JACK Rack README
====================

JACK Rack is a stereo LADSPA effects rack for the JACK audio API.  It uses
GTK+ 2 (and optionally GNOME 2) for the gui.  LADSPA version 1.1 is needed. 
In order to save rack configurations, libxml2 is needed.

It also understands LRDF XML descriptions of LADSPA plugins.  LRDF support
needs liblrdf, available from http://plugin.org.uk/lrdf/.  This in turn
needs raptor, available from http://www.redland.opensource.ac.uk/raptor/. 

 Feedback
----------

It would be very much appreciated if you could provide some user-perspective
feedback here: http://arb.bash.sh/~rah/software/feedback.html

 Compilation
-------------

The usual autoconf gibbins; ./configure && make && make install.  A GNOME
.desktop file (which puts an entry in the gnome menu) and the JACK Rack icon
are installed in /usr/share/{applications,pixmaps} by default.  You can make
them be installed under the autoconf prefix with --disable-desktop-inst.


 Running
---------

Assuming you have some ladspa plugins installed, make sure you have your
LADSPA_PATH environment variable set to include them.  If you don't have any
ladspa plugins installed, head over to http://plugin.org.uk/ and grab Steve
Harris's excellent plugin collection.

JACK Rack searches for .rdf and .rdfs files in
/usr/local/share/ladspa/rdf and /usr/share/ladspa/rdf by default.  You can
change this search path using the LADSPA_RDF_PATH environment variable.

JACK Rack doesn't do any port connecting by default, so you might want to
use QJackConnect or jack_connect to connect it up.  Alternatively, if you
use the -i command line option, JACK Rack will try to connect its input
ports to the capture ports of whatever physical devices are in the system. 
The -o option works similarly for the outputs.

When you lock a line of controls, all but one of the controls will be
hidden.  Using the Lock button, this will be the first control. This can
hinder things if you want to use a value which isn't the first.  In this
case, you can hold down the CTRL key and click on the control you want
to remain visible.  The line will lock, but the clicked-on control will be
the visible one.  Clicking with mouse button 3 works similarly, but with
Lock All instead.

Right-clicking on plugin controls or wet/dry controls will bring up a
context menu allowing you to add MIDI controls.

 Contact
---------

Patches, bug reports, etc, go to jack-rack-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
(subscribe from http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/jack-rack-devel)
New versions will be available from http://arb.bash.sh/~rah/software/jack-rack/ .