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FamiTracker > General > Bug Reports & Feature Requests > Commenting System / Break Points Owner: modusponens New post
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Commenting System / Break Points Posted: 2012-08-08 02:56  (Last Edited: 2012-08-08 10:15) Reply | Quote
modusponens

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#37956
My life would be easier if I could comment my FTMs as if they were program code. I know that this idea has been suggested before (at least once by me, in fact), but now I will offer implementation suggestions.

First, each channel could have a Comments column beyond its fx4 column (so you'd have to expand it to see it). The column itself could be quite wide, maybe sixty characters or more, since it would remain hidden most of the time. When a channel has a comment in it, even when the column is hidden, that channel could have some kind of graphical indicator on its header while the cursor is on the row with the comment.

Alternately, there could be a Comments "Channel" that would appear to the right of the furthest-right audio channel. It wouldn't have the same layout of a normal channel, of course, exchanging the usual array of columns for one big "column" that's basically just a text entry field for each row. The Comments "Channel" could be expanded to make more room for longer comments in the same way that the audio channels' additional effects columns can be shown and hidden.

The primary advantage of the first idea is that each channel would get its own comment column, while the second idea consolidates them into one location. The first idea does suffer from the fact that comments would likely remain hidden most of the time, but that's a minimal concern.

On to break points. It would be swell to be able to insert a break point in a tune when you're working on something that's not at the very end or beginning of a long piece. If a break point were set in a row, the tracker would automatically stop playback when it got there. Additionally, there could be navigation options to move directly to the next or previous break points. Break points could be set and cleared by clicking/right-clicking/control-clicking/etc. in the row number gutter on the left side of the tracker. Break points could also show up in the frame number gutter on the left side of the frame navigation pane.

[color=#808080][i]EDIT: Fixed minor typo.[i]

Posted: 2012-08-08 08:49 Reply | Quote
zephemeros

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#37966
I too think that this would be quite useful.

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Posted: 2012-08-08 09:45 Reply | Quote
rainwarrior

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#37970
When working on longer projects I usually keep a text file for notes for just this reason. It'd be cool to have it integrated into the editor.

Also, Bxx is pretty handy for temporary loop points, like if you want to work on a 2-pattern section for a while, stuff like that.

Posted: 2012-08-09 00:55  (Last Edited: 2012-08-09 00:56) Reply | Quote
jsr
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#37996
I've been working on a general module comment box so far, but I understand that's not quite what you are asking for here. :)

Changing the pattern editor is a bit of a challenge, so I'd probably prefer the second option. Of curiosity, what would you write in these comments?

As for breakpoints, wouldn't temporary C00 commands work? I can see the navigation control be useful though, like bookmarks in program code.

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Posted: 2012-08-09 02:07 Reply | Quote
za909

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#37999
Interesting, maybe you should make non-zero Cxx stop the song without hiding the rest of the pattern.

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Posted: 2012-08-09 02:37 Reply | Quote
modusponens

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#38001
[quote=jsr]Of curiosity, what would you write in these comments?[/quote]

ASCII penises, mostly.

Posted: 2012-08-09 13:42 Reply | Quote
zephemeros

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#38017
Seems pretty legit to me

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Posted: 2012-08-09 22:47 Reply | Quote
rainwarrior

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#38036
On a related note, since I am implementing NSFe for NSFPlay, I have added an additional NSFe chunk called 'text' which simply contains a null terminated string of any length.

This would give the user space to write whatever they want about the file, just like how .IT files have a space for a message. If Famitracker kept a message with the FTM file it could be exported to the text block as NSFe, and it would also be a great place to write notes temporarily.

Posted: 2012-08-09 23:51 Reply | Quote
jsr
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#38044
rainwarrior: That's cool! I didn't know NSFe allowed arbitrary data like that.

A module message dialog box is planned so it will be available later. Not in this version but probably the next.

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Posted: 2012-08-10 05:54 Reply | Quote
B00daW

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#38062
A null command that is used for programming event flags would be nice.

For example if T01 is read a visualizer would use color red.

MuseTracker already uses this function.

Posted: 2012-08-12 02:29 Reply | Quote
jsr
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#38132
B00daW: That would be really easy for anyone to add since the sources are available, preferably with an effect that is unused on some channels (for example Zxx)

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Posted: 2012-12-03 00:15 Reply | Quote
Patashu

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#42512
I've been having thoughts along the lines of 'I should implement X in channel Y at time Z, but it would take a while and I'd rather postpone it later'. I thought about a system where I could write on that spot in the channel a note to myself to try ABC later, rather than having to keep a zillion possible improvements in my head. Yeah, a text file could be an alternative, but that's less wieldy (you'd have to glance over to it to just confirm/deny if there's a note, let alone what it is!)

I like the idea of having a comments channel, I could write stuff like 'chord progression is/should be blah blah blah' and 'add arps here?' and stuff

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