Unable to switch between saved presets: the app disappears

[Moostek]

Hello,

I noticed the issue with saved presets, i.e. "Scenes". I have four presets and when I want to change from one preset to another, the app disappears, so I have to start it again. So there is obvious bug. I run Metronome on Android 12.

Thank you for the fix of this issue.

[thetwom]

Sorry to hear, that the app crashes. In order to track down the issue, I think we would not get around you to provide some more detailed information.

As a start, you could try to export the scenes and post the file here. Maybe it is reproducable.

Otherwise it would be helpful to get some infos of the so-called logcat. Still not sure, what the best way is to easily create it, here I once described a way:
#60 (comment)

or in case you use linux:
thetwom/Tuner#85 (comment)

[Moostek]

I just inform you about the issue. I guess it can be easily simulated with creating some presets on your phone(s). Thank you.

[thetwom]

Thanks for informing. The problem is, that I cannot reproduce this issue. I just tried to create presets and switch between them and everything works as expected.

[Moostek]

I understand. So what do you suggest? Do you think reinstalaton might help?

[thetwom]

Difficult to say. If it is just to fix the issue in your case (but it won't fix the root cause, meaning it could happen again):

• Yes reinstallation might help.
• More easy, you could try to delete your scenes (presets) and recreate them.

More ideally we would try to track down the root cause:

• As a starting point, you could export your scenes set (three vertical dots to top right, then "save to file") and provide the file here. Maybe it is due to your specific scenes and it is reproducible.
• More ideally, you would be able to record the system logs (logcat) while the app crashes and then provide the info. But as the links above tell, this involves some efforts.

One more note:

• Maybe consider migrating to the successor app: metronome. I will still try to fix your issue if possible, but main development goes into this other app.

[Moostek]

Maybe I found why I was unable to switch between Scenes. I deleted all four Scenes. I created new ones with new names. The point is that I used special characters with my original Scenes such as: ", ! and Czech localization as "ž" letter etc. For now, without special characters and Czech localization letters, I can switch between Scenes. So I guess it might be the core of the problem. Can you add text suport for other languages and special characters?

Anyway, I found there is another problem, independent on the Scene and its name. When I want to delete beat, let say from 8/8 to 4/4, I tap the notes area, try to delete beats with moving the beats to the trash bin, but the app crashes, i.e. I am unable to delete beats, I am stuck with this. Also, when I touch the Delete button, the app freezes too. Beside the fix this issue I also suggest to add the "-" button under the big "+" button for easy adding and removing beats (both buttons will be smaller of the same size).

p.s.: Yes, I know about the successor Metronome app, but this app missing some visual features.

[thetwom]

I installed Android 12 on an emulator and tried different scenes with special characters as provided by you. I also tried deleting beats by moving them to the trash bin, everything without any issues.

So, something seems special in your case. Would be really interesting to find out the root cause but I also understand that getting logcat info is nothing one would easily do.

In case you can find any patterns, how to reproduce an issue, please let me know, maybe something can give me a hint about what is happening.

[thetwom]

Just of interests, what visual feature are you missing in the successor?

[Moostek]

Well, did you try the special and Czech characters in Scenes name fields? It might the core of the problem, because now switching between the Scenes works without special characters. But beat deletion is impossible to perform. I guess there must be some special situation bug. It was like this: I used three 4-beat Scenes without special and Czech characters, then I added 4th Scene with 8-beat pattern, and then I renamed all four Scenes with special and Czech characters. Since this time it was unable to switch between the Scenes. So I deleted the Scenes and created new ones without special and Czech characters, and since then it was possible to switch the Scenes. But I found that all four Scenes they are 8-beat ones, so I tried to delete 4 beats from three 8 beats Scenes, but it is unable to delete any single beat from these Scene.

I have usual Android 12, no root, nothing. If you can, try to emulate it on Samsung phone.

Do you also stay behind the Metronome successor? I miss in the successor highlighting beats inside the "beat circle" (I mean the "tic-toc" with green colour). And also, this original Metronome app has more visible running beat in the "beat line". But I like the Metronome successor too, it is more minimalist (better GUI, better design), what I like. I have it installed too;)

[thetwom]

Thanks for the further description. I tried around, created scenes, renamed them with special (also Czech characters), but I don't succeed with reproducing the bug

I only can emulate Android versions, not specific phones.

Did you try to rename one of you scenes again with special characters?

Unfortunately at the moment there is not much I can do. There are just not enough clues at the moment which could give a hint of what it could be.

Yes, basically I replaced this metronome with the new one using more modern technology, so it is easier to extend.

Ok, I understand that the tic-toc in the circle is something one could miss. But at least, in the new metronome, you can change the visual effects on the play button. But sure, not the same :-).

[Moostek]

I uninstalled the app and installed it again. I also created same three 4-beat presets (named them without any special and CZ characters). I can switch between these Scenes, there is no problem. But when I want to delete any beat from all these three Scenes via Scene setup, the app disappears, i.e. is closed. So it is sure, there is some bug;)

Also, from this bug resulting a problem that when I establish 8-beat pattern, any other new pattern will have 8-beats (the app probably keep the last setting) and I can not change it, because I can not delete the beats.

Yes, I tried to changed the name of one scene with special and CZ characters and at this time it works, I can switch Scenes.

I like the new Metronome;) Do you think you can add there an option (different style) to highlight the beat process and the green tic-toc function as in this older Metronome?;)

[thetwom]

Definitely it is a bug :-). It is just that it seems difficult (impossible?) to reproduce phones or emulators to which I have access. And without being able to reproduce or very specific patterns it is like searching "a needle in a haystack". I tried setting the phone language to Czech, tried editing note patterns by editing scenes, creating deleting notes, doing it very quickly in different ways, ....

Either we are missing some specific ways you are setting up your scenes or it due to some specific behaviour on your phone.

At the moment I have only two ideas left (mentioned before):

• You create you scenes, then export them to a file (the three vertical dots in the scenes display, and the save to file). Then post it here. Maybe I can import them here and reproduce the issue. However, I have no big hopes here.
• You take the time and try to get the log infos of your phone. Often this contains info about why the app crashes. But this might take you a bit of time and efforts. At least I could try to guide you a bit ... it is really annoying that android does not provide an easier way here, but I guess most "professional app" rely on using the app from the play store and when it is installed from there, crash reports are somehow automatically sent to google, and you can access them. Actually, how did you install the app? Fdroid, apk from github? Maybe you could try installing it from play store and if we are lucky, I will get reports about your crashes? But at the moment I have no idea, when phones will send crash reports to google, if the user has to allow this, ...

If you have any other ideas of how I can reproduce it let me know. E. g. specific ways you are creating the scenes or whatever ...

Regarding the new metronome app. The UI is a bit different and I think it is more consequent to keep the visualization of ticks within the play button. If you have any other ideas how to visualize it better, let me know. What do you mean with "highlight the beat process"? I think it is very similar to the older one, no?

[Moostek]

I understand that you can not do more you can do now;) I am afraid I will have no time to scout Android for the log file. I installed the app from F-Droid. I welcome that there is no automated "crashlytics" tool, but yeah, on another side it is harder to get information about app crashes. I can try to install the app from Aurora (GP) first, but I am also unsure if you can get the crash info from Google (but I suppose you can, as it should be the reason why crashes are sent to devs, but with Google you never know.. I do not know how crash G-tools works).

The way I create Scenes is simple: I adjust the bpm, then add beats and notes and than I save the preset under desired name. I have no special phone, there is ordinary latest Android 12 in CZ localization.

Well, you are right, the new Metronome is really close to its predecessor;) With the old one I prefer the "Alternate" Tick visualization style. In the new Metronome app the tic-toc highlight is presented too, which is really similar to this "circle style". "Running beat process" is de facto same. But maybe I have couple of tips:

1. I guess it will be fine if actual beat (note) will be in blue colour during the play. Can you implement this to the Settings?
2. It will be fine to have a setting to highlight the 1st beat in beat cycle. In other words, in 4/4 beat it will be highlighted the 1st beat (1/4): this beat will be highlighted with another colour (for example green) in the tic-toc stripe + the note below.
3. I think it will be fine to have a simple button to switch off the sound and run the metronome just visually - a button for that just beside the Settings icon.
4. Also "beat detector" will be fine.
   What do you think?
   As stated earlier, I like the new version;)

[thetwom]

Fully agree with your reasoning about fdroid and play. And I do not want to push you to install things from google play. Also I understand that getting logcat infos is too cumbersome. So no good way out here :-). There is one option left, one could try to catch the error, when it is crashing and allow the user to copy-and-paste it ... . But this would need development efforts and testing ... so not 1st priority at the moment.

Regarding your suggestions:

1. You mean to highlight the active note with another color? Seems straighforward, but might become a bit tricky. Question is when to switch back to normal color. When the next note starts? But, what on multiline rhythms if two note are very close, one might be highlighted only very quickly? The progress indicator avoids these difficulties.
2. So you mean to give the beat one a bit more pronounced visual feedback? In the end it's comes down to similar difficulties as 1. In the end, to do it right, one would need to allow not just setting the sound of single notes, but also colors ... but this would make the ui more involved :-).
3. I know that there is this button in the old metronome. For me it was too prominent for a feature most users probably never use. In the new app I decided to implement it indirectly as an "effects". So you can add a volume effect, set the volume to zero. And if you want to temporarily switch sound back on, you just turn the effect off ...
4. With "beat detector" you mean that one records a sound and automatically adjust to it? Definitely something attractive, but a bit more evolved to do, so definitely not something which can be done short-term.

Thanks a lot for your descriptions and patience. Sorry, that things go very slowly :-).

[Moostek]

Yes, I agree with you about Goggle and stuff. And yes, it will be nice to have a function for grabbing the error - simply copy, paste and send it to you. But as you stated, it will need a development. I understand it is no priority, but maybe later you can try.

New Metronome tips:

1 + 2) Highlighting the 1st beat (beginning of the cycle)
I mean just to highlight the 1st beat, the beginning of the beat - 1st beat (note) of the beat cycle, i.e. to distinguish the 1st beat (note) with another colour from all other followed beats. Basically previous points 1 and 2 they are about the same: to highlight: a) "tic-toc frame (box)", b) highlight the note). Yes, the native blue colour will come back immediately after the 1st note, before another note is going to start. What do you mean with "multiline", please? My point is that every cycle has the beginning - the first note (beat), so this 1st note (beat) will be highlighted with another colour. This option should be optional in the Settings, of course;) Together with ability to select the colour, if possible.
3) Mute button
I am really up to this button! Sometimes I want to play according the metronome, but without sound (like in a studio for example) and I need a fast switcher to do it. So this button - besides the Settings button - is perfect and easy solution - on single touch. It is useful and it makes sense. Can you implement it there (via Settings for example)?
4) Beat detector
Exactly, the phone will listen the sounds and according the algorithm will set up the tempo. This function will help me to determine the tempo of my new song sketches for example;) I can determine the tempo manually, sure, but such function will make it even faster.

I know things take some time, but I think that these tips might help your simple cool Metronome even better;)