Transport

The transport module contains functions for controlling FL Studio's transport, including playback, song position, loop mode and recording.

For example, this code would set FL Studio into song mode, enable recording, then start playback:

import transport

transport.setLoopMode()
transport.record()
transport.start()

start

start() -> None

Start or pause playback (play/pause).

Included since API version 1.

stop

stop() -> None

Stop playback.

Included since API version 1.

isPlaying

isPlaying() -> bool

Returns True if playback is currently occurring.

Returns

• bool: whether playback is active.

Included since API version 1.

record

record() -> None

Toggles recording.

Included since API version 1.

isRecording

isRecording() -> bool

Returns whether recording is enabled.

Returns

• bool: whether recording is enabled.

Included since API version 1.

getLoopMode

getLoopMode() -> int

Returns the current looping mode.

Returns

• int: looping mode:

  • 0: Pattern.

  • 1: Song.

Included since API version 1.

setLoopMode

setLoopMode() -> None

Toggles the looping mode between pattern and song.

Included since API version 1.

globalTransport

globalTransport(command: int, value: int, pmeflags: int = midi.PME_System, flags=midi.GT_All) -> int

Used as a generic way to run transport commands if a specific function doesn't exist for it.

WARNING

• It is not recommended to use this function if a dedicated function is available for it. Its usage can make code difficult to read and comprehend. Almost all functionality provided by this function can be done more easily and cleanly by using the dedicated functions.

Args

• command (int): command to execute, refer to FL Studio manual.

• value (int): ???

• pmeflags (int, optional): current PME Flags. Defaults to midi.PME_System.

• flags (int, optional): ??? refer to FL Studio manual.

Returns

• int: ???

Included since API version 1.

getSongPos

getSongPos(mode: int = -1) -> float | int

Returns the playback position.

Note

• This will get the position in the song in song mode, or the position in the pattern, depending on the state of transport.getLoopMode().

Args

• mode (int, optional): mode for return:

  • [default] (-1): as a fraction of the total length between 0 and 1 (eg 0.5 would indicate we were half-way through the song). Returns as float.

  • SONGLENGTH_MS (0): milliseconds (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_S (1): seconds (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_ABSTICKS (2): ticks (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_BARS (3): bars-steps-ticks format, bars component (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_STEPS (4): bars-steps-ticks format, steps component (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_TICKS (5): bars-steps-ticks format, ticks component (as int).

Example Usage

An overall bars-steps-ticks position can be gathered through making three calls to the function as follows:

bars = transport.getSongPosition(3)
steps = transport.getSongPosition(4)
ticks = transport.getSongPosition(5)
overall_str = f"{bars}:{steps}:{ticks}"

Returns

• float or int: song position.

Included since API version 1, with optional parameter added in API version 3.

setSongPos

setSongPos(position: float | int, mode: int = -1) -> None

Sets the playback position.

This will set the position in the song in song mode, or the position in the pattern.

Args

• position (float or int): new song position (type depends on mode).

• mode (int, optional): mode for position:

  • [default] (-1): as a fraction of the total length between 0 and 1 (eg 0.5 would indicate we were half-way through the song). Requires position to be passed as type float.

  • SONGLENGTH_MS (0): milliseconds (as int)

  • SONGLENGTH_S (1): seconds (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_ABSTICKS (2): absolute number of ticks (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_BARS (3): bars-steps-ticks format, bars component (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_STEPS (4): bars-steps-ticks format, steps component (as int).

  • SONGLENGTH_TICKS (5): bars-steps-ticks format, ticks component (as int).

WARNING

• Positions currently won't work when using bars (mode = 3), steps (mode = 4) or ticks (mode = 5).

Included since API version 1, with optional parameter added in API version 4.

getSongLength

getSongLength(mode: int) -> int

Returns the total length of the song.

This only applies to the full song, not to the currently selected pattern when in pattern mode. To get the length of the current pattern, use patterns.getPatternLength() with the index of the current pattern.

Args

• mode (int): mode for length:

  • SONGLENGTH_MS (0): milliseconds.

  • SONGLENGTH_S (1): seconds.

  • SONGLENGTH_ABSTICKS (2): ticks.

  • SONGLENGTH_BARS (3): bars-steps-ticks format, bars component.

  • SONGLENGTH_STEPS (4): bars-steps-ticks format, steps component.

  • SONGLENGTH_TICKS (5): bars-steps-ticks format, ticks component.

Returns

• int: song length.

Included since API version 3.

getSongPosHint

getSongPosHint() -> str

Returns a hint for the current playback position as "bars:steps:ticks".

This applies to both pattern mode and song mode.

Note that unlike FL Studio's time panel, this function won't return positions past the end of a song or pattern, instead returning the position of the last tick within the song/pattern. If you want to emulate the behavior of the time panel, consider using playlist.getVisTimeBar(), playlist.getVisTimeStep() and playlist.getVisTimeTick() instead.

Returns

• str: song position.

Included since API version 1.

markerJumpJog

markerJumpJog(value: int, flags: int = midi.GT_All) -> None

Jump to a marker position, where value is an delta (increment) value.

Args

• value (int): delta.

• flags (int, optional): ??? refer to the FL Studio manual.

Included since API version 1.

markerSelJog

markerSelJog(value: int, flags: int = midi.GT_All) -> None

Select a marker, where value is an delta (increment) value.

Args

• value (int): delta.

• flags (int, optional): ??? refer to the FL Studio manual.

Included since API version 1.

getHWBeatLEDState

getHWBeatLEDState() -> int

Returns the state of the beat indicator.

HELP WANTED

• I couldn't get this to return anything other than zero.

Returns

• int: beat indicator state.

Included since API version 1.

rewind

rewind(startStop: int, flags: int = midi.GT_All) -> None

Rewinds the playback position.

Rewinding should be considered as a toggle. All calls to this function beginning rewinding with the SS_Start or SS_StartStep should have a pair call where rewinding is stopped using the SS_Stop option, otherwise FL Studio will rewind forever.

Args

• startStop (int): start-stop option:

  • SS_Stop (0): Stop movement.

  • SS_StartStep (1): Start movement, but only if FL Studio is in step editing mode.

  • SS_Start (2); Start movement.

• flags (int, optional): ??? refer to the FL Studio manual.

Included since API version 1.

fastForward

fastForward(startStop: int, flags: int = midi.GT_All) -> None

Fast-forwards the playback position.

Fast-forwarding should be considered as a toggle. All calls to this function beginning fast-forwarding with the SS_Start or SS_StartStep should have a pair call where fast-forwarding is stopped using the SS_Stop option, otherwise FL Studio will fast-forward forever.

Args

• startStop (int): start-stop option:

  • SS_Stop (0): Stop movement.

  • SS_StartStep (1): Start movement, but only if FL Studio is in step editing mode.

  • SS_Start (2); Start movement.

• flags (int, optional): ??? refer to the FL Studio manual.

Included since API version 1.

continuousMove

continuousMove(speed: int, startStop: int) -> None

Sets playback speed, allowing a scrub-like functionality.

Scrubbing should be considered as a toggle. All calls to this function beginning scrubbing with the SS_Start or SS_StartStep should have a pair call where scrubbing is stopped using the SS_Stop option, otherwise FL Studio will scrub forever.

Args

• speed (int): speed multiplier. Negative means reverse, 0 is stopped, and 1 is normal playback speed.

• startStop (int): start-stop option:

  • SS_Stop (0): Stop movement.

  • SS_StartStep (1): Start movement, but only if FL Studio is in step editing mode.

  • SS_Start (2); Start movement.

Included since API version 1.

continuousMovePos

continuousMovePos(speed: int, startStop: int) -> None

Sets playback speed, allowing a scrub-like functionality.

HELP WANTED

• How is this different to continuousMove()?

Scrubbing should be considered as a toggle. All calls to this function beginning scrubbing with the SS_Start or SS_StartStep should have a pair call where scrubbing is stopped using the SS_Stop option, otherwise FL Studio will scrub forever.

Args

• speed (int): speed multiplier. Negative means reverse, 0 is stopped, and 1 is normal playback speed.

• startStop (int): start-stop option:

  • SS_Stop (0): Stop movement.

  • SS_StartStep (1): Start movement, but only if FL Studio is in step editing mode.

  • SS_Start (2); Start movement.

Included since API version 2.

setPlaybackSpeed

setPlaybackSpeed(speedMultiplier: float) -> None

Sets a playback speed multiplier.

This differs from the continuousMove function as it only controls speed when playback is active, rather than scrubbing through song or pattern regardless of whether playback is active.

Args

• speedMultiplier (float): speed:

  • 1.0: Normal speed.

  • 0.25: Minimum speed.

  • 4.0: Maximum speed.

Included since API version 1.