For issue #118, added rc option to auto-enable virtual ports.

TODO

@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 TO DO for Seq66 0.99.10
 Chris Ahlstrom
-2019-04-13 to 2023-10-07
+2019-04-13 to 2023-10-08
 
 Misc:
 
-    -   Issue #118
     -   Document and test mute groups. Issues:
         -   performer: cliear_mute_groups(), reset_mute_groups(), and
             mutegroup_reset() all basically do the same things, except
@@ -332,15 +331,14 @@ ISSUES:
 
 #117 Option to close pattern windows with esc key?
 
-    STATUS: Thinking... This can be done if (1) not playing; and
-    (2) not in Paint mode.
+    STATUS: Done, not yet official.
 
 #118 When enabling virtual ports, make those new ports enabled by default?
     Currently one has to tick the box to enable and enter the number of output
     and input ports, restart seq66, and then tick all the input port
     checkboxes in the list then restart seq66 again.
 
-    STATUS: At least make it an rc option.
+    STATUS: Done, not yet official.
 
 #119 Quantized Record Active does not work
     Having this button active has no effect; tried changing snap size to

data/linux/qseq66.rc

@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ MIDI Clocks and MIDI Inputs tabs.
 
 # Provides a flag and file-name for MIDI-control I/O settings. '""' means
 # no 'ctrl' file. If none, default keystrokes are used, with no MIDI control.
+# Note that all configuration files are stored in the "home" configuration
+# directory; any paths in the file-names are stripped.
 
 [midi-control-file]
 
@@ -119,6 +121,7 @@ tempo-track = 0
 [manual-ports]
 
 virtual-ports = false
+auto-enable = false
 output-port-count = 8
 input-port-count = 4
 

doc/latex/tex/menu.tex

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 % \library     Documents
 % \author      Chris Ahlstrom
 % \date        2015-08-31
-% \update      2023-10-07
+% \update      2023-10-08
 % \version     $Revision$
 % \license     $XPC_GPL_LICENSE$
 %
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ \subsubsection{Menu / Edit / Preferences}
    \texttt{-{}-reveal-ports} (\texttt{-r}) option.
    If you define these sections, they should match your
    hardware exactly, and your hardware should not change from session to
-   session.
+   session (or port-mapping should be enabled).
    If the "auto ALSA ports" option is turned on, via the \texttt{-a} or
    \texttt{-{}-auto-ports} option, then
    the input ports from the system are shown.
@@ -829,21 +829,24 @@ \subsubsection{Menu / Edit / Preferences}
 
    \itempar{Input/Output Recording}{record!by channel}
    \index{input by channel}
-   \textbf{Record input into sequence according to channel}
+   \textbf{Record input into patterns by channel}
    causes MIDI input with multiple channels to be distributed to
    each sequence according to MIDI channel number.
    When disabled, the normal recording behavior dumps all data into the current
    sequence, regardless of channel.
 
    \itempar{Input/Output Virtual Ports}{ports!virtual}
-   \textbf{Use virtual (manual) I/O Ports}
-   This new option
+   \textbf{Use virtual (manual) I/O ports}
+   This option
    allows for configuration of the manual-ports option from within the
    user-interace. 
    Once the option is enable
    A \textsl{reload session} (see \sectionref{subsec:concepts_reload_session})
    is necessary for this option to take effect.
 
+   \itempar{Virtual Ports Auto-Enable}{ports!virtual auto-enable}
+   \textbf{Auto-enable virtual I/O ports}
+
 \paragraph{Menu / Edit / Preferences / Keyboard (removed)}
 \label{paragraph:menu_edit_preferences_keyboard}
 

libseq66/include/cfg/rcsettings.hpp

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
  * \library       seq66 application
  * \author        Chris Ahlstrom
  * \date          2015-09-22
- * \updates       2023-10-04
+ * \updates       2023-10-07
  * \license       GNU GPLv2 or above
  *
  *  This collection of variables describes the options of the application,
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ class rcsettings final : public basesettings
     bool m_song_start_is_auto;      /**< True if "auto" read from 'rc'.     */
     bool m_filter_by_channel;       /**< Record only sequence channel data. */
     bool m_manual_ports;            /**< [manual-ports] setting.            */
+    bool m_manual_auto_enable;      /**< [manual-port] auto-enable.         */
     int m_manual_port_count;        /**< [manual-ports] outputjport count.  */
     int m_manual_in_port_count;     /**< [manual-ports] inputjport count.   */
     bool m_reveal_ports;            /**< [reveal-ports] setting.            */
@@ -911,6 +912,11 @@ class rcsettings final : public basesettings
         return m_manual_ports;
     }
 
+    bool manual_auto_enable () const
+    {
+        return m_manual_auto_enable;
+    }
+
     int manual_port_count () const
     {
         return m_manual_port_count;
@@ -1341,6 +1347,11 @@ class rcsettings final : public basesettings
         m_manual_ports = flag;
     }
 
+    void  manual_auto_enable (bool flag)
+    {
+        m_manual_auto_enable = flag;
+    }
+
     void manual_port_count (int count)
     {
         if (count <= 0 || count > c_output_buss_max)

libseq66/include/midi/midibase.hpp

@@ -143,16 +143,16 @@ class midibase
 
     /**
      *  This flag indicates if an input or output bus has been selected for
-     *  action as an input device (such as a MIDI controller).  It is turned on
-     *  if the user selects the port in the Options / MIDI Input tab.
+     *  action as an input device (such as a MIDI controller).  It is turned
+     *  on if the user selects the port in the Options / MIDI Input tab.
      */
 
     bool m_io_active;
 
     /**
-     *   Indicates if the port is unavailable. For example, when the
-     *   Windows MIDI Mapper grabs the GS wave-table synthesizer.
-     *   The port is not just disabled... it cannot be enabled.
+     *   Indicates if the port is unavailable. For example, when the Windows
+     *   MIDI Mapper grabs the GS wave-table synthesizer.  The port is not
+     *   just disabled... it cannot be enabled.
      */
 
     bool m_unavailable;

libseq66/src/cfg/rcfile.cpp

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  * \library       seq66 application
  * \author        Chris Ahlstrom
  * \date          2018-11-23
- * \updates       2023-09-15
+ * \updates       2023-10-08
  * \license       GNU GPLv2 or above
  *
  *  The <code> ~/.config/seq66.rc </code> configuration file is fairly simple
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ rcfile::parse ()
 
     bool flag = get_boolean(file, tag, "virtual-ports");
     rc_ref().manual_ports(flag);
+    flag = get_boolean(file, tag, "auto-enable");
+    rc_ref().manual_auto_enable(flag);
 
     int count = get_integer(file, tag, "output-port-count");
     rc_ref().manual_port_count(count);
@@ -874,11 +876,12 @@ rcfile::write ()
     file << "\n"
 "# Set to true to create virtual ALSA/JACK I/O ports and not auto-connect\n"
 "# to other clients. It allows up to 48 output or input ports (defaults to 8\n"
-"# and 4). Set to false to auto-connect Seq66 to the existing ALSA/JACK MIDI\n"
-"# ports.\n"
+"# and 4). Keep it false to auto-connect Seq66 to real ALSA/JACK MIDI ports.\n"
+"# Set 'auto-enable' to enable all virtual ports automatically.\n"
 "\n[manual-ports]\n\n"
         ;
     write_boolean(file, "virtual-ports", rc_ref().manual_ports());
+    write_boolean(file, "auto-enable", rc_ref().manual_auto_enable());
     write_integer(file, "output-port-count", rc_ref().manual_port_count());
     write_integer(file, "input-port-count", rc_ref().manual_in_port_count());
 
@@ -887,8 +890,8 @@ rcfile::write ()
 "# These MIDI ports are for input and control. JACK's view: these are\n"
 "# 'playback' devices. The first number is the bus, the second number is the\n"
 "# input status, disabled (0) or enabled (1). The item in quotes is the full\n"
-"# input bus name.\n\n"
-"[midi-input]\n\n"
+"# input bus name. The type of port depends on the 'virtual-ports' setting.\n"
+"\n[midi-input]\n\n"
         << std::setw(2) << int(inbuses)
         << "      # number of MIDI input (or control) buses\n\n"
         ;
@@ -942,11 +945,10 @@ rcfile::write ()
 "#\n"
 "# With Clock Modulo, clocking doesn't begin until song position reaches the\n"
 "# start-modulo value [midi-clock-mod-ticks]. Ports that are unavailable\n"
-"# (because another portapplication, e.g. Windows MIDI Mapper, has exclusive\n"
-"# access to the device) are displayed ghosted.\n"
-"\n"
-"[midi-clock]\n"
-"\n"
+"# (because another port, e.g. Windows MIDI Mapper, has exclusive access to\n"
+"# the device) are displayed ghosted. The type of port depends on the\n"
+"# 'virtual-ports' setting.\n"
+"\n[midi-clock]\n\n"
         << std::setw(2) << int(outbuses)
         << "      # number of MIDI clocks (output/display buses)\n\n"
         ;

libseq66/src/cfg/rcsettings.cpp

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
  * \library       seq66 application
  * \author        Seq24 team; modifications by Chris Ahlstrom
  * \date          2015-09-22
- * \updates       2023-10-04
+ * \updates       2023-10-08
  * \license       GNU GPLv2 or above
  *
  *  Note that this module also sets the legacy global variables, so that
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ rcsettings::rcsettings () :
     m_song_start_mode           (sequence::playback::automatic),
     m_song_start_is_auto        (true),
     m_manual_ports              (false),
+    m_manual_auto_enable        (false),
     m_manual_port_count         (c_output_buss_default),
     m_manual_in_port_count      (c_input_buss_default),
     m_reveal_ports              (false),
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@ rcsettings::set_defaults ()
     m_song_start_mode           = sequence::playback::automatic;
     m_song_start_is_auto        = true;
     m_manual_ports              = false;
+    m_manual_auto_enable        = false;
     m_manual_port_count         = c_output_buss_default;
     m_manual_in_port_count      = c_input_buss_default;
     m_reveal_ports              = false;