TimeLine Editor Needed

[aronb]

Hi,

Is there a Timeline module available for FlowStone? Searched and did not see anything, but maybe it is called something else...

I basically want to use FlowStone as an Animation Timeline (sequencers) much like the FlowBotics "Pattern Sequencer" is used to move servos over time - i.e. on a timeline. I would like to start an MP3 (I can do that) and then based off of the "time-code" output several queues of different ASIO analog output channels (ASIO works fine with the GIGAport)...

See abut 1/3 down page... Under "FlowBotics Studio Demo Projects"
http://www.lynxmotion.com/p-883-flowbotics-studio-v2-cd.aspx

or here

Sequencer

fbs-pattern-sequencer.jpg (17.09 KiB) Viewed 21369 times

I would buy FlowBotics Studio if I knew I would get the source module(s) so I could customize it...

Thank You for any info!

P.S. This is my first post so I hope I did it right!

Aron

[nix]

I don't understand completely,
but I have built a polyphonic MIDI sequencer,
with up to 32 128 step patterns,
so it is like a timeline switch for the 128 MIDI notes
You could manipulate the MIDI that comes out of it?
Let me know if this would be useful,
I can pm it to you.

Welcome, enjoy and all success!

[tester]

I would be interested in timeline too, but I mean timeline, not step sequencer. Continuous timeline, with possibility to define custom points on it, and with possibility to scale and extend the view.

[Nubeat7]

did a fast hack on the waveplayer to zoom and scroll through the wave, you can implement a timeline in there relating to the size of the wavefile, but i don`t know how this would be with mp3?

after this it should be not so difficult to integrate a sequencer binded to the timeline..


the patternsequencer example would be really interesting

[tester]

Nice one. Would it be difficult to integrate some sort of custom point-to-point line with custom-time points? Some sort of parametric envelope creator.

*

Well - it will not work with mp3s directly. That's why I requested some sort of directshow support, to handle various audio formats.

I remember however, there was somewhere (either here or SM forum; Jay made it) a little project, in which loaded mp3s were decompressed to waves on the fly (via external app), and uncompressed waves were loaded. I know it's a partial solution, but it is at least something. I found this on my HDD, I'm not sure if this works, but should be easy way to work around.

[Nubeat7]

yeah i'm working on the timemarkers, i tried to integrate a vertical line every 100 ms but got lost with the scrolling...
sadly my math skills are really bad
will have a look into the multisegment envelope.. maybe i find some solution there

[aronb]

Here is a better idea of what I am trying to do...

Timeline_01.PNG (64.86 KiB) Viewed 21318 times

So at some point in the "song" a value in the timeline is output to say turn on a light (Boolean on/off), or control its brightness (integer or float, 0 to 100%).

The idea is to have multiple channels say 10 (or 20?) and have an output associated with each channel. The during the playback those values are "input" into FlowStone and subsequently out a hardware item I have attached to the machine (PC).

The output is no issue, USB to DAC's and Relays working well. I just need a way to elegantly input and edit the "on/off queues" to turn lights on and off, etc.

Again the user should be able to move the "queues" back and forth on the timeline to change when the lights turn on or off or a value gets output, etc.

Hope this helps, it is more a timeline editor (think video transition editor) and less like a sequencer, but they are related in some ways...

Thanks again...

Aron

[Nubeat7]

hey aron, thanks for clear explanation, i know what you need but this will be no thing built overnight (not for me)..

the biggest step for now is to get the time markers in position when scrolling across the audiofile,
so that you always can scroll and zoom to the exact position in your audiofile,
next step will be to play the file in right speed (maybe different speeds?)

and then we need to do a proper modulation of signals which will basicly be a (step-) sequencer which is synced to the playspeed

but atm i`m lost to get the time markers in position, and i`m not shure if i`m on the right path, just got the idea to start like this, i never did something similar so its is new area for me, but it is very interesting and itwould be great to have a basic timeline oriented sequencer like this hope we can get some success with this.

[aronb]

Nubeat7,

Thanks, just wanted to make sure I got the idea across... sometimes I confuse even myself !

The original idea I was thinking of is like a box whose length is the "time length" of the queue, another queue, another box, drag the boxes right and left edges to move the queue in time. And while it would be nice to see the music waveform it is not mandatory for the editor... but it is nice to "see" the musical amplitude envelope over time to get a quick idea of placing queues on the timeline.

My biggest issue is I am slow at programming in RUBY, and so I am crawling so slowly at this point - but I absolutely love FlowStone, it is just amazing. I used to use Hypersignal Ride many years ago and it would compile to a Texas Instrument DSP card in my PC and it would compute at some high sample rate (100KHz for all 8 channels lets say) the signal chain you graphically programmed - FlowStone is so easy and quick (no compiling)... but RUBY is a little more of a challenge, at least for me !

Anyway, I see your method (I believe) and it looks like a good start as well. As soon as I have some time I will be getting back to this idea of mine and hopefully share what I can contribute here, but again RUBY ain't my thing.

The whole RUBY issue seems to hinge on placing graphics primitives like rectangles in a window and then be able to manipulate them with the cursor / mouse. Maybe drawing the waveform file, and then mapping the rectangles to the size of the waveform file (MP3, WAV, whatever). Then the contents of the rectangles could be the numeric data, etc. Doing it in Visual BASIC would be a lot easier since it is a little more graphical in nature, RUBY seems more cumbersome for this but I am still learning so I may be very wrong... and that's fine, I learn better that way.

Thanks again for all of the interest - the resultant FSM's will just makes FlowStone that much better!

Aron

[Nubeat7]

ok, i was on the wrong path with the zooming and scrolling, here is a more or less good working thing, the timemarkers are working as well, the only thing is that is is drawing really slow when using bigger files, i tried it witha 6 second wavefile and my test laptop was nearly dying no idea how to optimize this...

maybe some help of the gurus will be needed..

dont be afraid of ruby, it is a very nice language and it allows you much more things then other languages..