[PD] messy situations: writesf~ feature request

[info at hansroels.be]

hi Roman,

Here is a patch that returns the recording status as good as possible. 
It checks the order of messages (to writesf~), the current dsp status 
and if the audio signal going to writesf~ is totally silent.  I hope 
this patch should be an improvement in 'messy' situations...
But I still think that the error messages (in the Pd main window) of 
writesf~ are a bit confusing and incomplete (and a simple output 
triggering a '1' or 'yes' would simplify its use).

Hans


On 3/9/21 2:35 PM, Roman Haefeli wrote:
> Hi Hans
>
> I don't think [writesf~] is supposed to be or should become a
> 'batteries included'-recording facility. I think its usage is much more
> flexible when it _does not_ report warning and errors under the
> circumstances you propose.
>
> Pd - being a programming language - provides all the utilities to write
> your own recorder that checks for things like DSP status and whether a
> file was already openened or not. I totally understand how in messy
> situations some mishaps easily happen. That's why I usually use a
> recorder patch that has a single button for everything.
>
>    * first press: open 'save file' dialog
>    * second press: start recording
>    * third press: stop recording
>
> The button color represents current state. Dark means no file has been
> selected. Flashing means a file has been selected and now it is ready
> for recording. Light means it is currently recording.
>
> Your recorder might need different features. Anyway, I suggest to build
> something that suits your needs.
>
> Roman
>
>
> On Tue, 2021-03-09 at 11:10 +0100, info at hansroels.be wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I think it's a problem that in 'messy' situations you don't have
>> feedback from writesf~ to know/see that the recording is happening.
>> With 'messy' I mean situations where you aren't fully concentrated on
>> recording, for example: simultaneously performing on stage and making
>> a multichannel recording, moderating a meeting and at the same time
>> recording it. I have noticed that after some of these messy
>> situations, I didn't have a recording or a channel was
>> missing/silent. I tested writesf~ and here are some observations:
>>
>> A) if you send a [stop( message to writesf~ after [open( the
>> recording doesn't start but there is no error message (in the main Pd
>> window); next, if you send [start( there is an error message and no
>> recording.
>> B) if you send [start( -and thus start the recording-, next switch
>> off the DSP, switch it on again, the recording automatically
>> continues (from the moment the DSP has been switched on again). No
>> error message is printed.
>> C) if during a recording, the DSP is switched off and the patch -with
>> writesf~- is also closed, the recording stops of course but no panic:
>> the recorded file is OK and available to be read. No error message is
>> printed.
>> D) If you send a second [start( message during the recording, an
>> error message is printed but in fact the recording continues without
>> any problems.
>>
>> E) If you send [open(, next  [start( when the DSP is off, the
>> recording doesn't start but no error message is printed. Next, when
>> you switch on the DSP, the recording automatically starts.
>>
>> F) If the signal connection going to writesf~ is broken, the
>> recording starts without an error message, but the recorded file will
>> be useless: it only has zeroes.
>>
>> G) If no signal at all is connected to writesf~ it still records
>> (zeroes) if the DSP is on. No error message or warning is printed.
>>
>> B) & C) & E) are great ! I think D) & A) are a bit strange and in
>> situation F) & G) it would be better that the recording wouldn't
>> start or at least give some kind of error or warning message).
>>
>> So here is my  feature request:
>>
>> writesf~ has an output which displays if the recording is happening.
>> writesf~ doesn't record or outputs a 'no input' warning message when
>> the (upstream) signal leading to writesf~ is broken or missing
>> Hans
>>
>>
>>
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