I have a simple Macro that gathers a number of tracks into a Folder and assigns them to a Group channel:
As part of this Macro I’m asked to enter a name for the Group channel. When the Macro completes, I then have to go to the Folder name and enter a name for it as a separate task.
Is there anything I can add to my Macro such that I can type in a name once and have it applied both to the Group channel AND the Folder?
Not exclusively within a Cubase Macro. The limitation is that there is no way to embed text fields in a Macro. If you have a standardized naming system I think you could use the Project Logical to rename them - meaning the names would be embedded into PLE preset.
Thanks. I suppose what it would need is a way to enter a dialogue and store a variable in the Macro, which is not really what it’s designed to do.
Apologies, this is an old thread I know. But this is exactly what I am trying to achieve. did you ever solve it?
I have the macro to create group and folder from tracks but same issue with naming the group which I don’t think can be overcome.
However, as for the naming of a folder. I have made a PLE preset which can name a folder to ‘xyz’ when named ‘folder’ (basically looks for any unamed folder ) and also colour it. So this is possible. But cannot combine the 2 in a macro as it wont complete the PLE step after folders.
No, I never did find a solution. I’ve migrated all of my macros over to Avid Control on the iPad now, since it avoids me having to create the same macros in multiple sites where I work - in there I can name a folder, but still can’t hold an input variable, so I’ve just let this one go.
Can you post some screen shots of the relevant PLE & Macros?
I really hope Steinberg adds a feature where a folder track can have the option of just being the group/bus track, such as in Logic / Studio One / Reaper.
Folder=Bus (optional of course)
I ended up deleting the original macro after trying several other tips I found which also didn’t work.
I may be missing some key concepts about how they work, which is highly likely. But I have found a solution after some more trial and error.
This is the PLE which names the folder. It looks for any folder named ‘folder’. Which 'should be the last one created. Relies on having a clean project without random un-named folders about, else it names them all.
The colour action is because I always do that as well. So this is optional. And the macro is a step I added as a work around get the ‘send to group’ command to execute. More on this below.
Previously I found that Group command would override anything in the PLE and stop it completing. Regardless where I placed it in the macro chain. Unless I’m missing a step somewhere (quite possible). I then spotted you can get it to run a macro after completing the PLE from within the PLE preset. So I created a macro which only sends tracks to a group and added that to the PLE preset as shown.
I then created a PLE to just colour tracks (of any type) that are selected. (Optional)
This is the resulting macro.
Colours selected tracks
Sends tracks to a folder which is coloured and named
‘Piggybacks’ a macro to send tracks to a group (manual naming needed)
Colours the group.
Its not a complete solution but means only having to name the group.
I plan to create the same for different track namings/colours e.g. BASS(Purple), Musical (orange). etc.
Yeah frustrating. I’ve posted some info on where I managed to get to. It’s almost there, just not the group name, which is annoying.
Eventually my plan is to finish an interface I started building in Touch Portal a while back. That does allow text input steps and key strokes. Albeit based on pre-fixed screen location. I need to check, but if the group dialogue always appears in the same place on screen, then this final step could be completed here.
Is Avid controller a paid app to get full functionality? Never really looked into it?
It’s much easier to handle long macros in touch portal, to the point where I can’t decide if I even need to build this kind of macros in Cubase at all. It’s much easier to build a button in touch portal that sends each command one after the other, waiting for some milliseconds between each one, or pressing enter where it’s needed (e.g. naming folders, groups etc), or even interjecting a predetermined string of characters.
Avid control is free, and it’s eucon. It works very well for hardware control, but the soft buttons interface I found a bit confusing. Touch portal is much better for this kind of stuff. Avid is awesome to use as a DAW controller, if touch screens do not frustrate you for this use.
Yeah. Its been a while since I opened TP but built a few macros in there. As you say, it can easily handle longer stuff. Need to refresh on it a bit. I don’t really need touch control of the interface as such. It just the trigger buttons I want really. It’s the making it look nice bit that’s a bit long in touch portal (not that its necessary), finding or making suitable icons and button design etc.
Gonna check out avid and see what what it like either way. But I’m half way to building something in TP already. Just need to purchase the full version.
I strongly recommend it. It’s dirt cheap for what it can do. I’ve built some pages, and for projects that start to get “in the thick of it”, it’s very accommodating. Especially for visibility agents and some macros. If you want any pages to reverse engineer or straight up use (might need to change some keystrokes), give me a shout. Icons included, but I’m no artist. 
It’s free - and incredibly good.
When you create a macro button with it, it lists every Cubase command you could imagine. I’ve used Touch Portal, MIDI Designer Pro and others, but Avid Control is in a different league.
Thanks for the offer. That would be really helpful if you don’t mind. Hopefully going to spend some time over next couple of weeks. I need to bag myself an old tablet as currently using an old samsung phone to try stuff out which is a bit restrictive.
https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/zqLRbRJfqEQw9u0Z0wPb5y2UcD7.zip
https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/q1n2mRC9mYlaRjor5Wloq4ZBsOe.zip
Testing, testing. Do the links work?
Edit: They do. The first link is some pages, the other link is an icon pack. If you have sensitive eyes, and a sensitive sense of aesthetics, just open it once, curse a bit and delete the icons, the pages will work anyway.
Thanks man. Apologies for the delay. Been on holiday and not had the time I thought I would have to have a look.
Checked and all working. Much appreciated. Icons looks good actually. Wil definitely make use of those.
Touch Portal its really great, I cant work without it.
