ATT Large Template Users: Beachballs on MasterTrack switch?

dix · Post by **dix** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 4:16 pm

I'm getting 10 second, or so, beachballs every time I move the Master track (pencil) in the MIDI Editor when working on larger projects.

When I first open the project the focus switches as usual, but after a few minutes I start to get beachballs whenever I switch Master tracks. It happens when switching to VI tracks hosted in DP as well as those in VEP - the latter being outside DP’s pre-rendering, so wouldn’t think it’s a pre-rendering issue.

On large sequences with lots of MIDI tracks this can really slow things up. Anyone else seeing this? Any ideas on what I could try?

[EDIT I just realized the correct term is "Master track", not "track-focus" as I had originally posted]

dix · Post by **dix** » Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:46 pm

Bump. Anyone who works on large mockups with lots of tracks getting this ever? Any harebrained ideas about anything I could try?

waterstrum · Post by **waterstrum** » Mon Dec 02, 2019 3:12 am

I'm working on large templates.
That said, I can't find the ME track-focus pencil.
Not sure what it is.
Searched in Run Command and nothing came up.
Happy to test it if you can direct me to it.

dix · Post by **dix** » Mon Dec 02, 2019 4:18 am

Thanks!

Ah. Maybe I'm not using the correct terms. In the ME's Track Selector, in order to view and edit individual track's CC data, you click on the left of the track's name. That puts a little pencil next to the track name to indicate which track's CC data is being displayed in the Continuous data grid at the bottom. Whatever that operation is called, that's when I get the lags. ..."Master track selector" may be the right way to say it?

[EDIT I confirmed in the manual that Master track is the correct term and changed the Subject in the OP. Maybe that's why I wasn't getting any response. Thanks!]

jpiscitello · Post by **jpiscitello** » Fri Feb 28, 2020 5:36 pm

I've had the same problem ever since DP8, and it happens in DP 9.52 and DP10.11, on both Mac and Windows.

I've got a large template with > 800 tracks, so usually when I get the beach ball it's a total hang and restart.

I've asked MOTU for years about the bug, but support usually shrugs and says no other users have reported it. I haven't gotten them to look into it, but it's a maddening bug.

dix · Post by **dix** » Fri Feb 28, 2020 6:08 pm

Interesting. My template is smaller. Just under 200 tracks currently. Have you confirmed the bigger the template the longer the beachball? As I mentioned, it's only a matter of time after opening a sequence that I get the beachballs. Is that different for you? Do you sometimes (usually) not get them?

Something I didn’t mention in my OP, and I'm wondering if you experience too, is that this issue only happens the first time I switch the Master Track, subsequent switches to the same track change normally. ....so effectively the issue gets less bothersome as I continue to work on the same sequence (switching Chunks means starting the operation over again). If it wasn't for this behavior I don't think I could live with it.

I'd love to hear from any other mega-template users like you to see if they have it. If they do not, maybe we can deduce something from their setups that will help diagnose this. Can you please let me know the specifics of your rig? Mine are in my sig. ...@waterstrum. Are your templates around these sizes?

I'm glad I found at least one other person with the issue (glad for my sake, not yours. sry) . Since I believed I was alone I didn't bother creating a TechLink, but I will now. Thanks for responding!

dix · Post by **dix** » Wed Mar 04, 2020 3:07 pm

I just got a note from MOTU Support that said they were working to "address track switching lags" in the next update. Fingers crossed.

Vewilya · Post by **Vewilya** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 12:01 am

MOTU support told me that it had to do with their pregen engine. I found that it is a good solution to use only one patch per Kontakt to minimize loading times. When you fill up your Kontakt or Play instances you will suffer a lot. It’s good to hear that they are addressing this. I for one don’t like working with VEpro. I have it, I see the benefit but I don’t like the workflow!

dix · Post by **dix** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:12 am

Very cool Vewilya. Thanks. My VIs in VEP do tend be on the full side. I'll try spreading things out when I get a chance and see if that helps.

Yes, hopefully MOTU finds the fix for the next update.

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:30 am

I've noticed what is likely a different problem, but it could fall under the "track switching lags" heading. When building a production, switching the record-enabled VI (i.e from one VI instantiation to another, not simply switching record-enabled MIDI tracks addressing the same VI instantiation), there is a beachball period which I figured resulted from the new pre-rendering scheme DP now uses. This was NOT present in DP9.52. From there, I moved directly to DP10.11, so am not sure exactly which version of DP10 first exhibited this behavior.

My guess is that the pre-rendering engine has to do some work before it is ready to roll. That said, I have not noticed the pre-rendering meter activating during these lags.

Haven't ever counted the tracks in my template, but I'd be surprised if it tops 100.

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