Config files should look more like "real" code

I am a programmer in my day job. I can see why the very ridget interface for programming Bome's was chosen. I think it strikes a perfect balance to give non programmers sufficient structure and more limited set of programming constructs, while still making it possible to do tricky stuff.

Or in other words, it makes simple things simple, makes advanced things manageable while keeping hard things doable.

However it would be nice if the actual generated files would look more like "real" code. For one this would help (or make it more useful) in maintaining the changes in a version control system. I could then easier see what was added and removed between revisions etc.

On top of that it could open the door for people to just program entire presets without the GUI. Essentially I would have a MIDI scripting programming language that just lets me code in any editor and that I run via Bome's.

Hi DJSD,

thanks for the suggestions. I see how that can be helpful... We will switch the file format to XML with the next version, so version tracking and direct editing should be somewhat easier. However, we explicitly do not want to make Midi Translator a scripting language.

But we do evaluate adding support for a "real" scripting language like LUA. That would enable all sorts of things, and, if you want, putting all your logic into one script, I guess.

Regards,
Florian

LUA support would be awesome!

I think along similar lines as djsd. I never intend to do my preset programming in the GUI.

For me it would be sufficient if the variables, keywords etc were easier to identify in the ini file to simplify parsing. But real code would be nice too.

I like the transformator approach in MIDI translator, which actually makes more of a table than sequential code with tons of ifs and cases. Maybe that's why djsd suggests LUA (used a lot for game scripting).

Hi badibeat, thanks for the comments.

One thing I don't know if you knew: from version 1.7 on, you can edit the rules directly in the rules text field, no need to use the mouse to create rules.

Thanks,
Florian

PS: it was I who suggested LUA