Automation allows you to specify changes to parameters over the duration of a mix - such as Exciter widening during a chorus or boosting an EQ during a solo. You can automate more than 200 parameters in Alloy using host applications which support effects automation.
Using Automation in Alloy
The implementation and specifics of automation are dependent on the host application, so please refer to the documentation of the host app for setting up an automated mix. In general, though, you patch Alloy as an ordinary effect on a track, then in the track view of the host app, assign automation envelopes to it. These envelopes control how Alloy parameters are changed over the course of the mix. In this case, most of your "tweaking" is done in the track view of the host app, dragging curves and envelopes as opposed to changing controls in Alloy.
When you automate a control from the track view, you can see the control on the Alloy interface move under the control of the host application. We purposely don't update the position of the control as often as we could. It takes CPU to redraw controls and it takes CPU to process audio. So we update the drawing of the control less frequently. Therefore, it may look like the control is moving in steps, but rest assured that the audio is being processed smoothly.
When automating in a track view with envelopes, but working mainly with the Alloy interface, we found it helpful to be able to "see through" Alloy so you can monitor Alloy meters and controls but see the track view and automation curves behind Alloy. So we provide an Opacity slider in the main options dialog. This allows you to see through Alloy to monitor both what Alloy is doing and what is happening with the automation curves. Note that this is not available in all host applications, and it does require more CPU than a standard "opaque" plug-in if you set the Opacity to less than 100%.