Rack/plugins/community/repos/Alikins/TODO.txt

plugin ideas:
- Mult with labels
  - so I can route a distance output to mult and label
    it as 'main seq gate output' to avoid tracing cables
- event log
  - visualization of past triggers/gates
  - time series or sparkline-ish
  - more or less a scope but without y values and
    a very long time
  - could do diff colors for gates/triggers
    - or gates up and triggers down
  - wide module
  - multiple time view zooms
    - 1x, 2x, 5x, 10, 20x, 50x, etc
  - mostly for appearance or troubleshooting/debugging event stuff
  - could evolve to supporting playing the the history back
    - 1x speed or faster/slower
    - scrubbing?
  - multiple channels of events
- Table module
  - "an oscillator is a phasor and a table"
  - phasor input  (0.0 -> 1.0) or other scaled
  - value output
  - on step, read phasor value, look for a match
    in the table, output the value
  - ui
    - just a scrollable list?
    - columns
        - phasor
            - start range
            - end range
        - output value
    - buttons to add delete entry
    - a x, y graph display showing phasor in volts on X
      and table volts out on Y
  - load table from json in context menu
  - uses:
    - feed a sawtooth osc output into it to
      create rudimentary wave table
    - arbitrary quantizer
    - building block
  - fancy options
    - entries that map a range of phasor input
      values to a range of output values
      - map ranges could be linear/log etc
        - linear
            - slope
            - offset
        - sub ranges could be cos/sine/exp/some distribution etc
    - (similar to the old GIMP color gradient editor)
        - likely could use gimp gradient (ggr) files as a type of table
    - modulating the table offset or value amplitudes
- credits module
  - widget that shows author, create/mod date, urls, license, other metainfo
  - would save into vcv file as module json data
  - use a rack_credits.json in ~/ or rack doc root to set the default
  - list of author/credit metadata
    - would get appended to if modified by new author
  - how to only update on 'save' or 'save as' ?
    - don't want to append on every autosave.vcv write
    - track a single 'last_edit' to persist on every toJson
      - then on load/fromJSON, add last_edit to author list
    - if there is a way for plugin to distinquish a 'real save' vs
      an 'autosave', then could use that.
   - how to tell when a patch has been 'modified'?
     - needed to avoid adding info on every save or autosave
     - slightly klugey way:
        - if plugin knows the patch it is in, could load patch .vcv/json
          data and compare to 'previous'.
          - chksum would be simplest
          - but could do a smarter/deeper compare diving into the data
   - uses:
     - a patch with the module includes the author info
     - if patch is shared (via patchstorage for ex), and modified
       by a different author, the module json would include info
       for the original author and modification author
     - just as a display widget when sharing a screen capture
   - concerns:
    - could probably be better implemented as a feature of the core vcv serialization
- 'Equal and opposite'
  - two eqs with 'opposite' settings and an effects loop in between
  - before eq, after eq
    - same bands and q's, but opposite gain
        - ie, if 'before eq' boosts bass and treble by 10db and cuts mids by 12db
          then the 'after eq' would cut bass and treble by 10db and boost mids by 12db
  - an effects send and return in between
    - munge audio signal, send it to effect (a distortion for ex) and unmunge on the way out
  - the before/after transforms would automatically mirror each other
    - otherwise pointless since it could be done with other modules
  - other variations could exist for other reversible-ish transforms
    - dont have to be perfect or lossless
    - compress/expand
    - bitcrush /  'bit extropalate' (is that a thing?)
    - forward/reverse delay?
    - pitch shift (probably most interesting, but
- transport gui module
  - play/stop/pause/fast forward/reverse/record buttons
  - gate and trig outputs for them
  - just buttons, but with a explicit purpose
  - uses
    - generative patches that need a 'press play to start'
- specific values
  X - (mostly implemented in 'Specific Value' module)
  X - module with just text entrie fields for entering a float value
    and an output for that value
  - possibly with text widget in combo with a dial or inc/dec
    buttons (spinbox widget)
    X - or 'click and drag to change value'
      X - up/down for small value
      X - left/right for multiplier (middle = 1x, left = 0..1.0x, right >1.0x multi)
      X - 'up and to the left' for fine grained adjustments
  X - fancy
    X - maybe automatically also show CV v/oct freq or note equiv
  - incremental mode for voltage dial, to jump between quantized values,
    in particular between note values. Built in quantizer basically.
  - maybe gate out and button to click to send value and gate output together
- Seq with per step gate length and rest length between steps
 - 'rest' steps basically
- A cv 1v/oct display -> freq hz -> period secs -> bpm.
  - (more or less a multiple version of 'Specific Value')
  - ( could display v passed through and/or let you specify as text)
  - CV out
  - button to send gate
  - basically a keyboard with text/entry widgets to let you specify
    CV voltage/hz/period/note name
  - other possible things to display/select
    - midi note number
    - # of steps from a root
    - interval from a root ( third, flat fifth, etc)
    - staff / note
    - bpm (for a LFO or general nerdery)
- SpecificNote
  - choose a specific note from options
  - possible UI that could be implemented like a
    imagemap (ie, use x,y of where clicked to pick note)
    - piano keyboard image
    - piano key style but 2d, with stacked one
      octave keys (kind of accordian-ish)
    - musical staffs
      - possibly with areas along X to indicate note length?
      - maybe left side of X axis for flat, middle for natural, right
        for sharp
    - just a grid
    - various alternative keyboard styles (hex, axis64, starrlab, jammer keyboard)
  - could use multiple instances and a 'Whats New Now' to combine them
- generic voltage quantizer
  - based on 'table' module
  - except input CV is 'rounded' to edge of maps
  - see 'fancy options' for table module above
- 'Attached file' module.
  - GUI file picker
  - add base64 of file to data to store in plugin Json.
  - Could be a list
  - would need to sort out how to only serialize/persist on 'real' save
    vs autosave (to avoid constantly saving the whole thing to autosave.vcv)
- 'Attached Preset' module
  - more or less 'Attached File' but tweaked for including vcvm presets
  - automatically write out presets to current presets folder?
    - well, not automatically, but more or less just one interactive step
      like a 'save to presets folder' button
  - can a ModuleWidget subclass customize fromJson to allow a module to
    accept 'paste preset' from any plugin?
    - would be easiest UI for attaching a preset
- 'Maze Table'
  - wave table, but with a maze
  - instead of phasor indexing an array, would "index" into
    a path along the maze graph
  - could have breadth first and depth first paths as options
  - use DAG style mazes (one and only one path out, no loops or cycles)
  - though cycles in maze could be analog for loops in waveform playback
  - maybe something hilbert curve esque?
- Matrix clock
  - N x N matrix
  - each row defaults to a clock division
  - each column defaults to clock multiply
  - 0,0 defaults to 1x1 quarter note for tempo
  - rows default to 1,2,3,4,6,8,12,16, division
  - ditto for columns multi
  - but row/columns mult/div could be changed to anything
- XY pad matrix mixer
  - matrix mixer with a JL-Modules/kaosspad/reactor style XY pad
    at each cross point
  - 1,1 -> top output and right output
  - 1,0 -> just top output
  - -1,-1 -> inverted output to top and right output
- Matrix Mixer with multiple scenes that morph/interpolate
  - more or less like Bidoo ACNE except values morph
    between scenes insted of
- 2.5 dimension matrix / mixer
  - 8x8 matrix but with an output at
    each crossing point
  - possibly with knob/param for output level
    of each output
  - maybe a per cross mute/solo
  - Much like the movies, the first one was the best.
- text Notes module with CV/trigger control and multiple messages
  - like a plain notes module, but can react to input from
    patch
  - use case would be describing stages of a generative patch
  - or for adding info to screencast videos
- Gate Divider
  - like gate length, but instead of generating one gate, it
    generates multiple gates that add up to gate length
  - how to seperate?
    - some fixed inbetween interval ("kerf")
    - divide into on and off gates
        - divide a 1s gate by 1 -> one .5s gate then a .5s 'rest'
          (and vice versa / inverse  10 or 01)
        - divide by 3 -> one .3333s gate, one .3333s rest, one .3333 gate
          ( ie, 101 or 010)
        - divide by 4 -> .25 gate, .25 rest, .25 gate, .25rest
          (1010, 0101)
        - divide by 5 -> .20 on, .20 off, .20 on, .20 off, .20 on
          (10101, 01010)
  - kind of similar to Walsh codes
    " Experimental Electronic Music Devices Employing Walsh Functions",
    "BERNARD A. HUTCHINS, JR"
    "JOURNAL OF THE AUDIO ENGINEERING SOCIETY, October 1973"
    (https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6b9c/30f94551aaf05f077aa491f31b196898cd90.pdf)
  - "Sequency" - theres a module name if I ever heard one.
- Add DC blocker option to Big Mute Button ?
- Whats New Now
  - multiple inputs, detect, choose and output the most recently change value
  - use to multiple multiple controllers (like Specific Value) together and
    use the 'active' one
  - for each input, track previous (N?) input value[s]
     - on each step, compare current value to previous
     - if different, it's 'new'
     - compare to some value precision (ie, the epsilon to use when comparing floats)
     - compare to some time precision (running average of last N values?)
     - if only one new/changed input, send the new value to the output
     - if multiple new/changed inputs, need to pick which to use
       - most recently chosen for output? ie, stick with input that first started changing
       - least recently chosen?  kind of round robin
       - value that most recently started changing? (track how long each input has been changing,
         and choose the one that just "woke up")
  - output a trigger when output value is changing (for ex, a new cv note was detected, send a trigger
    to potentially start a gate...)
  - almost surely already exists with different name/terminology
     - maybe envelope followers and logic?
  - uses:
    - allow multiple CV controllers to be used (ie, a midi-to-cv, a SpecificValue, a TwelveKeys) with
      the final output being DWIM for user (ie, whatever changed last)
    - kind of multiplexing?
    - bet it would make weird noises at audio rate
  - options:
    - way to avoid discont/aliasing in output?
      - interpolation?
      - miniblep?
    - gate out for 'something is changing right now'
    - default output value (0?) if nothing is changing?
- Blocked In DC!
  - just DC blocker, but I like the name
- The Big VUte Button
  - The Big Mute Button, but with clickable
    stereo VU meters
- CV Key Splitter Switch
  - one CV input
  - 12 (* N) outputs, one for each chromatic note
  - if CV in is 1.0V, then only the 'C' output sends signal
  - split a CV into output for each note
  - one octave 'small' version could do it for any octave
    (ie, C0, C-4, C5 all go out the C output)
  - larger versions
    - 5X 5x12 outputs
    - outputs correspond to specific note@octave
    - ie, C0 goes to C0 out, C4 goes to C4 out
    - 10X 10x12 outputs, for -5.0V to 5.0V coverage
  - possibly include a oct adjustment
  - maybe a fine tune
    - ie, a440 vs a437 etc
    - SpecificValue style text box?
  - possibly note-on/note-off style trigger outputs
  - ditto for a gate
     - start gate when new output is chosen, end it
       when the next note is detected
  - maybe some sort of keyboard like widget?
- CV Key Range
  - like CV Key Splitter Switch except outputs to a set
    of range/group outputs
  - each note has choice of which group/range it goes to
    - set of N (4?) buttons?  (could go to more than one range...)
    - a knob with detents?
  - in some way range would just be a more specific version the
    Table module with CV/note specific UI
    (ie, a map of an input to one or more output values)
  - incoming CV split into N ranges
    (bass/treble, bass/baritone/alto/soprano)
  - ranges can overlap
  - two knob/param for each range (low and high)
  - could use FloatFiend/NoteName field from SpecificValue
    for text entry
  - presets/default for
    - bass/treble
    - bass/baritone/alto/soprano/tenor
    - rumble or sub bass / bass / treble
    - below human / human / above human
- Audio Key Splitter/Range
  - like CV Key stuff, except with audio inputs
  - needs fft magic likely (or at least filters)
  - detect the main harmonics of audio and send output to
    note specific output
    - possibly more than one harmonic
    - ie, audio with fundamental at C4, and another strong harmonic at
      G5 would output from C4 and G5 outputs
  - outputs could be trigger/gate or corresponding CV value
  - or out to some set/group/range of outputs
  - CV value would be Pitch-To-CV
- Etch-a-Sketch like visualizer
  - X and Y inputs
  - trigger in for 'turn upside down and shake' / reset
  - more or less stylized oscilliscope
- Timing tuner / temporal heatmap
  - visualizer of where in a 'beat' different inputs (gates/triggers) happen
  - display would be bar graph / histogram like
    - X range would be time between beats
    - X=0 start of clock beat, x=1.0 end of clock beat (assuming 0->1,0 for
      arbitrary range)
    - Y value would be count of other event inputs
  - kind of specialized oscillioscope that accumulates values and is
    triggered for each clock pulse
  - why?
    - might look neat?
    - use for 'tuning' / tweak multiple event sources
  - Timing Chart? Beat Map? Splay Visualizer? Beat Tuner?
- 2d Scatter Plot
  - visualizer
  - 2 CV/audio inputs (X, Y)
  - Clock or trigger input
    - on trigger, grab the values of each input, plot on graph
  - more or less just an oscillioscope with very short sample
- Increment / Counter
 - dedicated 'count triggers since reset' module
 - freq counter-ish
 - can be implemented with other modules, but dedicate UX might
   be useful (seems to be a commonly asked question)
- CV Value to trigger
  - converts cv value into distinct trigger outputs
  - CV in
  - Range param
  - Increment param / Divisions
  - Some large number of trigger outs
  - for ex, range of 4, increment of .25.
    - CV in of 0.0 would send trigger to out 1
    - CV in of 1.25 would send trigger out 5
- Triggers to CV value
  - opposite of CV Value To Trigger
  - lots of trigger inputs
  - one CV output
  - for values above, input on trigger 5 would send 1.25, etc