Using Leopard's Spaces with Digital Performer
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:13 pm
In another thread, I mentioned that I've been using Spaces with Digital Performer. I thought it merited a thread of its own, with pictures, so that you all can see the idea and decide if you want to try it. I've been using it for many weeks with no adverse effects as far as I can tell. If you would like 2 monitors, or 3 or 4 or... however many you want, Spaces can give it to you instantly for nothing! On the one hand, it's a bit like a version 1.0 trick that needs a little more work. It could be made so much better if both Apple and MOTU would develop it a little more. If Apple will be sure that it's possible for a single application to be Spaces-aware, and if MOTU will make DP aware of Spaces, then this could be HUGE. For example, if we could save window sets that take advantage of Spaces, this would be tremendous. Currently I have to set up the windows for each session.
On the other hand, it's already extremely useful as-is. I just move windows to their Spaces as I need them and open them, and gradually the virtual monitors start filling up. In the time it takes your eyes to move to another real monitor(s), you can have another "space" in front of you. It gets to be 2nd nature to switch, and the time it takes is about 1/4 second. And you get unlimited monitors this way. Who needs 6 dang monitors cluttering up your workspace? Spaces can give you as many as you want in the footprint of one monitor. You can continue to add or remove spaces from your configuration as you need to without quitting applications. Windows just return to their default positions if you remove their spaces. Not that you need to be reconfiguring Spaces; I'm just noting that it's stable and updates in real time, so you don't have to worry about that.
Here is something I learned by doing this: you can easily fill up 2 monitors and yearn for more, so two monitors is a short-lived high. Soon you're back to craving another monitor. In Spaces your craving can be quenched in a few seconds merely by setting up another virtual monitor. In Digital Performer alone I'm currently filling up 3 Cinema Displays in Spaces. If I need any more, I can just add another space. It's really a good idea, even if you already have two monitors.
This picture shows the "index" against a generic background which you can also access with a key command, if you don't know which space you need to go to:
See the same picture at higher resolution here.
The index works a little like Exposé; just click the panel you want, and instantly it goes there. But note that the index is merely an option. To move from space to space, you just hit a key, and instantly you are there.
But there is another reason to use the index: All panels are active in real time. If you want to watch everything at once, you can do so in the Spaces index. Imagine what you see in the picture, but all working in real time. You see the meters moving, you see MachFive's samples highlighting as the music plays each note. You see the cursor moving and the window scrolling. You can see the FFT display in Masterworks EQ, and so on and so forth. It's all working. Oh, and get this: I use my Roland FC300 footswitch to operate DP remotely. I've got play, record, rewind, wait, "enter counter into memory for auto-rewind", count-off, toggle memory, and toggle metronome click all programmed into footswitches. They work while in Spaces Index mode. So, I can actually USE DP while looking at all the virtual monitors at once. The Mac's keyboard will auto-select the space with the control panel in it, but the Roland Pedal works through MIDI, and therefore leaves the Index open. Pretty nifty, eh?
You can see for yourself how I'm using Spaces in Digital Performer, so that's the scoop. Not a fully-developed solution until they give us the ability to save configurations, but certainly one with promise, and one you can use to great effect already.
Shooshie
On the other hand, it's already extremely useful as-is. I just move windows to their Spaces as I need them and open them, and gradually the virtual monitors start filling up. In the time it takes your eyes to move to another real monitor(s), you can have another "space" in front of you. It gets to be 2nd nature to switch, and the time it takes is about 1/4 second. And you get unlimited monitors this way. Who needs 6 dang monitors cluttering up your workspace? Spaces can give you as many as you want in the footprint of one monitor. You can continue to add or remove spaces from your configuration as you need to without quitting applications. Windows just return to their default positions if you remove their spaces. Not that you need to be reconfiguring Spaces; I'm just noting that it's stable and updates in real time, so you don't have to worry about that.
Here is something I learned by doing this: you can easily fill up 2 monitors and yearn for more, so two monitors is a short-lived high. Soon you're back to craving another monitor. In Spaces your craving can be quenched in a few seconds merely by setting up another virtual monitor. In Digital Performer alone I'm currently filling up 3 Cinema Displays in Spaces. If I need any more, I can just add another space. It's really a good idea, even if you already have two monitors.
This picture shows the "index" against a generic background which you can also access with a key command, if you don't know which space you need to go to:
See the same picture at higher resolution here.
The index works a little like Exposé; just click the panel you want, and instantly it goes there. But note that the index is merely an option. To move from space to space, you just hit a key, and instantly you are there.
But there is another reason to use the index: All panels are active in real time. If you want to watch everything at once, you can do so in the Spaces index. Imagine what you see in the picture, but all working in real time. You see the meters moving, you see MachFive's samples highlighting as the music plays each note. You see the cursor moving and the window scrolling. You can see the FFT display in Masterworks EQ, and so on and so forth. It's all working. Oh, and get this: I use my Roland FC300 footswitch to operate DP remotely. I've got play, record, rewind, wait, "enter counter into memory for auto-rewind", count-off, toggle memory, and toggle metronome click all programmed into footswitches. They work while in Spaces Index mode. So, I can actually USE DP while looking at all the virtual monitors at once. The Mac's keyboard will auto-select the space with the control panel in it, but the Roland Pedal works through MIDI, and therefore leaves the Index open. Pretty nifty, eh?
You can see for yourself how I'm using Spaces in Digital Performer, so that's the scoop. Not a fully-developed solution until they give us the ability to save configurations, but certainly one with promise, and one you can use to great effect already.
Shooshie
