"Track Automation" in Edit Filter

[Starship Krupa]

I've been brushing up on automation; I've only ever used volume and pan automation on tracks, buses and clips and wanted to dig more deeply.

First question:

The way I've always done track or bus automation is to open an automation lane, select what parameter I want to automate (volume or pan) and start adding nodes. Works a treat.

From reading the Reference Guide, I guess you can also do that right in the track if you set the edit filter on the track. Cool, but here's where things got weird in the documentation.

The Cakewalk Reference Guide repeatedly (and I mean repeatedly, look on p. 641) says to "Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation)."

When I click on the Edit Filter, here's what I see:

There's "Clip Automation," but their ain't no selection for "Track Automation." I'll hazard a guess that plain old "Automation" means "Track Automation?"

[JnTuneTech]

Yes, "Automation" in that dialogue refers to the basic track inspector tool (Volume fader, etc. - plus more for MIDI tracks (i.e. Controllers) automation items - and then additional sub-menus for effects (in the track ProChannel and FX bin) automation items. -And, FWIW, I have come to notice that using that selector dialogue also defines what envelope will be prominently displayed in the track view, and often immediately editable, especially once you expand the track view real estate. So, for instance, when I want to quickly edit the clip(s), or automation separately, etc., it really matters. -When I am being OCD about my mix, I often make sure only the items I want from each track are active with that dialogue, and/or sometimes just to "point out" what I need to remember is happening on a track.

And, in practice, I mix up (pun intended) using the "active - record" automation item creation, with the manual-dialogue method, determined not only by how I want to approach entering the changes, but sometimes it just needs to be done at least initially to even have an FX automation item show up in the lanes/automation selection menu at all. That's been my experience anyway.

Edited April 12 by JnTuneTech
clarifications...

[John Vere]

Johns lazy guy method.  Activate Write Automation. Start playback and move the desired controller. This can even be an effect. Anything red is game. 
Stop play back and open the lane and manually draw the nodes. 
I prefer the automation is in a lane for clarity as well as then you can still edit the track. 

[chuckebaby]

Yes, I believe Automation is track automation.

[msmcleod]

On 4/11/2024 at 9:54 AM, Starship Krupa said:

There's "Clip Automation," but their ain't no selection for "Track Automation." I'll hazard a guess that plain old "Automation" means "Track Automation?"

That's because you're selecting it from the Track filter - so track is implied.

[Starship Krupa]

5 hours ago, msmcleod said:

That's because you're selecting it from the Track filter - so track is implied.

According to the tooltip and the Reference Guide, that menu is called the "Edit Filter."

There's room on the menu to label Track Automation "Track Automation." Shouldn't it be labeled that way?

[sjoens]

You could use a resource editor to change the wording in the String folder contained in the TTSRes file. 

[Starship Krupa]

1 hour ago, sjoens said:

You could use a resource editor to change the wording in the String folder contained in the TTSRes file. 

Y'know, I should have one of those already but I don't. I know you're a resource editor user, can you recommend one?

Not that I would run a program with a hacked DLL mind you (that could lead to unfortunate consequences), just for educational purposes.

Edited April 15 by Starship Krupa

[sjoens]

Keep in mind this is exactly what Theme Editor is.  It's actually based on Ben Staton's SonarPlus Skin Editor which he made for Sonar X1 back in 2011.

There are many editors out there and some are free but I use Restorator which automatically makes a backup of any file it edits.

Resource files that mainly affect the visual part of a program have little to no affect on the main program unless you get carried away.  As long as the files are outside the main exe file you're safe from doing it any harm.  Even if the program fails to run or throws a warning, you can easily return it to normal by keeping the original files in a safe place so they can be reused.

Main problem with this is when program updates overwrite the files you edited making you reapply the edits.

Edited April 22 by sjoens