1 Topic by phils

  • phils
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  • From: Sydney, Australia
  • Registered: 2007-08-15
  • Posts: 322

Topic: Snapshot v Preset

Trying to understand the practical differences, and Help and KC still only have MWare notes on Presets (BTW).

In another thread, Fergy said

Presets are not values, they are presets, and are saved to another set of XMLs in the .npa.  Only values are saved to the default settings XML, which means the generic controls values are saved as values when a default save is done...but not to a preset.

What you are trying to do sounds as if a Snapshot might work.  A Snapshot is a group of values that are loaded when the load button is pressed.  You can go to control properties on the "value" controls, and check the box so the control will accept user input.  Now you can type in the value that you want the load to do.  When you now do a default save, these will be saved, because they are "values".  BTW, I always create the Snapshot as a string style, seems to always fit the task best.

This helps, but apart from the Default Preset issue, how would someone choose between Snapshot and SubPreset?

Thanks

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2 Reply by Fergy

  • Fergy
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  • From: The Home Office--Meridian
  • Registered: 2007-08-15
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Re: Snapshot v Preset

Presets only when there are many controls.  Most of the time, I either have less than 15 controls that need to toggle between know values, or it is more than 30 (and I will use a Sub-Preset).  There is no hard rule, mostly just a feeling of what will work best.

Make it intuitive, never leave them guessing.

3 Reply by jvalenzuela

  • jvalenzuela
  • Initech programmer
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  • Registered: 2007-10-10
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Re: Snapshot v Preset

To start at the other end of the problem, what are you trying to do?

4 Reply by Joe Kurta

  • Joe Kurta
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Re: Snapshot v Preset

Phils,

The major difference between Shapshots and SubPresets are the display of the values and the wiring.

SubPresets are a lot 'quicker' to implement in that no wiring has to be planned out.  In that manner they are great for User Interface components where you already have all the elements you want to save on the screen and just need the 'save'/'load' mechanism.  The drawback however, is that you cannot see the stored values of the controls before 'loading' the bank.

With SnapShots, the wiring has to be planned but the values are apparent (unless you store a 0 value that had no previous value in it, then it just displays blank but this isn't a bug report thread).  IMHO most powerful feature of a snapshot (which makes the wiring bearable) is if you change all the little text boxes to enable "control accepts user input", then the values stored within the snapshot can be manipulated without having to load, adjust and resave the bank (like you would have to do with a SubPreset).

I hope that helps!

Thanks,

Joe