Darwin Arts Trilobite- Release Notes Copyright 2016 Darwin Arts, L.L.C. ============================================================================================ Version 1.3 -- DATE: 2016-05-25 Feature and maintenance version with new module types in pro version. Feature Changes (Pro Edition ony): * Added Gate module for A/B inverse signal mixing. * Music keyboard altered to show more octaves. * Right click edit popup menu now available for parameter sliders in patch editor window. * Parameter names will appear above parameter sliders in patch editor if they have been set. * Value Sequence and Time Sequence static parameter panels now provide a text entry box fo setting slider stage values exactly. Feature Changes (General): * Double-click on Bank Librarian patch to auto-load into new patch renderer panel. * Added Smoother module for portamental-style effects. * New feature to set parameter name and description by right-clicking on parameter sliders. * Tooltips for parameter sliders will show parameter name and description if these values have been set. * Midi notes may now be triggered from computer keyboard in Modular Synth Panel and Patch Editor Window. * Patch Renderer activation no longer triggered by parameter or CC values. Fixed Bugs: * Promiscuous mapping midi events to a patch renderer panel will no longer unmap key events to other panels. * Patch parameter sliders now disabled when no patch loaded. * Consolidate and unap parameter menu choices now disabled for locked patches. * Fixed index out of range crash in Sound Color module. * Fixed stalled envelope follower. No longer requires static parameter edit to begin pulsing. * Fixed issue where delay ratio input signal cancelled by parameter mapping to same port. * Fixed massive redraw lags when showing popup menus in Modular Synth Panel section. * Fixed stalled behavior in PWM module, with beneficial side-effect of simplifying and optimizing the PWM code. Compatibility: * Trilobite 32-bit standalone version deprecated with this release. * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.1 presets. * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.1 patch banks. Known Bugs: * If a bank is unlocked, its constituent patches will not appear as unlocked until another bank is selected. * Application versions will occasionally reset to the wrong hardware interface on restart. * Stand-alone application versions are not compatible with SoundFlower audio drivers (audible glitching will occur if selected). * When running as a plugin, main menu items will sometimes be disabled for a short iterval. If this occurs, keep trying. * When running as a plugin, drag and drop operations may be disabled if patch editor or population windows are open and underneith the main plugin editor window. This seems to occur because the OS perceives child windows as 'on top', even though the plugin host always draws the main window on top. To remedy this, drag child windows clear of the main editor window. documentation Changes: * New documentation for registration process. * New documentation for Sound Color module. * HTML help documentation updated for all new features. ============================================================================================ Version 1.2 -- DATE: 2015-12-26 Feature and maintenance version with new module types in pro version. Feature Changes (Pro Edition ony): * New 'Sound Color' vocal formant synthesizer and filter module based on the work of Professor A. Wayne Slawson. * Added 'Glottal Derivative' waveform to Pulse Width Modulator module, for added vocal source variety. Feature Changes (General): * Improved appearance of most user interface buttons (fewer jaggies). * Integrated registration dialog. * Integrated version upgrade notification. * A notification panel will appear at startup if a version upgrade is available. * Vastly improved compressor implementation which regulates and stabilizes output from highly dynamic patches. No more compression glitches. * Removed optional compression and post-compression max volume fixed parameters from the Output module. Compression is now always on for all patches. * Output Module 'Compressor Smoothing' static parameter replaced with 'Compressor Roll-off' parameter, which allows compression roll-off to be controlled more deterministically as a time duration. * 'About Trilobite' panel now should over the top of the Trilobite main window, rather than in a free-floating dialog. This way it may be seen in plugin versions. Fixed Bugs: * Zoom and Metadata buttons no longer overlap in Patch Editor window when Metadata panel is expanded. * Population Control Panel now prevents breeding if no genotypes have fitness. This change prevents a population from going entirely 'silent' during preview mode. * Parameter slider button in patch editor window is now easier to press. * Invalid midi mapping data no longer saved in presets. This fixes the issue of extremely long preset load times. * Fixed spurious doubling of volume and activation parameter mappings. Scrolling parameter values will no longer be linked together unless intentionally mapped that way. * Preset parameter value settings are now successfully saved and restored. * No more glitch when Output Module static parameters panel is opened: correct static parameters are now set on patch load. * Removed gliches when changing renderer panel volumes. * Fixed discontinuity glitches when changing parameter values. Compatibility: * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.1 presets. * Parameter automation mappings from versions earlier than Trilobite 1.1 will be lost. These will need to be manually restored. * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.1 patch banks. Known Bugs: * If a bank is unlocked, its constituent patches will not appear as unlocked until another bank is selected. * Application versions will occasionally reset to the wrong hardware interface on restart. * Stand-alone application versions are not compatible with SoundFlower audio drivers (audible glitching will occur if selected). * When running as a plugin, main menu items will sometimes be disabled for a short iterval. If this occurs, keep trying. * When running as a plugin, drag and drop operations may be disabled if patch editor or population windows are open and underneith the main plugin editor window. This seems to occur because the OS perceives child windows as 'on top', even though the plugin host always draws the main window on top. To remedy this, drag child windows clear of the main editor window. documentation Changes: * New documentation for registration process. * New documentation for Sound Color module. * HTML help documentation updated for all new features. * 'Local' documentation pages no longer included in installer. Web user guide only. Trilobite user guide is available for separate download. ============================================================================================ Version 1.1 -- DATE: 2015-10-21 Maintenance version with only minimal feature enhancements, released as both "free" and "pro" upgrade versions. Feature Changes (Pro Edition ony): * 64-bit VST plugin version now provided for Windows. * 32-bit stand-alone version provided to run on older Macintosh computers running OSX 10.6 or later. Feature Changes (General): * Zoom buttons in Patch Editor window replaced with single 'click and drag' zoom button for smoother and faster zoom operations. Fixed Bugs: * Presets now reliably loaded on restart. * Routes from a node back to itself are now correctly drawn. * Edit operations now disabled in populations during breeding. * Excessive dynamic memory allocation now reduced in breeding cycles. * Network timeout for ads window content download, to prevent hang on bad network connections. * Fixed various stability bugs. * Fixed node loop-back drawing error in patch editor. * Further optimization of control parameter automation, for improved performance with DAWs. Compatibility: * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.0 presets, except for midi and parameter automation mappings. These will need to be manually restored. * Capable of loading all Trilobite 1.0 patch banks. Known Bugs: * The standalone Trilobite application will sometimes crash when switching between active applications. This is a high-priority bug we are still investigating which should be fixed by version 1.1. * If a bank is unlocked, its constituent patches will not appear as unlocked until another bank is selected. * Application versions will occasionally reset to the wrong hardware interface on restart. * Stand-alone application versions are not compatible with SoundFlower audio drivers (audible glitching will occur if selected). * When running as a plugin, main menu items will sometimes be disabled for a short iterval. If this occurs, keep trying. * When running as a plugin, drag and drop operations may be disabled if patch editor or population windows are open and underneith the main plugin editor window. This seems to occur because the OS perceives child windows as 'on top', even though the plugin host always draws the main window on top. To remedy this, drag child windows clear of the main editor window. documentation Changes: * Integrated HTML help documentation updated for all new features. ============================================================================================ Version 1.0 -- DATE: 2015-07-02 Stable Maintenance and Feature version, released as separate "free" and "pro" versions. Feature Changes (Pro Edition ony): * Thumbnail metadata image columns in Bank and Patch tables of the Bank Manager interface. * Standing phase-lock waveform thumbnail view in Modular Synth Panels. * Live spectrum display thumbnail view in Modular Synth Panels. * Waterfall spectrogram thumbnail display view in Modular Synth Panels. * 3d receding spectrogram thumbnail display view in Modular Synth Panels. * Strange Attractor audio visualizer in Modular Synth Panels. * New Module: Tweaker, an algorithmic signal manipulator. * New Module: Value Sequencer, a 16-stage triggered step value sequencer. * New Module: Time Sequencer, a 16-stage time interval sequencer. * New Module: Sample Hold, a triggered sample capture. * New Module: X/Y Router, for redirecting a single input to one of sixteen outputs. * New Module: Pulse Width Modulator, a parametrically controlled variable pulse shapes specified frequencies and duty cycles. * Music keyboard for triggering patch MIDI modules without the need for MIDI mapping or an external MIDI keyboard. * Parameter sliders available in patch editor window. Feature Changes (General): * Optional product registration for Free version, mandatory for Pro version. * Metadata text search in Bank Manager. * Scrolling waveform thumbnail view in Modular Synth Panels. * Parameter number is shown when parameter sliders are moused over. * New Module: Noise signal generator. * Parameters for evolved patches now auto-consolidated. * Compressor parameters now exposed in Output Module. * DAW keyboard midi events and parameter values are now auto-mapped to all patch renderer panels by default. Fixed Bugs: * Better DC-removal filter implementation for patch renderer outputs. * Improved recovery time from overloaded output compressors. * Revised default dynamic compressor settings so that individual renderer outputs are much less likely to distort at low volume settings. * In visual patch editor, mapped parameter values are now drawn in front of routes, making them easier to read. * Removed useless Window menu item from main menu for plugin versions. * Oscillator module now generates a triangular waveform...it has always mistakenly been a sawtooth waveform in the past. * Improved broken pitch-tracker module to better track input signal fundamental frequency. * Paste operations in patch editor no longer overwrite current selection, and interconnects within copied patch fragment are now preserved. * Improved smoothing of Biquad filter coefficients. * Pitch now remains constant after note-off events for midi modules in percussive mode. * Midi key rest ratio now initialized correctly for MidiKey module. Compatibility: * All versions will load and play Trilobite 0.9.3 banks and patches. * Ealier version population files are not compatible with Version 1.0. * Trilobite Pro 1.0 is compatible with all files generated by Free version. * Trilobite Free 1.0 will not load files generated by the Professional version. Known Bugs: * The standalone Trilobite application will sometimes crash when switching between active applications. This is a high-priority bug we are still investigating which should be fixed by version 1.1. * If a bank is unlocked, its constituent patches will not appear as unlocked until another bank is selected. * Application versions will occasionally reset to the wrong hardware interface on restart. * Stand-alone application versions are not compatible with SoundFlower audio drivers (audible glitching will occur if selected). * When running as a plugin, main menu items will sometimes be disabled for a short iterval. If this occurs, keep trying. * When running as a plugin, drag and drop operations may be disabled if patch editor or population windows are open and underneith the main plugin editor window. This seems to occur because the OS perceives child windows as 'on top', even though the plugin host always draws the main window on top. To remedy this, drag child windows clear of the main editor window. * Trilobite will occasionally hang on loading the default preset during startup. In this event it must be restarted. * Attempting to load a patch file while presets are loading will place Trilobite in an unknown state, and restart may be necessary. * Because of many changes in the audio engine and some module types, many patches created with Trilobite 0.9.3 may change character or not be audible at all. This is especially true of patches which use the Biquad and Exponential Envelope modules. Some patch repair will be necessary. documentation Changes: * Integrated HTML help documentation updated for all new features. Extras: * Pro Version conains extra demonstration banks featuring new module types. ============================================================================================ Version 0.9.3 -- DATE: 2014-07-07 Maintenance and Feature Beta Release Although it has only a minor revision number, this release constitutes nearly two years of work towards an extensive overhaul of the original Cambrian Suite concept. The changes since Cambrian Suite 0.9.2 are really extensive to enumerate in these release notes, so the following bullet points are broad revision notes intended to only give an idea of scope of change. Feature Changes: * Trilobite and Marella have merged into a single application which allows both live performance and detailed patch manipulation. * Simplified and optimized internal audio routing. * Application now available for both Microsoft Windows and Apple OSX desktop environments. * Full-featured plugin formats OSX AU 32bit, OSX AU 64bit, Win32 VST. * Reduced patch renderer parameter count from 24 to 16. * Patch module palette replaced by popup menu options. * Elimination of variant signal types within patches: only one signal type for all module I/O ports is now implemented. * Added Bank Manager UI features. * Added Preset UI features. * Added Modular Synth Control Panel. * Added system for contextual help buttons. * Entirely revised Population UI. * Entirely revised Modular Synth Panel UI. * Added Web publishing and UI features. * Added metadata integration and editing features. * Added drag and drop loading features. * Many other changes in the details. Fixed Bugs: The number of bugs fixed and addressed in this release is really too many to reasonably enumerate in these notes, and made more difficult by the fact that the application features have changed radically. With this in mind, the following enumerated list includes only very high level bug fixes. * Sudden persistent sound distortion problem no longer occurs. * Trilobite CPU usage is now much lower than earlier versions. * Application lock-up no longer occurs on patch edits. Compatibility: * This version of Trilobite has no seamless compatibility with patch files from earlier versions. * Cambrian Suite 0.9.2 patch files will load, but there module route connections will be completely messed up. * There is no media compatibility with population files from earlier versions of Trilobite. Known Bugs: * There a platform compatibility issue between embedded bank BMP files created on Win32 versus those created on OSX. * Audition pointer in population window jumps around when population window loses focus. * Rare bank file corruption issues will very rarely occur when banks are edited. MAKE FREQUENT BACKUP COPIES OF YOUR BANKS! * Sometimes odd 'unlinked' routes will be drawn in the patch editor window. * Occasional application asserts will still occur due to internal thread synchronization issues. We're still trying to track all of these down. * In the standalone version of Trilobite, audio devices settings will sometimes be reset to default values regardless of saved user preferences. * Midi devices are detected only on application or plugin startup. * When color scheme is randomized, application menus may become illegible. * VST drawing problems have been observed when displaying Trilobite_vst32 in plugin hosts running in Bootcamp Windows on Macintosh hardware. * Unsaved changes in plugin versions of Trilobite may be lost if the computer is allowed to enter sleep mode. * If a population breed cycle is running when a plugin version of Trilobite is shutdown, the program may crash and bring down the plugin host as well. Documentation Changes: * Complete rewrite of prior documentation, now available as web documentation (and installed HTML files), rather than PDF. * Context help buttons in Trilobite will now browse directly to appropriate sections of help documentation. Extras: * Rather than coming with a collection of demonstration patches, Trilobite now ships with a small set of patch banks. * User guide documentation included as part of 0.9.3 installer, as well as being available on the web. * Quick reference and Menagerie of patches removed from installation. ============================================================================================ Version 0.9.2 -- DATE: 2012-09-15 Maintenance and Feature Beta Release Feature Changes: * Connection scalar tags in the Marella editor no longer show quite so much unnecessary floating point precision in the scalar values, and mapped parameter control numbers are now indicated numerically in the tag. * Added pop-up menu option to Marella Patch Renderer Panel parameter sliders which allows a parameter to unmapped from all of its mapped route scalars. Useful for unmapping evolved patch parameters which clearly don't have any effect on the output sound. * Added pop-up menu option to Marella Patch Renderer Panel parameter sliders which allows all mapped parameters to 'stacked' in an orderly, consecutive fashion from parameter zero. * Variable Module is now deprecated and is no longer available as a Marella palette item. This module's feature has been replaced by variable route scalar mapping. For compatibility with patches developed using pre-0.9.2 versions of Cambrian Suite, a Variable Module occuring in any loaded patch is now replaced by a Constant Module with value 1.0 whose output route scalar has the appropriate variable mapped to it. Most patches should work as they always have. Fixed Bugs: * Population window will no longer crash when Audition Mode button is pressed in second genetic population cycle. * Unmap midi pop-up menu option will now only appear in Renderer Panels when Renderer Panel is in midi mapping modes. * Removed exponential envelope option from ADSR Envelopes module attribute settings. * Removed exponential envelope option from Signal Shaper module attribute settings. * Unsupported in-patch signal meter option has been removed. * Fixed crash condition when an attempt to load more than 150 genotypes (from patches) into a population. Now presents a warning panel instead. Compatibility: * All supported media files should be compatible back to Cambrian Suite 0.9.1. Known Bugs: * Persistent sound distortion may occur spuriously when editing in Marella, requiring an audio 'reset'. * Early truncation of audio voice playback, regardless of ADSR release time or output operator release settings. * If Marella patch edits occur while in active play mode, application may lock up (with audible stuttering) for 30-90 seconds. Until we fix this, we recommend stopping active playback when you make patch changes. * We've had reports that Hallucigenia fails with some VST Host environments, including Steinberg Nuendo. Investigations continue... Documentation Changes: * Cambrian Suite User Guide changes now described in the "Revisions" section of that document, before the Table of Contents. Extras: * Updated included demo patches to version 0.9.2 (to address removal of Variable Module). * Renamed "Taxonomy_of_Patches.pdf" to "Menagerie_of_Patches.pdf". They're not dead yet! * Updated QuickStart_Marella.pdf to reflect removal of the Variable PCM Module. ============================================================================================ Version 0.9.1 -- DATE: 2012-08-12 Maintenance and Feature Beta Release Feature Changes: * Added Renderer Display MIDI mapping features: MIDI Key and MIDI CC mappings to an individual Renderer Panel may now be saved as a default mapping, or exported to a file. This feature allows customized mappings to specific controllers to be saved as easily-loadable templates. * Added variable scaling input port (in-port #1) to a completely rewritten Delay Module. Allows delay line length to be changed in real time without glitching. * Added parameter to route scalar mapping, to greatly enhance the real-time maleability of patches using parametric sliders. * Added automated mapping of parameters to route scalars in evolved patches, for enhanced performance interactivity. * In Evolution Population window, the "save genotype to patch file" menu option has been replaced by an option to save all currently selected genotypes to patch files. * In Evolution Population window, the menu option to load a renderer patch file as a population genotype has been replaced by an option to load multiple renderer patches as genotypes by making multiple selections within the open file dialog box. * MidiToPitch module has been replaced by MidiKeyIn module, which extends the previous capabilities of MidiToPitch by adding a key velocity output port to the module. This should allow for more expressivity in your patch designs. * New Renderers are now created with all parameters set to half value (0.5) by default. This setting is friendlier to evolved patches and helps prevent them from "stalling out" before any sound can be heard. * Enabled scaled route input for Signal Shaper Module. Fixed Bugs: * Fixed discontinuity glitches which occurred in the Delay Module (complete Delay Module rewrite). * More streamlined parameter handling which eliminates all dynamic memory allocation during processing of MIDI CC events. Should reduce or eliminate much of the audible crackle heard in version 0.9.0. * In Marella, the "Import from Clipboard..." feature now filters out extranseous non- conforming characters which might be added by web forums, certain editors, etc. Usable for retrieving posted patches from the Darwin Arts web site. * Fixed obnoxious problem where Marella editor window popup label would awkwardly prevent mouse operations such as dragging nodes, making a connection, etc. Did this by making pop-up appear at a reasonable distance from the current mouse hover position. * Fixed assert which occurs on Marella shutdown after module parameter panels are opened. * Marella module parameter panels may no longer be dragged off the screen (from where they can never be recovered). * Added reset of a renderer's dynamic compressors when a patch is loaded. This will prevent the effect where an especially loud translated genotype prevents subsequent genotypes from being heard during evolution engine audition mode. * Fixed incorrect "Gene Count" field for loaded population files. They now correctly indicate the saved value. Compatibility: * Genotype population files from earlier versions of Cambrian Suite may not be loaded with this release. This decision was made now to help reduce the risk of having to do this at a future date which might disrupt a larger user base. Please see the readme.html file distributed with this release for suggested work-arounds. Known Bugs: * Exponential envelope types are indicated but not supported in ADSR Envelopes module. * Exponential envelope types are indicated but not supported in Signal Shaper module. * Persistent sound distortion may occur spuriously when editing in Marella, requiring an audio 'reset'. * Early truncation of audio voice playback, regardless of ADSR release time or output operator release settings. * (Undocumented feature) in-patch signal meters do not stay attached to the node ports they were extruded from, and remain as UI zombies when the patch is cleared or their operator is removed. * Most of the parameter sliders enabled for evolved patches will have no effect on the audio result. * Trilobite crashes spuriously when loading population files when populations are already loaded. We recommend saving your work before performing these operations. Features that look like bugs: * In a blank Marella window, if an oscillator node is dragged and dropped in the window then a subsequent attempt to drag and drop an output operator will fail. Only one output operator per patch is allowed. Documentation Changes: * Added QuickStart_Marella.pdf document as patch editing tutorial. * Added route scaling description to Cambrian Suite User Guide. * Added new Delay feature description to Cambrian Suite User Guide. * Added columns to Module input port tables to indicate whether modules actually apply specified route scaling to those ports. * Added new Renderer Panel MIDI mapping features to Cambrian Suite User Guide. * Removed lots of pointless empty white space from Cambrian Suite User Guide. ============================================================================================ Version 0.9.0 -- DATE: 2012-06-06 First Public Beta Release Feature Changes: * N/A Fixed Bugs: * N/A Known Bugs: * Exponential envelope types are indicated but not supported in ADSR Envelopes module. * Exponential envelope types are indicated but not supported in Signal Shaper module. * Persistent sound distortion may occur spuriously when editing in Marella, requiring and audio 'reset'. * Early truncation of audio voice playback, regardless of ADSR release time or output operator release settings. * In some circumstances, usage of the Delay Operator may result in discontinuous patch waveforms. * (Undocumented feature) in-patch signal meters do not stay attached to the node ports they were extruded from, and remain as UI zombies when the patch is cleared or their operator is removed. Features that look like bugs: * In a blank Marella window, if an output node is dragged and dropped in the window then a subsequent attempt to drag and drop an output operator will fail. Documentation Changes: * N/A ============================================================================================