Using the zcx session ring

Like other control surface scripts, zcx provides a 'session ring' — a colored box that can be moved around the session to target different tracks or scenes.

While zcx cannot display a representation of Live's session view (i.e., the session view on Push, Launchpad, and others), it is useful to be able to move the ring around the set, and use template strings to target tracks or refer to scenes enclosed within the ring.

Resizing the ring

You may resize the session ring via preferences.yaml.

Disabling the ring

You may disable the ring in preferences.yaml.

Moving the ring

A script's ring may be positioned with the ring command or the ClyphX Pro ring actions.

ClyphX Pro control surface actions

ClyphX Pro includes a variety of control surface actions, which can be used to interact with control surfaces. Many of these actions are compatible with zcx scripts.

Referencing the ring from template strings

You can use the built in ring variable within template expressions to perform actions on tracks or scenes at a certain position within the ring.

ring has two attributes: tracks and scenes. We can index into either and retrieve the name of the track at that position of the ring, or the zero-indexed scene number at that position of the ring.

Dynamic scene controls

__scene_controls:
  includes: [
    scene_1, scene_2, scene_3, scene_4, scene_5, scene_6, scene_7, scene_8
  ]
  gestures:
    pressed: >
      SCENE ${ring.scenes[me.group_index] + 1}

Looking at the above screenshot, if scene_1 was pressed the action list SCENE 1 would be executed, launching scene one.

If we move the ring down two scenes, pressing scene_1 would trigger the action list SCENE 3. scene_2 would do SCENE 4.

Dynamic track controls

__state_controls:
  includes: [
    state_1, state_2, state_3, state_4, state_5, state_6, state_7, state_8
  ]
  gestures:
    pressed: >
       "${ring.tracks[me.group_index]}" / MUTE

Looking at the above screenshot, if state_1 was pressed, the action list "fx gtr 2" / MUTE would be executed.

Out of bounds references

It is often valid to refer to tracks or scenes outside of the session ring by using a negative index, or an index that is greater than or equal to the width and height of the ring. For example:

• Using "${ring.tracks[-1]}" / MUTE will mute the track one to the left of the left edge of the ring.
• Using "${ring.tracks[8]}" / MUTE on a 8-track ring will mute the track one to the right of the right edge of the ring.
• Using "SCENE ${ring.scenes[-8]}" while the top edge of the ring is at scene 9 will launch scene 1.