## I have a whole new respect for scope developers

Scope and XITE Development

Original topic on PlanetZ: https://forums.scopeusers.com/viewtopic.php?t=14909

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Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:12 am
by sinix
I just got my SDK installed and running. All I can say is wow... I'm shocked by it!
I consider myself a technical and capable person - I'm a network / server admin for hosting company, know windows and linux platforms, Cisco / Riverstone routing devices, somewhat capable in ASP, PHP, and VB.NET, good at both music and video editing apps, but I'm totally and utterly lost in the Scope SDK!
Wow, I had know idea! I mean, I knew it was deep and complex - the quality of the 3rd party devices shows this, but I just can't imagine the time and effort put forth to do these devices.
John B, SpaceF, Red_Muse, Wavelength, etc - I bow to you guys!
I hope to make some sort of easy, pathetic, non-interesting device in the next couple months, but I'm scratching my head at even the Neutron devices that were graciously supplied (thanks again).
Maybe other SDK users who are just starting out would be willing to post / share some of their completed projects as well?
Nobody said it would be easy, but... whoa.

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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 1:38 pm
by at0m
Yea, and with every solution you find 10 other problems
I've seen some friends work with it, tried to do some basic work a couple of times. Got my copies of the NDA ready, but haven't filed for the SDK yet - I think I'll stick to patchin' for another while

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Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:55 am
by Rob van Berkel
@Sinix: you took the words out of my mouth. I'm very impressed too with its complexity and I wonder how some people find their ways in the SDK so quickly (like Shayne White). All I feel is respect, just like you do.
But, I'll make my own device, someday... (anyone know the expected lifetime of a pulsar board? because this starts to become relevant, you know )
Cheers,
Rob

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Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 12:35 pm
by Shayne White
You guys have read the manual, right? Then it's a simple operation of dragging modules in and connecting pads together. When you want to connect surface elements to circuts, connect two pads together via Store --> Connect in the Pad list. It's not too bad.
Two other windows you'll need to access fairly often is the GO Tree (sometimes you need this to access certain settings in a surface element) and the parameter window, to drag in the surface parameters if you want to make presets. But that comes later. For now, start with "Empty Effect" or "Empty Synth" and drag some modules in. There's also the DSP atom list, but those are harder to figure out.
Actually, I figured out how the SDK worked by looking at CW's modules and seeing how they hooked up each module's surface elements to its internal circuts. Then I figured out how to do the same for my own device. Just do a lot of experimenting.
I'm nowhere near as advanced as John Bowen and some of the old-timers. They're the real experts!!
Good luck!
Shayne
_________________
Melodious Synth Radio
http://www.melodious-synth.com
Indieanna: Integrated Solutions for the Independent Musician
http://www.indieanna.com

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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:57 am
by Neutron
really its not that hard, even i made some stuff with it! and i have the attention span of a dust mite
i cant even finish a tune anymore

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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 5:31 am
by onomat
well if this helps, the best advice i could give is !!!!start really basically!!!! but just start!!!!!...
Drag an 'empty effect or 'empty synth' module into the window.
!!!Note that standard 'empty synth' modules from Creamware will NOT work in insert slots!
double click to go inside it's circuit and Just connect something like a gain atom to a distortion atom and connect the inputs and outputs to the ins and outs of the empty synth module then add some standard old graphic knobs to the blank surface in the 'graphic window' and experiment connecting them to the effects functions...whatever you want. At least get the ball rolling expanding your circuit as you go.
Get to know things like the 'control ranger' and what the different values for the knobs do so you can change the amount and type of data they send...very important in getting the most out of the atoms. For example, setting the 'invert' value of a knob to '1' will reverse the knobs direction...simple but not so obvious when confronted by the huge amount of dialog boxes in Scope.
I created filTheR on my first night with scope with no advanced programming and just a bit of electronics knowledge just by experimenting in this way and at the end of the night, i had all the basic tools and modules worked out (well, i had tried them all at least...) and even better had a new device!
Expect Scope to crash, it's ok. It rarely effects your operating system. Just make sure you have regularly saved your device and scope projects seperately before the crash(most important!)and reload Scope. In fact, if Scope does not crash while building a device, you are not being adventurous enough
Fold useful/successful parts of your circuits together and then save that new 'atom' for future use so you don't need to remake the basic parts of every device all over again every time.
good luck and remember to eat.
sayton
De-Vice'

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Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:36 am
by Shayne White
If you're going to build an effect you shouldn't use Empty Synth, because then you can't load the effect into an insert slot.

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Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2005 6:50 am
by onomat
sorry, I think you are right Shayne. I have edited my first post...sorry again if i confused anyone...my brain went soggy there for a bit.
I had referred accidently to my base 'empty synth' which I so named because I had actually taken an 'empty effect' and put a MIDI atom inside and saved it as 'empty synth' long ago and not thought any more of it.
I somehow remember there being a way though to rename the 'class' of the module from Synth to 'insert effect'?? Is there?