VSE: UI suggests greater than 32 channels are usable #90812

New Issue

David Salvo · 2021-08-21T04:50:59+02:00

David Salvo commented

2021-08-21 04:50:59 +02:00

System Information
Operating system: Linux-5.4.0-81-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.31 64 Bits
Graphics card: GeForce 9800 GT/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108

Blender Version
Broken: version: 3.0.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-08-18 20:22, hash: a217e043be
Worked: Unsure

Short description of error
More than 32 VSE channels are visible (seemingly infinite, I stopped after scrolling past 256), even though only 32 are usable. Honestly it would be good to have greater than 32 channels usable (I found out about the limit while working on a current project), but if not, then at least showing the true state of its limit would mean the behaviour could no longer be said to be buggy.

Also a couple of long-unsolved bugs related to channel display problems:
https://developer.blender.org/T79783
https://developer.blender.org/T57976

Exact steps for others to reproduce the error

Drag timeline canvas down until channels 33+ are exposed (all unusable)

**System Information** Operating system: Linux-5.4.0-81-generic-x86_64-with-glibc2.31 64 Bits Graphics card: GeForce 9800 GT/PCIe/SSE2 NVIDIA Corporation 3.3.0 NVIDIA 340.108 **Blender Version** Broken: version: 3.0.0 Alpha, branch: master, commit date: 2021-08-18 20:22, hash: `a217e043be` Worked: Unsure **Short description of error** More than 32 VSE channels are visible (seemingly infinite, I stopped after scrolling past 256), even though only 32 are usable. Honestly it would be good to have greater than 32 channels usable (I found out about the limit while working on a current project), but if not, then at least showing the true state of its limit would mean the behaviour could no longer be said to be buggy. Also a couple of long-unsolved bugs related to channel display problems: https://developer.blender.org/T79783 https://developer.blender.org/T57976 **Exact steps for others to reproduce the error** - Drag timeline canvas down until channels 33+ are exposed (all unusable)

David Salvo commented

2021-08-21 04:50:59 +02:00

Added subscriber: @slinkeepie

tintwotin commented

2021-08-22 06:38:23 +02:00

Added subscriber: @tintwotin

tintwotin commented

2021-08-22 06:38:23 +02:00

If you build Blender yourself you could try to change the value here #define MAXSEQ 32 https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/B/browse/master/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_sequence_types.h$490 to something else and do the testing needed to check if a change will cause unforseen problems(I guess this might be the major hold back).

Here's a quick test with 64 channels:
{F10302161,size=full}

If you build Blender yourself you could try to change the value here `#define MAXSEQ 32` https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/B/browse/master/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_sequence_types.h$490 to something else and do the testing needed to check if a change will cause unforseen problems(I guess this might be the major hold back). Here's a quick test with 64 channels: {[F10302161](https://archive.blender.org/developer/F10302161/64_channels.gif),size=full}

David Salvo commented

2021-08-22 07:32:54 +02:00

In #90812#1209639, @tintwotin wrote:
If you build Blender yourself you could try to change the value here #define MAXSEQ 32 https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/B/browse/master/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_sequence_types.h$490 to something else and do the testing needed to check if a change will cause unforseen problems(I guess this might be the major hold back).

Here's a quick test with 64 channels:

Hey Peter,

Actually I'm not that technical - though I have a coding history, I ended up pursuing other things. Would love to learn a "language for life" one day, such as python, but for now I just write bash scripts for my own purposes. I definitely have no C/C++ knowledge :( So as much as I'd love to contribute with code and wholly admire/envy the coders here, I've found I'm most useful contributing funding, and now trying my best to turn VSE into a more polished editor by contributing bug reports.

Having said that, at least in this case as you've pointed out it's a super easy initial change (potentially), and if I do get time to try building blender myself I will definitely try it out if no one has dealt with it! For now it's a rabbit hole I don't want to go down due to time constraints and other priorities (I get obsessed easily...). Why isn't such a simple/logical change implemented already though? I know VSE isn't the priority, but reliability and polish is super important. If I had the skills, I really would love to contribute fixes, but alas. And I guess there's only so many developers to go around, and everyone here is stretched, especially towards the 3D side.

Thanks for the work you've done on and attention you've given to the VSE as well. I really do enjoy the power and core mechanics of it, which is why it's my editor of choice. I just hope that bit by bit the usability issues and random erroneous code can be weeded out and fixed to the point it can be used without unexpected things happening. Hence my mission to report every bug I find! (Minus general instability issues... I get a lot of slow performance and crashes on my machine, but there are a lot of bug reports open for that stuff, and hopefully that's all on the way to being fixed. Currently I am just reporting on usability/functional issues).

> In #90812#1209639, @tintwotin wrote: > If you build Blender yourself you could try to change the value here `#define MAXSEQ 32` https://developer.blender.org/diffusion/B/browse/master/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_sequence_types.h$490 to something else and do the testing needed to check if a change will cause unforseen problems(I guess this might be the major hold back). > > Here's a quick test with 64 channels: Hey Peter, Actually I'm not that technical - though I have a coding history, I ended up pursuing other things. Would love to learn a "language for life" one day, such as python, but for now I just write bash scripts for my own purposes. I definitely have no C/C++ knowledge :( So as much as I'd love to contribute with code and wholly admire/envy the coders here, I've found I'm most useful contributing funding, and now trying my best to turn VSE into a more polished editor by contributing bug reports. Having said that, at least in this case as you've pointed out it's a super easy initial change (potentially), and if I do get time to try building blender myself I will definitely try it out if no one has dealt with it! For now it's a rabbit hole I don't want to go down due to time constraints and other priorities (I get obsessed easily...). Why isn't such a simple/logical change implemented already though? I know VSE isn't the priority, but reliability and polish is super important. If I had the skills, I really would love to contribute fixes, but alas. And I guess there's only so many developers to go around, and everyone here is stretched, especially towards the 3D side. Thanks for the work you've done on and attention you've given to the VSE as well. I really do enjoy the power and core mechanics of it, which is why it's my editor of choice. I just hope that bit by bit the usability issues and random erroneous code can be weeded out and fixed to the point it can be used without unexpected things happening. Hence my mission to report every bug I find! (Minus general instability issues... I get a lot of slow performance and crashes on my machine, but there are a lot of bug reports open for that stuff, and hopefully that's all on the way to being fixed. Currently I am just reporting on usability/functional issues).

tintwotin commented

2021-08-22 08:16:03 +02:00

If you haven't already, you could join the VSE chat: https://blender.chat/channel/vse/ Here we discuss any VSE related question, ex. if you find something odd and you're unsure if it's a bug, it would be a good place to discuss it first.
There are many ways to contribute without being able to code ex. testing new patches or experimental builds can also be a great help.

Having a setup to build Blender is mainly about downloading and installing the right stuff https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender/Linux And ask for help if you get stuck. Applying diffs(patches) is quite simple too. You do not have to code to do any of that stuff, but that would allow you to quickly try out a new patch and report bugs in it if you find any.

If you haven't already, you could join the VSE chat: https://blender.chat/channel/vse/ Here we discuss any VSE related question, ex. if you find something odd and you're unsure if it's a bug, it would be a good place to discuss it first. There are many ways to contribute without being able to code ex. testing new patches or experimental builds can also be a great help. Having a setup to build Blender is mainly about downloading and installing the right stuff https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender/Linux And ask for help if you get stuck. Applying diffs(patches) is quite simple too. You do not have to code to do any of that stuff, but that would allow you to quickly try out a new patch and report bugs in it if you find any.

David Salvo commented

2021-08-22 08:36:17 +02:00

In #90812#1209643, @tintwotin wrote:
If you haven't already, you could join the VSE chat: https://blender.chat/channel/vse/ Here we discuss any VSE related question, ex. if you find something odd and you're unsure if it's a bug, it would be a good place to discuss it first.
There are many ways to contribute without being able to code ex. testing new patches or experimental builds can also be a great help.

Having a setup to build Blender is mainly about downloading and installing the right stuff https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender/Linux And ask for help if you get stuck. Applying diffs(patches) is quite simple too. You do not have to code to do any of that stuff, but that would allow you to quickly try out a new patch and report bugs in it if you find any.

Thanks Peter, I will definitely try to delve a bit deeper when life allows! Think I did sign up for chat at one point, I'll check it out again :)

> In #90812#1209643, @tintwotin wrote: > If you haven't already, you could join the VSE chat: https://blender.chat/channel/vse/ Here we discuss any VSE related question, ex. if you find something odd and you're unsure if it's a bug, it would be a good place to discuss it first. > There are many ways to contribute without being able to code ex. testing new patches or experimental builds can also be a great help. > > Having a setup to build Blender is mainly about downloading and installing the right stuff https://wiki.blender.org/wiki/Building_Blender/Linux And ask for help if you get stuck. Applying diffs(patches) is quite simple too. You do not have to code to do any of that stuff, but that would allow you to quickly try out a new patch and report bugs in it if you find any. Thanks Peter, I will definitely try to delve a bit deeper when life allows! Think I did sign up for chat at one point, I'll check it out again :)

Philipp Oeser commented

2021-08-23 14:46:43 +02:00

Added subscriber: @lichtwerk

Philipp Oeser commented

2021-08-23 14:46:43 +02:00

Changed status from 'Needs Triage' to: 'Confirmed'

Philipp Oeser commented

2021-08-23 14:46:43 +02:00

Can confirm.
(this might be in the grey zone of bug vs. "inconvenience" -- since I am not aware of any operators and such that are working wrong here, but still, I assume this should be tackled at one point).

Can confirm. (this might be in the grey zone of bug vs. "inconvenience" -- since I am not aware of any operators and such that are working wrong here, but still, I assume this should be tackled at one point).

Philipp Oeser commented

2021-09-17 13:10:21 +02:00

In #90812#1210334, @lichtwerk wrote:
Can confirm.
(this might be in the grey zone of bug vs. "inconvenience" -- since I am not aware of any operators and such that are working wrong here, but still, I assume this should be tackled at one point).

Well, a "failing" operator has been reported here #91478 (VSE: Paste several strips in channel 32 will insert them on top of each other)

> In #90812#1210334, @lichtwerk wrote: > Can confirm. > (this might be in the grey zone of bug vs. "inconvenience" -- since I am not aware of any operators and such that are working wrong here, but still, I assume this should be tackled at one point). Well, a "failing" operator has been reported here #91478 (VSE: Paste several strips in channel 32 will insert them on top of each other)

Philipp Oeser removed the

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VSE: UI suggests greater than 32 channels are usable #90812