[LAU] [ANN] Qtractor 0.5.2 - The Charlie X-ray gets through!

Rui Capela rui.capela at gmail.com
Sat Dec 17 12:05:29 UTC 2011


Aha,

TYOQA is finally coming to an end.

Are we getting 'pre-beta' status? No way. Not there yet. And quite
frankly, it will never be. As most of you who know my stance on this
alpha-and-omega-thing, may well rejoyce: this is alphaaaaa!...

Now, let's get some more cynicism to the extreme, an activity that
I've been criticized more than often: the previous dot release nailed
the day when a bitten-fruit boss passed away. I am no prophet, but
could it be that we're witnessing the dawn of a brand 'new-age
passover'? I wonder what will happen this time.

Let's get over it, or better said, through it!

Time will tell or else, never mind.

  Qtractor 0.5.2 (charlie x-ray) breaks out free!

This solstice release comes with a long overdue loop-recording/takes
'featuritis' breakout. As a matter of fact, it is actually the
relevant feature being introduced this season. BTW, happy
holidays--before's too late ;)

Well, I've tried to do something barely useful, at least for the lone,
one-(wo)man-band and over-dubber, that is. There's still a point on
the old motto, remember? That 'techno-boy(gal)-bedroom studio'? Now I
think he/she can have a guitar ;) In other words, I'm not really sure
this is going to be the best user-interface or paradigm, model,
whatever.

You tell me :)


Release highlights:

* Loop-recording/takes implementation (NEW)
* Default session file format option (NEW)
* LV2 State extension support (NEW)
* Options dialog re-arrangement (FIX)
* Improved in-flight recording display (FIX)
* MIDI clip file revision numbering (FIX)
* Clip "Unlink" option (NEW)

Cheers!

Website:

  http://qtractor.sourceforge.net

Project page:

  http://sourceforge.net/projects/qtractor

Downloads:

- source tarball:
  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2.tar.gz

- source package (openSUSE 11.4):

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2-1.rncbc.suse121.src.rpm

- binary packages (openSUSE 11.4):

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2-1.rncbc.suse121.i586.rpm

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2-1.rncbc.suse121.x86_64.rpm

- one upon the time, eons ago: user manual:
  http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.3.0-user-manual.pdf

Weblog (upstream support):

  http://www.rncbc.org

License:

  Qtractor is free, open-source software, distributed under the terms
of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 or later.

Change-log:

- Fixed a probably old lurking destructive bug, which was incidental
to when an invalid or non audio file is imported, intentionally or by
mistake, into new or existing audio clips (eg. importing a MIDI file
where an audio file is expected).
- Force audio file closing to occur on the very same disk-write
(sync)thread, possibly mitigating an old random crash issue lurking in
the vorbis reference encoder (recording) re. the non thread-safetyness
of the vorbis_analysis() final call.
- Fixed extraordinary shadow-playback of audio clips which extent were
longer than the respective audio file length.
- Default session file format option now promoted (see
View/Options.../General/Session) in the way of whether file suffix
gets honored upon session open or save (.qtr, .qts or .qtz). This
brand new option also applies for default state file format on a
JACK-session salvage context.
- The View/Options... (aka. user preferences) dialog sees a new
arranjement in layout, with some options moving into this brand new
tab page called General.
- LV2 State extension support has been added, which shall replace old
LV2 Persist extension interface in the near future. It also replaces
the LV2 Files extension from now on (thanks to Dave Robillard).
- Dirty MIDI clips are now auto-saved when MIDI track properties get
changed through its own dialog.
- Fixed one probable too old crash when cancelling a new/add track dialog.
- MIDI SysEx event list editing is now fixed.
- Once again, make sure all recorded clips start and end at the very
same position when multiple track recording is turned on/off, while
playback is still rolling.
- Fixed Makefile.in handling installation directories to the configure
script eg. --datadir, --localedir.
- Possible attempt to improve in-flight recording clip display,
especially when looping and MIDI clips are involved.
- MIDI clip revision (re)numbering paranoia has been improved as much
to avoid MIDI file clashes as much as possible while editing multiple
MIDI clips which reference the same SMF and track/channel.
- Creating new or updating existing buses with exact same names of any
current dedicated inputs/outputs (which are implemented as special
covert buses) is now disallowed (preventing bug #3430406).
- Loop-recording/takes functionality is now ready for the masses and
accessible from brand new Clip/Take menu (Select, First, Previous,
Next, Last, Reset and Range...; the latter is actually being provided
as bonus feature :) as to fold any given clip into so-called takes,
simulating loop-recording mode over an arbitrary range).
- Loop-recording/takes infrastructure integration is sneaking in: all
clips recorded under a loop/cycle range may now get split (folded)
into one or more so-called takes. A new option is now provided, as to
select which take is about to retain after the recording ends, either
the First or the Last one. Just turn this mode off (None) and keep
with the old recording behavior, where clips are laid out unfolded
through the timeline, as usual (see menu View/Options.../Display/Loop
recording mode).
- Improved robustness in face of disabled audio buses when global
maximum number of JACK (audio) ports is surpassed (mitigating bug
#3421911).
- Improved single-track clip selection status logic (possibly fixing
bug #3419141).
- Clip/Unlink action is now available for detaching linked/ref-counted
MIDI clips, renaming and saving into auto-incremental SMF filenames.
- Temporary session archive directory now (pre)fixed whith program
name (eg. /tmp/qtractor).
- Fixed VST GUI editor window title on first show.
- Fixed build for ancient VST-SDK 2.3 (32bit only).


Enjoy!
-- 
rncbc aka Rui Nuno Capela
rncbc at rncbc.org


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