AZ Controller has made the FaderPort awesome...AlphaTrack is on the way

There is a new, more flexible and better conceived, alternative to FaderPort's default plugin that now resides as a custom preset inside AZ Controller.  Details are below:
 
Changes/Improvements

Simple 1-step installer handles both 32 and 64bit.  No more command-line regedit hack for each version.

Bus focus and WAI now follows device and device follows selected bus without a single mouse click.

Selecting Bus mode opens Sonar’s Bus pane and closes it when going back to Track mode (optional setting)

Pan can now act as jog/shuttle wheel (using ‘Shift’ key)

ACT "Quick dial"

Hi/Low resolution for encoder (Pan and ACT)

Enable Loop and set In/Out points to timeline selection in a single button press

Better assignment of user-defined buttons, including ProChannel and MultiDock toggling

If you don’t like any of the new features, you can change them to whatever you want!

Background
I really like the FaderPort but found some of its default capabilities lacking compared to what it could be.  My main beef was that when you switch the FaderPort from Track to Bus mode, Sonar doesn’t follow the WAI and the FaderPort doesn’t follow Sonar’s selected bus.  Using the mouse, you have to change Sonar’s focus from Track to Bus, click the Bus you want to edit, then move the WAI to the selected bus using two clicks (one right, one left).  I found this really inefficient, especially since I use a lot of buses and switch between track and bus focus constantly.  In addition, the user-defined buttons were pretty useless for me. I couldn’t find anything I wanted on the available list and actually just left two of them unassigned.  Not a big deal, but not all it could be in my opinion.
 
Now, with the new FaderPort preset inside the AZ Controller, Sonar and the FaderPort are in perfect sync--for both Track and Bus panes. You can even choose to toggle Sonar’s Bus pane when the FaderPort switches into/out of Bus mode.  Add in jog/shuttle capability and better choices for the user buttons, like toggling the ProChannel/MultiDock views and a pretty good control surface is now pretty awesome!
 
The best part is that AZ Controller is designed to be customized so you can tweak it to do whatever you want…and it’s free.
 
Follow the changes and download the latest version: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,163.0.html
 
AlphaTrack Preset Coming Soon!
As many AlphaTrack users know, Sonar X1 (and subsequent versions) broke some of the functionality of the AlphaTrack, specifically in the EQ section, with no fix in sight.  Azslow3, creator of the AZ Controller, will be designing a new preset to address the broken functionality.  Stay tuned.

Hey cool, I have an AlphaTrack - it works OK for what it does, but yes the EQ section is a wash at the moment, as is the plug-in section (which never really worked all that well anyway but could conceivably be made to do something with ACT, especially in the context of the wonderful AZ controller plugin - I have been working on a template for my old Kore controller, using its MCU emulation as a springboard, and it works amazingly well.

azSLOW is installed
I find it in sonar
the faderport is connected
the faderport is enabled in MIDI
 
So, how do I load the faderport preset?
 

ptheisen
I am one of I think many AlphaTrack owners who would be very interested in Azslow3's AZ Cpntroller preset for that unit. Many thanks to Azslow3 for all his work.

+1 Another Alpha Track owner here. Thanks to Azslow3 here as well.

I downloaded 179 from the releases link.
 
I will now download 185.
 

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
Now I can select FP, and save the preset
 
But the FP is not working.

1. Open the Property Page. Press any button on FP. Do you see something changed in the "Last MIDI event" section (top of the window)?
2. If no, check your midi, input/output, etc settings. FP is not delivering events to plug-in.
3. If you see something, look precisely what it is. For example press "Stop". Do you see "(Ch:1 KP:5) Stop" or something else?
4. If it does not work, most probably you see something else, let me know what exactly.

There is no MIDI specification for the device. It can support different hardware "modes". The preset can be adopted if required, but I need some hint.
 

The WAI does display correctly when clicking any channel, not bus.

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
I missed one of the install steps: add FP to controller before adding AZ.

I hope you do not have Faderport plug-in in Control Surfaces. That will not work. You need just AZ Controller, with IN/OUT set to FP IN/OUT correctly. Close Sonar, power cycle FP device (disconnect/reconnect usb).
 
Now start sonar, recheck faderport in MIDI devices, recheck configuration of AZ Controller IN/OUT. In AZ Controller "Tweak current configuration..." to Faderport again (just in case you have played with it).
 
If by pressing buttons you do not see there corresponding names in the Last MIDI Event:
Move slider (first just touch, notice Last MIDI Event, move, notice Last MIDI Event, then release, notice Last MIDI Event), turn Pan, press every button and notice Last MIDI Events. Go to the Options tab, uncheck "support 14bit", and repeat the procedure.  Once done, send the list to me.
 
It looks like your FP is in some other mode/has different firmware compare to the device watercourse has.
 
You can also try to reassign yourself: in the Options Tab, "Tweak current configuration..." select "Forget all assignments". Change to the Hardware Tab. Select "Play" Hardware control. Press "Play" button on FP. Press "Assign MIDI" button. Press "Play" on FP again. Does Sonar start play? If not, again "Forget all assignments" and uncheck "14 bit". Repeat "Play" assignment. Works? But with LEDs and Fader movement it is more complicated...
 

Cannot get to work in bus pane.  Never could. Must be another example of operator headspace.

For bus pane control "Output" button on FP should be used. You can test how it is going to work once we assign your FP correctly: in the Logic Tab select "Output" in Logic Control. Press "Play" (button in the window, not on FP).
Press "Play" again to switch back to tracks.

YouDontHasToCallMeJohnson
At first I did not do this as described in your instructions:
>> Configure Faderport MIDI Input/Output in SONAR as described in its documentation.
Which includes adding the FP to the controllers list.

While I have mentioned that it should be detached from other plug-ins in the next step, I have corrected that step in documentation. Thanks for pointing it was not clear.

Hi Azslw3. I previously removed the faderport from my system as I had problems with the drivers.  Do I need to install the original Faderport drivers in order to use AZ control?

mudgel
Discussion is continuing on this thread. Ignore the title.

Faderport and Alphatrack have completely different presets. So it is better to keep separate discussions to avoid confusion...
 
Windows still has to recognize Faderport as a MIDI device, so I think original Windows drivers are required. But do not configure original Sonar Control Surface plug-in, from the point Faderport is visible as Windows MIDI device, AZCtrl takes the lead.

azslow3

mudgel
Discussion is continuing on this thread. Ignore the title.

Faderport and Alphatrack have completely different presets. So it is better to keep separate discussions to avoid confusion...
 
Windows still has to recognize Faderport as a MIDI device, so I think original Windows drivers are required. But do not configure original Sonar Control Surface plug-in, from the point Faderport is visible as Windows MIDI device, AZCtrl takes the lead.

Thanks:)