Katana Mk1 - Gumtown's Katana FxFloorBoard Editor

Started by Elantric, April 07, 2017, 02:53:10 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

gumtown

Quote from: CodeSmart on June 06, 2017, 05:01:59 PM
Hey Gummie,
Do think you could limit the traffic a bit unless you're not connected directly to the "KATANA" MIDI IN/OUT?
With MIDX-20 V2 it's possible to hot-swap the Katana Bridge on/off allowing your Floorboard to talk to the Katana through the MIDX (via UM-ONE) while tweaking the sounds and then enable the bridge again (via MIDX Assistant PC software)  to make the footswitches etc. working. It's like an iteration before everything falls into place. I've just used my SoftStep2 to control the amp via my bridge and your Floorboard to tweak settings, without swapping any cables. Great combo.

However the Floorboard has problems getting the patch dumps from the Katana through the MIDX because the MIDX buffers can't hold the amount of data you request through it. I tried to increase buffers but won't help, there's not enough SRAM. I'm pretty sure it would work gracefully if you requested smaller portions and waited for it until requesting a new block. Ideally for the MIDX you would not exceed 310 bytes bulks.

You think it's possible?

limiting the data time sent between F0~F7 syx data blocks to the Katana is easy to implement,
but receiving Katana patch data into the editor would require quite some code changes, breaking the data into 10 block requests at timed intervals.
Easy enough for the editor to identify the MIDX20 device by name (assuming it has a unique device name).
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

CodeSmart

Quote from: gumtown on June 09, 2017, 05:19:37 AM
limiting the data time sent between F0~F7 syx data blocks to the Katana is easy to implement,
but receiving Katana patch data into the editor would require quite some code changes, breaking the data into 10 block requests at timed intervals.
Easy enough for the editor to identify the MIDX20 device by name (assuming it has a unique device name).

The current MIDX-20 hardware does not have an unique device name. It's not a USB device at all. You have to connect it using a USB to MIDI converter cable. So it's the name of the USB cable you see. So you can only see it's NOT a Katana. Perhaps better to follow Beanow's suggestion and add a checkbox for "limited traffic". Maybe you don't have to go down all the way to <310 bytes as buffer is only filled gradually due to the difference in outgoing and incoming speed. But I cannot give you a number. It's working ok with the GP-10 Floorboard, with occasional re-tries. I don't know how large the patch blocks are in that program...
But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

Beanow

#177
Quote from: gumtown on June 09, 2017, 05:19:37 AM
but receiving Katana patch data into the editor would require quite some code changes, breaking the data into 10 block requests at timed intervals.

I had a skim through your patch receiving code, void bankTreeList::updatePatch(QString replyMsg) being the crux of it if I located this correctly.
That does look like you've set things up to be transactional, marking the device as busy while receiving.

With the library I've gone a whole different approach, reading the sysex header to see if it should write to the local patch object. You just forward the data whenever you like and it will start mapping it. Signature being apply_message_to_patch(patchReference, byteArrayPointer, byteArrayLength). Which I plan to update with a Katana layer so it routes to CH1-4 and Panel for you. Just feed it sysex from F0 to F7, or any other raw midi data and let it ignore that.

Since you're using signals a lot to pass updates around, it would be a great candidate to set up this unidirectional dataflow.

So if I can work out how you do your reading and writing operations after that, perhaps I can experiment with fitting in lib-katana to make this change easier.
For the stompboxes you read scalar values by address it looks like, using midi.xml data to get a scaling function. That should be easy and I've already done this in Go.
How you do changes though I'm a bit confused. Looks like the new value itself is passed directly using signals and sysxIO sends the value to the Katana, is that right?

Edit:
SysxIO::setFileSource seems to update your local data as well as sending a message to the Katana. While the valueChanged signal bubbles up primarily to have a single handler and to display the change on the top panel. At the same time the core read function seems to be SysxIO::getSourceValue. So it looks like turning this class into a wrapper for the lib-katana calls would be the way to go.

Beanow

After some testing I was able to move small bits of the code to use lib-katana for the local patch state. However moving to it entirely is going to be quite a task. A lot of functions use direct access to the internally encoded state, particularly using SysxIO::getFileSource. Trying to modify that I was soon smashed with a mountain of compile errors and segfaults. Which means getting things to be functionally equivalent would be a huge refactoring already. Not to mention using lib-katana to support different data flows.

Both switching to lib-katana and switching to a different architecture, it may be faster to salvage what remains and build the engine from scratch in a fork. Being able to run lib-katana from the Floorboard code though does give me a much better idea of what the library needs to mature and what functionality to cover though. So I will probably experiment with this approach for a while.

In other words don't hold your breath for me to have a solution for the throttling issue anytime soon.

October3

any updates for floorboard on the horizon? cheers

gumtown

yes,
but not at the moment.
lately I have been working away in my day job,
a busy period of 60~70 hour weeks getting in the way of 'life'  :P
will be back on track soon, after E.O.F.Y. work load is done.

I am trying to merge Assigns features from the 'patch loader' software,
and also attempting to add an extra input for midi foot controller.

Also open to suggestions too  :)
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

vtgearhead

Would be great to have the FxFloorboard Editor be "one stop shopping" for both setting up sounds and recalling them under MIDI control.  Will be interested in seeing what you come up with!

admin

#182
Gumtown wrote>


Here is a bit of an incomplete update, but I thought I would put it 'out there',
the patch loader and editor merged into one.
got the patch loader added to the patch tree list.

here is the windows version (so far)
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloorboard/files/experimental/katana_patch_loader_setup.exe/download

after installing, use the file menu Load 'loader patch bundle' and open the 'Tone Studio patches' file of 98 patches.
setup the midi devices from the menu, including your favourite midi foot controller, and try the selection of 98 patches from your midi controller.

The assigns part is only half finished, but assign targets with small ranges works, the math to do it is a curse.

this update is more of a preview of what is to come.

cheers  :)

vtgearhead

Mssr. Gumtown:

I am experiencing some intermittent, but frequently seen issues with the May 25 version of FxFloorboard.

1. Patch name field shows random garbage as a prefix (cannot be deleted). This ends up in the TSL files as well and prevents them from being parsed by my Python based pretty printer :-(.

2. Still getting inconsistent behavior when writing a patch to the amp.  This takes two forms

  - Save, then double-click the patch to reload.  It comes back with the device ordering scrambled.  Sometimes this will toggle back and forth between desired and default as I repeatedly write / reload.

  - Save, then notice the current display is showing the wrong amplifier model.

Nit to Pick:  Not intuitively clear what U0 - U4 correspond to.  Could these be clarified as "Panel" "P1 - P4" ?

Questions: 

What is the difference between double-clicking on a patch vs. having the patch highlighted and double-clicking on "Load current patch" (at top)?

What is actually happening when I pick (single click) a patch vs. double-click?

Sorry if these are obvious, but there's something I'm just not getting about patch management.  Have ended up losing patches after lots of tweaking fairly often.  Would be great to have "hover help" over the elements of the left-hand panel to make behavior crystal clear.

gumtown

Quote from: snhirsch on July 12, 2017, 12:30:58 PM
Mssr. Gumtown:

I am experiencing some intermittent, but frequently seen issues with the May 25 version of FxFloorboard.

1. Patch name field shows random garbage as a prefix (cannot be deleted). This ends up in the TSL files as well and prevents them from being parsed by my Python based pretty printer :-(.
try the updated version in the link above "patch loader", which is the same editor with the ability to load a 128 patch tsl file into memory and load patches via a midi foot controller.
I fixed some name text issues, but haven't looked if that fixed the saved tsl file yet.


Quote from: snhirsch on July 12, 2017, 12:30:58 PM
2. Still getting inconsistent behavior when writing a patch to the amp.  This takes two forms

  - Save, then double-click the patch to reload.  It comes back with the device ordering scrambled.  Sometimes this will toggle back and forth between desired and default as I repeatedly write / reload.

  - Save, then notice the current display is showing the wrong amplifier model.
I noticed that the other day when trying to save certain reverb types and then recalling them from the amp, where it took a second save action to 'make it stick', another to-do.

Quote from: snhirsch on July 12, 2017, 12:30:58 PM
Nit to Pick:  Not intuitively clear what U0 - U4 correspond to.  Could these be clarified as "Panel" "P1 - P4" ?
this has changed recently (as in the patch loader update version), the list is now aligned CH1 to CH4 and knob PANEL, then there are 123 loader patches after that.

Quote from: snhirsch on July 12, 2017, 12:30:58 PM
Questions: 

What is the difference between double-clicking on a patch vs. having the patch highlighted and double-clicking on "Load current patch" (at top)?

What is actually happening when I pick (single click) a patch vs. double-click?

Sorry if these are obvious, but there's something I'm just not getting about patch management.  Have ended up losing patches after lots of tweaking fairly often.  Would be great to have "hover help" over the elements of the left-hand panel to make behavior crystal clear.
the single click sends only a patch change command to the Katana, double-click sends patch change and also patch request.
The single-click lets you preview patch sound in the Katana (while playing guitar) without over writing the GUI patch.
The top item "read current patch" requests data from the Katana temporary memory space, which is the current "what you hear" in the katana, which includes any unsaved knob/setting changes.
The editor has been rehashed from the GT-100FxFloorBoard editor, so these functions have been carried through, some may not be that intuitive for a 4+1 patch Katana.

It's all still a work in progress, one day I will get to the Help file and update that too. :)
At the moment I am working on the Assigns, figuring out the math behind the cc# data scaling for Target min/max and Act Range Min/Max, got the assign source moment/toggle done and cc# type selection, and the selection of any Katana Target parameter.
Also got the process sorted for running the 3rd midi device port (midi foot controller) as a separate thread, keeping the midi port continuously open and also scanning for a midi device change in real time.

I hope to get all the little quirky things ironed out eventually.   ;)

This is the most up to date workings of the editor (windows only so far)
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloorboard/files/experimental/katana_patch_loader_setup.exe/download
where the editor and patch loader have been merged into one, and only half finished.
Still need to find a way to save the 123 patch bundle like Tone Studio can.

I hope some of your questions have been answered, explaining how stuff works has never been a strong point for me, hence the poor help files in the editors  :P
There is help highlight in the editor, if you press the F1 key and the mouse cursor will appear as a question mark, click it on any item in the editor and a help context popup dialog will appear to explain the item function.

Whoops it's 1:00am again, I hope the above is not incoherent  rambling :o



Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

vtgearhead

Thanks!  Your explanation of the patch selections is very helpful.  Glad to see I'm not imagining the patch write behavior :-).  There seem to always bugs to fix - just the nature of the game.

vtgearhead

I have some (hopefully) important information about the save / retrieve errors:  The problem is related to the use of double-click on the Ch1, 2, 3, 4, Panel links in the left part of the UI. 

Here's a flow that always seems to work (at least with the latest patch loader you recommended):


  • Single-click to select a slot of interest
  • Double-click "read current patch"
  • Single-click to return focus to the same slot
  • Edit to my heart's content
  • Push write and save to current slot
  • Perform steps 1 and 2 again and notice that everything is as expected

The double-click action is hiccuping in some manner.  Perhaps reading wrong parms?  Off-by-one on the slot selection?

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help further.  In the meantime, I'm a happy camper :-)


sidk47

Hi guys I am new to this piece of software and managed to install the latest driver on my katana, boss tone studio, windows 10 driver, and Gumtown FX Floorboard and I got this to connect to my Katana by setting MIDI IN and MIDI OUT to Katana and also checking "debug mode in preferences.

My question is how do I use this software.

Also is there a way to get some community patches on my Katana?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

admin

It s a work in progress-


work slowly

there is a Help file  - but it still has stale GT-100 information


another help file is the similar GR-55 Editor Help file -
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=86


and read this whole "Gumtown's Katana FxFloorBoard Editor" thread for further incite


How to download patches from VGuitarforums
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7862.0

sidk47

How to integrate Gumtown floorboard with my expression pedals? Already got two expression pedals working as wah(had to set min pedal pos to 100 and max pedal pos to 0 to get it to work as I wanted it to for the "wah wah".) and volume with boss tone studio. Wondering if the same is possible with Gumtown floorboard fx?

gumtown

Quote from: sidk47 on July 22, 2017, 04:00:22 AM
How to integrate Gumtown floorboard with my expression pedals? Already got two expression pedals working as wah(had to set min pedal pos to 100 and max pedal pos to 0 to get it to work as I wanted it to for the "wah wah".) and volume with boss tone studio. Wondering if the same is possible with Gumtown floorboard fx?
I would have to assume you also have the GAFC foot controller  to plug the two expression pedals into?
The Katana FxFlooboard software can do what Tone Studio does + more,
but the expression pedal functions of the katana are hardwired and not assignable.

But the pending development of the Katana Patch Loader will allow an external midi controller
to make use of multiple assigns to control any (and up to 16) katana parameters.

here is a download link to the patch loader
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloorboard/files/experimental/katana_patch_loader_setup.exe/download
which the regular editor will eventually have these features added to.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

sidk47

Thank you for your reply Mr.Gumtown.

Yes, I have the Roland GA-FC.

No I can't spend any more money for my parents will kill me. I am already overboard with the katana and the ga-fc.

So I can't or don't want to buy a external midi controller.

Just wondering if your software will allow me to choose "pedal wah" for my 2nd footswitch. The 1st one defaults to a volume control.

Thank you for your time,
Siddharth,
India.

admin

#192




The default  katana firmware already assigns the second EV-5 expression pedal  connected to the GA-FC footswitch to be the Wah

no other intervention or programming required

Read the owners manual

or read the Katana FAQ
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=19048.0

fificap

Hi,

Not sure to undrstand the problem. The only thing to do is plug the expression pedal to the exp pedal plug of the GA-FC, and choose a patch (using whatever soft you want, boss tone studio, FxFloorBoard or android katana editor...) that affect the "pedal wah" effect to FX position. If pedal wah is not setup on FX effect, the expression pedal act as a volume pedal.

A+
Fifi

gumtown

#194
The limitation currently found with the GAFC, the only effect the "FX" EXP pedal can do is WAH, and when the WHA is not 'on' the pedal only does 'Volume'.
So unless I am missing something, I do not see the point of having the extra EXP pedal which is also only dedicated to Volume.

This seems to be a popular phenomenon on the Katana Facebook page recently,
to post a Katana with an exotic beer on top,
I thought I would buck the trend,
the Katana and me on a Sunday afternoon.

Cheers!!  ;)


Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

fificap

Quote from: gumtown on July 22, 2017, 08:40:04 PM
The limitation currently found with the GAFC, the only effect the "FX" EXP pedal can do is WAH, and when the WHA is not 'on' the pedal only does 'Volume'.

Hi,
Yes i descovered this limitation  :(  I was thinking (hoping) that it can also control the 'drive' level of some boost/distorsion pedal.....

@+
fifi

wzpgsr

#196
Thanks much for this awesome app!

I'm having some trouble saving to patch 1 and patch 4 on my K100 combo with Mac OS X version 20170524. Any ideas?

I am able to play the patches by single clicking on their names in the patch tree on the left and I can edit them by double-clicking them. However, the text PRESET CH:4 is rendered in red type, and instead of seeing the patch name as PRINCETON, as it's called in the patch tree, it shows up in the editor as KATANA CH 4. Pressing the WRITE/SYNC button gives a message "You can't write to the preset banks. Please select a user bank top write this patch and try again."





I am not entirely sure how this happened. I think I might have double-clicked on U0 KATANA patch in the patch tree to load the panel settings into the editor, and when saving to patches 1 and 4, the software somehow flagged these patches as being restricted. I am not sure though--this is just speculation. This happened several days ago, so I've cycled the amp power numerous times and even deleted the app folder from /Applications and redownloaded the app from Source Forge.


Thanks for any ideas on how to reinitialize these patches so I can write to them from Floorboard.

gumtown

#197
The editor in it's current version has a problem saving patches to the correct channel,
it is best to send the patch data to the amp without a Patch Tree channel selected,
the data is sent to the Katana unsaved play memory, from there,
press and hold the Katana channel button you wish to save the patch to.

An update is on the way soon (another 2 weeks maybe),
with issues resolved, and new features added.

1.) The Patch Tree Katana channels have been re-arranged, starting with Channel 1.

2.) New Loader section has been added to the Patch Tree, adding a new feature to use the editor as a Patch Loader,
      where the Katana can work with 128 patches live, and a USB midi controller used for patch change.
      The Loader Patch Tree will allow adding/modifying/deleting patches in the list, and is interchangeable with Boss Tone Studio.

3.) 16 Assigns added, 8 per patch and 8 global, these will allow the midi controller to send cc# data and the editor,
     and the editor will send the appropriate sysx commands to the Katana for any parameter the Katana has.

many other background tweaks and improvements have happened too.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

October3


wzpgsr

Quote from: gumtown on July 28, 2017, 03:13:36 PM
The editor in it's current version has a problem saving patches to the correct channel,
it is best to send the patch data to the amp without a Patch Tree channel selected,
the data is sent to the Katana unsaved play memory, from there,
press and hold the Katana channel button you wish to save the patch to.

I will do that. Thanks for the great software.