jonnylipsham: You're right, and I am aware of that possibility. However, it is a very long multi-step process to get the result I want, and at the same time, the purely intuitive and quick option I would expect does not work.
That's why I forgot it existed. To me, it is not even a considerable option.
Let me explain it a bit more in detail:
Imagine you're a composer who only works with software instruments and samplers. You're in the arranger view, and you want to simply add new instruments to new tracks, so you can keep adding elements to your song. And you do that in the creative flow, trying not to lose focus on what you are doing. Currently, there's drag 'n drop, which is very uncomfortable to do with a trackpad.
The only alternative is to:
- Move cursor to the top left and click the + sign. (Alternatively: Press T)
- Manually type in a name for your track, since this interface doesn't automatically use the name of the plugin you're about to choose as the track's name. (If you drag 'n drop, StudioOne does.)
- The first time you add an instrument track that way, you have to select "instrument" as the track type to add. (At least the interface will keep that.)
- Then you have to make sure the next option is set to "New instrument".
- Then you have to click the dropdown menu to select an instrument. It's a scrollable list of just... everything available. You have to find what you need in this mess (I own many plugins! ), select it and click OK to close the dialog.
Congratulations! You now have a new instrument on a new empty instrument track!
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Honestly, wouldn't you agree it is much better to simply double-click a plugin from your plugin browser? That nice area designed to sort and offer all your plugins? It's a very natural thing that I've tried intuitively, and it's missing. Thanks to robertgray3 I know I'm not the only one who tried this. And to me, it is so logical, it's shocking it hasn't been implemented already. I consider this a purely basic UI feature.
It's the same with adding plugins to existing tracks. You can do it from other places, I believe from the inspector and the mixer, but the point is, that's what the plugin browser is made for (at least by all logic, it should be) and it currently only allows you to drag 'n drop.
That means, you have the choice between drag 'n drop and a cramp in your fingers if you use a trackpad, or to seek out a complicated multi-step way to add your plugins somewhere entirely different than the browser, in which you have your categories, your favourites, vendors...