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Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 5:24 am
by garyshepherd
Having raised a support ticket on the continuing unstable behaviour of Scratch Pad, and having supplied a screenprint of the result of the issue in a Scratch Pad (and explained clearly what the issue is, and what steps there were leading up to this) and therefore reporting a probable bug, I was told I needed to supply video evidence of the issue occurring before they could investigate.

I am ashamed to say I don't really know how to make a video of issues occurring in Studio One's Scratch Pad. However the screen print is clear, and I explained that a video would not show much, one moment you are editing and then something happens (quicker than the eye) and you have a problem with that particular Scratch Pad.

Because I did not want to delete my Settings as instructed (this is not really required) or wish to make a video of this issue I was told that I was not participating in the process.

I left it with them unresolved - it is not a settings issue - but clearly I was not believed without video evidence (this is not a court of law) and the screenshot was not enough (I guess I was suspected of Photoshop manipulation). I said I would work around this by not using Scratch Pad as that made it easier for them and me.

I guess I will have to learn how to produce a video now, and to get used to re-configuring my settings every time I report a bug-like issue.

Be aware that Scratch Pad is a bit unstable and not to be relied upon but I don't have video evidence yet - in the past you said there was a problem and supplied a screenprint and they investigated and tested.

The Presonus team are courteous and generally patient and helpful - so this is not a complaint, but just an observation.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 6:46 am
by robertgray3
Sorry to hear that. If you post your screenshot and steps here I’m sure someone else here can make a video

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 7:05 am
by lawrencefarr
Screen recording is built into macOS: QuickTime, File > New Screen Recording. Seeing a video lets us see an anomaly happen in real time which may help us more quickly recreate it and if so, log it.

Refreshing application settings in Studio One will often fix some random issues or anomalies and takes all of 30 seconds so we often request that before we move on to other troubleshooting steps. It also lets us know that an issue is not perhaps triggered by a certain combination of settings as they're all reset to default.

Thanks,

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 8:56 am
by roland1
Two simple options:

Go to the Reaper main website, cockos.com and download LICEcap. It's a free gif animation screen capture program they created for beta testing and bug proofing their app. Totally useful.

Another option is Screencast-o-matic. They have a free version. The paid version is about $20 for the year. It's actually quite good for editing on the fly, etc.

As a Mac user, I'm not a big fan of Quicktime. :(

Beyond this, you get into a steeper price category.

Good luck. Sounds like you'll need it.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 12:14 pm
by garyshepherd
Thanks for your helpful comments.

Quick Time does not let you choose a right click menu option when recording a New Screen Recording - don't know why.

So I sent screenshots of all the steps - no faking by photoshop - and the same issue occurred. Then I deleted the instructed bits of the Settings folder as instructed and restarted S1. I was able to recreate the same issue.

Then put the settings folder pre delete files back (I had backed up), and immediately recreated the issue. I don't think it is a Settings issue.

I guess the point of my post is not so much the Scratch Pad issues, but the process of reporting a bug.

The Settings folder deletion seems unnecessary (it made no difference in my case), and the Quick Time video does not seem to work for menu choices as part of the steps to show the issue.

I think screenshots are much clearer and systematical, and therefore not inferior to a video of an issue.

They now want a copy of my song (its 8gb) but I am not going to send that. But I suppose the upshot is that this is somehow my fault - too large and complicated songs with time signature changes and many sections (yes - I do Prog). Scratch Pads seem creaky in that context.

I have started doing sections as different songs rather than strung together in one large song - S1 does not have separate sequences or chunks, so it is a pain to join up the sections if separate songs - but this might be the answer if things don't improve. But frankly, while I like the idea of Scratch Pads, practically they are pretty useless and waste a lot of my time - shame.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 12:24 pm
by robertgray3
Sure that all sounds like a good workaround but can you just put the screenshots, steps, (the ones you sent them) and songfile here? We probably don't need the media folder to recreate it, just the easily-uploaded songfile. Scratch Pads have some issues, yeah, would be nice to get it reported.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 1:32 pm
by garyshepherd
robertgray3 wroteSure that all sounds like a good workaround but can you just put the screenshots, steps, (the ones you sent them) and songfile here? We probably don't need the media folder to recreate it, just the easily-uploaded songfile. Scratch Pads have some issues, yeah, would be nice to get it reported.


They have now accepted my issue and are raising it with QA after my latest screenshots sent to them - its to do with strange behaviour when you use Copy to new Scratch Pad - Arrange sections with a loop say - and the Scratch Pad seems to lose the start of the timeline in the view window.

As I said - its more about the process of reporting bugs than the issue. Had trouble with Scratch Pad all along.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 6:18 pm
by roland1
We're also going to need some DNA. :D

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Thu May 16, 2019 6:19 pm
by garyshepherd
roland1 wroteWe're also going to need some DNA. :D

That will be next

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 4:14 am
by leosutherland
garyshepherd wrote
roland1 wroteWe're also going to need some DNA. :D

That will be next

...and Footprints! :)

I haven't really found a use for Scratchpad - Arranger I use all the time.

Just FWIW :mrgreen:

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 5:26 am
by musicchamber
I think scratchpad is a half baked feature, and the way it's implemented and how it effects the overall UI is not good from Presonus.

Some people may find it very useful, but for me, no thanks.

A Chunks feature from Digital Performer is what's needed, in my honest opinion.

Best
Scott

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 8:28 am
by robertgray3
garyshepherd wrote
robertgray3 wroteSure that all sounds like a good workaround but can you just put the screenshots, steps, (the ones you sent them) and songfile here? We probably don't need the media folder to recreate it, just the easily-uploaded songfile. Scratch Pads have some issues, yeah, would be nice to get it reported.


They have now accepted my issue and are raising it with QA after my latest screenshots sent to them - its to do with strange behaviour when you use Copy to new Scratch Pad - Arrange sections with a loop say - and the Scratch Pad seems to lose the start of the timeline in the view window.

As I said - its more about the process of reporting bugs than the issue. Had trouble with Scratch Pad all along.


K! Hope it gets resolved. Yes the Scratch Pad still has some issues to get worked out. I use it a lot so Im just trying to make sure they do. It’s not a core crucial feature so a lot of people here admit it doesn’t behave right but don’t really report it. As you point out, part of it is that in complicated situations naturally the reporting process unfortunately places a lot of the burden on the customer.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 9:27 am
by roland1
I use scratchpad quite a bit for testing new or alternate parts for instruments. It takes the pressure off the main song in the timeline.

Recently, I began fleshing out one entire song in a scratch pad—including guitar parts and vocals; arranger track, tempo changes, etc. I have since moved it into the main arrange window, but that was the first time I risked doing all that in something that broke a file on me the first time I used it back in v3.0.

No one was hurt. But if something had gone wonky, I sure as heck would have made a full length documentary on it, because the Scratch pad has been with us too long to still be crappy.

But then again, so have politicians, and we seem no further ahead in that regard...

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 1:02 pm
by matthewgorman
On one of your original questions: I just record the screen with my phone and send them that.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 6:14 pm
by garyshepherd
matthewgorman wroteOn one of your original questions: I just record the screen with my phone and send them that.

A good idea.

Re: Scratch Pad bug - Support Tickets require Video "evidence"

Posted: Fri May 17, 2019 6:15 pm
by garyshepherd
musicchamber wroteI think scratchpad is a half baked feature, and the way it's implemented and how it effects the overall UI is not good from Presonus.

Some people may find it very useful, but for me, no thanks.

A Chunks feature from Digital Performer is what's needed, in my honest opinion.

Best
Scott

I tend to agree.