Old 02-09-2017, 06:39 PM   #1
levets
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Default Help With Themes

[I added a reply, and I've learned a little since this first post, so I'm going to leave the original for context, but please do read the 2nd post (or skip to it) as it's maybe the more relevant one at this point]

I'm betting some of you have tried many of the themes and may be able to answer my question. I downloaded a few and got a general idea of what they look like, but here's what I'm looking for:

I've got two monitors and basically 16 tracks in a template. I have the mixer on one monitor and the track controls and tracks on another.

I adjusted the layout on the default to sizes I liked.

I'm actually OK with the default layout, but liked the looks of some others - Reaborn was really nice and easy on the eyes, but the Transport it too tiny (I have it docked at the top). It also set all 16 track faders - two rows of 8 - across the 2nd monitor. While that was kind of cool, I like having the "slots" for insert plugs and so on visible above my faders (a la PT).

I'm looking for something that has a bigger transport (I liked the buttons of Imperial styles on the transport, but not on everything else) the clean lines and easy on the eyes of Reaborn, and the inserts showing as per the default.

I've toyed with different views - narrow, meter, no rec, etc. in each, and haven't found anything with a satisfactory mix. There does seem to be an option for Transport size in the Layouts tab, but in most cases it only shows "small".

Also, I'm not sure how this works, but when I changed the heights and widths of the track controls originally, as I scroll up and down from track to track it just selects each. When I changed to some of these other themes, the selected track gets a tad taller (track Icon gets bigger, more controls are visible). I don't like that (well, maybe I might - would have to try it a while). Is there something I can do to keep the selected track from looking any different than an unselected track, or is it just a matter of reducing the track controls size to the minimum before it does this.

Otherwise it looks like a "focus" on the selected track. A little distracting.

TIA

Last edited by levets; 02-10-2017 at 02:11 PM.
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Old 02-10-2017, 02:09 PM   #2
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[And added a 3rd post below since no one offered any help]
I've toyed around with this a bit more and I realized that the "dual layout" of tracks in the mixer could be "overridden" by changing the window size - which in my case means I can change the resolution on my 2nd monitor (they're not identical) for some themes.

I actually use my 2nd monitor for other stuff too, like reading PDFs while keeping my "working" display smaller - getting older and eyes are going, so "stuff I need to read" goes on the 2nd display because it comes out larger for me to read.

So after digging through the various themes I downloaded, here's what I like:

1. Paulie5_mod

Has a light blue lettering that's both large and very visible against the black background of the FX and Inserts panel (which I like to see) in the Mixer Window.

In fact, Paulie5_Mod would be absolutely fine for my Mixer window - with one exception - I really like the "scroll aligned" Master Fader of some others.


2. My favorite Transport is the one in Reaborn2. Because it's on my main window which is smaller print (resolution) and I'm looking at it from a distance, I like to be able to see the buttons well - I'm not clicking them on screen and I know some people don't even care to see it on screen and have it as small as possible, but I like to be able to glance over and see the buttons to give me visual confirmation of what button I pushed on my controller. The lighter background really helps this one stand out.

The problem with every single theme I've tried is the BPM is too small! As someone who still works with a lot of MIDI and actually uses different tempi in pieces, it's an important display for me - not only to enter in BPM initially, but as tempo changes are made over time.

3. After all that, overall, the best Theme I've found is the Default!

What the Default is missing:
A. Scroll Aligned Master Fader.
B. Bright color against dark background for FX/Inserts.
C. Transport like Reaborn, on a light background and thus easier to read.
D. Big enough BPM display (Default 4.0 is better).

And actually, I prefer being able to "color code" my tracks - MIDI are Green (or whatever), Audio is Blue, VSTi are Orange, etc. That way I don't have to use the space for a Track Icon. I had Icons up and they were nice, but the color will allow me to save that space. As long as I can see the Track Name in both windows (which I can with the Default Theme) I'm OK there.

I've been reading, and it looks like it's not impossible to customize a theme and I may take that on this weekend. If I could just change the Font color for the inserts/FX in the Default template, my mixer window would be fine aside from the scroll aligned Master which I'd like.

I bet it's just a matter of copying the right stuff from one file, and replacing the same part in another, but I'll go baby steps and try for a single thing like a font color change first.

If anyone can lead this horse to water, I'll drink.

Teach me to fish IOW.

Last edited by levets; 02-14-2017 at 03:12 PM.
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Old 02-14-2017, 03:11 PM   #3
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:-(

Well, I basically went with the default and customized it as much as I could.

The 3 things I'd love to have in the Default are:

1. Scroll-Aligned master fader.
2. Tansport controls more like Reaborn2*
3. Bigger Time Signature font (and really, a lot of those things in the Transport bar when fixed up top or at bottom).

*Really, simply the ability to adjust colors in any theme would be a huge advance in terms of customizability.
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Old 02-14-2017, 03:51 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by levets View Post
*Really, simply the ability to adjust colors in any theme would be a huge advance in terms of customizability.
Apart from some windows, colors can surely be adjusted in any theme. Some maybe with new fixed colors, some changed right from the theme tweaker. But, theme makers can also intentionally not allow some possible color changes. To "unlock" these themes you could ask specifically what would need to be changed.
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Old 02-17-2017, 01:59 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by levets View Post
1. Scroll-Aligned master fader.
Here's something to get you going with that.

Code:
Layout "ab - Scroll Aligned Fader"

clear master.mcp.*

set master.mcp.size                             [125 387 0 240]

set master.mcp.pan                              trackpanmode<4  h>366 [52 88 21 21 0 0 0 0] [52 68 21 21 0 0 0 0]
set master.mcp.pan                              trackpanmode>=4 h>366 [34 88 21 21 0 0 0 0] [34 68 21 21 0 0 0 0]
set master.mcp.pan                              trackpanmode==6 h>366 [7 95 110 9 0 0 0 0] h>342 [7 75 110 9 0 0 0 0] [7 69 110 9 0 0 0 0]

  set master.mcp.pan.fadermode                  trackpanmode==6 [0] [1]
  set master.mcp.pan.color                      trackpanmode<=5 [51 51 51] [84 63 63]
  set master.mcp.pan.label                      trackpanmode<4  h>366 [45 112 35 9 0 0 0 0] h>342 [45 92 35 9 0 0 0 0] [0]
  set master.mcp.pan.label                      trackpanmode>=4 h>366 [27 112 35 9 0 0 0 0] h>342 [27 92 35 9 0 0 0 0] [0]
  set master.mcp.pan.label                      trackpanmode==6 h>366 [45 83 35 10 0 0 0 0] h>342 [45 63 35 10 0 0 0 0] [0]
  set master.mcp.pan.label.color                trackpanmode<=5 [80 80 80] [84 63 63]
  set master.mcp.pan.label.margin               [0 0 0 0 0.5]

  set master.mcp.width                          trackpanmode>=4 h>366 [69 89 21 21 0 0 0 0] [69 69 21 21 0 0 0 0]
  set master.mcp.width                          trackpanmode==6 h>366 [7 106 110 9 0 0 0 0] h>342 [7 86 110 9 0 0 0 0] [7 80 110 9 0 0 0 0]
  set master.mcp.width.fadermode                trackpanmode==6 [0] [1]
  set master.mcp.width.color                    trackpanmode=5 [255 255 255] [63 84 63]
  set master.mcp.width.label                    trackpanmode>=4 h>366 [62 112 35 10 0 0 0 0] h>342 [62 92 35 10 0 0 0 0] [0]
  set master.mcp.width.label                    trackpanmode==6 h>366 [7 117 110 9 0 0 0 0]  h>342 [7 97 110 9 0 0 0 0]  [0]
  set master.mcp.width.label.color              trackpanmode=5 [80 80 80] [63 84 63]
  set master.mcp.width.label.margin             [0 0 0 0 0.5]   
        
set master.mcp.volume.label                     h>366 [6 130 90 17 0 0 0 0]   h>342 [6 110 90 17 0 0 0 0]   h>300 [6 97 90 17 0 0 0 0] [0]
  set master.mcp.volume                         h>366 [71 147 21 196 0 0 0 1] h>342 [71 127 21 216 0 0 0 1] h>300 [71 114 21 229 0 0 0 1] [71 98 21 245 0 0 0 1]
  set master.mcp.volume.label.color             [100 100 100] [38 38 38]
  set master.mcp.volume.label.margin            [0 4 0 0 0.5]    
set master.mcp.meter                            h>366 [9 147 59 185 0 0 0 1]  h>342 [9 127 59 205 0 0 0 1]  h>300 [9 114 59 218 0 0 0 1] [9 98 59 234 0 0 0 1] 
  set master.mcp.meter.vu.div                   [6]
  set master.mcp.meter.vu.rmsdiv                [6]
  set master.mcp.meter.readout.color            [100 100 100 255 255 183 171 255]
  set master.mcp.meter.rmsreadout.color         [100 100 100 255 255 183 171 255]
  set master.mcp.meter.scale.color.lit.bottom   [255 255 255 255 0 168 99 255]
  set master.mcp.meter.scale.color.lit.top      [255 255 255 255 0 168 99 255]
  set master.mcp.meter.scale.color.unlit.bottom [100 100 100 255 38 38 38 255]
  set master.mcp.meter.scale.color.unlit.top    [100 100 100 255 38 38 38 255]
set master.mcp.label                            [0 38 125 22 0 0 0 0] + [0 0 0 mcp.recinput{h}] [0 38 125 22 0 0 0 0]    
  set master.mcp.label.color                    [184 184 184] 
set master.mcp.io                               mcp.io
set master.mcp.mono                             [82 7 37 31]  
set master.mcp.fx                               mcp.fx 
set master.mcp.fxbyp                            mcp.fxbyp
set master.mcp.mute                             h>366 [100 130 20 20 0 0 0 0] h>342 [100 110 20 20 0 0 0 0] h>300 [100 97 20 20 0 0 0 0]  [100 97 20 20 0 0 0 0]     
set master.mcp.solo                             h>366 [100 156 20 20 0 0 0 0] h>342 [100 136 20 20 0 0 0 0] h>300 [100 123 20 20 0 0 0 0] [100 123 20 20 0 0 0 0]
set master.mcp.env                              h>366 [100 182 20 25 0 0 0 0] h>342 [100 162 20 25 0 0 0 0] h>300 [100 149 20 25 0 0 0 0] [100 149 20 25 0 0 0 0]
set master.mcp.menubutton                       [92 322 22 26 0 1 0 1]
set master.mcp.extmixer.mode                    [0]
  set master.mcp.fxlist.font                    [2 16]
  set master.mcp.fxlist.margin                  [4 0 4 0 0.5]
  set master.mcp.sendlist.font                  [2 16]
  set master.mcp.sendlist.margin                [4 0 4 0 0]
  set master.mcp.fxparm.font                    [2 28]
  set master.mcp.fxparm.margin                  [2 0 4 0 0]

EndLayout
Copy the code and paste it into the reaconfig-file Master Mixer section before Layout "ba - Small". You may wanna work with a renamed copy of the theme. There are many topics about how to edit/modify themes, ask if something is not clear or working.
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Old 02-17-2017, 02:40 PM   #6
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Hey xpander, thanks for the code, I'm trying to mix'n match a theme for levets personal needs atm, that is a cool help!

[EDIT:] I tried the code and I seem not to understand what "scroll aligned" means...does it mean the same height for the master track and the other ones? Can't this be achieved by CTRL + resize one track? Explanation needed, please!
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Last edited by Pet; 02-17-2017 at 03:32 PM.
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Old 02-17-2017, 03:33 PM   #7
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You're most welcome Pet. There are plenty of lines which could be streamlined to a more compact and clever code, I laid it out as simple as possible.

edit: I didn't know exactly myself either, lol. But from the Reaborn example given I figured out it lines up the Master Mixer Panel controls when the mixer has enough tracks where the scrollbar at the bottom raises all of them a bit. If it's actually something else, oh well..

PS. Re-next post...certainly open to critique, no offence taken.

Last edited by xpander; 02-17-2017 at 03:42 PM.
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Old 02-17-2017, 03:38 PM   #8
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Oh, I didn't want to criticize or offend you, I'm thankful for the code and it looks good so far.

The only thing is that I just do not understand what is meant by "scroll aligned". It is just a language problem, my english is not good enough, I'm german, that's all, sorry.

[EDIT:] answer to your edit : ah, I see, thanks for that tip, I will have a closer look at that!
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Old 02-17-2017, 04:40 PM   #9
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O.K. the German finally got it!
xpander you were right with your idea. With this layout the height of the scrollbar is added at the bottom to raise the master track to align the bottom edge with the other tracks.

Looks good...

Thanks for helping!
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Old 02-18-2017, 01:41 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pet View Post
O.K. the German finally got it!
xpander you were right with your idea. With this layout the height of the scrollbar is added at the bottom to raise the master track to align the bottom edge with the other tracks.

Looks good...

Thanks for helping!
Yes, that's what it is expander and pet - the scroll bar at the bottom of the mixer window raises them just enough that the mixer panel doesn't match up.

Thanks for the help expander - I had already communicated with pet and he is trying to help me, so I really appreciate both of your efforts.
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Old 02-18-2017, 07:09 PM   #11
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Hi levets, I sent you the theme via E-Mail.
Cheers
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