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

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.sr… - binary packages (openSUSE 11.4): http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2-1.rncbc.suse121.i5… http://downloads.sourceforge.net/qtractor/qtractor-0.5.2-1.rncbc.suse121.x8… - 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(a)rncbc.org