[LAU] qjackctl patchbay

[Rui Nuno Capela]

> On Fri, April 18, 2008 11:12, Fons Adriaensen wrote:
>> On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 09:51:51AM +0100, Rui Nuno Capela wrote:
>> i'm sure the biggest problem here is the braindead snapshot feature which
>> doesn't do what you really want ootb. and the keyword here is the ootb;)
>>
>> suppose you have this connection scenario:
>>
>>   client_a:out_1 -> client_b:in_3
>>   client_a:out_2 -> client_b:in_4
>>   client_a:out_3 -> client_b:in_2
>>   client_a:out_4 -> client_b:in_1
>>
>> then the snapshot will make it like:
>>
>>   socket_a   -> socket_b
>>     client_a      client_b
>>       out_1       in_1
>>       out_2       in_2
>>       out_3       in_3
>>       out_4       in_4
>
> This example would suggest that the connection made are
> based on the lexicographical order of the ports, as they
> are displayed. But this is in general *not* the case.
>
> The snapshot seems to use the *unsorted* list.
>
> If client b has an additional port, let's say 'test',
> (it would be the 5th one in the list, after in_4),
> the connection made could as well be:
>
>   socket_a   -> socket_b
>     client_a      client_b
>       out_1       test
>       out_2       in_1
>       out_3       in_2
>       out_4       in_3
>

nope. the snapshot will list *all* ports oof the client, but it probably
will do it as unsorted as jack_get_ports() will hand it. that is, if
client_b has an additional port named "test", the snapshot result most
probably will be

  socket_a   -> socket_b
    client_a      client_b
      out_1         test
      out_2         in_1
      out_3         in_2
      out_4         in_3
                    in_4


> The same happens when you make the connections selecting
> the two apps instead of the ports: the order does not in
> general correspond to the one that is displayed.
>
> >From the user's point of view, the mapping is just random.
>
>> imho, the big question is not whether the patchbay model doesn't fit to
>> all purposes, but whether the current super-naive snapshot mapping is any
>> better than not having one :)
>
> I still faill to understand why the snapshot can't do what its name
> suggests it will do: make a copy of the existing connections.
>
> If a human user is supposed to be able to create a patchbay
> corresponding to a given set of connection, by folllowing
> some procedure, why can a piece of software not do the same ?
> In particular if said procedure is supposed to be simple and
> intuitive.
>

ah, is it simply because there is this one developer here who suffers from
some form of chronic procrastination ? :)


ciao
-- 
rncbc aka Rui Nuno Capela
rncbc at rncbc.org