Old 07-13-2019, 03:13 PM   #1
MaXyM
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Default Customizing mcp send meter

Is it possible to control/theme those 3 things shown on picture above?


1. send meter: the meter 0 dB color, size etc
2. send meter: the distance between the meter max value and right border
3. send knob image when there is no send.

At this point I want to gain some more space for send name. I can make text to reach the knob, but meter is still visible under the text

For making this screenshot I removed mcp_sendlist_mute and mcp_sendlist_empty. Removing mcp_sendlist_meter makes it replaced by some default one. By modifying mcp_sendlist_meter I can affect appearance of meter colours but not its size.

mcp_sendlist_bg.png is transparent.

I tried to find some information but it I'm beginning to suspect it's hardcoded.






thanx in advance.

Last edited by MaXyM; 07-13-2019 at 04:23 PM.
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Old 07-15-2019, 04:14 AM   #2
MaXyM
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No one?

Especially I wish to get rid of the line #1 from the image
Or is it all hardcoded? I suppose it is, because even WT's Imperial theme suffers from this issue (however smartly hidden on slots without sends)

Regarding #3 it looks like 1st frame of animated knob, with transparency set - again, transparency amount seems to be hardcoded.

Last edited by MaXyM; 07-15-2019 at 04:20 AM.
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Old 07-30-2019, 04:53 PM   #3
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The zero line for sends can't be killed sadly. I'd love that as well.

The distance between 0db send and the right border cannot be changed as well I'm afraid.
The meter (or fader really) spans all the way from left border to right border actually.
It's also under the button i believe.

Those transparent buttons are probably in the "mcp_sendlist_empty.png" image file.
That part you can change easily.

The whole send and fx area really isn't up to the rest of reapers theming abilities.
I hope they fix that in V6. But i wouldn't count on it.

Cheers
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Old 08-04-2019, 03:10 AM   #4
Never
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MaXyM View Post
No one?

Especially I wish to get rid of the line #1 from the image
Or is it all hardcoded? I suppose it is, because even WT's Imperial theme suffers from this issue (however smartly hidden on slots without sends)

Regarding #3 it looks like 1st frame of animated knob, with transparency set - again, transparency amount seems to be hardcoded.
Item #1 is drawn by REAPER using the RGB values of the 'Mixer sends text: Normal' heading in the tweaker while
a send slot is active. When it becomes bypassed, the line is drawn (AFAIK) with the 'Mixer sends text: Muted'
RGB values, but with a lower alpha channel (opacity) setting, or with a bit of math applied to make it darker and/or
less saturated. Maybe someone knows the exact mechanism here.



mcp_sendlist_meter (actual image has no explanation text, duh!)


Item #2 is the rightmost or 'over' area of the 'mcp_sendlist_meter' image. This is a (top/bottom) dual frame image,
with the two frames further subdivided into two frames (top/bottom) as left/right channels.
The .png has it's top half drawn in from left to right and the bottom half undrawn as the user turns up the send gain.
It has it's bottom half drawn in from right to left, and the top half undrawn as the user turns down the send gain.
Normally, both left and right channels are drawn/undrawn evenly, with the balance between the two being offset
when the user 'SHIFT-drags' left>right and right>left, forcing the send gain from 100% L & 0% R > 0%L & 100% R.
User can return the send gain to stereo unity (50%l & 50%R) by quickly double-clicking the send knob.
The quadratically devided sendlist_meter, which, BTW, most devs use only one or two slices of, and generically
at that, has tremendous potential for hacking and toying. Make a proper version for your theme at around 50%
transparency, and take into account text color, and background color as you do. Now reload your theme, and drag,
and shift-drag it up, and you will see the potential, too.

Item #3 indeed be the first frame, (topmost if vertically stitched, leftmost if horizontally stitched), of a multi-frame
knobstack: 'mcp_send_knob_stack', drawn with lowered opacity using alpha while send slot is empty, drawn with
full opacity when send slot active. This appears ONLY IF the 'mcp_send_knob_stack' image is present.
Otherwise, what will appear here is a composite of the 'mcp_sendlist_knob' image overlaid on the
'mcp_sendlist_knob_bg' image, both with low alpha for empty slot, full alpha for active slot. Note: some themers
use the 'knob_bg' image to draw the knob head, and the 'knob' image to draw the indicator line or notch. REAPER
will rotate the latter image itself in any case.



Item #3 can be omitted altogether by making a blank .png image; 10x10px is fine, and saving it as all of the following:
mcp_send_knob_stack
mcp_sendlist_knob
mcp_sendlist_knob_bg
alternately, if you would like to have a knob or other level indicator, but just want to make it so the semi-transparent
image of it does not appear on the empty slot, (desireable in my opinion), then keep the two latter images in the
above list transparent/blank, and create your indicator using the first image in the list, the knob_stack.
Just remember, when you create the stitched .png image, make the very first frame of of it completely transparent.
If you are using Knobman, for example, you could render it as normal,
then open the .png in any GFX app, and select the image in the very top or leftmost frame and delete it.
When REAPER loads the stack, it will draw an invisible frame here until the slot is occupied, due to the fact that
Since the other knob images are single-frame mechanisms, there is really no way to hack them so that they are not
drawn on an empty slot. Stick with the knob_stack or nothing at all. (For the clean look, that is.)
by default REAPER sets newly added sends to 0.00 dB, which is the halfway point of the stitched image,
ensuring that the knob shows up, as soon as the slot is made active.

Hope this helps.
Never

Last edited by Never; 08-04-2019 at 03:17 AM.
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Old 08-05-2019, 04:16 AM   #5
MaXyM
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Thanks a lot Never for all those details.
Very useful information.

Is it a way how to minimize the distance between Item #1 and panel's right edge? since there is no option to set its color to different one than text, maybe the way would be to hide it under the knob?

I did some experiments but didn't succeeded.
If this information is somehow available in your previous post, then sorry for asking second time.

With regards.
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