INSPECTOR_HARDWARE_AND_EXPORT.md

Tutorial: Inspect, Map Hardware, and Export

Goal: Verify a patch in the Inspector, choose its Daisy target, and compare standard and Advanced Export without confusing generated source with verified firmware.

Time: 15–20 minutes.

Result: A saved .dvpe project, a reviewed hardware configuration, and a downloadable C++/Makefile package ready for an external Daisy toolchain.

You can use any patch. For a repeatable example, open dvpe_CLD/examples/field_mapping_subtractive.dvpe.

1. Inspect the graph before export

Double-click a block to open Inspector → Parameters. Work from top to bottom:

1. Module — give repeated modules clear labels and confirm the shown DaisySP class or implementation identity.
2. Parameter groups — edit knobs, switches, waveforms, envelopes, or selectors. These are the values saved in the project and consumed by code generation.
3. CV checkboxes — enable CV only where modulation is required. Enabling a checkbox exposes the matching input on the block; disabling it removes that active modulation port.
4. Connectivity — confirm every required input has a source and every output reaches the intended processor or hardware output.
5. Documentation — expand the block-specific notes when a control or port is unclear.

The Inspector distinguishes audio, CV, and trigger routes and names connected blocks. A visible connection proves that the editor accepted the route; it does not prove that the generated firmware compiles or sounds correct.

2. Configure Hardware

Select Hardware in the top bar. Changes in this window are stored with the project automatically.

Use the four tabs in order:

1. Platform Selection — choose Daisy Seed, Pod, or Field. This updates the target stored in the project and used by export.
2. Pin Mapping — map the graph's logical hardware roles to physical pins. Remove stale assignments instead of leaving two roles on one pin.
3. Peripherals — configure the peripherals needed by the patch and check their assigned resources.
4. Field Mapping — when targeting Daisy Field, map K1–K8 and A1–B8 to block parameters without adding control blocks to the audio graph.

Use the dedicated Daisy Field Mapping tutorial for layered normal and held-switch mappings. Editor conflict checks are useful, but the board revision, electrical connections, pin definitions, and control behavior still require external verification.

3. Run standard Export C++

1. Save the .dvpe project with a meaningful name.
2. Select Export C++.
3. Read the preview before downloading. Check the target header, platform comment, DSP declarations, audio callback, and block initialization.
4. If the preview reports errors, return to the graph and resolve them.
5. Select Download Files. In the browser build, DVPE creates a ZIP containing <project-name>.cpp and Makefile.

The download dialog can save the diagram first and derive the source filename from the project name. Choosing not to save uses default_project.

Move the ZIP contents into a compatible libDaisy/DaisySP workspace, then build, inspect warnings, flash, and test on the target. Those toolchain and hardware steps are outside this repository.

4. Configure Advanced Export

Advanced Export is optional. It sends the generated C++ and Makefile to a selected external AI provider for an experimental correction pass.

1. Switch the top-bar design to Experimentator.
2. Open Inspector → Design.
3. Scroll to and expand AI Export Settings.
4. Choose the provider and model.
5. Enter that provider's API key only in a trusted browser profile. The key is stored in browser storage and is not included in the downloaded project.
6. Select Advanced in the top bar.
7. When processing succeeds, compare Raw (DVPE) and AI Corrected in the preview before downloading.

The screenshot intentionally shows No key set. Never publish a screenshot, project, or browser profile that exposes an API key.

Advanced Export is not a certification step. The external model can introduce wrong APIs or remove required behavior. Diff its result against standard export, then run the same compiler, target, audio, and hardware checks.

Completion check

• Inspector labels, parameters, CV inputs, and Connectivity match the intended signal flow.
• Hardware stores the intended platform and contains no known mapping conflict.
• Standard Export identifies that platform and downloads C++ plus a Makefile.
• Advanced Export is either deliberately skipped or configured without exposing credentials.
• No generated result is described as compiled, flashed, or hardware-verified until those external checks actually pass.

Next: build a first patch, map Daisy Field controls, create a reusable custom block, or tune the interface design.