Linux: Faderport trick

[jonetsu]

( Sorry, please move this to the Linux section )

When using a different desktop to show many plugins at the same time, pressing the mix button on the Faderport will instantly switch to the desktop where Mixbus is. Instead of having to use a key combination to switch (like Alt-number for instance).

For instance, this desktop focuses on two drum tracks. While adjusting these params, a single click on the Mix Faderport button jumps immediately to Mixbus. Then going back to the plugins is of course by using a key sequence.

   

[allank]

hmm would be nice if an action could be configured for this in a MIDI map.

[Ben@Harrison]

Any "action" from the menu can be triggered from a MIDI controller. It requires editing a setup file for the device.

[x42]

If I understand correctly, the OP would like to switch Desktop Workspaces.

Some window-managers automatically switch desktop-workspaces when an application window is focused, but Mixbus cannot control that explicitly (and certainly not cross-platform, nor for all the various linux-desktops and configurations).

However with Mixbus4 it is possible with a bit of hacking!

On GNU/Linux one can use the commandline tool `wmctrl` to switch workspaces. Also one can use a lua-script in Mixbus4 to call commandline tools from a button or action inside Mixbus. Put the two together.

1. create a lua-editor-action script calling
   
   Code:

   ardour { ["type"] = "EditorAction", name = "Switch Desktop Workspace" }
function factory () return function () os.execute ("wmctrl -s 'workspace name'") end end
   (copy/paste to Menu > Window > Scripting , edit/change "workspace name" to your desktop names (use `wmctl -d` to list them), test-run, save)
   
2. load/bind the script to an editor-action in Mixbus (Menu > Edit > Lua Scripts > Script manager)
   
3. bind the action "Editor/script-action-9" (replace "9" with the slot you've used in step2) to some midi control
   

[jonetsu]

This is great that it will be possible to switch desktop from within Mixbus. I might assign the Faderport footswitch to do that.