[linux-audio-dev] GUIless friendly applications

[Bill Allen]

On Wed, 6 Nov 2002, Mario Lang wrote:

> 
> The *.ams files looks textual to me, anyone experienced enough
> with AMS able to comment on if it is remotely thinkable
> to turn it into a alternatively-controllable-app?  Like
> a simple socket interface to change controls?
> 
I've used AMS quite a lot - I like the sounds and controls. However, my 
review of the code revealed that the gui and synthesis engine were fairly 
tightly entertwined. The *.ams files refer specifically to the gui 
elements that are present in the patch. It does this because when you save 
a patch, you are not only saving the patches circuit, but also the look 
and feel of the patch, i.e. the positions on the screen at which the 
various elements have been placed. This is nice since one can load a patch 
the next day/week/whatever and have a visual reminder of the patch and its 
connections. 

I would love to see a separation of the gui part from the synth part, but
I'm not sure how to specify the connections between the two. I suppose one
could name (or number as AMS does automatically) the elements in the
circuit, then refer to those elements in the gui description that
specifies the placement of the element on the screen. If you had that, you
could have multiple gui layouts for a given circuit, plus the ability to 
specify patches strictly textually.

Bill