I would say you can safely bet that there will never be a software editor for the MRCC. We designed it with the exact opposite idea in mind: Make it really straight forward to edit most of the stuff so that you never need to look at a computer to configure it! There are other devices that are made to edit on the computer already, and we just wanted to steer the other way. I hope that makes sense and isn't too big of a disappointment.
Jesse
(08-08-2021, 03:57 AM)fgeorgy Wrote: I also vote for an editor.
I may even volunteer to create one if I find the time. I have some experience. You can check the editors I wrote at http://studiocode.dev
My motivation for an editor:
- MRCC screen is way too small and difficult to read (for me at least)
- I am color blind and I have great difficulty distinguishing the different colors of the LEDs.
- Having the possibility to view ALL the config at once.
YES PLEASE make an editor. I will contribute right now if you decide to do it!
The NDLR screen would make Roland happy, that is how difficult it is to see and use and navigate. I went through MULTIPLE magnifier setups to finally be able to read the screen.
The switching needed to adjust parameters means you have to spend a lot of time developing muscle memory to remember/know which switch/knob combination to use to get anything done, IMHO.
We are not planning to do any software editor, but the MRCC routings are saved in basically plain text in the save file and if you take that out (sd card, you would need to remove the left end cheek with a hex wrench to get access, but it's pretty simple), then you could edit that/ back up the file/etc.
Once of the other users created a NDLR editor and librarian and that has a forum category dedicated to it under the NDLR branch. It would theoretically be possible to create something similar for the MRCC if someone wants to do it, but at the moment the only way to transfer the configuration file is by removing the SD and adding it there, then putting it back in.
I completely understand the idea of out of the box UX. But there are good reasons to want to finesse settings using a computer. A sysex read/write of that file is all any of us programmers would need to create a browser based patch editor. I'd be happy to start that project, all you would need to support is sysex config transfer.
(08-23-2021, 09:24 PM)Jesse Johannesen Wrote: No, I don't believe it takes sysex communication for configuration. I will ask Steve when I talk to him next and see what it does take, and let you know.
Jesse
Any news about this?
Since the MRCC writes config data to text files on the SD card, maybe it's possible to expose the SD card (or a bank of presets) as USB drive via the PC port?
I like that idea, however after talking to Steve it just kind of goes against the Philosophy of the device. It's meant to be completely edited by hand, simply. There are a number of MIDI devices which do offer computer based configuration, if that is something you're interested in, the MioXL is one that comes to mind.
However, if anyone else want's to make an editor for presets, feel free to reach out to me and I can probably provide some file specifications.
i understand, BUT, i think that sometimes the 'ideology' of a device's design can get in the way of its use.
one example (at least i find it so) is the old Octopus sequencer, a brilliant instrument with some blatant flaws. One of them was that they had no screen, which would have made it much, much easier to use. But it conflicted with their notion of it being an 'instrument', and the screen conflicted with that ideal.
Some concession of the ideal here would make the mmrc easier to use. Even if you couldn't edit the parameters, a way to see everything on the big screen, all at once would be helpful, I think. the mio interfaces are horrible creatures. I really dislike them.
06-17-2022, 03:05 AM (This post was last modified: 06-17-2022, 03:34 AM by Lizard of Oz.)
(06-16-2022, 10:27 AM)Jesse Johannesen Wrote: I like that idea, however after talking to Steve it just kind of goes against the Philosophy of the device. It's meant to be completely edited by hand, simply. There are a number of MIDI devices which do offer computer based configuration, if that is something you're interested in, the MioXL is one that comes to mind.
However, if anyone else want's to make an editor for presets, feel free to reach out to me and I can probably provide some file specifications.
Let's acknowledge that the current implementation of this philosophy reducess accessibility for people with visual impairments, like those with color blindness, and those with poor eyesight. Since the latter comes with age, Steve will come round eventually
The one thing that really stands in the way of editing presets via Computer is that you have to open the sides of the MRCC to access those files. As long as we can't solve that, using an editor would be inconvenient for desktop users, and impossible for rack users.
I found something called a Micro SD-Card Extender cable, there are various types. The flat cable might just fit in a gap between side and the case, maybe you need a washer so that everything is still tight. We'd also need to find a cable where the plug is short enough, and be careful to install it so that there is no force on the card slot itself.
(06-16-2022, 10:33 AM)Nelson Baboon Wrote: one example (at least i find it so) is the old Octopus sequencer, a brilliant instrument with some blatant flaws. One of them was that they had no screen, which would have made it much, much easier to use. But it conflicted with their notion of it being an 'instrument', and the screen conflicted with that ideal.
I have the smaller version (Nemo), and I agree 100%. One of the consequences of the missing display was the longest, and the worst user manual for a sequencer ever. No wonder Genoqs went out of business pretty fast.
Having a philosophy in the first place, and then sticking to it is great, updating your philosophy when feedback from the real world indicates your philosophy gets in your own way is also great.
(06-16-2022, 10:33 AM)Nelson Baboon Wrote: i understand, BUT, i think that sometimes the 'ideology' of a device's design can get in the way of its use.
one example (at least i find it so) is the old Octopus sequencer, a brilliant instrument with some blatant flaws. One of them was that they had no screen, which would have made it much, much easier to use. But it conflicted with their notion of it being an 'instrument', and the screen conflicted with that ideal.
Some concession of the ideal here would make the mmrc easier to use. Even if you couldn't edit the parameters, a way to see everything on the big screen, all at once would be helpful, I think. the mio interfaces are horrible creatures. I really dislike them.
100%
@jesse I'll work up an editor for the sd card config... and if all that was implemented was a sysex method to transfer that config... we'd have what we wanted...
Meanwhile, would love to have the specification for the config. Might save a bit of reverse engineering (I haven't taken the end cheek off yet because I've hidden my hex wrenches someplace)
Thanks Squee, I'll talk to Steve tomorrow and see what I can cook up for you. I don't know if the SysEx is doable or not, but it seems like a possiblity if that's all that needs to be sent. I'll let you know what Steve says.