[ardour-dev] issues with plugin in/out counts

[Florian Schmidt]

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 08:38:38 -0500
Paul Davis <paul at linuxaudiosystems.com> wrote:

> the obvious conclusion from all this is to do what PT does, and
> require that mono tracks get mono plugins, etc. this still doesn't
> really answer the question entirely however, because what is a mono
> plugin? 1in/1out? how do you put a reverb into a mono track, then? 
> can there ever be a 1in/2out plugin at all?
> 
> so, folks: discuss ...

Hi,

Due to the variety of channel configurations in plugins and the
complexity of the routing situations which might arise, i cannot think
of an automated way to always do the right thing (tm). Thus the user
needs to be given the tools to handle the complexity in a way that suits
him the best. 

So my take on the problem would be to not hide the complexity, but
expose it by offering a routing dialog which allows connections from/to
arbitrary plugin ports. Basically something like a graphical tool to
patch up the plugins as desired (something similar to qjackctl or some
modular synth, you get my drift).

I am aware that this would make plugin handling for the user a "little"
less comfy (though this could be countered by sensible autoconnections),
but it would also make the ardour plugin system oh so much more powerful
(imagine splitting the signal from a mono track with the help of some
filters into 5 bands, then sending each of these bands to either some
other plugins and mix them back together at the end of the plugin
chain or to sends or whatever :)).

A mono plugin in a mono track going to a stereo Bus would simply require
the user to hook up the single output of the mono plugin to both bus
destinations (and ardour would then duplicate the signal as needed)

Hmm, of course this would make a simple "these plugins are in this
track" display in a mixer strip nearly impossible. Oh well, it wouldn't,
but the routing info is hard to show :) I suppose an extra button which
popped up the signal routing editor would work ok..

flo