[linux-audio-dev] more on XAP Virtual Voice ID system

[David Olofson]

On Wednesday 08 January 2003 20.09, Tim Hockin wrote:
> > > Hrrm, I can't argue that a temp ID is pretty, but I _like_ that
> > > the plugin allocates the VID.
> >
> > As a plugin author I like that the host does it ;) One less thing
> > to take care of.
>
> As a host author, I like that I can account for your voices by REAL
> voice IDs. :)

Well, I still can't see why. Trackers used to do it this way, but h/w 
synths stopped doing it about when CV started to lose popularity, 
AFAIK.

That said, one VVID == one physical voice, or possibly no voice at 
all. (And if you care, the latter only happens when you're 
overloading your polyphony.) That is, you can still do whatever you 
like with a single voice for as long as you like. The problems that 
MIDI has with addressing voices does not apply here, whether voices 
are addressed directly or virtually.


> Besides that, don't you have an array of voice
> structs or something similar in EVERY plugin?

Nope - so why care what the synth actually does?


> Just return me your
> key.

Why? What do you want it for?

Why not just give *me* (the synth) somewhere to put my key instead, 
so it comes with the VVID without anyone but me ever having to look 
at it?


> They don't have to be sequential or even small, just positive
> (or if you prefer, non-zero).

How about 32 bit, or void *; no additional restrictions?


> In the end, it makes your life easy, too, since your key is my key
> - you don't need to hash or map anything.

That's great, but with VVIDs + table, you can have that as well - 
without two-way communication or senders having to know anything 
about it. (Senders deal only with indices, and the host manages the 
table. Only synths will ever access the entries in the table)


//David Olofson - Programmer, Composer, Open Source Advocate

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