D-command frustrations, anyone else?

[mtung]

Of the issues I have with the D-command, these two seem to rear their head most often. I am wondering if any of you out there that can share my sentiment. OR maybe someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong??

Frustration 1: When turning on a plugin on a track from the insert section on a channnel (let's say an EQ for this example), the EQ controls don't automatically come up on the EQ panel. In order to get the controls on the EQ panel, I have to focus a different track and then focus the one I just put the plugin on. Does this frustrate anyone else? Is this behavior the same on a D-Control??

ALSO Frustration 2: how about being able to make custom groups by selecting the tracks on the mixer window and having a command for making them a custom group? I have yet to be able to do this. I have tried all the suggestions on the DUC and they don't work. As it is now, this is the finger tapping dance I have to do to make one custom group:

1. Press the utilities page and scroll to the page to switch to 4 custom faders in Custom fader mode (I have only an 8 fader unit)
2. switch to groups
3. do the key command to allow adding the tracks I want
4. add all the tracks (a pain since I have to scroll through the tracks four at a time!)
5. do the key command for saving the added tracks
6. go back to the utility page
7. scroll to the page for the number of custom faders, and select 8 again
8. exit the utilities page

This may seem like a small deal but it in fact makes me not want to use the Custom faders. I work fast and that is just too much finger tapping. AGAIN, maybe there is a fix and I just haven't heard?? Anyone??

mike

PS. I don't mean to rant excessively, but these things have been on my wish list for so long without mention that I feel they need to be raised again.

[Iain Graham]

For your first frustration, hit the cycle button on the EQ section after you assign an EQ.

It should bring it up in the EQ section then, without having to re-focus the channel you want.

For your 2nd one, is there a way of using the user-assignable buttons to at least keep out of the utilities menu?

[mtung]

Thanks for the suggestions Iain!

The cycle button brings up the EQ. That is helpful. Still, I would like it to be smart enough to do bring it up the EQ when the channel is focused.

I will investigate the user buttons to see if the groups can be made easier. And even still, there has GOT to be a better way via the software. How about simply select the tracks and add a section in the groups dialog for custom groups on the D-command?? I know it sounds easy and programming that is a whole other reality.

I can still wish though. BTW, I heard that the D-Control is much better for creating custom groups. Is there something that is not being ported to the D-command???

mike

[Drew Mazurek]

New D Command owner here.

I find both of these things to be extremely annoying.

#1. When you insert a plug, it should IMO autofocus it. I too have to do the button dance, whether it's the cycle button or pressing focus on another channel and then focus on the current channel.

#2. Having only an 8 fader unit, I would benefit most from Custom Groups and yet as noted, it's such a hassle to make them, I don't use them!!! Silly.

Please let us know that you're working on fixes for these issues.

Thanks
Drew

[mtung]

Drew,

Thanks for chiming in! I was starting to feel like I was the only one who noticed. I feel ignored by digi, especially when I read other threads where digiCS posts a note saying that a particular gripe has been noted in will at least be added to a feature list.

These "problems", or shall I say "suggestions", are not only a giant step in the right direction for the functionality of the D-command, but in addition they are such PAINFULLY OBVIOUS oversights.

Digi?? Care to comment. Do you read these posts????????

If so, please let us know that we are being heard.

Thanks

Mike

[Mikey MTC]

Regarding frustration 1, I feel you on the D-Control as well ... as long as we're talking about the same thing:

If I press the "Select" button underneath an [eg. EQ] insert on a channel strip, I want that EQ to focus itself in the EQ section - in fact I want the option for the whole strip to focus itself. All I get is the plugin opening in the Pro Tools GUI. I also would consider this a bug or at least a need for a pref, unless I'm missing it.

[mtung]

Mikey,

I think you are understanding correctly. EQs don't automatically come up on the EQ panel when you put them on.

As for my second problem, the dance to making custom fader groups on an 8channel D-command is painful. It really does need a different way to make it happen.

mike

[digimidi]

To have an Eq or Dyn plug in autofocus when you assign it, turn the console preference "ChanWn" to yes.

As far as having an Eq or Dyn plug in focus when you use the dedicated Eq or Dyn channel buttons on D-Control, this is not possible at this time. A workaround would be to just focus the channel to the center. There are numerous ways to focus and can be found in the D-Control operations document. It can be downloaded from the following page;

D-Control operations document

We are working on a D-Command specific one and hope to have it up soon.

Gil

[digimidi]

As for my second problem, the dance to making custom fader groups on an 8channel D-command is painful. It really does need a different way to make it happen.

mike

Here is a possible workaround to your problem. Since you are wanting to just select tracks in the session and see them in the order they originally appear (this is what would happen if you were able to just select tracks and create a custom group), you could just use mix/edit groups instead. There are 104 of them since PT 7.2 and you could assign no attributes to the group just to see its content in the groups section.

1. Select the tracks you want to view in groups.
2. Softkeys/Group/Create Mix
3. From the Attributes page, deselect all attributes and save as a preset.
4. Name and save.
5. Switch groups to mix/edit on D-command (press and hold groups button and press bank/cycle until the focus display shows groups)
6. Select group to display.

I will check into the possiblity of adding an easier way of creating custom groups on an 8 fader D-Command.

Gil

[mtung]

Hello Gil!

Thanks for coming in with some help. I will try your suggestions.

mike