Automation does not write from plug-in GUI when transport stopped

[Neale]

Hi, folks.

I do audio book editing, and have done so over the years. As such, I will pull up old sessions with readers I've edited before and import their session data to a new session in order to ballpark settings. I will inevitably adjust some settings in the new session, most usually to compensate for small level variations from this year to years gone by - thresholds on compressors/gates, final limiter level, etc.

At some point - and I'm not sure when - behaviour switched to me adjusting the knobs in the GUI during a playback loop, expecting the settings to stay there for the rest of the session... but lo and behold, they would go back to the original imported automation settings of the old session.

I want the knobs in the GUI to write the automation for the whole session. That way, I now have the new settings for the reader for all new sessions I just got of them reading the books, and can use this new, adjusted session to import session data from for the whole rest of the batch rather than having to adjust again from the old session's automation data. I don't want to have to go into the automation lane and drag the blue line down to the black line.

1) I now have plug-in settings set to default to on. This may be the cause. If that is the case, can I have them auto-default to on AND have my adjustments during a playback loop (in other words, not while "recording an automation pass in particular") stay in place? I don't need to write an automation pass, per se, because there aren't momentary adjustments to be made - the adjustments are global to the session, so once I have it set for a section, the change should apply to the whole thing.

2) if having automation default to "enabled" for plug-ins is NOT the cause, what am I missing? If I adjust the level during play or any other "non-automation recording pass", is it not possible to just adjust them and have them adjust the automation data?

Thanks!

[wwittman]

If you are on HD/Ultimate, place the automation mode in PREVIEW,
then you can make changes without fighting the existing automation, and then decide whether to write them into automation or not

[Cheesehead]

If I understand you correctly this is because you have somehow created automation break points at the start of your session, or PT has auto created them.
I've found this a tricky thing with Pro Tools because sometimes when a session gets into this state, even erasing the breakpoints or all automation will not clear this behavior and allow automation controls to be used freely again. Also the automation activity monitor highlights will sometimes stay orange even though all automation has been removed.

The only way I've found to successfully get rid of it is to create a new track and then paste the clips into it. I think duplicating the track without media and then copy and pasting the clips also works, that way you keep your plugin assignments.
Of course this may not be what you are talking about at all.

[Neale]

Originally Posted by wwittman

If you are on HD/Ultimate, place the automation mode in PREVIEW,

then you can make changes without fighting the existing automation, and then decide whether to write them into automation or not

Vanilla, sorry.

Regardless, I’m thinking it’s a pref I’ve changed or a feature that’s changed over the years, and I’m just looking to get it back to prior behaviour.

[Neale]

Originally Posted by Cheesehead

If I understand you correctly this is because you have somehow created automation break points at the start of your session, or PT has auto created them.
I've found this a tricky thing with Pro Tools because sometimes when a session gets into this state, even erasing the breakpoints or all automation will not clear this behavior and allow automation controls to be used freely again. Also the automation activity monitor highlights will sometimes stay orange even though all automation has been removed.

The only way I've found to successfully get rid of it is to create a new track and then paste the clips into it. I think duplicating the track without media and then copy and pasting the clips also works, that way you keep your plugin assignments.
Of course this may not be what you are talking about at all.

Thanks, but it’s not an issue of breakpoints... I’ve checked.

See my reply to Mr. Wittman too... I just want to get back to the old behaviour.

[wwittman]

I’d say you need to go into the automation lane for the plug in parameter and clear that setting if it’s previously been written. Then enter your new one.

But that’s not new behaviour.
Twas ever thus.

[Neale]

Originally Posted by wwittman

I’d say you need to go into the automation lane for the plug in parameter and clear that setting if it’s previously been written. Then enter your new one.



But that’s not new behaviour.

Twas ever thus.

Then maybe it’s because I automatically enable plugin automation now. Maybe that was the cause.

If twas ever thus, then thus it is.