I think that being able to set a Default session for every new project would be great! For example: having only the ‘Min:Sec’, ‘Bars & Beats’ and ‘Ranges’ rulers visible, hiding the Master track and adding a track with a-Fluid Synth on.
It would be nice to be able to set the default synth that is opened when creating a new MiDi track too and even having default presets for the actual instruments would be great as well!
Sorry! That was a lot! Just an idea!
With exception of setting the default synth in the “new track” dialog, everything else is already possible.
You can create a template that features all those and also script show/hiding of rulers as needed. (I’m not sure if you can hide the master-bus in 5.12 template though, that may have come after). Ardour5 comes with a “Live Band” template that may serve as inspritation.
While we appreciate the enthusiasm, ideas and feedback, if you don’t file it at tracker.ardour.org it is all but assured that it will be forgotten.
In this particular case, there are already existing feature requests for parts of this.
You can create your own session templates, and use them while creating sessions. That will do a lot of what you’re asking for.
(Sorry @paul, I just thought I’d post here as it’s not a big deal and you have more important features you’re working on… )
I didn’t even notice the Save Template option! I just tried it and it does indeed save the hidden Master track @x42. It also saved my a-Fluid Synth track but not the preset on it… Once the new project opened with the new template, the Bars & Beats ruler said it ‘could not handle 0 bars’, though. Is there an extra step I missed?
PS: When it comes to instrument presets, I mean a Default that is set as soon as the plugin is opened, without having to select it first… it’s only two extra seconds, though! Not a big deal 
That is a known bug (all new sessions are affected). It’ll go away next time when you zoom in/out.
BTW, The template does not save ruler layout. Ardour remembers the GUI settings separately from session-settings, and uses the most-recently used. That may however be sufficient for your case.
If you need to, you can force hide/show specific rulers and change clock-modes using a Lua script with the session template:
Create a file “template.lua” in your template folder e.g. ~/.config/ardour5/templates/_YOUR-TEMPLATE-NAME-HERE_/template.lua with the following content:
-- If a script named 'template.lua' exists in a session-template folder
-- a callback function is called after creating the session from the template.
function factory () return function ()
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-tempo-ruler", true)
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-meter-ruler", true)
Editor:access_action ("Transport", "primary-clock-bbt")
Editor:access_action ("Transport", "secondary-clock-minsec")
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-minsec-ruler", false)
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-timecode-ruler", false)
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-samples-ruler", false)
Editor:set_toggleaction ("Rulers", "toggle-bbt-ruler", true)
end end
Plugin presets or MIDI patches/progams?
For the former, I’d use the favorite plugin sidebar in the mixer window: That can directly add a plugin with a given preset. Track-templates are another option.
MIDI patches/programs are not part of the plugin state, but the track and also subject to live input changes. Tricky.