Not everyone needs different options between patches, for me, on the contrary, setting up 1 time is more convenient. For example, if I decided to use a different physical guitar input, I would have to reconfigure it for all presets! Or if during reamping I want to try several presets, when choosing each I have to change the input - it’s terribly inconvenient.
After reading this, I immediately thought of user templates, something like:
Input template name “User 1”: Assigned to input 1
Output Template Name “User 1”: Assigned to Output 1/2 AND Output 3/4
That might be possible. Such global templates can be changed quickly.
But for now it is enough for me personally what Doug wrote on TGP today: “We’ll just add an all-outputs option and make it the default on factory and new presets!”
Doug offers a solution that will only meet the needs of some people. I propose a general solution in which Doug’s solution is a special case. For example, I absolutely do not need my guitar to go to all outputs, but not enough for it to go to only one and I will use several instruments at the same time.
The combination of this idea with the idea of Multiple input/output selection covers all special cases.
I would use Global Input blocks, one for each guitar, let’s say, TELE1 and Cherry LP would adjust Gain and EQ to make both instruments friendly to my presets. I might have other input blocks for keyboards, iPad, etc.
Global Output Blocks would adjust Gain, Phase, EQ, and maybe Reverb, for different venues or output chains. Naming them like RioTheater and XLR-DI would be important.
Another option might be to provide the ability to select multiple inputs and/or outputs for each path.
I just put a suggestion in of a similar nature to the OP. But your solution of user tamplates is actually quite brilliant. It would be another configuration layer above the preset itself that allows for differing assignments between physical inputs and virtual inputs. As an example…
Config 1: Physical Input 1 > Virtual Input 1 > FX Chain > Multi-Out
Config 2: Physical Input 2 > Virtual Input 1 > FX Chain > Multi-Out
If those “profiles” could be easily switched with maybe an indicator on the top of the screen to show which profile was active, one could switch between using primary, backup, or auxiliary guitars without the need for blowing up the number of scenes or even creating a unique preset with scenes for each guitar that’s largely identical apart from the input assignment.