VEVEF32

Instant commands are not saved : - in .hlx preset export file (so are lost when reimporting) - when making a preset copy/paste from one preset slot to another. Configuration : Hx effects, firmware 3.50, from boot (without reloading previous backup). Creation of a new preset, with 2 snapshots Declaration of 2 instant commands : - IC#1 : Program change midi chanel = 1, prog = 2 - IC#2 : Control change midi chanel = 3, CC = 4, value = 5 Then IC#1 modified for snapshot 2 : - IC#1 : Program change midi chanel = 1, prog = 7 In exported .hlx file (see below the whole file), only type of IC command is exported (19 = PC, 18=CC) : "commandInst1" : { "@command" : 19 }, "commandInst2" : { "@command" : 18 }, Midi chanel, CC number and values are not exported In addition, differences (here in IC#1) between snapshots are not exported in "snapshots" section of .hlx file : "snapshot1" : { [...] "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } [...] "snapshot2" : { [...] "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } ----------------------------- Here is the complete .hlx file : { "data" : { "device" : 2162693, "device_version" : 55574528, "meta" : { "application" : "HX Edit", "appversion" : 50331648, "build_sha" : "3d6176f", "modifieddate" : 1668163552, "name" : "MyPreset" }, "tone" : { "commandFS1" : { "@command" : 7, "@fs_customlabel" : "Switch Tip-GND", "@fs_enabled" : true, "@fs_label" : "Ext Amp", "@fs_ledcolor" : 7077838, "@fs_momentary" : false, "@fs_primary" : true, "@select" : 2 }, "commandFS2" : { "@command" : 7, "@fs_customlabel" : "Switch Ring-GND ", "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_label" : "Ext Amp", "@fs_ledcolor" : 462860, "@fs_momentary" : false, "@fs_primary" : true, "@select" : 3 }, "commandInst1" : { "@command" : 19 }, "commandInst2" : { "@command" : 18 }, "dsp0" : { "block0" : { "@enabled" : true, "@model" : "HD2_VolPanGain", "@no_snapshot_bypass" : false, "@path" : 0, "@position" : 0, "@stereo" : false, "@type" : 0, "Gain" : 8.99779 }, "inputA" : { "@input" : 1, "@model" : "HelixFx_AppDSPFlowInput" }, "inputB" : { "@input" : 0, "@model" : "HelixFx_AppDSPFlowInput" }, "join" : { "@enabled" : true, "@model" : "HD2_AppDSPFlowJoin", "@no_snapshot_bypass" : false, "@position" : 9, "A Level" : 0.0, "A Pan" : 0.50, "B Level" : 0.0, "B Pan" : 0.50, "B Polarity" : false, "Level" : 0.0 }, "outputA" : { "@model" : "HelixFx_AppDSPFlowOutput", "@output" : 1, "gain" : 0.0, "pan" : 0.50 }, "outputB" : { "@model" : "HelixFx_AppDSPFlowOutput", "@output" : 0, "gain" : 0.0, "pan" : 0.50 }, "split" : { "@enabled" : true, "@model" : "HD2_AppDSPFlowSplitY", "@no_snapshot_bypass" : false, "@position" : 0, "BalanceA" : 0.50, "BalanceB" : 0.50, "bypass" : false } }, "dsp1" : {}, "footswitch" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : { "@fs_enabled" : true, "@fs_index" : 3, "@fs_label" : "Gain", "@fs_ledcolor" : 65408, "@fs_momentary" : false, "@fs_primary" : true } } }, "global" : { "@DtSelect" : 2, "@PowercabMode" : 0, "@PowercabSelect" : 2, "@PowercabVoicing" : 0, "@current_snapshot" : 1, "@cursor_dsp" : 0, "@cursor_group" : "block0", "@cursor_path" : 0, "@cursor_position" : 0, "@guitarinputZ" : 0, "@model" : "@global_params", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 120.0, "@topology0" : "A", "@topology1" : 0 }, "snapshot0" : { "@ledcolor" : 0, "@name" : "Tune 1", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 120.0, "@valid" : true, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true } }, "commands" : { "commandFS1" : { "@fs_enabled" : true, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 2 }, "commandFS2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 3 }, "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } } }, "snapshot1" : { "@ledcolor" : 0, "@name" : "Tune 2", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 120.0, "@valid" : true, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true } }, "commands" : { "commandFS1" : { "@fs_enabled" : true, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 2 }, "commandFS2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 3 }, "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } } }, "snapshot2" : { "@ledcolor" : 0, "@name" : "", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 0.0, "@valid" : false, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true } }, "commands" : { "commandFS1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 0 }, "commandFS2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 0 }, "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } } }, "snapshot3" : { "@ledcolor" : 0, "@name" : "", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 0.0, "@valid" : false, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true } }, "commands" : { "commandFS1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 0 }, "commandFS2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false, "@fs_momentary" : 0, "@select" : 0 }, "commandInst1" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } } }, "variax" : { "@variax_customtuning" : true, "@variax_lockctrls" : 0, "@variax_magmode" : true, "@variax_model" : 0, "@variax_str1tuning" : 0, "@variax_str2tuning" : 0, "@variax_str3tuning" : 0, "@variax_str4tuning" : 0, "@variax_str5tuning" : 0, "@variax_str6tuning" : 0, "@variax_toneknob" : -0.10, "@variax_volumeknob" : -0.10 } } }, "meta" : { "original" : 0, "pbn" : 0, "premium" : 0 }, "schema" : "L6Preset", "version" : 6 }

Thanks @datacommando. Inside there is a lot of information I also found in various forums, which is concatenated here and not being in the Hx user manual. Interesting info source :-) @rd2rk, what I meant is that lot of MIDI devices are not connecting to PC with USB to configure device : presets content (audio algos chain), global settings, etc..., but rather use PC > MIDI in link to do this, like strymon pedals. For doing this, they use only MIDI sysex messages because those messages are the only one in MIDI standard which are proprietary and manufacturer dependent. So, if you want to configure a preset on a strymon pedal (not select but really define what is the preset), you can do it 1) directly on the machine or 2) do it on the PC using a dedicated software (like the Hx edit program). But in this case, preset configuration update don't go thru USB link but only thru MIDI link and using sys ex messages. That's why I said that every time you want to define a new preset on a strymon pedal using your PC you have to connect to the strymon pedal using a MIDI cable. And if your strymon pedal is after the HX effects in the MIDI serial daisy chain, then Hx effects filters all sysex messages and you cannot do it. You have to unplug the MIDI in of the first pedal after the Hx and connect your PC directly after the Hx effects. You can also use a midi merge to perform this. But really, sysex messages should not be filtered by the Hx effects because it can be used by many other downstream devices for their configuration.

Yes I agree sys ex messages are probably not the most used messages. But just take one exemple : all expensive strymon pedals, which are references among effects pedals, only use midi in and sys ex messages to configure the pedals (such as the Big Sky). No USB. So if you use a hx effects as a 'command center' to control downstream strymon pedals in midi Daisy chain, then you are not able to update the strymon presets with a pc connected to the hx midi in, unless you use an additional midi merger or play with cables (which is not very nice on a pedalboard).

I would disagree with statement that "forwarding MIDI sys ex message from MIDI in to MIDI out has never been a feature claimed by Line 6". Go to user manual page 41 (Global settings > MIDI/Tempo) and you find the magic sentence : "MIDI thru : if you activate this parameter, MIDI out is acting as a MIDI thru and forwards ALL MIDI IN messages received on MIDI in" (translation from french version of user manual). It is exactly how the MIDI thru (from MIDI in to MIDI out) should behave: forwarding ALL messages from in to out. Fact is Hx effects filters some MIDI messages. Here it is sysex, but it could also be midi clock or whatever. When supporting this forward feature you have to forward everything, and not filter anything. On other points I mentionned, I already opened a ticket for solving this, but unfortunately after making many tests requested by Line 6 support (firmware update, re-creating the issue on an empty device without reloading any backup...) and making image snapshots, line6 support was not able to help me... and ignored the issue closing the ticket. Meatime I found a way to solve the issue, just in case some other people have the same problem : 1) in Hx editor, export just the preset (.hlx) 2) open it in a text editor, it's a JSON file 3) while all my Instant commands where really appearing in the Hx effects, it was not defined in the JSON file (how it was stored ?!? mystery...). So definitions generated by Hx Effects device were quite empty : At file header, I had : "tone" : { "commandInst1" : { "@command" : 19 }, "commandInst2" : { "@command" : 18 }, without any other definition, while there was some additionnal definition for the "working presets". Then at snapshots definition section, I had (showing just one snapshot example) : "snapshot1" : { "@ledcolor" : 6, "@name" : "Lyrics", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 120.0, "@valid" : true, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true, "block1" : true, "block2" : false, "block3" : false, "block4" : true, "block5" : false } }, "commands" : { "commandInst2" : { "@fs_enabled" : false }, "commandInst3" : { "@fs_enabled" : false } } }, As you can see, no parameters defined for each snapshot, rather an empty definition (and CommandInst1 was appearing in the Hx effects, while not defined at all in the JSON file). It appears that most of the time preset export does not export the MIDI Instant commands parameters. So let's reconstruct it... 4) to update the file, add at the beginning of the file, just after the "tone" : "tone" : { "commandInst1" : { "@bank0" : 0, "@bank32" : 0, "@channel" : 0, "@command" : 4, "@current" : 0, "@program" : 0 }, "commandInst2" : { "@cc" : 00, "@channel" : 0, "@command" : 1, "@value" : 0 }, One section for each Command Instant you want. Here you define the type of the command which will be used for each snapshot. Here is one example for a PC and another for a CC. The @command value defines the command type. It is PC=19 and CC=18 in some of my presets, and some other have saved PC=4 and CC=1. Seems that PC=4 and CC=1 works better in my case. Not sure why there is this difference, I suspect that there has been a firmware change and such values change... that would also explain the issue I face. In this section, I guess all values sets the default values for all snapshots if they are not re-defined in each snapshot. If defined in one snapshot, each value overrides the default value (It's my guess, but I did not test it, so I prefer to make the default and each snapshot definition) 5) at the bottom of the file, in each snapshot section, modify the parameters you want to send for each command for this snapshot. eg : "snapshot0" : { "@ledcolor" : 8, "@name" : "Couplet", "@pedalstate" : 0, "@tempo" : 120.0, "@valid" : true, "blocks" : { "dsp0" : { "block0" : true, "block1" : true, "block2" : false, "block3" : false, "block4" : false, "block5" : false } }, "commands" : { "commandInst1" : { "@bank0" : 0, "@bank32" : 0, "@channel" : 0, "@current" : 0, "@fs_enabled" : false, "@program" : 0 }, "commandInst2" : { "@cc" : 101, "@channel" : 3, "@fs_enabled" : false, "@value" : 0 } } }, In this example, when selecting snapshot 0, Hx effects will send a fake PC command (not used)(in fact it will not sent the PC command when value is set to 0, see below) and a valid CC number 101 on midi channel 3 (0x02 sent). More generally when you want to disable an Instant command in a particular snapshot, set all values to 0 (or send it to a non-active midi channel...). Note that while CC will send the right CC number indicated in JSON file (counting from 0 to 127), the PC will send a -1 value (counting from 1 to 128). So for example : "commands" : { "commandInst1" : { "@bank0" : 0, "@bank32" : 0, "@channel" : 3, "@current" : 0, "@fs_enabled" : false, "@program" : 14 }, will send a MIDI message : 0xC2 (=PC on channel 2), 0x0D (PC=13). For the PC, if you set the @program value to 0, the PC will be disabled for this snapshot and not sent to MIDI out. 5) save the file and reload it in Hx editor as a single preset, in the desired preset location. Also note that when defining one Instant Command in a preset/snapshot, the IC type (CC=18 or PC=19) is mentionned in file header, but parameters are strangely not defined at all when exporting the JSON file. Anyway, adding it into the JSON file and re-importing it forces the Hx effects to take it into account... and store it correctly if there has been some saving corruption. Again, I would have expected the Line6 support to ask me to send some hlx files to verify such preset saving bugs. They didn't... not very technical answer. Anyway, hope this helps...

Hardware: Helix hx effects Firmware/Editor: Firmware 3.15 HX Global Settings: snapshots discard changes (recall) Bugs related to midi : 1. No fw to midi out of midi in incoming sysex messages (yes there are otber pedals chained after the hx on my pedalboard which need configuration also) 2. When configuring each instant midi message (im) for each Snapshot, even when keeping the same type of command (eg. Prog change) for the same im number, but just changing the value for each Snapshot (cc value or prog change number), hx randomly applies/change this value to all the snapshots and not only to the current one. And yes, i'm saving the preset after each modification. Sometimes it works, most of the time not. I did everything : factory reset and just make 1 config, update to latest firmware... Always the same random behavior 3. How can I disable one im in a specific Snapshot ? Of course no need if i only have 2 snapshots as hx des not resend the same im consecutively. Anyway if i have more snapshots, and navigating not always in the same order from one snapshot to another, it becomes necessary to disable some im for some snapshots. eg : im1 : pc midi 1 program 1 im2 : cc midi 1 cc 10 value x Snap 1 : im1, no change in im2 Snap 2 : im1, im2 with value 1 Snap 3 : im1, im2 with value 2 how do i set im2 in Snap 1 to not change to any New value ? (When moving Snap 2 to Snap 1 or Snap 3 to Snap 1) 4. When updating the audio processing chain by eg. just adding a gain, most of the time all im of all snapshots are lost, which honestly have nothing to do with the audio processing itself. Thanks

Also displaying external incoming midi CLK (led in blue) is not very accurate. My midi chain is : midi CLK generator > hx effects > source audio ventris > ditto x4. Ventris and ditto display well the CLK indication while it is less synchronized on hx effects...

Point is that on Hx effects, sometimes it works well : one instant message (eg N°1) must be the same command type (eg PC) accross snapshots (and is copied among other snapshots when defined), while you can set different parameters for midi channel and value(s) in each snapshot. ... and by saving of course after each modification before moving to the other preset. While its does not work using the Hx edit program on PC, it works not so bad on Hx effects itself. I still have some issues with it : sometimes when you change a value in one snapshot, it changes it in all snapshots, and there is nothing you can do to change this. It is also very difficult to disable this MIDI command in another snapshot (sometimes you can set it to OFF, while it's not always working) Adding the fact Hx effects does not passthru the MIDI sysex commands it receives, I feel MIDI implementation in Hx effects is not reliable, unfortunately. ...While this machine is a killer for audio effects.

Agree, I meantime also added the same idea. Anyway thank you for the link, that's better if we all vote for the same idea. I voted !

Yes, of course, I agree with you that we can use this device as a great MIDI controler. My point is that this device should not consider it is the ONLY MIDI device in the chain, especially if it's a midi controler ! It should forward all input MIDI commands (except the sysex intended for its own purpose). As mentionned above, if you chain, on a pedalboard, first HX device then a strymon device (for example; personnaly it's another sysex-programmable device), then the other device becomes un-programmable thru the MIDI chain going thru the Line6 device first. The only way is to add a MIDI merger after the Line6, which is obviously ridiculous, considering that the Line6 device makes, on the other hand, a perfect MIDI-thru feature (except for Sysex commands). Either it implements the MIDI-thru feature, either it does not. But if it does, it should do it 100%. Compared to this sysex pass thru, the MIDI clock pass thru is technically more complex (in term of real time & latency), isn't it ?

I got the same issue once I added one MIDI device configured by sysex messages after the Hx effects. As hw & sw engineer, I used to design a MIDI controler pedal. And of course including MIDI thru feature. For me it's obvious that when receiving a sysex message, the basic process is to 1) identify the manufacturer, if it's for Line 6 then 2) identify if its dedicated for the current device. If not, then all the sysex message must be sent to midi out/thru up to the sysex end command. Thats very simple to implement, because anyway you have to wait for and identify the sysex ending command. I just can't believe it has not been implemented by Line6. Expecially for the Hx effects which is intended to be THE controller pedal of the whole chain. So every MIDI config thru syex (eg coming from a computer) is obviously sent thru the Line6 device. It's the case for all strymon devices not having config thru USB but only thru MIDI. So, Line6, a MUST DO ! otherwhise this device cannot be considered as a main control device in a pedalboard.