Help Me Not Hate Screensets

When X1 first arrived, I found that, while I liked the idea of Screensets, there were several aspects of them that caused me to not use them. And I still don't. I can tell that many users love them, so I want to give them another try. Here's two big things I hate about Screensets.

1. Passive Save - If I invoke, say, Screenset 3, do some work in it, and while doing so I alter the view, then go to Screenset 6, the "altered" Screenset 3 is "passively" saved, and that's what I see next time I invoke Screenset 3. This is exactly what I DON'T want. I understand I could freeze 3, but then I have to unfreeze it if I want to alter it -blah, blah, blah.

What I DO want is to alter Screenset 3 all I wish, but the next time I call it up, it is just like that last time I call it up. If I alter it and want it to keep it that way, I would just save (-as) it. That's what I would call "actively" saved. And I like that a lot better.

2. Portability of Screensets. I understand that if I have a project A with no Screensets defined, and I wish to have Screensets for it like I have for a different Project B, I can load in project B along with project A, and Import Screensets from B to A. This seems ridiculous.

It seems so much better to have a central Screenset Manager (perhaps not unlike the old Window Layouts) where stock and user-created Screensets could be save and applied as full Screensets or individually (any one of ten) to project A. T mimic this,  I think some users create Screensets in "Blank" projects import their Screensets into existing projects, but I'm hoping for better.
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Please tell me that I am wrong and things can be just like I want them (at least for Screensets), or there is a way to make them work my way, or I just need to change, or I should just not use them.

Thanks.

My machine with X1 on it is currently out of commission, so I can't test anything - But early on when I was learning the program, I made a set of the 4 basic screens I want to work with.  They were assigned to the numbers 1-4 on my computer keyboard, not the numeric pad, but on the row of numbers.  To access them, I just push the appropriate number - there's no importing of a previous project, or having multiple projects open.

-- I thought that was the way to use screensets - why do I only see people talking about the need to import sets from another project--?

Randy B.

You get them into each new project by setting the template up with screensets how you want them and then saving that template as 'normal' or whatever you want to call it, then using that template as the starting point.

@kelsoz - set a key binding for lock/unlock then you can switch quickly between locked, in which case the changes aren't saved, or unlocked in which case they are.

Anyone who has seen any of my previous posts on screensets will know I love 'em but I do keep banging on about two things. First how they would be better with a save/load feature for individual screensets and secondly I'd like some sort of indicator in the Tool modules/status bar that indicates whether the current screenset is locked or not. That would make them almost perfect for me, well that and another 10 of them maybe..............

Another feature I would LOVE is to have the screenset remember the width of the intrument name pane in the PRV. It always defaults to a minimized width and this drives me nuts! I've submitted a feature request and I've posted this a few times alreday. This topic seemed to fit so I hopped on!

Sorry Kelsoz for the hijack!

The passive save is a pain because it runs counter to all Windows standard saving methodologies. I suppose it is faster because you don't have to go through a save process to keep your changes, but if you don't think to swap to a new screenset before editing you're hosed

Not neccesarily. There is always the "revert current screenset" command which undoes the latest changes, and that is local to each individual screenset so it doesn't matter if you've moved to a new screenset. If you go back to another one you can 'revert' it to how it was if you made changes you didn't want to.

Combined with the lock/unlock option it's very handy.

yorolpal


Screensets are "per project only".  They are not global.  So how do you get them into each new project you start?  If you've found a way without importing them,ol pal, you've found the holy grail.  Can you detail how you saved and restore them?

Craig Anderton's Sonar X1 column in June's Sound On Sound sets out a workaround.  I haven't tried it yet, but here's a snippet:
 
"As mentioned earlier, you can’t really save and load particular screensets, but there’s an easy workaround.
- Create a new project and click on a screenset.
- Set up the layout as desired.
- Proceed to another screenset, then create a layout for that.
- Keep selecting screensets and creating layouts until you have your ideal collection of screensets.
- Save the project with a descriptive name; for example ‘Remixing Screensets’ or ‘Rock Band Recording Screensets’.
- Repeat for as many screensets as you want. Now, when you start a new project (or continue an old one), also open up the project that includes the desired screenset. Then proceed as follows:
- Put the focus on the new project.
- Go to its screenset module in the control bar.
- Click on the pop‑up menu’s arrow, then select ‘Import Screensets from [filename]’. The new project will ‘adopt’ the screensets contained in the specified file.
- You can now close the project that consists solely of screensets."
 

Skyline_UK

Craig Anderton's Sonar X1 column in June's Sound On Sound sets out a workaround.  I haven't tried it yet, but here's a snippet:
 
"As mentioned earlier, you can’t really save and load particular screensets, but there’s an easy workaround.
- Create a new project and click on a screenset.
- Set up the layout as desired.
- Proceed to another screenset, then create a layout for that.
etc. etc...Now, when you start a new project (or continue an old one), also open up the project that includes the desired screenset. Then proceed as follows:
- Put the focus on the new project.
- Go to its screenset module in the control bar.
- Click on the pop‑up menu’s arrow, then select ‘Import Screensets from [filename]’. The new project will ‘adopt’ the screensets contained in the specified file.
- You can now close the project that consists solely of screensets."
 

I don't get it - There it is again, the bit of opening a project to import its Screensets.  --Saving a customized Normal file sure gets the job done more easily.  You just open up Sonar and start working--- Why is the advice given so often that you have to have multiple projects open--?

But the first part of the Anderton quote is as I briefly sketched in earlier.  You just make the screensets you want and save them - Difference is making the screensets part of custom Normal.

Sykodelic - Thanks - You filled in the part I wasn't sure about since I can't get to my X1 right now.  The sets are just automatically mapped to the number keys - So what I did to make my set of screensets was super simple.  I laid them out, saved the work as a new Normal, and from there I just use the numbers.

---What am I missing?  Why all this rigamarole about opening two projects, importing etc.---?  It works without doing all that--.

Randy B.

Also to have different snap settings on screensets you need to set a variable IncludeSnapInScreenet=1 in the ini file. Preferences->File->Initialization File


That tip alone makes me wish I had 10 more screensets.

djjhart@aol.com

2. This I agree with... it would be nice to be able to import/export screensets without having to have multiple projects open. Similar to the way layouts were handled in previous versions.

+1 I hope in the future they would implement this.. Me I don't use screen sets at all but this would make it easier and fun to use. 
I am going to send in a feature request for this...

?  I still don't understand-- You don't have to open multiple projects.  Why aren't people making a Normal template with the screensets they want?  10 are available, I only need 4.  Sykodelic's with that program - Why is Anderton and others saying you have to do this awkward thing of importing screensets from another project--?---??---

Randy B.

Randy, I think Craig is describing a system where you have more than one set of Screen Sets that you can access for new projects. One for 'Rock Band Recording' and one for 'Remixing' to use Craig's example.

If you only use one Set of Screen Sets (as you've described for your work flow) then a Normal template will work great, but if have multiple sets of Screen Sets, he describes how you can copy them to new projects.

 Randy I agree with your method about setting up a bunch of screen sets then save it as a normal template although , I myself have a bunch of templates for other stuff i use but they are inserted during the project as I go. but I am lazy about setting them up... I guess the real reason is its not worth the effort when I'm working I dont just work on midi in the prv  or audio in the TV or loop explorer or in a plugin, or auditioning loops with the browser . Im all over the place at any moment in time and to set a template with screen sets I would still be shuffling windows around, If I had presets label i would use more so. Plus with the multi dock and key commands to hide windows, I use that in a great workflow with ease. 

Thanks all - Yes, I'm feeling better now.  It seems a good idea to load SS into the normal template, and I gues I can make a special template or empty project as well.

The passive save for SS is hokey IMHO, and contrary to Windows norms. But there are some good suggestions here to ease the pain.

Still would like to see a SS Manager.  This importing, while it may be handy once in a while, is stifling and not very Cakewalk-like.

Regards,

? I still don't understand-- You don't have to open multiple projects. Why aren't people making a Normal template with the screensets they want? 10 are available, I only need 4. Sykodelic's with that program - Why is Anderton and others saying you have to do this awkward thing of importing screensets from another project--?---??---

Randy - This may work, but only for a new project.  If you have an existing project, I don't think (??) you can impose your current Normal template.  Only way out is to open another project that has the ScreenSets you want.

I could see making the Normal template as you wish.  Also, make a "Blank" project with the Normal template and then you could import the ScreenSets from that project.  Another advantage of this is that, as time goes on, you may want to add ScreenSets or change the ones you have.  This is probably the next best thing to a ScreenSets Manager.

And you can also make a number of these "Blank" projects with different ScreenSets, if that's your thing.

The problem however is that I make recordings in Studio A. Then a friend is mixing them in Studio B. Two weeks later we go back to studio A and make new recordings to this project. The two studios have different monitors (maybe Studio A: 2x24" and Studio B: 2x19"). Therefor they need to have different screensets. So it is a "must have" for global screensets or an easy way to import and overwrite the screensets. Studio B cannot work with the screensets of Studio A. And Studio A not with the screensets of B.

Currently screensets in X1 are only a single DAW-Solution for only one PC in one room.

@sykodelic
Yes, we use different templates and export them.
In older Sonar we had Layouts. And the posibility to bind any keystroke to any layout. With only one keystroke I could load any layout to position all the windows and all was right. Therefor we had "global" screensets in older versions.