docs/design/part-controller.txt

Controller
----------

The controller subsystem allows to automate element property changes. It works
so that all parameter changes are time based and elements request property
updates at processing time.

Element view
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elements don't need to do much. They need to:
- mark object properties that can be changed while processing with
  GST_PARAM_CONTROLLABLE
- call gst_object_sync_values (self, timestamp) in the processing function
  before accessing the parameters.
  
All ordered property types can be automated (int, double, boolean, enum). Other
property types can also be automated by using special control bindings. One can
e.g. write a control-binding that updates a text property based on timestamps.

Application view
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Applications need to setup the property automation. For that they need to create
a GstControlSource and attach it to a property using GstControlBinding. Various
control-sources and control-bindings exist. All control sources produce control
value sequences in the form of gdouble values. The control bindings map them to
the value range and type of the bound property.

One control-source can be attached to one or more properties at the same time.
If it is attached multiple times, then each control-binding will scale and
convert the control values to the target property type and range.

One can create complex control-curves by using a GstInterpolationControlSource.
This allows the classic user editable control-curve (often seen in audio/video
editors). Another way is to use computed control curves. GstLFOControlSource can
generate various repetitive signals. Those can be made more complex by chaining
the control sources. One can attach another control-source to e.g. modulate the
frequency of the first GstLFOControlSource.

In most cases GstControlBindingDirect will be the binding to be used. Other
control bindings are there to handle special cases, such as having 1-4 control-
sources and combine their values into a single guint to control a rgba-color
property.


TODO
~~~~
control-source value ranges
- control sources should ideally emit values between [0.0 and 1.0]
- right now lfo-control-sources emits values between [-1.0 and 1.0]
- we can make control-sources announce that or fix it in a lfo2-control-source

ranged-control-binding
- it might be a nice thing to have a control-binding that has scale and offset
  properties
- when attaching a control-source to e.g. volume, one needs to be aware that
  the values go from [0.0 to 4.0]
- we can also have a "mapping-mode"={AS_IS, TRANSFORMED} on direct-control-binding
  and two extra properties that are used in TRANSFORMED mode
  
control-setup descriptions
- it would be nice to have a way to parse a textual control-setup description. This
  could be used in gst-launch and in presets. It needs to be complemented with a
  formatter (for the preset storage or e.g. for debug logging).
- this could be function-style:
  direct(control-source=lfo(waveform='sine',offset=0.5))
  or gst-launch style (looks weird)
  lfo wave=sine offset=0.5 ! direct .control-source