2.10. Configuration UI New

Configuration UI (New)

What it is

The Configuration UI is essentially an Editor for Generators. It consists of a dynamically built form, an envelopes editor and organizer, and a presets management module. Together, these allow for generator-specific properties to be loaded or tweaked, and resulting configurations to be immediately applied and/or stored for reuse.

How does it look/behave

The Configuration UI lives in a floating window with fully adjustable position and partially adjustable size.

The content and size of the Configuration UI window depend on whether the Envelopes Editor and Envelopes Manager sections are visible. This, in turn, depends on one of the available parameters having been marked as dynamic (via its Animate checkbox).

In its full form (when there is at least one parameter marked as dynamic), the Configuration UI window content is organized in two columns:

• a narrower column on the left, containing, from top to bottom:
  
  
  • the Presets Manager: a dropdown with available presets, supplemented on its right by dynamic buttons (they only show when needed);
    
    
  • the Parameters list: a scrollable rundown of all parameters exposed by the current generator. While each entry in the list does adapt its appearance to the specifics, type and working regime of the parameter it represents, their look and feel is rather consistent and comprises:
    
    

    • a small, square color probe: it is meant to help you quickly locate a parameter, and to easily relate it to its envelope when one is available;
      
      

    • a header: it will always include the parameter's name and, if applicable:
      
      

      • the current value: only available for not (currently) animated parameters; this is a scalar value if the parameter is scalar or a percent otherwise;
        
        
      • the range: only available for scalar parameters that have both a lower and higher limit defined;
        
        

    • a quick help button: you click it to toggle a summary of the current parameter's role and typical behavior;
      
      

    • a control widget: you use it to adjust and/or read the current value of the parameter. Based on the parameter's type and/or working regime, the control widget can be:
      
      

      • a spinner/numeric stepper: shown when the parameter is scalar and has no lower/higher limits defined;
        
        
      • a slider: shown when the parameter is either scalar with limits defined, or a percentage;
        
        
      • a line chart: shown if the parameter can and currently is animated (i.e., its Animate checkbox is ticked). The line charts shown in the Parameters list are readonly replicas of their respective envelopes in the Envelope Editor; clicking on one of these line charts merely selects their corresponding envelope in the editor. The color of a parameter's readonly line chart matches the color of the actual envelope (and the parameter's color probe);
        
        

    • an Animate checkbox: only shown for parameters that are internally marked as "animatable", i.e., being able to accept an envelope that controls the evolution of their value over time. If you tick this checkbox, you change the related parameter's working regime from static to dynamic. This has a number of implications:
      
      

      • the parameter is added to an internal list of "animated" parameters;
        
        
      • if not already visible, the Envelopes Editor is displayed, and the window size and resize constraints are correspondingly adjusted;
        
        
      • a new envelope is added, both to the editor and the manager; the envelope will have the parameter's color, and will use the last known parameter value for both ends;
        
        
      • the newly added envelope is selected and made ready for editing.
        
        

      The above operations are reversed when you un-tick a previously ticked Animate checkbox. The existing envelope is discarded, and the average of its control point values is set as the unique, static value of the parameter.
      
      

• a wider column on the right, containing, from top to bottom:
  
  
  • The Envelopes Editor: an interactive line chart featuring multiple series, one for each "animated" parameter. The series can be redrawn in real time by plotting and dragging around control points. This causes the related parameters' values to evolve accordingly across the musical time of the generated fragment.
    
    
  • The Envelopes Manager: a scrollable list of all the envelopes in the editor, with convenience controls for editing them in isolation and/or protect them from unwanted changes.

What to use it for

You use the Configuration UI to control how generator-made musical content sounds. By carefully tweaking the available parameters you can obtain structures that approximate your intended compositional idea. Further processing and/or manual edits will be needed to achieve better resemblance.