MULTIPLE BACKGROUNDS IN KONTAKT… Creating Different Pages or Tabs With Kontakt Scripting

[@rawl747]

I have used this same method of shifting the start point of a multiple 'frame" background. But how about changing the entire graphic "theme" of the instrument at load time including different control graphics, backgrounds, etc. depending on which sets of samples are used for each theme? I found a useful "trick" that allows this to be scripted. I used this "trick" or method (not documented BTW in the KSP manual) for the ZenDAW Blue Swells Kontakt Library whcih features either a PPG Wave theme, an Ensoniq Fizmo theme, or an Ensoniq Mirage with Sound Process theme. If interested in how this was done, respond here (or via email if you have it) and I will share!

[@StephenOConnellCmdShiftNew]

Indeed, I imagine you are creating a custom function with the set_control_par commands to change each function, possibly with some while loops and arrays to speed up the process, but feel free to send it through if you like, it is always great to see how others tackle the same problems and see if we can reduce code lines too (sorry for the delayed reply, I got a bit sick).

[@rawl747]

The challenge in my case was to have some way of storing a text value embedded in each instrument that could be read at load time into a variable and used to conditionally load the correct associated “theme” of not only differing backgrounds but also matching controls. Early in the init section: {Instrument Types section} declare @InstrumentType @InstrumentType := group_name(0) {Group 0 MUST BE NAMED either PPG, FIZ, or MSP or the default of Layer 1 according to the Instrument type} set_control_par_str($INST_WALLPAPER_ID, $CONTROL_PAR_PICTURE, "blue_swells_skin_" & @InstrumentType) Since there were 3 themes associated with 3 different sampled synths, for each of these 3 different synth sample sets, I created a template with the first sample group named to identify the corresponding theme. Each instrument for a given sample set then started with the template for that sample set. A 4th generic theme exists for any future needs. The @InstrumentType variable is then later used to drive the loading of the correct theme by simply concatenating @InstrumentType into the statements for the background and associated controls: {FILTER ON-OFF SWITCH} declare ui_switch $filter_on $count := get_ui_id($filter_on) set_control_par_str($count, $CONTROL_PAR_PICTURE, "button_diode_" & @InstrumentType) Obviously, the background and control names for each theme have the appropriate group 0 name as part of their element names including the associated text file for each control. No special function, just the built-in function that reads a group name by position and the use of concatenation in the filename values passed to the set_control_par_str - $CONTROL_PAR_PICTURE function in the declaration of each control. @@StephenOConnellCmdShiftNew

[@Nick.Magnus]

Great tutorial - and I've got it working, switching between two 'pages'. However, the page-toggling button doesn't display correctly on one of the pages. It toggles between pages correctly, but on one page it's fully visible, yet on the other I can only see the top half of it. I've tried re-making the button's png in different programs (updating the resources folder each time), but the same thing always happens. Any help you can give is much appreciated!

[@StephenOConnellCmdShiftNew]

Ah the joys of debugging code haha. An interesting problem, possibly the button's size might be changing when it is clicked, which cuts off part of the button size. Maybe try set_control_par($ButtonName, $CONTROL_PAR_HEIGHT, 20) for height and the same for width but with control par width, with the last number being the pixel size for each. These two lines would set the height and width of the button in the on init callback, hopefully meaning the button won't change in size. Hope this helps.

[@Nick.Magnus]

@@StephenOConnellCmdShiftNew Thank you for the suggestion - I've added the two lines of code, the first one as: set_control_par($info, $CONTROL_PAR_HEIGHT, 25) , followed by: set_control_par($info, $CONTROL_PAR_WIDTH, 25). The only position I could find within the button's block of code that didn't produce an error "Error line xx - expression expected" was at the end of the block. Once put there, it reported the code as updated with no errors, but the button's graphic is still getting cut in half. Perhaps this is a Kontakt 5 anomaly, as the same button coding (without the extra lines) works perfectly in Kontakt 6! The only reason I'm doing this in K5 is to give the instrument to a friend who still uses K5. At least the page toggling works, even with half a button on one page. I'm sure he can live with that...!