VCA group assignment not working

Hi @Joel_Krozer

In point form, can you list the manual steps that you'd take to achieve this workflow?

Please note that using Keyboard and Mouse simulation is the least robust way to create scripts and macros in SoundFlow. However, with an understanding of what you're trying to achieve, much of the Keyboard and Mouse simulation could possibly be converted into UI automation.

You're also using arbitrary fixed-length waits, where you may be able to wait for a specific outcome instead, making the scripts more stable.

Thanks in advance. :-)

Hi @Joel_Krozer,

Taking a closer look at your script, I worked out what you were trying to achieve.

Here is a script that should be way more robust, replacing keyboard simulation with UI Automation and arbitrary waits, with the elementWaitFor() method.

function createGroup({ name }) {
    // Create a track group
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Track", "Group..."] });

    // Reference the "Create Group" dialog window
    const createGroupDialog = sf.ui.proTools.createGroupDialog;
    const nameField = createGroupDialog.textFields.first;
    const okButton = createGroupDialog.buttons.whoseTitle.is("OK").first;

    // Wait for the "Create Group" dialog to appear
    createGroupDialog.elementWaitFor();

    // Set the group name
    nameField.elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue({ value: name });

    // Confirm by clicking OK
    okButton.elementClick();

    // Wait for the "Create Group" window to disappear
    createGroupDialog.elementWaitFor({ waitType: "Disappear" });
}

function selectTrackOutput({ trackName }) {
    // Ensure the selected track is in view
    sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.trackScrollToView();

    // Select "new track..." for all selected tracks
    sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.trackOutputSelect({
        outputPath: ["new track..."],
        selectForAllSelectedTracks: true,
    });

    // Reference the "New Track" window
    const newTrackWindow = sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is("New Track").first;
    const trackNameField = newTrackWindow.textFields.whoseTitle.is("Track name").first;
    const createButton = newTrackWindow.buttons.whoseTitle.is("Create").first;

    // Wait for the "New Track" window to appear
    newTrackWindow.elementWaitFor();

    // Set the track name
    trackNameField.elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue({ value: trackName });

    // Click the "Create" button
    createButton.elementClick();

    // Wait for the "New Track" window to disappear (Fixed spelling)
    newTrackWindow.elementWaitFor({ waitType: "Disappear" });
}

function createVCATrack({ vcaName }) {
    // Open the "New Track" menu
    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({ menuPath: ["Track", "New..."] });

    // Reference the "New Tracks" window
    const newTracksWindow = sf.ui.proTools.windows.whoseTitle.is("New Tracks").first;
    const trackTypePopup = newTracksWindow.popupButtons.whoseDescription.is("Track type").first;
    const trackNameTextField = newTracksWindow.textFields.whoseTitle.is("Track Name").first;
    const createButton = newTracksWindow.buttons.whoseTitle.is("Create").first;

    // Wait for the "New Tracks" window to appear
    newTracksWindow.elementWaitFor();

    // Select "VCA Master" as the track type
    trackTypePopup.popupMenuSelect({ menuPath: ["VCA Master"] });

    // Set the VCA track name
    trackNameTextField.elementSetTextFieldWithAreaValue({ value: vcaName });

    // Click the "Create" button
    createButton.elementClick();

    // Wait for the "New Tracks" window to disappear
    newTracksWindow.elementWaitFor({ waitType: "Disappear" });
}

function main() {
    // Activate and invalidate Pro Tools main window
    sf.ui.proTools.appActivateMainWindow();
    sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.invalidate();

    // Create a track group named "Drums"
    createGroup({ name: "Drums" });

    // Set track output to a new track named "Drums"
    selectTrackOutput({ trackName: "Drums" });

    // Assign color to the track
    sf.ui.proTools.colorsSelect({
        colorBrightness: "Medium",
        colorNumber: 21,
    });

    // Create a VCA track named "Drums VCA"
    createVCATrack({ vcaName: "Drums VCA" });

    // Since a new track has been added, invalidate the main window
    sf.ui.proTools.mainWindow.invalidate();

    // Set the VCA track color
    sf.ui.proTools.colorsSelect({
        colorBrightness: "Medium",
        colorNumber: 21,
    });

    // Refocus the main window
    sf.ui.proTools.appActivateMainWindow();

    // Reference the selected track and its group assignment controls
    const selectedTrack = sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack;
    const vcaIoButtons = selectedTrack.groups.whoseTitle.is("VCA IO").first.buttons;
    const groupAssignmentSelectorPopup = vcaIoButtons.whoseTitle.startsWith("Group Assignment selector").first;

    // Ensure the selected track is in view
    sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.trackScrollToView();

    // Assign the VCA track to the "Drums" group
    groupAssignmentSelectorPopup.popupMenuSelect({
        menuPath: ["*- Drums"],
        useWildcards: true,
    });
}

main();

I hope that helps! :-)

It works beautifully, thanks again. I have now replicated this script for all other stems. Q: How do I make the bus I create mono? (something I always do for the lead vocal stem). Is there a line I can add somewhere that will do this?