I have spent thousands of dollars throughout my life on computers to make my life easier, have i got my moneys worth out of them ? Yes and NO!
ST software? Definitely YES! I have spent a lot of my time trying to be helpful in this forum like a lot of others , but i still feel like i am not getting my moneys worth from the computer system that has cost me thousands in cash through the years and not to mention my TIME.
Example
IMPORT / EXPORT , everyone seems to be missing this features importance and how LAME it is right now in all software , the ability to quickly transfer data from one bit of software to another that is specialized to do a specific job .
Expectation
When i create a PDF file in an editor and want to use this file in ST4 , which is capable of using that file , why does the computer not know what im trying to do with this PDF , if i hit export or share , and point the share destination to ST4 which can use PDFs , why isnt a song file automatically created in ST4 with the PDF loaded and ready to use, and if the same name song exists it simply asks me do i want to replace the file or create a new one and if no file of that name exists it just creates a new song file.
This logic to be used in all file formats that ST4 uses including audio files and text files.
So basically i the user, can simply select a song or songs and point them to another software and depending on the other softwares capability it automatically loads the necessary data it is capable of using and sets itself up for easy editing , when done , a reverse export to ST4 sends it back and updates, replaces or creates a new version of the edited data.
Example
I choose a song in batch edit, this song contains all 3 formats, multitracks , pdfs , syced lyrics, as i choose to export to other software, only software thats capable of using any of this data is available as a destination , if i chose Logic only the audio data is transfered and all the tracks are laid out in order that they were in ST4, after editing process a simple export/share command selecting ST4 as destination transferes back to it, either overwriting the existing audio data only leaving all other data as is, or creating a new song which wont have any other data within this new version.
This to apply to pdfs or lyrics files.
If i select the same song but choose notepad as the destination it means i am wanting to manipulate the text/ lyrics data and same import export rules apply.
Chosing the same song and pointing the export/share to a pdf editor that will only become as an option if an actual pdf exists in this song, will now immediately allow me to open the editor do the editing and chuck it straight back to ST4 , in to the same song and overwrite just the pdf within that song or create a whole new song with just the pdf in it nothing else.
This logic creates a very nice marriage between all software that deals with whichever data it works with,
I dont have to hunt for software first than work backwards to import the files after spending time exporting it to a specific spot then hunting for it afterwards , having multiple versions created in the process.
Yes you can export to a specific spot and create a dedicated new file but if thats not the requirement you have a means to go direct from one software to the other without complications and time wasting.
If the software is not capable of using certain file formats than its not displayed as a destination.
If i choose a file on the computer and hit share i expect all software capable of handling this file displayed as a destination.
Bulk selection of files creates multiple songs or options pop up to update individual same songs that already exist and only the data type used is whats replaced .
If i choose 2 stereo files, two pdfs and 2 text files, all these files can be pointed to ST4 at one time, as it accepts all these files and depending on the file names , all these files will automatically either update these individual songs with that specific data or it will allow you to individually overwrite eiter all or individual songs.
This now is speeding up and simlifying the prosess of using multiple software thats designed to edit the data that ST4 uses, ST4 is a great tool that replays data, other software is great for editing data, so why not make the connection between these tools seamless, it makes perfect sense to do this as it will increase potential sales of all good software , because its simple fast and easy to use.
I am not a programmer but a simple user of software , this is something that has frustrated me for a long time , it seems the developers are too bussy developing their own software , the Apple operating system designers are too bussy developing their system , the two are not communicating to improve each other and the meat in the sandwich THE USER is not getting their moneys worth, same old same old with a slightly different look and a better screen and less or rearanged buttons that do the same.
I hope some of you get my drift .
This is just pointing out the obvious .
Theres a lot more i could say but will end here.
The aim of this post is to hopefully wake some people up to see things from a different perspective.