[SOLVED]I eventually got a startup Workspace I wanted - but no clue what I did - can anybody explain?

[LarsF]

Hi

Had everything I opened as project keep having this Browser tab opened and tried to get rid of it.

So a collapsed Inspector on left, and collapsed Browser on right - is what I wanted.

 

So just trying to understand this new stuff Lenses, now thankfully called Workspaces and Screensets combined.

This is the route I took

- created a new project and imported a video, since that is what I needed to see how it worked in Cakewalk

- tried setup gui as I wanted and did Save on the Advanced workspace selected - did not help - new projects always opened with Browser tab opened.

- went into Workspace manager - and also added Display as checked - then repeat above - did not help.

- then tried different screen sets - both 1 and 2 had Browser open - but 3 did not - so duplicated that into 1 and 2 and locked and saved Workspace.

- then I got rid of Browser finally, and it was collapsed.

 

Reading manual it says Screensets need not be saved, they are saved as project is saved.

The first two, 1 and 2 were not locked so thought that would be enough - just collapsing Inspector and Browser and save - but it was not enough.

I had to do the operations above before in sticked.

 

And I can open all on recently used list(done in Sonar Artist 2015) and get that Inspector and Browser are collapsed - perfect.

But Screensets are saved with projects - so don't understand how that operations fixed something actually in Workspaces part?

What is Workspaces and how it overlaps Screensets as it seems?

Does Workspace save the last Screenset used and copy into it's settings?

They seem to be related somehow.

 

Just want predictable result and understand how this works.

 

Any ideas?

Reading manual on Windows Management does not include Lenses part(now Workspaces), just a reference to other part of manual.

Still they seem very much related.

Thanks.

 

Anyway, after out in wilderness of Cubase Pro and StudioOne I am back on good old Cakwalk again. Started with Cakewalk Pro late 80's, Sonar 4, 8.5, X3 and Artist. Excellent job Bakers.

Edited February 8, 2020 by LarsF

[chuckebaby]

Workspaces used to be called Lenses. They are basically the same thing. So for all intents and purposes, lets just call them Workspaces for now.

Workspaces and Screensets are different in the fact that Workspaces are much deeper and more importantly.. Global. What does "Global mean" ? It means that it runs from project to project. You can set up Workspaces like a template of sorts to open with each project. Screensets are not global and are minimal compared to Workspaces. Screensets can save layouts, Zoom positions, exc but workspaces can save Control bar module set up, Keyboard shortcuts, exc.

I voiced my concern early when this idea was presented by Cakewalk (Actually it was in the Sonar edition when Lenses was introduced) and i refused to use Lenses because it was too confusing. But after i got a good look at its potential, i was blown away by its ability to customize very fine details of workflow from project to project without having to spend anytime on set up work, which is sometimes half the battle when creating projects.

As much as i love Workspaces and its potential, it can be a little confusing. But almost any softwares most powerful features usually are because they are deep in features and require learning.

My advice to solve your problem would be to load another Workspace with the default "None". Then make small changes, saving one at a time as you go. It will be helpful so you don't paint yourself into a corner, not realizing what went wrong (all at once). For now, avoid screensets when creating new Workspaces so you know... if something goes wrong, it's not related to screensets. That's just another issue to try and figure out what went wrong.

Edited February 8, 2020 by chuckebaby

[LarsF]

Thanks.

I guess it's bit of trial and error.

One coin that dropped was that track control preset said "Workspace" so guided by Workspace as default.

So that is nice to be able and make track panel less crowded always or according to switching Workspace.

[user 905133]

4 hours ago, chuckebaby said:

My advice to solve your problem would be to load another Workspace with the default "None". Then make small changes, saving one at a time as you go. It will be helpful so you don't paint yourself into a corner, not realizing what went wrong (all at once). For now, avoid screensets when creating new Workspaces so you know... if something goes wrong, it's not related to screensets. That's just another issue to try and figure out what went wrong.

Also, as a self teaching exercise, try creating a minimal Workspace. I learned a lot by creating one I call "NO VIEWS." 

Very important lesson I learned this way: If something is excluded from a Workspace (and therefore, it is not to be found in the menu system), the related functions will also not be in the Workspace.  This includes things like short-cuts. 

           

PS: This is why if I find a function not working, some of the first things I do are (1) look at the Workspace and (2) test by switching to other Workspaces.  For me, this is an early step in diagnosing issues related to functionality.

 

Edited February 8, 2020 by User 905133
to add a PS

[user 905133]

3 hours ago, LarsF said:

So that is nice to be able and make track panel less crowded always or according to switching Workspace.

I agree!! As chuckebaby said, they are very powerful!

Also, another self-teaching exercise: Try creating a custom Workspace for a specific task.  For example, I created Workspaces that work for me to enter note data by a usb keyboard and edit it mainly in the Staff view and Event List. I created another set of Workspaces for dropping in old audio tapes, listening to them, and marking them for later editing.

We all have different preferences and workflows and it helps me to stay focused when I have just the GUI elements I need where I want them and with preferred sizes.

 

[LarsF]

Interesting approach there, thank you, will try some of that.

[user 905133]

10 hours ago, LarsF said:

Reading manual on Windows Management does not include Lenses part(now Workspaces), just a reference to other part of manual.

This might help--scroll down to the section describing a recent Feature Overview on Workspaces.

[LarsF]

Thanks.

Bakers has really raised the bar many notches overall, software, manual and tutorials.

Glad I found my way back.

[Promidi]

What I have done is, for the custom workspaces that I use, deselect "Windows layout".  That way, windows layouts, positions, etc is handled only by screensets without being over-ridden by the Workspace window layout.  Also, this allows your chosen screenset to open with your screenset containing project.

[LarsF]

Great stuff, thank you.

Will immediately test this - makes perfect sense.

EDIT: Got it as good as it gets - this is what I did

- setup windows and docked on left and right as I wanted it

- checked all checkboxes but keyboard shortcuts on lens/workspace manager and saved.

- then removed one checkbox at a time and saw what changed

- finally it was only transportbar with tools left . This secured that custom module got the same content for every project I opened. So did not have to redo that every project.

 

So the rest goes by screensets and is saved with project it seems.

Still have no clue how it works, since if I let any more checkboxes in lens/workspace the custom tool module would not stay.

Anyway I found a way.

Edited February 13, 2020 by LarsF