1 (edited by Manuel 2023-08-23 13:27:38)

Topic: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

Maybe a dumb question but in TotalMix FX > Options menu there are both Preferences and Settings, each containing a different set of options. Why are these are kept separate? I keep opening the wrong one because the words "preferences" and "settings" mean the same thing.

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

I keep doing that too.

Babyface Pro Fs, Behringer ADA8200, win 10/11 PCs, Cubase/Wavelab, Adam A7X monitors.

3 (edited by ramses 2023-08-23 14:40:49)

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

It's quite unfortunate when one can't remember anything anymore... ;-) ;-)

What's so tough about finding all the program's operational settings in the Preferences (F2)? I mean, how often do you really need to mess with the mixers, MIDI, OSC, and aux device settings (F3)? Just come up with a decent mnemonic and you're good to go, like remembering 2 comes before 3.

Preferences (F2) is your friend in most cases ...

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

4 (edited by Manuel 2023-08-23 16:35:07)

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

mkok wrote:

I keep doing that too.

LOL for me it gets worse, some times I've clicked Preferences without paying attention to which one I was clicking, and then realised it was the wrong window, closed it, but then didn't remember which one I had clicked, because in my head I had clicked conceptually the correct menu item anyway (because "settings" and "preferences" mean the same thing), and then I clicked the wrong item yet again, this time paying attention. Now every time I need to get to either of these dialogs I think to myself "Alright, folks, we are clicking the top one, I repeat, THE TOP ONE, it's 50/50, let's go!" often followed by "Abort! Abort! It was the bottom one. Dang it!" As I type this I still can't remember which is which.

Realistically I hardly ever go into these menus. If I was tweaking this stuff every day I'd remember what's what and what's where. If there's reason keep them in two separate GUIs maybe RME could consider changing the menu item text to make it easier to remember; otherwise, merging them into the Settings window as tab would be even better.

The Preferences window is a bit taller than the Settings window because it contains a lot of settings, maybe that's the reason for keeping stuff separate, because it won't fit on a single tab of the Settings window. A scroll-able GUI would solve this problem as it would accommodate any number of parameters.

5 (edited by Manuel 2023-08-23 16:42:04)

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

There is also a whole dialogue for "Operational Mode". Personally I would have put this under the Preferences window, but at least the menu item is easy to understand so if I ever need to change this option it wouldn't be hard to find. BTW isn't this supposed to be "Operation Mode" (not "operational mode")? When a system is said to be operational, it means the system is working correctly. In this case two options are available and neither result in a system that is more or less operational. Besides, when the dialog opens, the title bar reads "TotalMix FX Operation Mode Select", which sounds more like what RME meant, so that looks like a typo.

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

Manuel wrote:

There is also a whole dialogue for "Operational Mode". Personally I would have put this under the Preferences window, but at least the menu item is easy to understand so if I ever need to change this option it wouldn't be hard to find. BTW isn't this supposed to be "Operation Mode" (not "operational mode")? When a system is said to be operational, it means the system is working correctly. In this case two options are available and neither result in a system that is more or less operational. Besides, when the dialog opens, the title bar reads "TotalMix FX Operation Mode Select", which sounds more like what RME meant, so that looks like a typo.

What about operating mode?

FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2

Re: RME TotalMix FX Settings vs Preferences?

oli77sch wrote:

What about operating mode?

I've seen "operation mode" and "operating mode" used interchangeably. Either works for me as long as it's used consistently throughout the user interface (i.e. both in the Options menu and on the dialog title bar). Google produces more than twice as many search results for "operation mode", but that's just a context-less search.