FlowDiagram shows signal flow graphically

Cubase
1

I posted this in “Cubase Users” group on Facebook (read comments there), but admin of the group pointed that it should be posted here. And I agree. Sorry for my poor English :slight_smile:

So the idea is about graphic representation of whole project. Of course we can have huge projects (hundreds of tracks), but there can be simplification - reduce count of items on diagram by filtering, grouping and collapsing.

FD_View1
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This could work on audio signal flow. But why not include MIDI network colored in third color. In these two pictures you see two colors for wires - orange for straight signal flow, blue for sends. It seems that MIDI can be shown in green.

Let’s go farther. This FlowDiagram could be shown in Lower Zone as well as independent window with more options, filters and commands. Second picture is only to compare what we see in MixConsole - how do you see signal flow and what we see in FlowDiagram.

In diagram we could roll mousewheel over a parameter, it could obtain a visual slider image as it is in sends section. And yes, somewhere I read that it would be nice to have percentage for value. I think it would be nice to see both as it shown in these pictures.

Also I imagine that on mouse move over wires and items there can be shown the same little “e” button that could open editor. For track it will be track controls window. For wire - a little window with slider (send level for blue wire, track volume for orange wire) and maybe other quick controls.

FlowDiagram window should be zoomable. With filtering and grouping user could choose what to display. Grouping means that some tracks whose audio channel goes to one group, can be collapsed and shown as folder. Sadly I didn’t draw this. But I hope you have good imagination feature in your brain :wink:

FlowDiagram should be printable. If not from Cubase then at least using screenshots stacked in any graphic program. But better would be to print from Cubase or save as PDF.

Without this FlowDiagram we are working with Excel like table, but we never see the full picture of the project. So when I open a year old project, I have to spend some time to understand how the signal flows. With this FlowDiagram it would be overseen instantly.

FD_View1-MixConsole
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I love that your well formulated idea could be a simple checkbox in the preferences menu, which is beneficial for those who at a moment more visually inclined to orient themselves of the ‘actual’ signal flow of Midi, audio, etc. To double check the signal flow without having to dig up the cubase manual at a moments notice could be helpful at any stage in production. I have found myself assuming the cubase signal flow at times, to then be wrong upon investigation. This basic question in production in a DAW can be solved via Lower Pane as you suggest, though I wouldn’t use it often, but the utility you suggest could easily be implemented, just like it might be in a VST like Reaktor. Novel and potentially useful in many ways.

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