Drag instrument track label onto mixer slot to assign instrument's FX channel

[Wallacoloo]

LMMS would benefit from an easier way of linking an instrument to a newly created FX channel. I think one way to do that is to mimic the way controls are assigned to automations via ctrl+drag. In this case, ctrl+dragging an instrument track view onto a mixer slot would set up the instrument to route its output to that FX channel.

Here's a rather poor image, but hopefully it will do a decent job of illustrating the idea:

Additionally, dragging the instrument directly onto the "+" button in the mixer could create a new FX channel for the link. I think this would be especially useful.

[musikBear]

is related to #355
imo a button on the preset (355) gives more intuitive workflow:
Drag in instrument
make a preset
name it
click new fx-connect-button
New named fx-channel is added to mixer
This workflow does not need more than one window (preset) opend, and allow for the whole event to take place.

[Sti2nd]

Agreed, Ctrl + drag would be wonderful! Also this is handy for you Wallacoolo #1572

[tresf]

We have to exercise caution when re-using a shortcut such as CTRL + Drag, as it can confuse the end-user a bit, as the CTRL + Drag for a very long time has been associated with adding automation events. Once we re-use this same shortcut for a different purpose, it has the possibility of confusing people.

This also a two-way street IMO... Dragging a track to an FX channel should probably be the same as dragging an FX channel to a track.

That said, CTRL + Drag seems sensible enough. 👍

[musikBear]

Instead of that drop-drag, which is a more difficult thing to do with the mouse, Why not

Simply having the fx-selecter designed as a button?
pressing it would connect to FX-mixer, and copy the chosen instrument name into FX-mixers name-field.
Scrolling mouse-wheel over it, would scroll the FX-number, just as today
That is simpler - imho, and there need to be no confusing around drag&drop, and the event takes place in only one window. There is no need for having both the song-editor, and FX-mixer on screen at the same time
..its .. better

[tresf]

@musikBear we're getting there... #1572 :)

[tresf]

@Wallacoloo do you mind closing this as a duplicate of #48 or do you still want the drag/drop support? I'm sure our drag/drop support could be enhanced to accommodate what you're describing, but we'd likely need to use a modifier key, such as CTRL.

[Wallacoloo]

@tresf #48 doesn't seem very well-defined to me, but what I gather as its intent is mainly summarized in this sentence:

Another thing is to request mixer to assign an unused mixer strip to every newly added instrument. Then if the user renames it, the auto-rename feature will do the rest.

So whereas #48 is about automatically connecting new instruments to new Fx channels & shortening the name, this issue is specifically about drag/drop support. I feel they are sufficiently (rather entirely) different. But feel free to close this issue and consolidate it into a relevant WIP/mega-thread if there is any.

[tresf]

@tresf #48 doesn't seem very well-defined to me

Sorry... I should have linked the PR #1572 which was inspired by #48.

feel free to close this issue and consolidate it into a relevant WIP/mega-thread if there is any.

If you still want it then it's still valid. 👍

[tresf]

As part of a pruning effort, this enhancement request is archived into a dedicated "Better Workflow" checklist here #4877.