Modulator names and vst parameter names

[dasfaker]

Atom, you have said several times that the maximum number of characters allowed in the vst specification for parameter names is 8 characters. But in many daws you can see parameter names much longer (even 64 characters). I’d like to know what kind of problems could arise if we use more than 8 characters.

I’ve been reading here about the vst specification (don’t know if it’s the correct site to look for) and there seems to be some more options related to parameter names (“Param name”, “short name” and “group name”). I’d like to know how those fields are related to the parameters available in Ctrlr for modulators.

Thx!

[atom]

The VST specification 2.4 does not name those fields, there is also parameter name, and the 8 characters is not a real limitation, it’s just some hosts do that.

The other groups/short names etc. are in VST3.0 i think, but 2.4 does not have that.

[dasfaker]

Please correct me if I’m wrong but here it talk about “Label”, “Short Label” and “Category Label”. This is Vst SDK 2.4

[atom]

There are 3 parts of a name that’s true, and 3 calls are made, but they do not utilize the structure you mention, have a look here:
http://www.oifii.org/ns-org/nsd/ar/cp/vst/mda-vst_source/mda-vst/vst/vstsdk2.4/doc/html/class_audio_effect.html

there are 3 calls that the host uses:

irtual void 	getParameterLabel (VstInt32 index, char *label)
 	Stuff label with the units in which parameter index is displayed (i.e. "sec", "dB", "type", etc...). Limited to kVstMaxParamStrLen.
virtual void 	getParameterDisplay (VstInt32 index, char *text)
 	Stuff text with a string representation ("0.5", "-3", "PLATE", etc...) of the value of parameter index. Limited to kVstMaxParamStrLen.
virtual void 	getParameterName (VstInt32 index, char *text)
 	Stuff text with the name ("Time", "Gain", "RoomType", etc...) of parameter index. Limited to kVstMaxParamStrLen. 

JUCE uses getParameterName and getParameterDisplay, one is used for the name the other for the value that’s displayed (the host does not know how to display values of parameters the plugin needs to do that for the host, it can be 0-127 or 1-7 or 0.001-1.00 etc). The Third call that’s not used in JUCE and i can’t access is for UNITS like dB Hz etc.
If you click on the getParameterName() call, and read what it says about the length you’ll see where i got 8 characters from.

JUCE has this defined like that:

void getParameterDisplay (VstInt32 index, char* text)
    {
        if (filter != nullptr)
        {
            jassert (isPositiveAndBelow (index, filter->getNumParameters()));
            filter->getParameterText (index).copyToUTF8 (text, 24); // length should technically be kVstMaxParamStrLen, which is 8, but hosts will normally allow a bit more.
        }
    }

    void getParameterName (VstInt32 index, char* text)
    {
        if (filter != nullptr)
        {
            jassert (isPositiveAndBelow (index, filter->getNumParameters()));
            filter->getParameterName (index).copyToUTF8 (text, 16); // length should technically be kVstMaxParamStrLen, which is 8, but hosts will normally allow a bit more.
        }
    }

So it’s 8 but it allow 16 for the name and 24 for the display.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by atom.

[atom]

And just to clarify, i think that those strings should be as long as needed (unlimited), this is easily done, the 8 character limit is idiotic and whoever wrote this wasn’t thinking. I know the standard is old but even back when VST SDK 2.4 came out non-fixed length string were widely used.

[dasfaker]

Ok, thanks.It could be useful to know how many characters displays each daw.

I have names like “Filter Envelope Attack” that are too long (in Live I can only see “Filter Envelope”) so now I have to decide how to rename modulators.

[atom]

Well your guess is as good as anybodies, no one is keeping to the standard, and even if they would we would have 8 character names. Like i wrote in the getting started manual, keep the names short, and the display names longer, get as close to 8 as possible, i can’t really give any better advice.

[dasfaker]

In Ctrlr, name is modulatorName, but display is visibleName?

[atom]

yes

[zeoka]

Hi
In hosts i have tried there is no parameter names except reaper but in reaper my panel works so bad , there is a problem to move ctrlr knobs ,sometime frozen 1 second before i can move knobs, same thing for UI mode(parameter faders window).
I have tried other panels too…
In old Ctrlr even if the host was limited to 8 characters they displayed the begining or tried to compact the names.
Is there a solution ?
Parameter name could be useful for Maschine,Stagelight (param faders) or to correct automation already done in any DAW.

“keep the names short, and the display names longer” difficult in practicle ex :
Name : 01FilterCutoff (name i would like) 01FltrCtoff (reduced)
Display : Cutoff

Ctrlr send to host the shorter or the longer name ?

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by zeoka.
• This reply was modified 11 years ago by zeoka.
• This reply was modified 11 years ago by zeoka.
• This reply was modified 11 years ago by zeoka.

[Author]

Posts