[linux-audio-dev] ladspa gui recap

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Subject: [linux-audio-dev] ladspa gui recap
From: David Benson (daveb_AT_idealab.com)
Date: Wed May 31 2000 - 06:45:00 EEST


I would like to state how I see
the ladspa situation in order to fuel
discussion of more specific problems.

0.
there are really two types of guis:
        - those which can be composed of xml
        - those which would render themselves using a toolkit

i think ladspa will have to support both
mechanisms to reach consensus.

1. xml

the base support required for the xml widgets should probably
be fairly limited to suit minimalist hosts:

        - pixmap background images
        - controllers, "knob/sliders", buttons, toggle buttons.

2. the toolkit style plugin

there are two ways to approach the "toolkit" problem
        (A). vstgui-like api: make an interface the host must
           implement (and provide libraries for common toolkit eventually)
        (B). native api: support whatever toolkits you like explicitly
           in each plugin.

we may wish to support both, but i personally vote for (A)
to be the primary focus, since (B) places an
*incredible* burden on plugin authors and fractures the standard
quite a bit.

(A). vstgui-like approach

        - primarily the obstruction here is the perceived
          or actual difficulty of making such an api

(B). native approach
        the best suggestion thus far for gui plugins
        which explicitly support N-toolkits
        seems to be (due to benno):

                - run each gui-toolkit in a separate process
                  (maybe thread), so their main loops
                  can coexist.

        although i'd propose that

                - run each such gui plugin in a separate process

        is likely to be more robust, this is clearly
        up for debate.

This is a call for comments -- i am hoping we
can hone in on these points -- particularly,
we could begin moving in the direction of 2A or 2B
if we decide this is good.

Consensus on at least some xml support
seems fairly strong, but if you *object* this
is certainly the time.

- dave


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