Hide Param Group?

Monome
#1

Hi All,

I know it’s possible to toggle the visibility of individual params in Norns Params menu, but is it also possible to do the same for a param group?

Also, is it possible to change the displayed name of a param group after the group has been created?

I can’t see any reference to this in the docs, but is it also possible to in some way “grey out” a param or param group, rather than hiding completely?

#2

hi hi! hope the weekend went well :slight_smile:

just getting back into daily scripting after a weird break (hospital, etc), but i think i found some workable examples. hope these help!

yes!

in this example:

  • i create two groups and hide the first at script launch
  • using the params.lookup table, i find the ID of the hidden group and use it to toggle hidden status with K3
    • remember to include _menu.rebuild_params() after hiding or showing a parameter!
function init()
  params:add_separator("test script")
  params:add_group("group 1",3)
  for i = 1,3 do
    params:add{
      type = "option",
      id = "example "..i,
      name = "parameter "..i,
      options = {"hi","hello","welcome"},
      default = i
    }
  end
  params:add_group("group 2",3)
  for i = 1,3 do
    params:add{
      type = "option",
      id = "another example "..i,
      name = "parameter "..i,
      options = {"farewell","see ya","bye"},
      default = i
    }
  end
  
  params:hide('group 1')
  group_1_id = params.lookup["group 1"]
end

function key(n,z)
  if n == 3 and z == 1 then
    if params.hidden[group_1_id] then
      params:show("group 1")
    else
      params:hide("group 1")
    end
    _menu.rebuild_params()
    redraw()
  end
end

function redraw()
  screen.clear()
  screen.move(64,32)
  if params:visible(group_1_id) then
    screen.text("group 1 visible")
  else
    screen.text("group 1 hidden")
  end
  screen.update()
end
yes, with some gotchas!

renaming a parameter requires tracking the parameter ID, which we did in the previous example with group_1_id = params.lookup["group 1"], to find its position in the params.params table and change its name entry. however, the params.lookup table is string-indexed, built using the names we give our parameters upon creation (for example, when we create a params group). at this time, there aren’t any baked-in utilities for renaming a params item which would automatically update the params.lookup table, though. so, we just need to be careful when/how we use the lookup and whether use that string for other params actions.

for example, params:show can accept either a string (which it will lookup to find the ID) or a lookup ID, so if my script is set up with:

params:show("group 1")

and i change the visible name of “group 1” to “blah blah blah”, but i don’t also update the lookup table, then even though it shows as “blah blah blah” in the UI menu, it’ll always be known as “group 1” to the params system and this will error out:

params:show("blah blah blah")

…because “blah blah blah” doesn’t have a params.lookup entry.

here’s an example which builds off the previous and accounts for these gotchas / tries to mitigate weirdness:

function init()
  params:add_separator("test script")
  params:add_group("group 1",3)
  for i = 1,3 do
    params:add{
      type = "option",
      id = "example "..i,
      name = "parameter "..i,
      options = {"hi","hello","welcome"},
      default = i
    }
  end
  params:add_group("group 2",3)
  for i = 1,3 do
    params:add{
      type = "option",
      id = "another example "..i,
      name = "parameter "..i,
      options = {"farewell","see ya","bye"},
      default = i
    }
  end
  
  params:hide('group 1')
  group_1_id = params.lookup["group 1"]
  group_1_name = "group 1"
end

function key(n,z)
  if n == 3 and z == 1 then
    if params.hidden[group_1_id] then
      params:show(group_1_id) -- params:show and params:hide can accept either a string ID or a numeric ID
    else
      params:hide(group_1_id)
    end
    _menu.rebuild_params()
  elseif n == 2 and z == 1 then
    rename_group_1()
  end
  redraw()
end

function rename_group_1()
  params.params[group_1_id].name = "group "..math.random(2,100) -- assign "group 1" a new name
  params.lookup[group_1_name] = nil -- remove the previously-named entry from the lookup table
  params.lookup[params.params[group_1_id].name] = group_1_id -- and replace it with the new name + give it the persistent ID
end

function redraw()
  screen.clear()
  screen.move(40,32)
  if params:visible(group_1_id) then
    screen.text(params.params[group_1_id].name.." visible")
  else
    screen.text(params.params[group_1_id].name.." hidden")
  end
  screen.update()
end

no, but hiding should get you in the same neighborhood of “parameters which shouldn’t be useable unless some other condition is met.” please lmk if hiding doesn’t get you where you need to go!

4 Likes
#3

Hi @dan_derks,

thanks very much for getting back to me.

Good thanks! I hope yours, too.

Thanks very much for the tips. I’ll add that ti my script when I get home!

I think your second example re. changing param group display name is the same as the first example, incidentally.

Glad you reminded me that I can use line-breaks when adding a param to make it clearer.

1 Like
#4

happy to help!

they’re similar, but with specific and (hopefully helpful) differences!

1 Like
#5

Not sure how I missed those differences… sleep-deprived, I think…

Thanks again!

1 Like