Project Write Protected

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

In project.work file (see below) there is a way to write protect the project if you set it to 1 instead of 0. You can open and edit the file with a simple text editor. Change .work extension to .txt if necessary.

I wouldn’t use it for regular projects, but I think it can be useful to start from a template project.

Set to 1, you can’t use SAVE nor RELOAD project functions.
You can modify the project, reboot, it will stay in the same state. So current state is stored elsewhere. Internal memory somewhere ? SYNC TO CARD didn’t change the behavior.

You can reload previous state (before write protect) by changing the project by itself.

You can SAVE AS NEW and be able to save again, so it is not protected anymore.

You can’t save banks.

@SonWu @Clancy @Shredrr @darenager @Schnork @qlamerand @LyingDalai and other people interested…if you want to react, ask something or answer to my above doubts…

Old project, but you can see “WRITE PROTECTED =0”

Project Settings

############################

[meta]
TYPE=OCTATRACK DPS-1 PROJECT
VERSION=17
OS_VERSION=R0154 1.25H
[/meta]

[settings]
WRITEPROTECTED=0
TEMPOx24=2880
MIDI_CLOCK_SEND=0
MIDI_CLOCK_RECEIVE=0
MIDI_TRANSPORT_SEND=0
MIDI_TRANSPORT_RECEIVE=0
MIDI_PROGRAM_CHANGE_SEND=0
MIDI_PROGRAM_CHANGE_SEND_CH=-1
MIDI_PROGRAM_CHANGE_RECEIVE=0
MIDI_PROGRAM_CHANGE_RECEIVE_CH=-1
MIDI_TRIG_CH1=0
MIDI_TRIG_CH2=1
MIDI_TRIG_CH3=2
MIDI_TRIG_CH4=3
MIDI_TRIG_CH5=4
MIDI_TRIG_CH6=5
MIDI_TRIG_CH7=6
MIDI_TRIG_CH8=7
MIDI_AUTO_CHANNEL=10
MIDI_SOFT_THRU=0
MIDI_AUDIO_TRK_CC_IN=1
MIDI_AUDIO_TRK_CC_OUT=3
MIDI_AUDIO_TRK_NOTE_IN=1
MIDI_AUDIO_TRK_NOTE_OUT=3
MIDI_MIDI_TRK_CC_IN=1
PATTERN_CHANGE_CHAIN_BEHAVIOR=0
PATTERN_CHANGE_AUTO_SILENCE_TRACKS=0
PATTERN_CHANGE_AUTO_TRIG_LFOS=0
LOAD_24BIT_FLEX=0
DYNAMIC_RECORDERS=0
RECORD_24BIT=0
RESERVED_RECORDER_COUNT=8
RESERVED_RECORDER_LENGTH=16
INPUT_DELAY_COMPENSATION=0
GATE_AB=127
GATE_CD=127
GAIN_AB=64
GAIN_CD=64
DIR_AB=0
DIR_CD=0
PHONES_MIX=0
MAIN_TO_CUE=0
MASTER_TRACK=0
CUE_STUDIO_MODE=0
MAIN_LEVEL=64
CUE_LEVEL=64
METRONOME_TIME_SIGNATURE=3
METRONOME_TIME_SIGNATURE_DENOMINATOR=2
METRONOME_PREROLL=0
METRONOME_CUE_VOLUME=32
METRONOME_MAIN_VOLUME=0
METRONOME_PITCH=12
METRONOME_TONAL=1
METRONOME_ENABLED=0
[/settings]

############################

Project States

############################

[states]
BANK=0
PATTERN=0
ARRANGEMENT=0
ARRANGEMENT_MODE=0
PART=0
TRACK=0
TRACK_OTHERMODE=0
SCENE_A_MUTE=0
SCENE_B_MUTE=0
TRACK_CUE_MASK=0
TRACK_MUTE_MASK=0
TRACK_SOLO_MASK=0
MIDI_TRACK_MUTE_MASK=0
MIDI_TRACK_SOLO_MASK=0
MIDI_MODE=0
[/states]

############################

Samples

############################

[sample]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=001
PATH=…/AUDIO/ELEKTRON/percs.wav
TRIM_BARSx100=200
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=1
GAIN=48
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/sample]

[sample]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=002
PATH=…/AUDIO/ELEKTRON/rhodes.wav
TRIM_BARSx100=100
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=1
GAIN=48
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/sample]

[sample]
TYPE=FLEX
SLOT=129
PATH=
BPMx24=2880
TSMODE=2
LOOPMODE=0
GAIN=72
TRIGQUANTIZATION=-1
[/sample]

{Etc…}
############################

14 Likes
2

Thanks!

1 Like
3

Very cool for not screwing up templates as you say!

1 Like
4

Interesting that OT has that feature hidden, the Analogs can do this from the project manager.

Not sure if I’d use it, but certainly an interesting find.

3 Likes
5

cause bizzy coding.
Can someone confirm if dumping audio buffer content still works if WRITEPROTECTED=1, because that would tell that really just project files are protected and creating samples as you please still works as expected… guessing it should be so, but is my assumption correct?
PS: also keeping the property “hidden” makes sense, because you can put a machine somewhere and basically the user can not screw up unless knowing how to circumvent by loading an unprotected project or creating from scratch. If the property would be accessible it would be nice to see but also actually circumvent the protection and making it non-logic why protecting something that can be unprotected by a simple click.

6

Yeah sure, but there’s no real need for a factory write protection that a user cannot circumvent, or is there?

My guess is, like in the Analogs it only write protects the actual project file, yes.

2 Likes
7

well if i’d create a template and i can not place a marker it is such type of data in the file suffix and would therefore be forced to use the project name for that than i might introduce write protection as a property instead that would have to be changed on very purpose. That guarantees that templates are templates and really never get overwritten. If i can turn writeprotection off in a menu and then save over it, then my template would be gone by accident making the protection useless. make sense? But who knows there is still room for refreshed firmware ^^

8

We have full access to OTs storage, we can backup everything and even templates, factory projects and purchased packs can be copied to card, so no, I don’t see any need for a non accessible write protection in this case.

If a device has storage or part of its storage inaccessible, than write protection might be a good idea.

But that’s more of a theoretical discussion…Elektron won’t change it, I’m quite sure^^
Let’s think of potential use cases. Templates, yes, and maybe engage write protection before showing off to a gig?
I mean, I’d have my gig projects duplicated so I can always just load an uncompromises project anyways…

Maybe there’s a reason they tucked the feature away. Might be not stable? Although a simple write protection shouldn’t cause any issues…

1 Like
9

more the other way around. back in the days the MD card came with the demo project and the set of factory sounds. If the user would have no clue while still being overwhelmed by the complexity he/she might just save and then suddenly the starting point for a beginner would be gone to start over, leading to a lot of support requests back in the days i guess. “my template is gone, where can i download…” i remember pretty well in the beginning.

1 Like