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The Pro Tools Select Track Output action fails

By Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
    2021-02-18 09:17:42.563Z

    Trying to build a little macro that helps me with session prep in Pro Tools:

    ...

    The Select Track Output action fails and reports the following to the log:

    18.02.2021 09:41:53.04 <info> [Backend]: !! Command Error: Jonas Mix Prep KICK
    [user:ckl7w2yd000007f103k4jdket:ckl7w8wlf00017f10vwsbuslk]:
    Error invoking proTools.track.output.select (Jonas Mix Prep KICK: Line 8)
    Could not find selected track's output button
    Could not find Audio Output Path selector button (AxPtTrackOutputPathButton)

    I found a couple of other users on the forum with the same problem. If I recall correctly, one of them reported that the issue went away after he made sure that the Track Output button was visible in both the Edit and Mix window.
    The other user reported that the problem disappeared when he made sure that he run the macro using a trigger, and while having the Edit window open.

    None of these seem to solve the issue in my case.

    The Track Output button is visible here, I'm running the macro via a button on my iPad surface, and I'm looking at the Edit window while doing it.

    Any good ideas?

    Thanks!

    JK

    System:

    Mac OS 10.15.7 Catalina
    Pro Tools 2020.12.0
    SoundFlow 4.1.10

    The Edit Window when running the macro:

    • 22 replies

    There are 22 replies. Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

    1. Chris Shaw @Chris_Shaw2021-02-18 16:01:40.569Z2021-02-18 16:13:07.324Z

      The reason it's not working is because you need to define the path •EXACTLY•.
      This includes each part of the menu path you want to use INCLUDING the "(Stereo)" or "Mono)" at the end of the name if necessary.

      Check out this example:
      I want to assign the output of the selected track to bus 15-16 so I have to be sure to accurately name all parts of the path (bus AND output).

      Look how the Output Path in the macro correlates to the picture above:

      I hope this helps.

      //CS//

      1. In reply toChris_Shaw:
        Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
          2021-02-18 18:49:11.540Z

          Thank you so much, Chris, for your reply.

          That makes sense.

          So I created a fresh Pro Tools session to try this out.

          Output Path in the macro like this:

          However, the action still fails:

          What I don't understand is that the action reports that it cannot find the output button, even though it is clearly visible in both the Edit and Mix window:

          1. Are you triggering the macro while in the Edit Window? SF commands are generally designed to be run from the edit window.

            1. You may also want to try assigning a keyboard trigger to the macro and trigger it while PT is the frontmost/active application. Running a macro/script from the SF can sometimes give unexpected results.

              1. Hmmm, It's working on my end.
                @Kitch ?

                1. Kitch Membery @Kitch2021-02-18 21:04:43.032Z

                  I'll take a look. :-)

                  1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                      2021-02-18 21:08:57.173Z

                      Thanks for helping me investigate!

                      I have tried triggering the macro while in the Mix Window and the Edit window, with the output button visible in both windows.

                      I'm triggering the macro with a button on my iPad surface while Pro Tools is the frontmost/active application.

                      Still no luck I'm afraid.

                      1. Kitch Membery @Kitch2021-02-18 21:36:46.820Z

                        Hi @Chris_Shaw and @Jonas_Kroon,

                        The macro seems to be working for me when triggering the script from the edit window.

                        Have you tried restarting SoundFlow? After that if the issue persists, please report it via the "Help/Issue" workflow below;

                        Please click here to send us the information we need

                        fingers crossed that restarting SoundFlow resolves the issue.

                        Rock on

                        1. Another hint:

                          Please check this link to verify your Tooltip settings are set as shown:

                          https://soundflow.org/docs/getting-started/install-soundflow/known-issues

                          1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                              2021-02-20 14:50:28.268Z

                              Yes!

                              That was it. Enabling Tooltips solved the issue!

                              Thank you so much for all the tips in this thread.

                              JK

                              1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                                  2021-02-20 15:10:12.450Z

                                  Allright, so the action works and that's brilliant. It's going to be a time-saver for sure.

                                  Now, for the inevitable follow-up question:

                                  What if there are more than 128 active busses, so that Pro Tools divides them into multiple menus?

                                  I sometimes have two or three bus menus, named bus menu 1-128, bus menu 129-256 and so on.

                                  Following the same logic, I tried configuring the Set Track Output action to target Bus 1-2 via the path now displayed in the menu: bus > bus menu 1-128 > Bus 1-2:

                                  Now the action fails, with the following error message:

                                  Removing bus menu 1-128 from the path and targeting only bus > Bus 1-2 like before didn't help either.

                                  Any thoughts?

                                  1. Simple mistake: You need to include "(Stereo)" in the last part of the path - in your case
                                    "Bus 1-2 (Stereo)".

                                    1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                                        2021-02-20 18:04:27.488Z

                                        Sorry, I'm an idiot.

                                        Got so excited the script worked for a second I forgot the basics.

                                        Of course it works when I include "(Stereo)".

                                        Thanks again :)

                                        1. No worries: we've all made that mistake.

                                  2. In reply tochrscheuer:

                                    I wasn't aware of that. I've always had tool tips on.

                                    1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                                        2021-02-20 18:19:20.879Z

                                        How neat, I just managed to throw your Mix Window Compatibilty Helper Script in there too, so that I can trigger the macro from within the Mix window and have it switch over to the Edit window for running the action and then return.

                                        https://soundflow.org/store/mix-window-compatibilty-helper-script

                                        Great stuff!

                                        1. Great! Glad you found it and got it to work.

                                          1. In reply toJonas_Kroon:
                                            Kitch Membery @Kitch2021-02-21 01:14:43.555Z

                                            Hi @Jonas_Kroon,

                                            Great work on your script!

                                            Instead of taking a screenshot of your scripts, please check this tutorial for how to quote code in the SoundFlow forum, so that it displays in a readable format:

                                            Rock on
                                            Kitch

                                            1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                                                2021-02-21 18:34:13.969Z

                                                Will do!

                                                JK

                        2. In reply toJonas_Kroon:
                          Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                            2021-03-15 09:47:22.731Z

                            Hi guys!

                            I'm having one more issue with this script:

                            It works well as long as I select and process one single track at a time, but it fails when multiple tracks are selected.

                            In that case it completes the first action, which is setting track colors. Then it scrolls to the bottom of the Edit window, stalls, and reports the following to the log:

                            15.03.2021 10:37:48.85 <info> [Backend]: Validating command... user:ckl7w2yd000007f103k4jdket:ckle36mc300075010n4xd0avm
                            Invoking command...user:ckl7w2yd000007f103k4jdket:ckle36mc300075010n4xd0avm
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:48.85 <info> [Backend]: >> Command: Jonas Mix Prep SNARE [user:ckl7w2yd000007f103k4jdket:ckle36mc300075010n4xd0avm]
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:49.08 <info> [Backend]: ProTools version: 20.12.0.190 class: PT2020
                            ProTools processID: 98034
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:49.29 <info> [Backend]: Clicking with mouse here: 1557, 1223
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:49.37 <info> [Backend]: PopupMenu full role:AXMenu
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:49.37 <info> [Backend]: Clicking popup menu element: Tracks
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:49.83 <info> [Backend]: Clicking with mouse here: 1773, 1276
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:50.12 <info> [Backend]: Clicking with mouse here: 72, 30
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:50.95 <info> [Backend]: Clicking with mouse here: 520, -11035
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:53.14 <info> [Backend]: Logging error in action (01) WaitForPopupMenuAction: Popup window was not found after waiting 2000 ms
                            Logging error in action (01) OpenPopupMenuFromElementAction: Popup menu was not found
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:53.14 <info> [Backend]: Logging error in action (01) PopupMenuSelectAction: Could not open popup menu
                            Logging error in action (01) TrackSelectOutputAction: Could not select output menu item: 'bus: bus menu 1-128: Snare (Stereo)'
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:53.14 <info> [Backend]: Logging unknown error in action (02) RunCommandAction: RS_Route Selected Tracks to Output: Line 52
                            JavaScript error with InnerException: Could not select output menu item: 'bus: bus menu 1-128: Snare (Stereo)' (RS_Route Selected Tracks to Output: Line 52)
                            
                            15.03.2021 10:37:53.14 <info> [Backend]: !! Command Error: Jonas Mix Prep SNARE [user:ckl7w2yd000007f103k4jdket:ckle36mc300075010n4xd0avm]:
                            Error: RS_Route Selected Tracks to Output: Line 52
                            (Jonas Mix Prep SNARE line 30)
                            

                            Here's the code I'm using:

                            sf.ui.proTools.appActivate();
                            sf.ui.proTools.invalidate();
                            
                            function mainWindowStatus() {
                                if (sf.ui.proTools.getMenuItem('Window', 'Mix').isMenuChecked) {
                                    sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({
                                            menuPath: ["Window", "Edit"],
                                        });
                                    return "Mix";
                                } else {
                                    return "Edit";
                                }
                            }
                            
                            function returnToStartingMainWIndow(mainWindow) {
                                if (mainWindow =="Mix") {
                                        sf.ui.proTools.menuClick({
                                            menuPath: ["Window", "Mix"],
                                        });
                                }
                            }
                            
                            let startingWindow = mainWindowStatus();
                            
                            sf.ui.proTools.colorsSelect({
                                colorBrightness: "Medium",
                                colorNumber: 10,
                            });
                            
                            sf.soundflow.runCommand({
                                commandId: 'user:ckl7wp2ch00027f10j3pssxnh:ckitegbf00006qm10ixs68zih',
                                props: {
                                    outputPath: ["bus","bus menu 1-128","Snare (Stereo)"],
                                }
                            });
                            
                            returnToStartingMainWIndow(startingWindow);
                            

                            I have made sure that the I/O button is visible in both the Edit and Mix window.

                            Any ideas?

                            1. Jonas Kroon @Jonas_Kroon
                                2021-03-19 09:00:56.690Z

                                Update: Today the same error happened when only a single track was selected.

                                It seems somewhat random to me.

                                Anyone else with the same issue?

                                1. CCohen Yusha @Cohen_Yusha
                                    2024-01-31 16:36:09.427Z

                                    Hi Jonas, yes I have the same issue. It says:
                                    "Could not open track's output menu Popup menu was not found"
                                    I have updated my system to Protools 2023.12.0 and Mac Big Sur. Since then the Output menu is not selectable