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Band In A Box is an extremely powerful and comprehensive program. Over the years, as the program has gained more and more complexity with Midi, VST's, Real Tracks, DAW's and more, so has the routing of data both within and external to the program.

A good feature would be the incorporation of a routing map display that shows what data is routed through what devices so that a user could quickly track down a problem when the program did not produce the output as expected. E.g. if a midi channel was incorrectly routed or not routed at all, it would be easy to identify where the connectivity was missing.

The map would dynamically show the connectivity of all devices. This would also assist new users to grasp the interaction of the functions, features etc.

In operation, for example, if midi data had no path to a sound device, the map would show exactly where the disconnect occurred.

Each 'module' could also list the individual settings relevant to that module (volume, patch, VST / Midi device, routing, etc), and show how it connects/interacts with other modules.

A "conceptual" diagram (not accurate) is shown below.




I hope you will support it if you think it's a good idea.
I would like this feature...I feel like I'm 'in the dark' on a lot of BIAB/RB operations, and I could probably do more if I understood exactly which parts connected to what.
Very good idea...
And select directly the routing (I make a dream)
So you mean like a graphical representation of the midi in/out audio in/out in a flowchart ? I think that would be good.
I know when I get no sound I have to go through the settings and find where the issue is but if you could SEE it that would be good.
In MiniHost it shows the signal flow and direction with animated arrows on the connection links.
Yes if you had something like that to animated the signal flow it would help sort out issues.



This is complex example but something simpler would do.

Good idea, Trev.

+1
Originally Posted By: Pipeline
So you mean like a graphical representation of the midi in/out audio in/out in a flowchart ? I think that would be good.
I know when I get no sound I have to go through the settings and find where the issue is but if you could SEE it that would be good.

Yes, a way to visualize the signal paths through the system stages. This would include representations for both Audio and MIDI.

(Incidentally, I had tried to find the diagram from the original post, but had no luck)
+1
That would help a lot to understand why Band in a Box sometimes just doesn't do what you think it should smile I sometimes puzzle for a long time about why, for example, a MIDI controller just doesn't sound because some patch is not set correctly or anything else.
+1

It would great to have a "tabbed" flowchart with a tab to select amidi data flowchart, a second tab to select audio signal and perhaps a third to show how command data flows (examples: data routing for using the computer keyboard to input midi, data routing for track midi to VSTi, data routing for track midi to external hardware)

While a flowchart would be a very useful tool for a Band-in-a-Box user to have I'd sure hate to be the one assigned the task to make one. I think such a flowchart would be challenging to create and extremely complex.

While in theory I also like the idea of having access to a dynamic flowchart I don't think the dynamic component would provide enough value to justify the man hours needed to implement the functionality.

Just as a challenge, imagine this application that the forum receives questions about: the routing and transformation of an analog guitar audio signal from its entry into a laptop computer line input to the Band-in-a-Box audio track with an amplifier and cabinet plugin.
Here's a Free Flowchart maker
https://www.nchsoftware.com/chart/index.html
Click the: Get it Free. A free version...

I uploaded the project file, you can change it, correct it and add whatever you think Biab should display.
I just made the red active flow (right click element > Properties).

Remove the .mp4

Attached File
BB-MIDI_3.ccd.mp4  (9 downloads)
Attached picture BB-Midi-Driver-Flowchart.png
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