switching graphs and only activate graph when switched to (CPU usage)

[lokkiikkol]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
i am in the process of creating a recallable live setup with some soft synths, i save each setup (consisting of 4 soft synths) as a graph. i would then like to switch graphs via program change to change sounds on stage. in the current version of element, the graphs all seem to be eating CPU, regardless of which one is active. this of course allows only for 2 or 3 graphs since then the CPU is overwhelmed by all the processing.

Describe the solution you'd like
i don't know if the above is a bug or feature, but i would like a way to enable processing of a graph only when said graph is activated (by midi pc message or by mouse) so that i can create an "infinite" amount of graphs to recall. if this is not possible, is there a way to somehow disable all plugins in the graph and enable them, if the correct PC message comes in? i see those blue On/Off buttons on each plugin, but not sure i could automate them.
Describe alternatives you've considered
i don't know... opening sessions via program changes?

Additional context

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[lokkiikkol]

ok i see now that i can also have a static graph and just switch programs on a plugin basis... i would rather switch whole graphs though, since it would allow for different setups per graph.

[mfisher31]

Inactive graphs don't unload plugins. This is so that when they change, it happens smoothly and quickly. Without keeping them loaded, you'd get huge delays and dead audio while the reload all the time.

[lokkiikkol]

i see..while this makes sense it makes the option unusable for my use case. if i want more then a handful of synth arrangements to load i run out of CPU... i could handle the audio drop-out :)

but i think i can pull it off with a static arrangement of 10 or 12 plugins, especially because when you use program changes on individual plugins (from the midi menu) it saves the on/off state as well. this is not currently reflected on the GUI but the plugin is activated/deactivated as saved.

[mfisher31]

There's a few ideas floating around for how to deal with this. One is to add an option for graphs to unload when not active. And the other is to experiment with how things like this couuld work with multiple running instances.

[lokkiikkol]

i think the unloading when not active makes more sense in the longer run. even with multiple instances i will eventually run out of CPU when i have many presets to recall.

one option would be to have a "load previous current and next preset" option, but that only works, if you order them according to your setlist. not good for me, since i will do improvisation with it as well, but might be good for almost everybody else :-)

[trevorparscal]

I like the idea of adding an option to the graph settings. To expand on it, only when in single rendering mode would an "Unload when inactive" setting would be available. This ensures we don't break the meaning of parallel rendering mode.

[mfisher31]

We'll want to keep this in mind as well: #339. Forgot to copy it from Asana, and just added it now to Github.

[pboschi]

Is this still being considered, or is there any other option to unload VSTs of unused graphs?