I updated the image on https://www.modulargrid.net/e/steady-state-fate-metalloid-percussion-entity, by the way (to better match the other SSF percussion modules). Please feel free to delete the duplicate panel image there if someone is able.

This preview https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_2418663.jpg is still using the old panel image, even after I forced ModularGrid to regenerate it by rearranging the rack while it was definitely using the new HEAD image.


I'm just starting this thread to raise awareness that something is "funky" about image caching on ModularGrid.

Mostly this affects rack preview images. When a rack is updated, on first load (when generation of a new preview image gets triggered), the correct image is loaded. On subsequent loads, a stale image usually gets loaded from the browser cache until that old image eventually ages out (or the cache is manually cleared). This behavior is mostly harmless.

I ran into trouble when trying to upload an improved image for a module just now, though. After uploading the new image, it appeared as though nothing had happened, so I tried again. Again, nothing seemed to happen, except the second time around I noticed the previous image I had uploaded was now listed in the "Panel Versions" sidebar. Realizing this was probably the same caching problem, I loaded the module page in another browser, and the main panel image showed the updated image as expected.

This isn't great, since it means I uploaded a duplicate module image. (It looks like this happens somewhat frequently, since I see duplicate module images more often than I'd expect if this were purely accidental.)

The problem seems to be that ModularGrid always uses the same URL for these images, even after they're updated, and allows them to be cached. Strangely, this also seems to affect preview generation somehow, since rack previews which include the module I mentioned above are continuing to use the old HEAD image for the moment, even as they're regenerated. (I confirmed the rack does actually use the new panel image in another browser, but the preview still does not.)

None of this is that big a deal, but it would be great if this were fixed at some point (and perhaps some method was added to remove duplicate panel images).


simply choose everything but not HEAD

Indeed! I hadn't really used the panel selector much. It is possible to switch from HEAD to 1/N there, pointing directly at the most recent image.

in my opinion it makes sense to have modules default image set to HEAD because there are often improvements in quality or perspective.

I still think it would make more sense not to default to HEAD. In my experience, updated images are almost always a new panel color or someone uploading a (usually lower quality, and not matching other images from the same manufacturer) image of the actual panel from their rack. If someone uploads a higher quality image, it usually happens within a short time of a module's release, so usually that image is already in the database by the time I'm adding a module to my rack.


Other people who have set their module image to HEAD version (default) will see your newly uploaded image.
HEAD means: always show the newest image.
If they switch to an older version it will stick there, newly uploaded images will not affect their racks.

Is there a way to set the current module image to something other than HEAD even if someone wants the current default image? (So that a rack isn’t following the HEAD image, and doesn’t update when a new image is uploaded.)

Seems like this would maybe make sense as the default behavior. Rather than setting the module image to HEAD by default, just set it to whatever the current default image is, but stick with that image permanently.

To use an example, if I add a module to a rack with, say, a silver panel as the default and only image, then that’s probably the version of the module I own. If someone uploads a black panel later, I probably don’t want my rack to get updated with the black image. Seems like there’s no way to do that now, unless I re-upload (duplicate) the silver panel image and select the old version when adding the module to a rack, which would be a bit silly.

It’s always a little weird to come back to a rack after a few months and find out a couple of the module images have been switched out to a version I didn’t originally have in the rack and don’t actually own.


Is there a way to lock the current panel images in a rack, so that they aren’t updated whenever someone uploads a new image?

It looks like if I select something other than the default image when adding a module, that image is saved. But if I use the default image, it isn’t saved and gets updated every time a new image is added for the module.

This seems like the opposite of the behavior you’d want most of the time. It doesn’t seem like there’s really ever a situation where someone would setup a rack, but want modules to update when a new revision comes out, or when someone uploads a custom image from their own rack.


It seems as though, when a rack is using the default (or only) panel version for a module, whenever someone uploads a new version, that replaces the panel in all existing racks, even though the old
panel is preserved and can be restored by manually swapping it back into the rack.

It would be really nice if by default existing racks kept their old panel images. It’s kind of frustrating to pull up an older rack and find a bunch of panels have been swapped out.

Not that big of a deal in the end, but if you care at all about module faceplate colors especially, it's nice if they stay the same once they're in a rack.


It’s a problem when you have multiple racks. See above.


Indeed, thanks! I never caught on to the fact that it was the last rack where I had moved any module that ends up with the selected panel. Definitely a bit wonky, but it works.


I love ModularGrid for planning out racks, but the one thing that keeps getting me is the panel versions feature.

It seems that whenever someone uploads a new image for a module, it also updates racks that already had the old primary panel version. Admittedly this is cosmetic, but it's a bit frustrating to come back to a rack and find that modules have changed color or design because someone else uploaded new images.

It wouldn't be such a big deal except that selecting an alternate panel doesn't actually seem to work most of the time. If I open a rack, get info on a module, and click an alternate panel, it does add that panel to one of my racks, but it's usually not the one the module was actually in. This would be a big change so please consider it a feature request, but it seems like it would solve several problems here to add panel versions to the module finder.

Ideally, when adding a module to a rack, ModularGrid should remember which panel was used so that new panel images don't automatically apply to existing racks. When deleting a module, the module should be archived rather than removed from existing racks. HP and 1U properties should also probably not be editable after a module is created.

And, at the very least, starting from a rack, clicking the "i" button on a module, and then selecting an alternate panel should always return to the same rack. (Usually I'm returned to a different rack with the module added there.)


I'd be tempted to get a second Stages and link it to the first, but then you'd be done for space.

If you like Ripples, you could take a look at Popple. It's essentially a stereo Ripples in 8hp.


Too many people watching Youtube videos and liking the sounds that they are hearing but not doing enough research into HOW those sounds are actually being generated. There's such an unsexy side to Eurorack consisting of a lot of modules doing utility work so a few featured modules can do their thing. That's always glossed over in demos with those modules off screen or connected via a maze of patch cables. Anyone who's not familiar with the Eurorack ecosystem would just assume that the featured modules are all that's needed to get "that sound" as if each module was its own synthesizer rather than being a module.
-- Ronin1973

Just came across this thread, and wanted to throw a little encouragement all of your way.

1) The guide you're proposing sounds awesome.

2) I found the quote above kind of amusing. It's these flashy videos that got me interested, but more often than not, what's most interesting to me is everything else going on to drive the module they're showing off. I'll pause videos just to stop and work out what's going on (and look at what modules they're using), and videos with cables going offscreen the whole time are a big turn off for me.

Your audience is out there, even if they're not the ones making the most noise. (And just for the record, all my racks are purely conceptual at this point, even if I think a couple of them are pretty decent.)