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.

Session view

This lesson deals only with the session ring itself. To configure the session view (as seen on Launchpad and similar), see the session view lesson.

Resizing the ring

By default, the session ring will be configured to the same width and height as your controller's matrix. You may resize the session ring via the preferences.yaml option session_ring.

preferences.yaml

session_ring:
  width: 8
  height: 8

Disabling the ring

You may disable the ring by setting one or both of width and height to 0.

Moving the ring

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

zcx scripts are compatible with ClyphX Pro's script linking feature.

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.

Dynamic encoder mappings

It is possible to map encoders to the parameter of a track at a certain position of the ring. See Encoder Reference for details.

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.

Additional configuration options

Set these options in preferences.yaml.

drag_by_highlight

preferences.yaml

session_ring:
  width: 8
  height: 8
  drag_by_highlight: true

Default is true.

drag_by_highlight: true

With this setting enabled, when the selected clip slot was inside the ring, and then moves to the outside edge of the ring (one to the left, one below, etc.), the ring will move itself so that the selected slot is back inside the ring.

drag_by_highlight: always

When the selected clip slot is outside the ring, zcx will always move the ring so that the selected slot is back inside the ring.

drag_by_highlight: pinned

The selected clip slot will always be in the top-left of the ring.

drag_by_highlight: false

None of these behaviours.

Warning

When using zcx as part of ClyphX Pro Script Linking, avoid setting drag_by_highlight to always or pinned.