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

Started by gumtown, January 18, 2011, 02:53:34 AM

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gumtown

#50
O.K. i am the sort that will defy change until i have thought about it for a while, but i am coming around to liking all your designs (a lot).
The buttons for each effect will still be required, as they open the deep edit pages for that given effect. Some of the window boxes will have to stay in one form or another, as the top left indicates the currently select patch, and the patch write location, the next shows the current patch name (if you click on it you can edit the name) plus the current program version on startup and the currently opened file.
The "Init patches" combo is a selection of predefined initialization patches that a user can quickly select through for starting off.
I would like to use the buttons like in the picture below, for each effect and the assigns, where the button will show the off/on status, and pressing the button will open the deep edit pages.
I heard a comment somewhere about having to lose the 'Boss' pedal labeling, the initial purpose was to give some comfort of a familiar stompbox pedal layout, and the effects are based on the boss pedals too. I think the new pedal look may be a nice change, but the MFX and MOD pedals will have to do away with the A & B knobs, i can only hardwire one function to a knob at the moment.



I would like to get a copy of your widgets, in a multilayered *.PSD format would be great !!
The other issue i am about to deal with is the structure switching, and the graphical bit associated, since it has to be the top layer, i will continue the yellow line from the MOD effects to line up with the green line on top of the MFX, so the MOD can switch between the yellow bypass line or on to the green MFX input line.

That's where my thoughts are at the moment, keep up the great designing, and send me something to add to the layout.

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

727lawrence

Really nice looking display. Many thanks for the work you talented guys are doing!

MCK

This is amazing work!!! Roland should pay you and license this amazing tool in the making! Thanks for all your efforts.

Gastric

Quote from: MCK on February 06, 2011, 03:39:03 AM
This is amazing work!!! Roland should pay you and license this amazing tool in the making! Thanks for all your efforts.

Many of us have been saying this for a long time. :)   Honestly, Roland should be developing stuff like this themselves.  The librarian is OK, but there's no real reason they shouldn't have a nice graphical editor for their multi-FX (like Line6), complete with the online community for easy patch sharing, etc. (again, like Line6).

Maybe Gumtown can partner with some quality Roland related website to provide hosting for a more accessible online community for automated patch upload/download which can be integrated directly into the floorboard editors? I'd guess people would share patches a lot more if it was a feature built right into the editor software VS having to manually save patches, figure out how to upload them somewhere, where that somewhere would be, etc.  Just a thought.

Elantric

#54
QuoteMaybe Gumtown can partner with some quality Roland related website to provide hosting for a more accessible online community for automated patch upload/download which can be integrated directly into the floorboard editors? I'd guess people would share patches a lot more if it was a feature built right into the editor software VS having to manually save patches, figure out how to upload them somewhere, where that somewhere would be, etc.  Just a thought.

Actually, this may be something that VGuitarForums could provide.

We might consider how to "clone" the http://line6.com/customtone/   type patch exchange format,and link into Gumtowns editor - assuming Gumtown wants to add a network browser into the GR-55 Editor - not a trivial task.

When I made the current VG-99 patch share area, it was because we did not have a dedicated "Downloads" area - but that is coming here to VGuitarForums soon, as we add new features / functions for VGuitarForums members.
In fact it is here now:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads



Of course this should have been a Roland US Provided function - but its not going to happen anytime soon - they are still feeling hi-tech simply by offering the manuals as free  PDF downloads. Prior to 2003, you had to buy these as hardcopy.

Its also due to the Roland Corporation Global Corporate Structure -

Products are designed in Japan, built in various parts of the globe, but the Roland Sales Units in each country are totally independent of each other.

in other words Roland UK is a separate company from Roland US, which is a separate company from Roland Germany, etc etc.

So when Roland US claims there is not enough "profit" in having a Roland US Users Forum, and User Patch area - they may be correct, since they can not keep non US Roland customers off their web space.


But Roland distributors in other regions do have User forums - here is the  Roland UK Forum:
http://www.rolandforums.co.uk/forums/viewforum/32/ (note zero posts about the GR-55)
and here is how they share patches in the UK
http://www.rolandforums.co.uk/forums/viewthread/1802



I think most agree - Line 6 has a much better grasp of supporting customers and adding value to Line 6 products, after the sale.
That is a very different model than Roland, who would prefer to place those same resources into creating a separate new product, instead of polishing an existing product via a firmware update.

I doubt Roland Corp will ever understand the end user value of Line 6''s firmware updates with adding new features to existing products every three months. They prefer to think Line 6 must be shipping buggy products ( which they do)
and Roland Products are immune to bugs (which they aren't)
     






MCK

Let me take this offline with Gumtown and see what we can do together. Gumtown you are in NZ right?

Jim Williams

Hey Gumtown, Has anyone sent you a system dump yet? if not I will make it my first order of business when I get mine. my other question until your editor gets off the ground how are we to share patches?
Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

ddlooping

#57
Thanks for the info, gumtown. :)

Quote from: gumtown on February 05, 2011, 10:59:19 PM
The buttons for each effect will still be required, as they open the deep edit pages for that given effect.

How about making the name of the modules a button that'd open the edit window?
Example of 3 button types...

Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

Elantric

#58
Quotehow are we to share patches?

Looks like the GR-55 Librarian allows us to Import / Export user patches as SMF (*.mid) files - same as the VG-99.

More here:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3050.msg19078#msg19078

ddlooping

Quote from: Elantric on February 06, 2011, 09:18:09 AM
Looks like the GR-66 Librarian allows us to Import / Export user patches as SMF (*.mid) files - same as the VG-99.

A new model already!!??  :o
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

ddlooping

gumtown, I've had an idea:

What if you loose all the routing pipes/leads (keep the ones that are hardwired between modules), add a "Structure" block with "1" & "2" buttons, and show a diagram of the chosen structure (similar to the ones found in the GR-55 menu/manual)?
That would make the interface less cluttered, easier to design and be, imho, as user friendly.
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

gumtown

Quote from: gtrjimmy413 on February 06, 2011, 08:49:57 AM
Hey Gumtown, Has anyone sent you a system dump yet? if not I will make it my first order of business when I get mine. my other question until your editor gets off the ground how are we to share patches?
No , no-one has sent me any type of file data yet, i have asked a few times.
I would very much appreciate a copy of the GR-55 data.
I suggest using the Librarian to save individual *.g5l patch files, like this..
On the librarian main page, extract the patch you want from the GR-55, select the patch and from the menu do "copy".
From the menu select "new file", and click on the 'end of..." item, then from the menu do "insert".
then save the new patch file with an unique name, and that is it, a saved single patch.

I don't know if you guys have problems with the GR-55 librarian, but it crashes a lot on my Win 7 machine.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumtown

Quote from: ddlooping on February 06, 2011, 10:53:46 AM
gumtown, I've had an idea:

What if you loose all the routing pipes/leads (keep the ones that are hardwired between modules), add a "Structure" block with "1" & "2" buttons, and show a diagram of the chosen structure (similar to the ones found in the GR-55 menu/manual)?
That would make the interface less cluttered, easier to design and be, imho, as user friendly.

Hmm not sure, just thinking of the 100's of hours of work i may have to dump, going in circles.
I'm working on the programming pretty much every waking moment for the last month, even though graphically the changes may be easy, behind the internal workings there is over 700,000 lines of code in the project, it's difficult to keep track of it all in ya head. (plus keep the perception i am still doing my day job while programming and look after the family etc.. etc...).
I think we should get a final design layout sorted, and stick with it and get the editor ready sooner rather than months later. The design and layout can be changed with latter update releases, i might concentrate a bit more on the file format and internal structures, and making sure the data integrety is perfect rather than the eye candy being pretty (just for the moment).
Please do show me your design ideas, and i will leave the layout changes for latter (3 weeks?) rather than now.
Just a matter of balancing my time, and only doing a job right first time, and keeping Mrs Gumton happy too. ;D
This programming stuff really does eat up time...
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

ddlooping

#63
I totally understand. :)
Sorry for the disruption.   :-[

I'll leave you with some food for thought...



Plenty of room to move things about and add more buttons. ;)
(I still need to style the copy/paste thingy at the bottom)
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

Elantric

ddlopping

remember to send Gumtown these:

QuoteI would like to get a copy of your widgets, in a multilayered *.PSD format would be great !!


and ANY one with a GR-55 and a USB Stick,  please make a Backup of all GR-55 files and get these to Gumtown asap


ddlooping

I sent him the whole PSD file of v5, including buttons from previous versions. ;)
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

Jim Williams

Hey Gumtown, I expect mine by the end of the week and I'll do a system dump and zip it up for you.
Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

MCK

Just sent Gumtown a sys backup + librarian export. Lets see if this helps.

ddlooping

Quote from: MCK on February 07, 2011, 08:07:14 AM
Just sent Gumtown a sys backup + librarian export. Lets see if this helps.

Now that gumtown has all the data and graphical elements, it should be a matter of hours before the editor is out of alpha stage.  ;D
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

Elantric

#69
But he's still missing the Crucial GR-55 Complete MIDI Implementation. This should be a 20+ page doc, and it may not be made available to anyone outside of the Roland R&D lab in Japan for another 6 months.

These docs tend to arrive when the Service Manual is available. I figure that will not be available until summer 2011.

Good news - we have a head start, and Roland is informed - but I figure September, October 2011 before we can use the GR-55 Editor.

ddlooping

@gumtown

I know the actual version of the editor is only a preview, but it uses ~50% cpu right from the start. :/
If this doesn't happen for anyone else I'll post some system info.
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

ddlooping

Quote from: Elantric on February 07, 2011, 08:15:01 AM
Good news - we have a head start, and Roland is informed - but I figure September, October 2011 before we can use the GR-55 Editor.

:(

Oh well, better late than never. :)
I've actually never had the need to use an editor.  ;D
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

MCK

I have an idea... Arduino MIDI shield might allow me to reverse engineer some of the MIDI sent by GR-55. Let me give it a go tomorrow.

Gastric

More ideas for you:

* Allow users to save "Quick" settings for the various tons and effects. In the GT-10B there's 10 user "Quick" settings for everything and I use them frequently. In the GR-55 there's no such thing. Maybe you could provide a virtual "Quick" setting for us via the floorboard editor that we can recall and apply to our patches in real-time? For me personally I usually setup just a couple amp sims, few EQ patches, etc. and reuse them frequently in a variety of patches. It's going to be tedious to have to remember all of the settings and re-apply them manually to GR-55 patches.
* Ummm, I forgot what my other thought bubble had in it. Hate when that happens. :)

ddlooping

Gastric, I think that's pretty much what you're referring to. ;)

Quote from: gumtown on February 05, 2011, 10:59:19 PM
The "Init patches" combo is a selection of predefined initialization patches that a user can quickly select through for starting off.
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)