Petty Peve About DAWs Interface

[jchase9101]

So, as you can see by the title, I know full well going into this, but this is a personal, petty peeve I have regarding the interface.

When I have a plug-in UI up on the screen and I've clicked somewhere in it so that that is the active window on my computer,
IF I then hit the spacebar to start or stop playback,
IT DOESN'T WORK.

i have to take the extra step of clicking somewhere on the main Mixcraft interface so that the plugin is not the active window on my computer, but rather the main Mixcraft interface is, and then I can hit the spacebar to stop or start play.

.... It's been over 10 years since I used any other DAW besides Mixcraft so I'm assuming it's the same in all, but wow, I literally must hit the spacebar and have nothing happened 10,000 times a day, literally.

....No, I will never learn, I know it's just my stupidity, and I know I'm wasting my time by venting here, but it was just happening again this morning as it always does and I had to vent to someone.

Believe it or not, this is a major irritant in my life, seeing as I spend, on average, anywhere from 6 to 12 hours recording per day.

... I already know the answer, but there's no setting, is there, to make the spacebar work for play and stop, No matter what window is active...?

.... If you've read this far, thank you for listening, and let me just say I love mixcraft, it's awesome!

[TrevsAudio]

Yes, I notice this too. However, I have a MIDI controller with transport buttons linked to Mixcraft (Novation Launchkey - but even a Korg NanoKontrol will do)
The problem goes away if you use those transport controls

[cactus-head]

Hello,

I don't actually experience that issue. For example, I added glass viper as an instrument on track 1. I add a midi clip to track one and may add notes Do Re Mi.

If I show Glass Viper, change a preset and hit the space bar, it plays.

This may be specific to a VST. Do you have a specific VST that this is happening on?

[bsheen74]

.... It's been over 10 years since I used any other DAW besides Mixcraft so I'm assuming it's the same in all, but wow, I literally must hit the spacebar and have nothing happened 10,000 times a day, literally.

I don't have Cakewalk installed as of right now. But...I'm fairly certain you could be interacting with a VST plugin and the space bar would "play/stop" the transport.

[Acoustica Greg]

If the focus is on the plugin, and the plugin "eats" the spacebar command, then the host won't see it.

Just make sure the focus is on Mixcraft.

[jchase9101]

.

[jchase9101]

Hello,

I don't actually experience that issue. For example, I added glass viper as an instrument on track 1. I add a midi clip to track one and may add notes Do Re Mi.

If I show Glass Viper, change a preset and hit the space bar, it plays.

This may be specific to a VST. Do you have a specific VST that this is happening on?

.... Okay, so you realize, don't you, that you're talking about a virtual instrument, and I'm talking about a VST plugin?

[jchase9101]

Just make sure the focus is on Mixcraft.

... So I'm guessing you're responding to this post in your sleep, that must be it, right?

i mean, you couldn't have read my post could you?

...another pet peeve, people who waste your time replying to your questions without actually reading them.

i mean, for crepes sakes man, what you wrote was exactly what I'm complaining about,
"Oh, just make sure the focus is on Mixcraft"

?!?!?!

Dude, why you wasting your time,
and my time,
even writing a reply?

.... I'm a super super SUPER nice, courteous, civil, guy, except when dealing with people who are obviously not paying attention at all,
but still waste everybody's time by posting replies.

[James Klutho]

This focus of the keyboard irritant is how the Windows operating system is setup unfortunately. This is not a Mixcraft issue. When you give control of the keyboard (focus) to a 3rd party object, there is nothing the original window can do about it. I've programmed the Window's GUI for years and that is just the way Windows works and probably the MacOS and Linux Desktop also. Controls within a window are also windows and for example, a text field will only accept keyboard input when it has focus. Besides, in the case of the VST you cite, the developer of the VST may want the spacebar event for some action in that VST and uses it. Mixcraft would have not way of knowing that.

[cactus-head]

Hi jchase9101,

What are you saying is the difference between a VST plugin and a VST instrument? Again, if you can present a specific example I could see what you are talking about. I added classic reverb to a track, had focus on it, hit the space bar and the track played.

I'd like to recreate your experience so I understand

[freightgod]

Hi jchase9101,

What are you saying is the difference between a VST plugin and a VST instrument? Again, if you can present a specific example I could see what you are talking about. I added classic reverb to a track, had focus on it, hit the space bar and the track played.

I'd like to recreate your experience so I understand

You can open a plugin then choose a preset and that's fine, but once you make a slider or knob adjustment with the mouse, it does steal the focus so that hitting the spacebar does not trigger the transport controls (play/stop). I just tried it with a couple plugins.

[cactus-head]

ahh got it. Now I see. Choosing a preset doesn't do it but once I spin a dial or something the space bar no longer works.

If you click anywhere on one of the icons in the circled area, it gives focus back to mixcraft and the spacebar will work again. It's not a fix but a quick solution while still working in the plugin window.

click here.JPG (29.99 KiB) Viewed 3508 times

[mixyguy2]

.... Okay, so you realize, don't you, that you're talking about a virtual instrument, and I'm talking about a VST plugin?

Apparently what you DON'T realize is that a virtual instrument IS a VST plugin.

... So I'm guessing you're responding to this post in your sleep, that must be it, right?

i mean, you couldn't have read my post could you?

...another pet peeve, people who waste your time replying to your questions without actually reading them.

i mean, for crepes sakes man, what you wrote was exactly what I'm complaining about,
"Oh, just make sure the focus is on Mixcraft"

?!?!?!

Dude, why you wasting your time,
and my time,
even writing a reply?

.... I'm a super super SUPER nice, courteous, civil, guy,

Yes that's very clear.

Perhaps hitting the space bar "literally" 10,000 times a day has something to with it.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Every plugin is a separate program, and each one might want to use your keystrokes for their own functions, so that's why it works this way.

Greg

[Brother Charles]

While this is default Windows behaviour, it should not be simply blamed as a “Windows Issue”. Studio One and Samplitude do not have this problem, no matter which plugin or VI window is active on the screen. I don’t recall Cakewalk nor Reaper suffering from this default Windows behaviour either. That leads me to the obvious conclusion that there are Programatic work-arounds to counter act the spacebar irritant.