Qtractor 0.4.6 - The Funky Deviless is here!

So much to tell, even more to do... then one could hardly shake, this long overdue. Lousy rhymes and no miserly times. And there it is: a bug-fix release, I'll mean to ease.

Oh crap! Let's get it through once and for all.

With huge compliments to all who got the nerve and report as many too much idiosyncrasies (nee bugs). Don't, never look back. There's plenty more ahead, no matter where you look, or hear, whether is up or down hill :)

Release highlights:

• MIDI Editor draw mode (aka paint mode) (NEW)
• MIDI Swing-quantize (NEW)
• LV2 UI Instance & Data-access extension support (NEW)
• JACK Session support (EXPERIMENTAL) (NEW)
• LV2 Save/Restore extension support (NEW)
• MIDI Editor event list in-line editing (NEW)
• MIDI Clip time-stretching (FIX)
• MIDI Clip editor file salvage quietness (NEW)
• MIDI Control bus switching crash (FIX)
• MIDI Bank-selection backout (FIX)
• Initial widget geometry extents (FIX)
• Input-only bus playback crash (FIX)
• Bus connection persistence crash (FIX)
• Drag-and-drop cloning plugins (FIX)
• MIDI Editor floating-selection persistence (NEW)
• Audio inserts garbage signal (FIX)

A bit more or not so detailed change-log is found below.

Website:

Project page:

Downloads:

• source tarball:
  qtractor-0.4.6.tar.gz
• source package (openSUSE 11.2):
  qtractor-0.4.6-4.rncbc.suse112.src.rpm
• binary packages (openSUSE 11.2):
  qtractor-0.4.6-4.rncbc.suse112.i586.rpm
  qtractor-0.4.6-4.rncbc.suse112.x86_64.rpm
• binary packages (Ubuntu 10.04):
  qtractor_0.4.6_32bit.deb qtractor_0.4.6-4.rncbc.ubuntu1004_i386.deb
  qtractor_0.4.6_64bit.deb qtractor_0.4.6-4.rncbc.ubuntu1004_amd64.deb
• user manual (outrageously outdated):
  qtractor-0.3.0-user-manual.pdf

Weblog (upstream support; you're already reading it):

License (no kiddin'):

Change-log:

• Introducing a non-painting edit sub-mode on the MIDI clip editor's piano-roll (see Edit/Select Mode/Edit Draw menu).
• The MIDI clip editor (aka piano-roll) is now a lot more quiet about saving its own dirty content, delegating all
  salvage questions to main session control.
• Don't show session restart message box when changing JACK transport mode option anymore.
• Dedicated MIDI control bus switching fixed. Was closing the wrong bus eventually and crashing the whole show with it (fixes bug #2989590).
• MIDI bank/program backout has been corrected on MIDI track properties dialog rejection (ie. user cancellation).
• MIDI bank select method has been corrected for tracks with no instrument defined (probably fixing bug #2987071).
• LV2 UI Instance and Data Access extension support added; reduce LV2 external UI parameter value update flickering.
• JACK session infrastructure support. (EXPERIMENTAL)
• Initial widget geometry and visibility persistence logic has been slightly revised as much to avoid crash failures
  due to wrong main widget hidden state.
• Initial mixer widget extents are now set reasonably larger.
• General source tree layout and build configuration change.
• Ever since smooth-ramping introduction that having at least one input-only buses were causing immediate playback crashes, now hopefully fixed.
• Refactored for common engine client nomenclature, primarily provided by JACK, then secondarily passed to ALSA Sequencer, getting rid of the JackUseExactName requirement and lifting the unique/single instance restriction in the process.
• Current JACK Transport, MMC Device, and MIDI Song Position pointer (SPP) control modes are now saved/loaded as part of session option properties.
• MIDI clip editor's context menu crash on Qt >= 4.6 has been fixed (resolving bug #2972603).
• An ancient double-free corruption has been finally fixed at the audio/MIDI bus connection persistence logic.
• Improved visibility of track state buttons text (R, M, S) when turned on dark colored themes.
• LV2 Save/Restore extension support kicks off.
• MIDI engine read-ahead period has been shortened to half than it was since inception--now it's a 500msec cycle.
• MIDI clip editor event list gets its due inline editing, for time, note, value/velocity and duration columns, just
  one double-click away over the target cell ;)
• Add-plugin selection dialog position and extent are now remembered across invocations and application sessions
  (tipping by Frank Neumann).
• MIDI clip time-stretching is now made available through the same gestures as audio ones, by just shift+dragging
  either of the clip edges.
• Drag-and-copying plug-in instances (cloning) is now fixed with regard to parameter value replication.
• MIDI clip editor snap-per-beat setting is now independent from main multi-track view; File/Save As... dialog fixed;
  the current event selection is now kept floating as long as it's possible after editing command actions; finally,
  edit mode has been extended to free-hand event drawing, chalking off (piano roll) draw mode from the TODO list.
• Swing-quantize has finally made its overdue debut as an additional MIDI clip editor tool (see Tools/Quantize...).
• Almost since its inception, audio inserts were injecting garbage random noise when not being activated, now fixed.
• Dedicated audio output ports for MIDI track plugins, now have their connection persistence back in business due on session load.

Cheers && Enjoy (what else?)