scaled ranges vs acuracy

[trogluddite]

The key choice here is how important VST automation is to you.
Generally, if I know I don't need automation, I don't bother scaling, and it has not been a problem thus far - and as matti says, it opens up the possibility to create a custom format. If you want nice draggable automation curves, then float 0...1 is the only option using the current VST implementation.

[tester]

Automation = timeline. So automation is important, because offers changes over time, and thus - I don't need to create timeline within an app. +$100 so to speak. Besides it's too late, everything is now rescaled, and two other projects are re-created from that point.

But I realized something else. Preset/value limits can be higher than automation limits. It will be just the fact, that the value can be automated to some degree (let say, frequency - from 0.00 to 10000.00Hz at rescaling factor x10000), while as itself stored in the preset - can be up-to-whatever (let say 16000Hz, will be 1.6).

Reaper locks values selected for automation in it's own world (and trims them to 0-1 ranges), but does not touches other values.

So the only thing important here is the rescaling factor, which is responsible for accuracy quality (rounding). For frequencies - x10000 at .01 accuracy (x1000 at .001), degrees - x1000 (+/- 360), ratios - x100 at .0001 accuracy (x1000 at .001), percentages x100 or 200 (depending on uni/bidirectionality) and so on.

[trogluddite]

Yes - I don't know about every music application, but all of the ones I've used (Reaper, Cubase, VSThost), are happy with any value for a non-automated parameter.

[matti]

The key choice here is how important VST automation is to you.
Generally, if I know I don't need automation, I don't bother scaling, and it has not been a problem thus far - and as matti says, it opens up the possibility to create a custom format. If you want nice draggable automation curves, then float 0...1 is the only option using the current VST implementation.

Actually I'm saying you can have both. You'll just need to do one simple thing: collection of parameter values to a file.

I can post some examples when i have some extra time. Now busy busy

[trogluddite]

I can post some examples when i have some extra time.

That would be great - I'm very interested to see what you've done.
The problem that I've had in the past with this is in associating a file with a particular host project - i.e. it works well if the user explicitly loads/saves presets from within the plugin (e.g. store the custom file path to a VST string parameter) - but the if user changes parameters and does not explicitly save the preset, the old values will be loaded when the project is re-opened.
Not a problem for the more organised kind of user, of course; but saving out the presets is one of those things that's so easy to forget to do!

[tester]

Actually I'm saying you can have both. You'll just need to do one simple thing: collection of parameter values to a file.

I can post some examples when i have some extra time. Now busy busy

The time is crucial, that why I did not decided to digg in that direction. I had a hunch that this could be done that way, but other hunch told me that there would be a lot of work to do, plus - I wasn't certain how it will behave having so many parameters to work with (as I said - c.a. 2000 per project). Usually triggers are the bandits here

So I'm also curious what you have.

[matti]

I can post some examples when i have some extra time.

That would be great - I'm very interested to see what you've done.
The problem that I've had in the past with this is in associating a file with a particular host project - i.e. it works well if the user explicitly loads/saves presets from within the plugin (e.g. store the custom file path to a VST string parameter) - but the if user changes parameters and does not explicitly save the preset, the old values will be loaded when the project is re-opened.
Not a problem for the more organised kind of user, of course; but saving out the presets is one of those things that's so easy to forget to do!

No, I'm not doing anything special to the Host side. It should work just fine?
I thought you had problems with the presets that are saved as text files. Surely that is a totally different thing. Is it not?

[trogluddite]

Possibly we are just misunderstanding each other. Sure it will all make sense once I can see a schematic - could be I was just trying to do things in a dumb way!

[tester]

I also have a clearer vison of what can I do when I see schematics.