Ok. Let’s talk about that space requirement. I haven’t opened up the Dwarf yet so I’m not sure how much space there is along the sides of the unit with relation to its insides and how a 1/4” connector on its side might impact the circuitry.
Even if they kept it on the same plane as the rest of the other connectors, the one connector that is not as important on this device as the others is the headphone connector. They could have used that 3.5mm connector instead of a regular 1/4” connector for the expression pedal. It’s not a big deal to get a TRS cable that has the appropriate connector on each end. It’s a pedal and most devices in this form factor do not have a headphone output so it wouldn’t be missed.
What set me off was the nonchalant, “Oh it’s easy. Anybody can do it”, manner that Mod Devices as well as others here suggested building an Arduino device to get around the issue. As if that shouldn’t be a problem at all. It felt dismissive and flippant.
There’s a pattern here for me and that is that the Dwarf, as supremely capable and flexible as it is, sacrifices the more basic aspects for that flexibility. This prevalent theme extends to the software as well. All the tools are there for the really advanced procedures but something as basic as drag and drop reorganizing of the pedalboards, nope.
Don’t worry. I’m going to shut up about this and live with the Dwarf and its “janky” cobbled together feel, random crashes and disconnects and just hope that maybe someday some kind of improvement will be made to the UI at least. From now on, every time I get frustrated with it I will remind myself that I’m a spoiled brat who got far too used to the experience that products from the likes of Line6, Boss, Zoom, Fender, Yamaha, Vox, Korg and Digitech provided me. Yes, I’ve owned at least one product from each of those companies. No, none of their products can compare to the Dwarf but at least none of them ignored the basic necessities and for me this is where the Dwarf fails spectacularly.
I will refrain from posting on this forum unless absolutely necessary. You won’t have to defend the Dwarf’s honor from the likes of me anymore.