Visual feedback

[deadayer]

EasyEffects Version

7.2.1

What package are you using?

Flatpak (Flathub)

Distribution

Fedora 41

Describe the bug

This is more of an enhancement than a bug, but it would be very welcome to have some type of visual feedback on the Global Bypass button to more easily discern when its on or off.

Expected Behavior

No response

Debug Log

Debug Log

Paste your log here

Additional Information

No response

[Digitalone1]

In addition to this one, I noticed a weird behavior. When all apps are excluded/disabled, the global L/R output levels are not updated. But they are updated when the global bypass is enabled. Maybe we shouldn't update them neither with the global bypass enabled.

[wwmm]

When all apps are excluded/disabled, the global L/R output levels are not updated.

That is because with nothing playing the pipeline becomes inactive. As there is no audio passing through it anymore there is no new level to be shown.

But they are updated when the global bypass is enabled.

In this case there is something playing to our virtual sink and the pipeline stays active. And as a result there are new levels to be shown.

Maybe we shouldn't update them neither with the global bypass enabled.

I think we should keep things as they are because not having anything sending audio to us is different from receiving audio but not applying effects to it.

[wwmm]

Back to the current issue I think we have a discussion about the bypass button icon somewhere. But I do not remember where it is.

[Digitalone1]

I think we should keep things as they are because not having anything sending audio to us is different from receiving audio but not applying effects to it.

If I remember correctly, this is because in bypass mode we still let the audio go through the spectrum and the output level.

If we bypass also those sinks and link the EE sink directly to the speakers, the spectrum and the output meters won't update.

I'm not saying this is a solution, but at least it's an additional "visual feedback".

Back to the current issue I think we have a discussion about the bypass button icon somewhere. But I do not remember where it is.

Yes, I remember that discussion, but lost the link. It was mainly on the icon that was considered "not properly" designed for a bypass. But I think the user wants a feedback that is more than the bypass button toggled.

[wwmm]

I'm not saying this is a solution, but at least it's an additional "visual feedback".

I think I prefer to have a clear indication that audio is still being redirected to EasyEffects. And the spectrum and the level meters still running do that. When we blocklist the app audio goes directly to the soundcard. But when all we do is bypass the application is still being redirected. Having a static window in EasyEffects with nothing updating may give the wrong idea that EasyEffects isn't doing anything to the audio app when it is still redirecting it.

Yes, I remember that discussion, but lost the link. It was mainly on the icon that was considered "not properly" designed for a bypass. But I think the user wants a feedback that is more than the bypass button toggled.

I tried the following in the Qt branch


. I wonder if just changing the color of the icon between positive and negative text colors is enough to reinforce the button state. Finding slightly different icons for each state is really tough.

[wwmm]

I wonder if just changing the color of the icon between positive and negative text colors is enough to reinforce the button state. Finding slightly different icons for each state is really tough.

A solution based on these colors may not play nice with color blinded people. But it may be better than keeping the icon as it is in both states.

[violetmage]

IMHO, for such an integral and stateful control the use of a emphasized switch type widget is warranted. A switch type will take more space but will avoid completely any accessibility or ambiguity issues.

[Digitalone1]

IMHO, for such an integral and stateful control the use of a emphasized switch type widget is warranted. A switch type will take more space but will avoid completely any accessibility or ambiguity issues.

As I said in another issue, people usually think the global bypass is like an enable/disable option. This is not the case since in global bypass mode the app is still operating, indeed the audio stream is still going through the EE sink, the spectrum and the level meters. It's just that the effects are bypassed.

But, yeah, since people don't care about that and they can be confused, an emphasized switch is not a bad idea, even if I still like the colored toggle button that we have now.

[wwmm]

A switch type will take more space but will avoid completely any accessibility or ambiguity issues.

The down side of the switch widget is that it requires a label. After all it looks the same anywhere it is being used. So the space actually being used is a lot bigger.

[wwmm]

As I said in another issue, people usually think the global bypass is like an enable/disable option.

In the Qt branch I've changed it to the "enable/disable" people would expect. Internally it is still a bypass. But now the button is on when effects is enabled. So the options for icons should be broader.