Per preset switch layouts

[zooey]

I've been living in a 4 presets/4 snapshots world pretty much since snapshots happened.

 

Lately I've been wishing you could set up some patches that way, some all stomps, and some all snaps. Each patch could just remember which switch layout was selected at the time you saved it.

 

If you always live in one layout and never change it, you don't have to do anything, every patch will remember that one same mode. Ideally though, just to prevent unintentional inconsistencies, there should be a global setting to turn per-preset such layouts on or off.

 

Does that seem useful? Any downsides? Worth putting on IdeaScale?

[HonestOpinion]

I love this idea!

[katerlouis]

Funny, just requested something similar:

http://line6.com/support/topic/21483-how-to-use-snapshots/?p=207098

 

In short:

Being able to assign Snapshots in "Command center" would do the magic, right?

You could go "full stomp mode" and assign the Snapshots wherever you want.

[zooey]

Sort of. You wouldn't have the other modes a click or two away though, and fully free-form switch assignments might be harder to keep in your head. It's an idea that comes up periodically, and gets​ some up votes, including mine as I recall.

[katerlouis]

Sort of. You wouldn't have the other modes a click or two away though, and fully free-form switch assignments might be harder to keep in your head. It's an idea that comes up periodically, and get some up hours, including by me as I recall.

 

 

I disagree with the argument "harder to keep in head"– If that's an issue for me, I can easily make sure that snapshots are always on the same stomps.

(Or is there an misunderstanding here? :D)

[zooey]

Another plus of per-patch layouts is that it makes working with patches built by someone who uses a different layout trivial.

 

If you've ever bought or downloaded patches with for instance 10 stomps when you use 4+4, the only way to even see what's on offer is to change to the layout they use, which means you can't use your own stuff right until you switch it back.

 

With per-patch layouts, if they didn't come with the appropriate layout already built in, it's easy to do it yourself. Just switch to that mode, then save each of them, then they'd each be in the mode the author intended, without messing up your other patches.

[davidb7170]

I'd really like to see this, and have considered requesting it, just hadn't gotten around to it. It would be good to add it as an option "per preset" in the global for those who want it, like us.

 

I have presets where I'd like all 8 as snapshots, some with 4 stomps & 4 snapshots, and some with all stomps. I have a few with some momentary stomps set up and have to change modes in the middle of the song. Not horrible, but would be more convenient if the preset would remember the mode.

 

This is the first I've heard anyone else bring it up. Thanks!

 

Dave

[zooey]

You may be right katerlouis, it's hard to really know what it's be like to work with without actually trying it. I certainly see the benefits of free switch assignment, as I said.

 

Would you still have multiple "modes", with separate switch assignments?

 

I suppose the next step would be if that global setting had these switch assignments options:

- Global

- Per patch

- Free assignment

[katerlouis]

I definitely think "remember the mode per preset" is a really good thing.

When new features / ideas pop into my mind, I always check them for realizability – it should still be convenient and clear to the user.

 

Having either all or no patches remember their last set mode weakens the desired flexibility with this feature in my opinion. Your suggested global option results again in a pick-your-poison-situation. I maybe only want 2 patches to remember they are in "no-bank-mode".

That being said I can't come up with a transparent solution to communicate that this preset is in "remembering status". When not settable in global settings, I also have no clue where to put the switch between "remember status" and "use global mode setting" –  Longpress Mode-switch already has a function mapped to it, so that's no option to go into "remember status".

I find visual indicators also very important; But where and how to put it? Maybe inverting the "Mode Switch" (bright background and dark text)

And what happens when I have a patch in "remembering status" and change the mode? Do I have to save it or does it remember without? What would be better, anyhow? Should that be another option in the settings?

It's a tricky thing, but definitely worth integrating, as long as the concept doesn't interfere or makes other features "more cloudy".

I just fear if not implemented correctly there is high risk to get into situations where the user is like "what is happening? Where's the mode!?", when they don't know the feature and accidentally switched to "remember status".

 

Most of the illustrated challanges would be neglected with your suggested global setting "Use global setting" / "Per Patch Remember". Maybe that's the way to go, after all. Rather a "weaker version" than a "too confusing and harder to implement" one :D

 

 

As for your suggestion for the "Free assignment" – I don't see any reason to hide my request behind an option. I see it just as an additional way to integrate snapshots. 

You can assign so many things in the command center (90% of which I don't know what they are doing :D) – So why not just add a "Snapshot" value for the first dial-knob which then popsup the second with a number from 1-8. The command center already has all the tools to label and colorize–

under the hood the programmers maybe need to put some work into the details, to preserve features as "copy snapshot" when touch-holding 2 snapshot stomps or to change the character-limit while customizing a snapshot stomp, since it has an additional logo next to it, which the other options don't have. But cmon– look at this peace of gear; don't try to tell me these details would be reason to keep them from doing it ;)

[jbuhajla]

Great idea. Just have the preset remember what mode it was in when it was last saved. 

[bobruz]

There is an entry in Ideascale for this that can be voted up.
currently it is only at 43.

 

https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Preset-Specific-Footswitch-Mode-Behaviour/858414-23508

[zooey]

Another plus of per preset switch layouts is that most of the functionality already exists, since all those layout modes do, as does UI to choose one. Free assignment OTOH requires more flexible switch assignment and display UIs, neither of which exist now.

 

I agree that somehow showing which mode a preset is in would be good. OTOH, you can tell pretty easily by what's shown on the scribble strips -- all stomps, all snaps, any mix.

 

Another thing that maybe needs some thought is putting the layout switcher closer to hand while editing a preset, so you don't have to dig into and modify your global settings to change it for that patch. In the someone else's patch scenario for instance, if the patch was built for 4+4, but you're normally 10 stomps, it's not ideal to have to change the global mode to one you know you don't want, just to update the patch.

 

Maybe it's another invisible step past the input and/or output blocks? Not great, not sure what would be better.

 

Overall I still like the idea though. Another little bit of kicking it around, and I'll put it up on IdeaScale.

[PeterHamm]

I personally woud probably not use this feature, but think it's a GREAT idea.

[ncockerill]

Voted this up.  I think this would be a really useful addition to the Helix --- for me, anyway. I typically use 4 snaps / 4 stomps per preset, but there are definitely a few "pre-snapshot" patches that I still use live. When I switch to these, I have to remember to hit the MODE button to switch to stomp mode, as the unassigned snapshot buttons illuminate instead of my stomps. It's not a big deal, but it has made me wish for this functionality.