So I think I’ve discovered a bug with how automation data is written in Cubase 12. The issue seems to be with typing in values onto automation points.
When I try to type in data on already existing automation points, Cubase doesn’t accept it. As soon as I hit enter it resets to whatever value it had before. I can adjust the value by dragging the automation point around with my mouse, but that seems to be the only way it works consistently. However, even after I move the point around with my cursor, the data value shown on the info bar and on the automation track doesn’t update. The data value number only reflects the actual value of the automation point after I hover my cursor over the data value and scroll up or down. It then changes to the correct value associated with the automation point.
I’ve attached a ZIP file with a video of the issue below.
I can’t reproduce this bug with every plugin, because there are some that work just fine. Arturia Pigments seems to not be affected by this bug, but Komplete Kontrol is along with many others. I’m not sure if this is up to the plugin developers to fix or if this is a Cubase issue. It seems to be happening fairly frequently and is causing quite a bit of annoyance.
I’m running Cubase Pro 12.0.52 on Windows 11 22H2.
Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Thanks!
This bug has existed since at least v10, it has been reported and ignored a number of times, and it’s very disruptive of any reasonable workflow. There must be at least some acknowledgement of it. It’s not hard to describe at all:
On certain VST3 plugins, the “value” box on the info line shows the current value of the parameter for all automation nodes.
It doesn’t show the actual value for the node: instead, it shows the current value of the parameter, and hence the same value for all nodes. Any attempt to edit this value has no effect after pressing enter. It doesn’t happen with all plugins: for example, all iZotope and Valhalla plugins are affected, but FabFilter’s are not.
I had a hunch that this wasn’t a Cubase issue but a JUCE one, and tracked it down. It’s actually neither. It’s plugin developers using very old JUCE code.
So again, to be clear: this is NOT a Cubase issue, it’s on the plugin side.
JUCE implemented text/value conversion for parameters in 2015, along with a wide revision of their parameter handling code. Because many people were using the old parameter system, they kept it available. To this day, the JUCE VST3 wrapper says:
In plain English: when the host requires the textual form of some parameter value, if you’re using the old system, return the current value as text, otherwise use the value actually passed by the host.
If this doesn’t happen in other hosts, it’s because they’re not using the text/value conversion functions of VST3.
Thanks so much for finding this. I had read somewhere else before posting this that it was most likely a plugin issue and not an issue with Cubase, but nobody had any sure answers on it yet. I guess it’s time to go submit a bug report to the plugin developers now haha
