can compile scripts in Logic Pro, but nothing happens

[dtenenba]

First of all I apologize for posting an issue here. I went to the forum but I was not able to log in and it looks like nobody has posted for a few years.

Extreme newbie question....

I have Protoplug successfully (I think) installed in Logic Pro. I have installed Lua Protoplug Fx on a software instrument channel. I've pasted various examples into the editing window and successfully compiled them, but nothing happens. Am I missing some magic sauce to make the plugin work? Thanks....

[interstar]

Fx is for effect plugins like delay that process other instruments

If you want to just hear protoplug make a sound try the sine mouse example from the generators

[dtenenba]

Thanks, I am aware of that. I had existing audio (or midi) on my tracks and did not hear any change to the sound after adding protoplug and pasting and compiling various examples.

I tried the sine mouse anyway and it works!

So I guess I need to figure out what was not working for me before.

One quick question as long as I have you here - since protoplug does not appear to be available as a Midi FX in Logic, if I add it as an audio effect to a software instrument track, can I still manipulate MIDI on that track?

I realize that Logic has the Scripter for this purpose but I have heard that Protoplug gives better control over many things, that's why I ask.

Also, now it looks like I cannot add Protoplug to an audio track - is that expected? Sorry again for the basic questions.

[interstar]

This might be dependent on the DAW.

In my MIDI arpeggiator tutorial here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHo1FXyRvrA I take in MIDI data, process it, and send it off to another instrument.

But in this case, I have Protoplug running as a generator, not an audio effect. And I'm doing it in FL Studio. The exact details of where you get MIDI from, and how you send the processed MIDI on elsewhere, will probably depend on Logic, which I'm afraid I'm not familiar with.

[dtenenba]

Thanks @interstar I watched your video and it was very helpful. I figured out how to do audio (not midi) generation in Logic, using the mouse sine wave example.

I also figured out how to transmit midi from one track (with Protoplug as the instrument) to another (which has an actual instrument on it) so that I can hear the midi playing on the protoplug track. The only problem is it's the "dry" signal - not the signal I expect to be the output of the Lua script (for example, your arpeggiator).

The way I am getting this far is by using the Midi Environment window and dragging a "cable" between the protoplug track and the instrument track. When I do this I can hear the dry signal as I mentioned but do not hear the processed signal. If I put a print statement in the Lua code inside the processBlock function I can see it being emitted frequently, so the code is running but not producing any change to the audible midi. Also if I put a Monitor on the cable in between the two tracks I can see the unmodified events coming from the protoplug track. Would love to solve the last piece of the puzzle if anyone knows it.

As I mentioned before I am aware that Logic Pro has a javascript-based Scripter plugin that can do pretty much anything protoplug can do (with midi, not audio) but I'd still like to be able to get this to work.

Thanks.

[interstar]

Hmmm ... well, I think this is a Logic thing, rather than anything specific to do with Protoplug.

I don't have anything much to suggest except maybe it's worth looking at how other MIDI generating plugins work in Logic. For example, https://www.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=106181 suggests that Logic does require you to use the plugin as a MIDI effect, rather than as a generator (presumably your experience shows that Logic doesn't pay attention to any changes a generator makes to its MIDI buffer)

So if you can't load Protoplug in the place you'd normally put a MIDI effect, maybe it won't work. But what happens when you try to? Is it because Logic doesn't support VSTs in that context?