[PD] thoughts about iemlib

[Miller Puckette]

Hi all,

Well, first of all, I don't think incorporating the GUI objects from IEMLIB
will make Pd any harder to extricate from tk if that ever has to be done.
It can always be fixed so that when you import a Pd patch into some newer,
leaner Pd, all those controls just revert to number boxes, or to some much
simpler, less versatile GUI objects that anyone could write quickly...

My own question is how to prevent confusion when all the controls can have
"send" and "receive" connections that you don't know about until you open
the dialog.  Someone could get in serious trouble copying and pasting sliders
and wondering why they all seem to jump at once...!  Also I'm baffled how to
deal with dollar signs in send and receive names for GUIs. 

I'm not too worried about efficiency problems since in any case you have to
limit the number of graphical controls you have visible if you want your patch
to run well.  Someday I want to implement a kind of flow control to ease this
situation, but then you'll just see the interface react slower and slower as
you add creamy GUI objects to your patch.

No, I don't think color is CPU-expensive...  it's probably all those labels
on the VU meters that are the real killers (the more stuff you have on the
screen the more things TK has to check if it needs redrawing when sonething
changes).

Anyway, I have many more thoughts than that, but I'm focussing on getting
ready for ICMC right now... :)

cheers
Miller


On Tue, Sep 11, 2001 at 05:37:30PM -0400, Michal Seta wrote:
> Frank Barknecht wrote:
> 
> >
> >I like gripd, that was not what I meant. But gripd IMO fills another niche:
> >it allows one to build "performance patches" like in Reaktor, where only
> >the important things are visible. 
> >
> In my opinion this is what the gui is supposed to be for :)
> 
> >
> >
> >I like those GUI thingies in PD because they help me build patches and
> >keep them clean.
> >
> >A simple example is [tgl].  Without [tgl] I need one [1( and one [0( to
> >control a [metro] and I don't see at one glance if the [metro] is on or
> >off. With one [tgl] instead I do.
> >
> >Also colors in PD patches help me finding my way. 
> >
> 
> I agree...
> 
> I admit that I was just thinking of the iemlib vs gripd issue...  If you 
> remember I reported a problem using gripd.  So, as I was somewhat 
> desperate, I built my gui with iemlib.  The whole thing.  I'm rebuilding 
> it with GriPD as well but I'm not in a hurry anymore...  since I'm 
> planning, perhaps, releasing the thing to the public at some point I 
> thought that GriPD will be "cuter" ....
> 
> However, iemlib is great for quick things.  More like 
> testing/prototyping.  I would probably not use gripd early on during 
> patch development.  But then, it's possible in any case....
> 
> And I think I would rather see more features added to gripd (and I'm 
> sure more of such gadgets will pop up) than iemlib.  But we should not 
> underestimate the usefulness of iemlib.  And then the proper credit 
> should be given :)
> 
> mine 0.02
> 
> 
> ./MiS
> 
>