Add logic to ignore nonstandard G8 starpower markings where possible to detect them ( < 2 )

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As posted here:
http://www.fretsonfire.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=25040&p=317562#p317562

Apparently, one of the popular fretting programs (dB) marks solo sections
with a MIDI note on G8.  

These songs need a special song.ini entry to tell FoFiX to ignore the G8
marker notes and generate starpower sections automatically.

Original issue reported on code.google.com by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 3 Dec 2008 at 1:02

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There might also be a way to automatically detect these songs; but only if we 
were to
determine and enforce a "minimum number of starpower paths" required to use the 
auto
MIDI starpower marking logic.

for instance, songs with less than 2 starpower paths would be largely useless 
(one
could only gain 25% starpower and never activate it), so obviously any song 
marked
with only one G8 note should default to the auto-generated starpower phrases.

Songs with multiple solos marked in dB would be a bit fuzzier... although I 
think
that any song with less than 4 starpower paths marked should probably default 
to the
auto-generated starpower paths.  

Then only special songs from dB that have 5 or more solos marked on G8 would 
require
the special song.ini setting to force auto-generated starpower paths.

Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2008 at 4:44

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I guess the question becomes then, what should the threshold / cutoff value for 
this
detection be?

I've never seen a GH or RB song that I could count the starpower paths on one 
hand...
there's always a ton of starpower phrases marked in the real songs, when their
markings are ripped correctly.

So, as I'm not a fretter, I'm going to need the input of fretters -- especially 
those
that have worked with dB and marked solo sections.  

As of right now, I believe the cutoff should be 5.  If there are 5 or more MIDI
starpower / overdrive phrases marked on G8, they should be considered starpower
markings as normal.  If there are 4 or less marker notes on G8, they will be
considered nonstandard solo markings and be ignored in favor of the old
automatically-generated starpower paths.

Can anyone provide experience or examples where a cutoff of 5 would be 
problematic in
a significant number of custom-fretted songs?  If there are only a few cases of 
this,
then perfect - those unlucky song.inis will require a setting to force automatic
starpower path generation.  Otherwise, a higher cutoff might be better.  Keep 
in mind
though we also have to be sure that there are no songs out there with real 
starpower
markings that would fall under the cutoff and therefore never have their 
starpower
paths used.

Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2008 at 5:06

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"
db == feedback

And there is a RB song with only 2 SP phrases. Doll by Foo Fighters
"

"
Thank you. Well that is certainly important to know.

How about GH songs? RB MIDIs are already detected separately, and this should 
not
bother the new logic I'm talking about.

If there are no GH1/2/3/80's/Aerosmith songs with less than 5 starpower 
phrases, this
will still work.

---- EDIT ----

OR -

Anyone out there really know the GH1/2/3/80's/A MIDI structures well? (ok, 
forget
GH3, I know our GH3 rips have jack **** other than the played notes) If so, is 
there
perhaps another MIDI marker note that is ALWAYS present at least somewhere in 
the
song that I can use to detect that this is a GH MIDI with GH MIDI starpower 
markings?
As opposed to whatever creates only the solo section markers on G8 and nothing 
else...
"

Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2008 at 7:01

• Changed title: _Add song.ini setting to ignore nonstandard G8 starpower markings for some custom songs _

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OK - unless someone has a reasonable objection, I'm going to do the following 
for
this issue:

For ANY starpower or overdrive markings to be used from the MIDI, FoFiX will 
first
make sure that there are at least TWO starpower / overdrive paths marked (which 
is
indeed the minimum required for usage in the majority of all cases).  If not, 
then
starpower / overdrive paths will be automatically generated like before.

This takes care of the main problem, which was that some PH3 songs were showing 
up
with only ONE starpower / overdrive phrase, which only rewards 25% and is not 
enough
to activate.

No song.ini setting will be added, nor is one necessary.  Fretters have complete
control over whether or not starpower is marked in a song.

Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 4 Dec 2008 at 10:04

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Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 5 Dec 2008 at 6:26

• Changed state: Started

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Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 5 Dec 2008 at 6:27

• Changed title: Add logic to ignore nonstandard G8 starpower markings where possible to detect them ( < 2 )

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Fixed in r524.

Example log entry when this situation is detected and corrected:

"
(W) Instrument Guitar only has one starpower path marked!  ...falling back on
auto-generated paths for this instrument.
"

and yes, this now occurs on an instrument-by-instrument basis.  (you can have 
this
problem on a single instrument and only that instrument will be forced to use
auto-generated starpower paths).

Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 5 Dec 2008 at 6:44

• Changed state: Fixed

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Great work Chris!

Original comment by evily...@gmail.com on 5 Dec 2008 at 1:29

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Original comment by chris.paiano@gmail.com on 3 Jan 2009 at 2:38

• Added labels: Milestone-Release-3.100