AUv3 Widget (Embed Plugin UI Directly on the Canvas)
under review
Sylvain Guieu
Description:
Allow any AUv3 instrument/effect to appear as a
widget
on the canvas—resizable, theme-aware, and mappable—so performers can tweak plugins directly without opening floating windows.Problem:
AUv3s open in separate panels that obscure the layout, break flow on stage, and don’t persist well across pages. Users want always-visible, space-efficient plugin controls that live with their loops, faders, and macros.
Proposed Solution:
- Widget Type:“AUv3 Widget” that hosts the plugin’s view inside a framed, resizable container (XS → Fullscreen).
- Layout & Views:Multipleview modes:Full UI,Compact UI(plugin-provided), andMini Panel(user-selected parameters as knobs/faders + meters). Snap-to-grid, aspect locks, safe-area padding.
- Focus & Control:OptionalFocus-Follow(hardware maps to the widget’s plugin when selected);Focus Lockto prevent steals.
- Parameter Mapping:Pick parameters into the Mini Panel, add per-control range/curve, and bi-directional feedback. Learn from gestures or MIDI.
- State & Presets:Per-widgetPreset selector,A/B compare, andState recallwith project; “Copy state to all instances of this plugin.”
- Performance:GPU-friendly compositing;Sleep when offscreen(optional),Auto-Suspendwhen silent; per-widget CPU meter and tail handling.
- Safety:Sandboxed; restore on crash;Safe Modefallback to Mini Panel if the full UI fails to render.
- Actions & Variables:
- Actions:
Show/Hide AUv3 Widget
, Toggle View Mode
, Select Preset
, Randomize Params
, Bypass/Enable
, Open Native Window
. - Vars:
au.name
, au.preset
, au.cpu
, au.isBypassed
, au.focused
, au.param["Cutoff"]
. - Automation & Themes:Themeable frame (title, icon, color), title-bar shortcuts, and page-level visibility rules (only show on Page X).
Benefits:
- Keep critical plugin controls in sightand integrated with the performance layout.
- Faster tweaks, fewer window toggles, less risk on stage.
- Consistent mappings and presets per page/project.
- Lower CPU surprises with suspend/sleep plus inline meters.
Examples:
- Place a reverb AUv3as a Mini Panel (Mix/Time/HP/LP) next to vocal loops; tap to expand to Full UI during soundcheck.
- Use Focus-Followso an 8-knob controller always controls theselected AUv3 widget; lock focus for precise edits.
- A synth AUv3widget on the keys page shows macro knobs; a footswitch triggersPreset Nextwhile the widget confirms the name.
- On dense pages, widgets default to Compact; opening the editor temporarily pops the Full UI; closing returns to Compact automatically.
This summary was automatically generated by GPT-5 Thinking on 2025-09-26.
Original Post:
AUv3 widget
A widget acting as a place older for an AUv3 content, inside a page. This could be specially helpful for MIDI plugins, for things we cannot achieve with Loopy Pro widgets. Or to drop effect AUv3 in a page without having to remap anything.
A
Andrew Camp
This would be a amazing and I have been trying to work around this issue. Specifically with wanting a tuner app on my main performance page. But also being able to have the AU's already open on other pages would be pretty amazing.
ultracello
marked this post as
under review