GR-55 - Gumtown's GR-55 FloorBoard Editor

[concordal]

Has anyone else had any problems with Floorboard for Mac (64 bit)?

The version that I tried comes from sourceforge as shown here:




Perhaps that isn't the latest version?  Because I don't see a version number displayed when this program launched:





And the version number doesn't show up under "About Floorboard" :




Plus, I'm still getting the spinning gear when I try to select the default folder for storing patches:




Also the Preferences don't seem to stick from session to session and I know this was fixed in a previous release.


If I'm using an outdated version I'd be grateful if someone would please point me to the latest!



 

[admin]

What version of OSX are you using on your Mac?

[concordal]

Sorry, should have specified my OS.  It's Mavericks 10.9.2

[Elantric]

FWIW - I have zero problems- but thats because I'm sticking with OSX 10.8.5 Mountain Lion for the time being.

[gumtown]

The constant changes to the Mac OSX drives me crazy, every update seems to either break some thing or make it incompatable.
The latest editor for osx is built on 10.9.0 and works fine on that (with version numbers displayed).
If the version number is not displayed then the program is having trouble with disk access permissions.
Try selecting the whole editor package folder and use "get info" to check permissions (down the bottom of the info list), and change it if needed.

Could also try moving the editor package to a different place on your disk, like the Home folder.

[concordal]

Thanks, gumtown.  I can appreciate that keeping up with countless releases can be a pain, but the update to 10.9.2 came as a result of a serious security flaw.

Tried all of the suggestions in your post, but didn't help.  Tried the classic "Repair Permissions" as well to no avail.

FWIW, version 20140122 seems to work okay, except that the preferences don't stick between sessions. 

[jwhitcomb3]

I am using Mac 10.9.2 as well, and also run into the perpetual spinning grey wheel when loading patch files.

[vtgearhead]

I may simply be overlooking the obvious here.  Is it possible to toggle the "hold" function on Ctrl and Exp Pedal from within the FloorBoard editor?  If so, where is the setting?

[Elantric]

GR-55 CTL "Hold" function has no MIDI message address - so it only works on the GR-55 using the CTL pedal mapped to "HOLD - no remote control possible.

[vtgearhead]

To be sure I understand: you would setup the actual Ctrl pedal function in one (or more) of the Assigns, then select "Hold" in the pedal/controller section? 

[gumtown]

To be sure I understand: you would setup the actual Ctrl pedal function in one (or more) of the Assigns, then select "Hold" in the pedal/controller section?

No - only in the Pedal/GK section will you find the HOLD function,
this function was not included in the GR-55's assigns (for reasons we don't yet understand why not).

[vtgearhead]

I think I misunderstood what "hold" does.  Let's assume that I map the Ctrl pedal to drop tuning a whole step when active (LED on) and that this mapping is in effect for two adjacent patches.  By default, when I move from patch A with drop tuning active to B, the drop tuning is not in effect and I have to additionally push the Ctrl pedal.  I had it in my head that "hold" would cause it to be active on the new patch.   This doesn't seem to be the case, so what exactly does "hold" do?

[Elantric]

RTM
    You describe the function known as "assign hold." which attempts to maintain an engaged user control across patch changes.
This is not to be confused with the separate " Hold" function which provides a "freeze infinite sustain "  as you press the CTL  pedal.. so you could play solos while a separate sustaining chord is playing in the background.

I assumed you were asking about the later.

Read more here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6125.msg79181#msg79181

If you want to obtain more incite and better explanations of how Roland gear works - review the OWNERS MANUALS for the earliest examples of current gear.

For example the GR-55 Owners Manual just lists the various FX functions and Control Features, but skips explanation and examples of how to use these.

Here is the 1999 Roland VG-88 Owners Manual  - ITS A MUST READ!  - it lays a better foundation with explanations of how the Internal Wave Pedal and Expression Pedal Min/Max FX range, Assign Hold, etc,  work.
http://lib.roland.co.jp/support/en/manuals/res/1811457/VG-88_e5.pdf

[vtgearhead]

You describe the function known as "assign hold." which attempts to maintain an engaged user control across patch changes.

Here is the 1999 Roland VG-88 Owners Manual  - ITS A MUST READ!  - it lays a better foundation with explanations of how the Internal Wave Pedal and Expression Pedal Min/Max FX range, Assign Hold, etc,  work.
http://lib.roland.co.jp/support/en/manuals/res/1811457/VG-88_e5.pdf[/i]

Thanks very much for posting that.   The explanations in the VG-88 manual certainly are a lot clearer. 

I'm still not getting the behavior I expect from turning Assign Hold on, but I will spend more time with it before asking any more questions.  I think I'm expecting it to do something it's not intended to - but I cannot see yet where my preconception differs from what's in the VG-88 manual.  More experimenting lies ahead.

[Elantric]

MUST READ all docs in this link too:
Roland COSM Reference Library
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=88.0

[gumtown]

Another update for you MAC OSX 64bit users,
version 20140325 (25th march)

Fixed a few issues, the open file dialog hanging, preferences saving and modeled guitar layout.

Mavericks or the latest Qt framework seems to render bold text fonts a little larger than before,
and the problem was the modeling instrument names exceeding the container box size,
causing those wierd and seemingly unrelated file read related problems.

The Assign 7 issue is still present and the EZ Edit patches still are to be created, but once those items are done,
I think the GR-55FloorBoard editor will be complete as it is.

Yet to try for a working Android and IOS (iPad)version, they do build and run, Android needs a working midi I/O system, and the IOS version needs an Apple developer subscription fee to deploy to App Store, which I will do once i can match the latest IOS version on my iPad Air to the latest XCode developer system.

Like to hear from any Mac users on the latest? Does it work for you?

[greekjgg]

Like to hear from any Mac users on the latest? Does it work for you?

I'll take her for a spin shortly!

[greekjgg]

I'll take her for a spin shortly!

So I've been toggling between the last 2 versions for me prior to downloading the newest version today. I would use one for loading new patches to test as I wouldn't get the "spinning circle" and the other for patch tweaks as the one that would load the patches easily would not toggle easily from one patch to another for easy copy/paste editing.

1. I noticed on the prior release (release before the newest) I didn't have to go in to preferences and set that prior to using it like the version before that.
    The newest release I have to go back into preferences again and open it although it sees it like it always seems to do.
2. The newest version, I get one chance to select a patch within the editor. After it does it once, it doesn't change on the GR55 as it changes on the editor as it did prior to mavericks. This has been the "bigger" issue for me with the last few versions. I have to change the patch within the editor and then physically change it on the gr55 to match up.
3. No issues so far with loading new patches in terms of getting the "spinning circle"

Overall, this seems similar to two versions ago with the spinning circle resolved. I think I could use this one version instead of a combo of the prior two like I have been. If you need any "codes" or "messages" I'd be happy to do that.

[concordal]

This version (20140325) is behaving very nicely so far.  No spinning gear.  Preferences are sticking between sessions. 

Many thanks, Gumtown.

[LRstrat]

I've had my GR-55 for since December.
GR FloorBoard Editor is the single greatest piece of software ever coded.
It makes building patches 100 times easier, love its layout.
Thank You Guntown!!

[Headless68]

Hi Gumtown - from your last post are you planning on having an iOS version on the App Store in the near future?  ( this would be a great bonus if so )

Thank you for the PC version, it does make life considerably easier

Cheers
Phil

[gumtown]

Hi Gumtown - from your last post are you planning on having an iOS version on the App Store in the near future?  ( this would be a great bonus if so )

Thank you for the PC version, it does make life considerably easier

Cheers
Phil

There is that hope for one day, nothing much happening just yet though.

[greekjgg]

This version (20140325) is behaving very nicely so far.  No spinning gear.  Preferences are sticking between sessions. 

Many thanks, Gumtown.

This version is much more stable; I'm having issues though where when I click on a patch within the editor it isn't changing the patch on my GR55. If I manually move to the same patch on the GR55 the edits will update. My issue though is that I make a bunch of tweaks and then realize that the patch isn't updated on the actual unit yet. I'm running the latest version of Mav

[gumtown]

This version is much more stable; I'm having issues though where when I click on a patch within the editor it isn't changing the patch on my GR55. If I manually move to the same patch on the GR55 the edits will update. My issue though is that I make a bunch of tweaks and then realize that the patch isn't updated on the actual unit yet. I'm running the latest version of Mav

Does the midi channel setting in the editor "preferences" match that of the GR-55?

[greekjgg]

Does the midi channel setting in the editor "preferences" match that of the GR-55?

They do match; my midi map is on programable; not sure if that needs to be fixed?