited by ErBird; 02-25-2022 at 06:35 PM.
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Old 02-25-2022, 06:33 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by geo316 View Post
Also I'm not clear on how a new track would be inserted into a project with the new blank layout from inside Reaper. would it (can it) appear in a menu?
You would just right click the blank track:
Track layout -> Mixer panel -> "Your layout"

You don't necessarily have to do that every time you want a blank panel. You could have a short script that changes the layout of the selected track
OR
save the blank panel as a track template
OR
probably other possibilities.
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Old 02-26-2022, 02:53 AM   #9
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Themes are amendments to Reaper's underlying appearance. Removing images from a theme, or commenting out lines of WALTER, isn't saying to Reaper 'don't draw these things', its is saying 'don't change these things'.

The correct way to hide a thing using Walter is
Code:
 set thing [0]
However, its even easier than that in the default 5 theme, because I did everything but include a 'separator' layout so that it would be a beginner level mod to add. (I don't do separator layouts in default themes because they are problematic for new users.)

Here's how. Backup the rtconfig.txt. In there, find the line
Code:
Layout "ee --- Strip Just the track name" "strip"
go down about 50 lines till you see 'EndLayout'. After that, insert this:

Code:
Layout "Strip Blank"
	variance     order_label      0 -19 0
	draw_strip
	set mcp.meter [0]	
	set mcp.trackidx [0]
EndLayout
Refresh the theme in Reaper, select a mixer track, right click on it, Track Layout > Mixer Panel > Strip Blank.
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Old 02-26-2022, 09:45 AM   #10
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Default I'm honored!

Thank you @White Tie. Who better to answer this than you! Of course, I also greatly appreciate the input from everyone else. I will try this later in the day.

One question though... I'm partial to the 5.0 theme - or maybe I just hate change... nonetheless would this same code work for the new 6 theme as well?
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Old 02-26-2022, 10:39 AM   #11
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No, that code is specifically for the default 5 theme.

Hopefully you won't feel you need blank panels in the v6 theme; it has borders that you can add manually, or automatically around folders, or automatically around root folders. See 4.16 here:

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Old 02-26-2022, 11:43 AM   #12
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Oh no... I think I broke my custom 5.0 theme! renamed the theme so it has a .zip extension, then I uncompressed it, made the edits to rtconfig, compressed the folder and renamed it as it was. When I activate the edited theme all I get is a theme without backgrounds and colors... What might have happened here?
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Old 02-26-2022, 11:51 AM   #13
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For a start you don't need to recompress it unless you're planning to share it. Just use it unpacked. Does that work?
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Old 02-26-2022, 11:59 AM   #14
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...no.
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Old 02-26-2022, 12:07 PM   #15
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Okay, so the unpacking has gone wrong; you should have a theme available to choose in Reaper called "Default_5.0_unpacked". Have a close read of this sticky. Your unpacking program may have, for example, unpacked it into a folder rather than into the root ColorThemes folder.
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Old 02-26-2022, 01:19 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by White Tie View Post
Okay, so the unpacking has gone wrong; you should have a theme available to choose in Reaper called "Default_5.0_unpacked". Have a close read of this sticky. Your unpacking program may have, for example, unpacked it into a folder rather than into the root ColorThemes folder.
Got it sorted now... I want it to look more like a blank channel plate on a real console but I'll mess around with it now that its working.

Watching the video for the v6 theme has me thinking though... I still prefer the aesthetics of v5 but I wonder if I can probably tweak what I dislike about v6 easier and faster than modifying v5...

Anyway I so appreciate your help with this!
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Old 02-26-2022, 11:49 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by White Tie View Post
commenting out lines of WALTER, isn't saying to Reaper 'don't draw these things', its is saying 'don't change these things'.
Good to know. What effect does that have, though? I've commented a lot of lines out on my theme. Should I go back and [0] the elements properly?
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Old 02-27-2022, 02:27 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geo316 View Post
I still prefer the aesthetics of v5 but I wonder if I can probably tweak what I dislike about v6 easier and faster than modifying v5...
Now that you're cracking open themes and messing with them, you could try swapping images to taste. There are half a dozen reskins of the default 6 theme around, plus my modding supplies, and if the themes are all the same thing under the hood then you can just mix'n'match the images. If you find that sort of thing fun

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Good to know. What effect does that have, though? I've commented a lot of lines out on my theme. Should I go back and [0] the elements properly?
Not at all; its quite possible you are using a theme that takes a strategy of "remove all the elements, then bring them back one by one" which is something I do myself, from time to time, to kill off any inheritance confusions.

So, if at the right moment, for that theme, you comment out a "bring them back one by one" line, that will work perfectly. But that's a truth about how that theme works, not about how WALTER itself works. With me?
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Old 03-01-2022, 10:27 AM   #19
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Yes, thx.
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