Learning a MIDI event to a text label widget

[Solomon]

I’ve discovered through experimentation that if I assign a MIDI control to a text label (under the MIDI tab of the widget properties of the label), then that MIDI control controls the transparency of that text label. I guess this means that the value of a text label is interpreted as transparency. However, under the General tab, if I de-select “Customize Caption” and then choose “Show Value in Caption”, all I see in the label is the literal string “[value]” rather than the value of that MIDI control itself.

What is the purpose of being able to assign a MIDI control to a text label? It’s a cool effect, to be sure, but I’m not sure I can think of a use for it and I haven’t found anything in the documentation about this.

[brandon]

I mapped an physical organ chorus/vibrato knob, sending midi CC, to a text widget and it would show me on the widget what mode I was in plus, change the mode of the organ VST I was controlling, whereas without the text widget and with the plugin closed… I wouldn’t know if I was set to C1 or C3 or V1… other than by ear.

It’s one example but I thought that was pretty useful.

You can do interesting things with color boxes too and turn them into buttons or LED diodes of any color and have them associated with plugins and be midi-mapped.

[rank13]

@Solomon

General tab, if I de-select “Customize Caption” and then choose “Show Value in Caption”, all I see in the label is the literal string “[value]” rather than the value of that MIDI control itself.

The content shown in the widget caption is based on the parameter value (the plugin parameter mapped to the widget), not the midi value.

[djogon]

@Solomon

What is the purpose of being able to assign a MIDI control to a text label?

It’s precisely what you have discovered - to control the transparency setting.

The reason is simple - because you can’t “move” or otherwise influence the text widget while playing - it displays only.

You can group this widget with another one controlling something or simply to the same MIDI control as some other widgets. Lowering the value will make this label almost go away making it blatantly obvious that the particular parameter/effect/whatever the widget is connected to/ is OFF for example.

Turn it on and the label comes up showing in whatever big letters/colors you have that the stuff is on. I use this feature for effects that are very strong and I want to make sure stuff’s not left on by accident.

btw… same goes for the SHAPE widget. So a big red shape alerting you to something that is important is on or off is useful.

Hope this helps.

[npudar]

@Solomon

I’ve discovered through experimentation that if I assign a MIDI control to a text label that MIDI control controls the transparency of that text label.

You could’ve learned that via the user manual or this blog: Gig Performer | Working with panels and widgets

[David-san]

@Solomon

What is the purpose of being able to assign a MIDI control to a text label?

I have a control surface with touch sensitive faders and I want to know via a GPScript callback when the user touch the faders (e.g. to display a submix name on the control surface LCD when the fader is touched). So, as I don’t want to see a button or switch widget for this, I use the TextLabel Widgets which numbers the slices of the mixer panel which represents the control surface.

A more advanced use is to MIDI learn a TextLabel Widget to a Local GP Port message generated by a Scriptlet (it is away to « bridge » a Scriptlet MIDI output to a plugin parameter) like in the PluginPersist scriptlet:

[Gig] Plugin Persist (or Patch Persist for Variations)

Many Gig Performer users build rackspaces in which they use button widgets to bypass/unbypass instrument plugins differently in the variations. With that approach it can be unsafe to change the variations while playing, i.e. the benefit of patch persist is lost. Note: there is an improved version of this scriptlet, which you can download here. This gig file includes a scriptlet which simulates the Patch Persist feature for instrument plugins which are bypassed when switching to another variati…

Example of using the transparency to display which Pad is triggered ([Gig] NotesConverter for MIDI pads):

NotesConverter Scriptlet for Gig Performer: a plugin for MIDI pads

[Solomon]

@rank13

The content shown in the widget caption is based on the parameter value (the plugin parameter mapped to the widget), not the midi value.

Aha… thank you.

[Solomon]

@djogon

It’s precisely what you have discovered - to control the transparency setting.

The reason is simple - because you can’t “move” or otherwise influence the text widget while playing - it displays only.

You can group this widget with another one controlling something or simply to the same MIDI control as some other widgets. Lowering the value will make this label almost go away making it blatantly obvious that the particular parameter/effect/whatever the widget is connected to/ is OFF for example.

Turn it on and the label comes up showing in whatever big letters/colors you have that the stuff is on. I use this feature for effects that are very strong and I want to make sure stuff’s not left on by accident.

btw… same goes for the SHAPE widget. So a big red shape alerting you to something that is important is on or off is useful.

Hope this helps.

Brilliant, thank you. Yes this helps!

[Solomon]

@npudar

You could’ve learned that via the user manual

I have read the manual and shall continue to do so. I guess you’re referring to the “Tip” at the end of section 6.2.5, which I admit went right over my head on first reading.