No internet connection
  1. Home
  2. How to

open plugins on an audio or aux track

By Martin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
    2019-09-08 20:49:42.590Z

    Is there a way to open plugins on tracks similar to audio suite plugins with a key command?

    • 21 replies

    There are 21 replies. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

    1. Hi @Martin_Klebahn.

      Do you mean something like:

      • Set insert 3 to be EQ3?
      • Set insert 4 to be C1 comp?
      • etc.?
      1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
          2019-09-08 21:26:49.709Z

          Yes, exactly! I‘d like to create shortcuts for opening certain plugins. But I don’t want to be limited to predefined slots.

          1. Right, ok, so the logic should more be like: "Add plugin X on the next available insert slot"?

            1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                2019-09-08 21:32:47.183Z

                That‘d be fine. Or as a luxurious version: add plugin X and then a select box where the slot can be chosen with up/down arrows.

                1. Alright - this script will add the EQ3 7-Band plugin to the available insert that you select in the popup dialog.

                  var pluginPath = [
                      'plug-in',
                      'EQ',
                      'EQ3 7-Band*'
                  ];
                  
                  var freeInsertButtonIndices = sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.insertButtons.map(function (btn, i) {
                      return (btn.invalidate().value.value === 'unassigned') ? i : -1;
                  }).filter(function (i) { return i >= 0; });
                  
                  var index = Number(sf.interaction.selectFromList({
                      items: freeInsertButtonIndices.map(function(i){ return "Insert " + (i+1) }),
                      prompt: "Which insert slot do you want to insert the plugin on?",
                      title: "Insert plugin"
                  }).list[0].match(/(\d+)$/)[1]) - 1;
                  
                  sf.ui.proTools.appActivateMainWindow();
                  
                  var insertBtn = sf.ui.proTools.selectedTrack.insertButtons[index];
                  insertBtn.popupMenuSelect({
                      menuPath: pluginPath,
                      useWildcards: true,
                  });
                  
                  1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                      2019-09-09 16:07:07.375Z
            2. M
              In reply toMartin_Klebahn:
              Martin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                2019-09-09 10:03:16.841Z

                OK, thank you for the code!
                I'm getting "Goto return track of send 10 failed, This plugin slot is unassigned (TrackSendGotoReturnAction)

                I'm wondering about the TrackSendReturnAction…
                But I can't find "Send" in the script. Sorry I don't have any idea about java.

                1. This looks like a different command gets triggered altogether and that the script in question here is not being run at all.
                  Did you add a trigger to the script - and if so can you show me a screenshot of your setup / what you hit on the keyboard to activate it?
                  Do you have any other macro software installed that may be interfering?

                2. M
                  In reply toMartin_Klebahn:
                  Martin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                    2019-09-10 09:10:35.462Z

                    Here's the screen shot. I double checked with short cuts in system preferences and Pro Tools: no overlapping found.
                    I also tried to run the command by clicking on the Run-Button inside of soundflow. This should skip existing shortcuts, right?

                    1. Thanks @Martin_Klebahn. I'm starting to think this may be a SoundFlow bug (the first error you showed me). Thank you for showing me the shortcut.
                      Can you try assigning a different shortcut to it just for now?

                      1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                          2019-09-10 14:52:03.180Z

                          I tried "cmd-ctrl-shift-option-A" and "cmd-ctrlt-option-A".
                          Same error appeared…

                          1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                              2019-09-14 08:13:05.666Z

                              It doen't help this way but maybe I didn't understand…
                              It'd be great if the script works with these additions:

                              1. Is there a way to have the pop up preselected for the first slot?
                              2. How to ensure that the inserts in the edit widow can stay hidden but in the mix window shown?
                            • In reply tochrscheuer:
                              MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                                2019-09-10 14:58:42.374Z

                                Without any knowlage about java…

                                Shouldn't it be defined which kind of plugin is supposed to be opend? Before the category (EQ, Dynamics, etc.)
                                There are Native/DSP/Multichannel/multi-mono…see sreen shot:

                                1. Ah yes you're right. Since I'm not on a DSP backed system my menu looks different.
                                  These are the lines of code that you need to change:

                                  var pluginPath = [
                                      'plug-in',
                                      'EQ',
                                      'EQ3 7-Band*'
                                  ];
                                  

                                  So instead of 'plug-in', on the first line, it should say for example 'multichannel Native plug-in',

                                  1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                                      2019-09-11 11:35:59.212Z

                                      Changed the code as you suggested. In addition I also tried to add "(stereo)" behid the EQ3 7-Band because that's how it is showed in the list. Unfortunately in both cases no success. Any ideas?

                                      1. Ah. Thanks for posting the new error. We're making progress.
                                        Are you displaying the Inserts in your Edit Window? It seems to complain it cannot find them. Note we can add this to the script so that it automatically displays them, but for now we can do it manually to ensure the rest of the script is working.
                                        Go to View->Edit Window Views->Inserts A-E / F-J and make sure they're both clicked on.

                                        1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                                            2019-09-12 09:07:35.756Z

                                            OK, I made the plug-in slots visible in the edit window. Now I'm getting the window with 10 slots!

                                            1. there should be the first slot selected automatically. Otherwise another mouse click is needed.
                                            2. My workflow is based on the 2 window concept of Pro Tools. It'd be great if the script would work with the plug-in slots hidden in the edit window but visible in the mixer window.

                                            There seems to be an error in line 21…

                                            1. Try to remove the star in the first few lines.

                                              1. MMartin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                                                  2019-09-14 08:09:26.162Z

                                                  Do you mean this?

                                  2. M
                                    In reply toMartin_Klebahn:
                                    Martin Klebahn @Martin_Klebahn
                                      2019-09-10 09:11:48.350Z

                                      I named it for Altiverb just because I'm intending to change from EQ3 to Altiverb when it's gonna work.

                                      1. Progress
                                      2. @chrscheuer closed this topic 2019-09-18 03:09:11.757Z.