MIDI Designer Q&A - Recent questions in Suggestions (Reviewed)

Multiple MIDI ports?

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:19:56 +0000

I decided to put my thoughts towards making a 16-channel version of 'Mickie', my MCU-compatible Layout...

What I've realised is that addressing more than 8 DAW channels under the MCU protocol is the result of the sending device presenting multiple MIDI ports to the receiver. In Cubase, this would be achieved by having two MCU remotes defined, and each receive from a separate MIDI port. Cubase determines that two MCU remotes are actually a master and an extender and magically begins working in banks of 16. I guess that other DAWs will do something similar.

I can create multiple ports in WinRtp, and I could presumably simultaneously connect to these ports in MD, but there's no option to determine which port an individual MD control sends to - I guess it would currently send to both.

And then I also began to see that if MD *could* separately address multiple ports then there's the potential for Layouts interfacing with multiple target devices. How about a Layout that controls five or six synths, achieved by appending Layouts and defining the port for each appended page/bank? An entire rig under one MD Layout!

At a lower level, if an individual MD control had the ability to target the port with which it is associated, then my 16-channel (or 24, or 32!) Mickie becomes a possibility.

I realise I'm probably asking for the moon on a stick, but... Maybe a consideration for the future? Or am I just talking nonsense?

Add NPRN offset to Panel options?

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:52:08 +0000

I'm creating a lot of NPRN controls, and much of this is repeated with offset - Env 1, 2, 3, LFO 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. The panel offset option only allows for controller number offset. Can an NPRN offset (MSB/LSB) please be considered?

MIDI "Display Value" only goes down to -99

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 10:58:39 +0000

I have an NRPN control that I need to display between -127 to 127 (256 values). The Display Min/Max only goes down to -99. Any way around this?

I hope it doesn't involve manually naming 256 ticks!

Select witch MIDI Port to use for page or controller

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 20:43:12 +0000

Hi

My Yamaha PSR-SX700 has 2 * MIDI Port In/out.
When I connect from MidiDesigner I connect to both Ports and thereby have 2 * Out and 2 * In. It's quite nice.
First a small definition.
There are Sound Panel sounds, which are the ones I play with directly on the keys.
They are called Left - Right 1 - Right 2 - Right 3 and some more. :-)
Then there is the Style Panel, which has 8 channels.
And finally, the Song Panel, which is the 16 MIDI channels tracks.
All of these have a separate Volume button.

My problem.
Some of the SysEx codes I use have a double function.

Eg. if I turn up the sound on Sound Panel Right 2 from MidiDesigner, I also turn up Song Panel Channel/Track 2 as they use the same SysEx code. Yes, a bit mysterious.

I can of course choose which port in MidiDesigner I want to use, but usually just use both as it is the default.

In the MIDI Settings on the PSR-SX700, you can set each MIDI Port to only receive/send SysEx to the Sound Panel or Style Panel or Song Panel, and quite a few more options.

So I thought :-)
If I could set all SysEx codes relating to the MIDI/Song Panel to Port 2 and everything else to Port 1 I could avoid this situation.
Possible solution:
On Page settings, there could be a selector for which Midi Port the entire page should use.
Could of course be smart if it was at buttom level, so you can mix the different buttons on the same page.

But maybe I'm the only one with this problem? :-)
Best regards
JAKIV

Would like the ‘Load a Page’ file picker list to be sortable.

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 03:17:34 +0000

Most of my page files correspond to a song and are named with the song title. So, it would be incredibly helpful to have the option to sort the list of files in the ‘Load a Page’ popup alphabetically by filename. Is this doable already or would you please consider adding this feature to an upcoming MDP update? How are they currently sorted by default? Any suggestions for a workaround to getting them in alphabetical order in the meantime?

New Data Type - SysEx String

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 02:25:08 +0000

[Admin Note: this has been implemented! See this QA entry.]

A variant of the current sysex type control, with some features also lifted from preset type.

Use cases:

Enter a patch name into a synth
Display a patch name from a synth
In the picker case, run a routine to read in patch names from synth, then use this picker to select patches by name.
- The picker might also drive a dynamic label somewhere else in the layout.
- Once read in to the picker, the picker does not transmit the names again - it drives MSB/LSB/PC to recall a patch
Displaying dynamic “scribble script” in a label

Design considerations

Uses the existing sysex formatting, with one addition

New S placeholder, type string, selectable 1 - NN bytes

As current, L & V are options, with existing controls, single byte L, up to four byte V.

If the S value is provided input length less than NN, remaining positions are filled with 32 (space)

If the S value is provided input length greater than NN, it is truncated

Sysex string requires named ticks - hard coded selection. The NAME field is where sysex string stores and retrieves its strings.

Send on release only is a hard coded selection (to preclude large data bursts when scrolling through a large number of named ticks)

Sysex string control can be a button, knob, slider, cross fader, or picker.

When the control is released, it will send the appropriate sysex string, with the S value using the “name” field retrieved from named ticks (plus L and V, if included).

(Button might be slightly different, send the first named tick as the off string, last named tick as on string, with send on only as an option.)

Managing when to store a new string.

From keyboard, use the store / recall options as used in presets

When a recall control (button, toggle) is assigned:

- off, the sysex control can be changed without sending any sysex string.

- on, the sysex control will send its sysex string when released

- transition from off to on, currently referenced sysex string is sent

When a store control (button, momentary) is assigned:

- off, no action

- when toggled on, the current entry can be overwritten via keyboard

- the string prompt and keyboard is presented

- When enter is pressed to conclude entry, the string is stored in the current named tick and transmitted in sysex string format (observing truncation, padding, and valid character constraints)

- if cancelled, no change is made, no value transmitted

When received via MIDI - one approach is to presume the sysex string will only be transmitted when requested via the layout, so whenever a matching string is received, it is stored.

If a valid sysex string is received via midi, this value is stored in the named tick, is not retransmitted

- If the string definition includes a V value, the named tick with that value (same as current V matching) is selected and updated

- if the string definition does not include V value, the current named tick string value is updated

- need to ensure that any “label value sources” are updated on midi update

- padding and truncation should not be required - if length doesn’t match, there is not a match, valid character constraints are enforced

Is it possible to auto connect with MIDI bluetooth when opening project?

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 16:08:03 +0000

Hello all,

MidiDesigner is integral to control my live keyboard rig. I'm cutting down on setup time and I would love for MIDI Bluetooth to connect automatically when I open my project.

Currently, I must navigate to Config - Connections - Allow Connections - Advertise Midi Service after which I can look at my Bluetooth Configuration window on my Mac and "Connect". If the setting in MidiDesigner isn't changed, the "Connect" option is not available.

Is there a way to leave Advertise MIDI Service perpetually on in MidiDesigner settings? If this is possible, connecting the Mac side will be simple by using either automator, start up disk, applescripts, short cuts, etc.

Any other workarounds appreciated.

Thank you!

Sam

Configure MDP for Mac to run multiple instances in Mac OSX

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:44:15 +0000

Some Mac OSX applications can run with multiple instances of the app. MDP does not. Other apps, such as Excel can. The procedure is to use Script Editor (or Terminal) to create multiple versions of the same app to run. To begin with I had to rename the .app in the Applications folder to remove the space between MIDI and Designer to get the Scropt Editor to recognize the app.

Executing do shell script "open -n /Applications/MIDIDesigner.app" resutts in error " LSOpenURLsWithCompletionHandler() failed with error -10670." number 1 when an instance is active,

I am able to execute successfully for Microsoft Excel.

Is there a way to configure MDP to run 2 instances at one time?

Update MDP features to improve Hauptwerk Organ MIDI Controller development

Fri, 20 May 2022 01:13:59 +0000

I have several suggestions to Update MIDI Designer Pro to improve designing for the Hauptwerk (HW) Virtual Pipe Organ application and other similar apps. I have been using MDP primarily designing layouts for HW for several years. There are lacking features that I feel are necessary to design for HW to create a larger audience from organists worldwide. I am currently developing a layout (attached) for a professional pianist/organist that highlights these suggestions. He has an iPad Mini, so character size is important.

Add Button On Label Color selection: Currently the button label color is based on the Page Highlight Color setting and is either white when off and black when on or black when off and black when on. The organist plays with an orchestra in a dim concert hall and needs a subdued display. The white of the button label is required when off, but black when on isn’t visible. My workaround is to overlay each button with a yellow label with a Value Source tied to the button. The layering is important and time consuming to set up properly. I do use a panel for the buttons and another for the labels. I also use an overall layer to dim the white labels. Any edits on the button, which is common during design, destroys the layering which has to be reset.
Add Multiline capability to Labels. My yellow label overlay is ok for numbers such as for Generals, but not for the Reversibles labels. Buttons have multiline capability but it can’t be used with label overlay that lacks that capability. More than 8 characters are generally required. 2 lines of 8 characters would be fine. Fortunately Label text format matches button text, but multi-line label text does not.
Hide Swipe Bar. An organist uses both hands and feet. The iPad is mounted where he can reach it while playing. He often has to move his hand in a swiping motion to tap a button, such as the ‘Solo/Grt’ in the Reveribles. If he accidentally hits that swipe button, he can ruin the concert. There are quite a few iPad apps that hide the swipe button in such a way that it takes 2 swipes to activate.

Note: My iPad is 11” and my design is for a standard iPad display, thus there is a ½” black band at the far right edge. Issues working in Design Mode with my iPad having a workaround for 'more' is a whole different matter.

Creating Red Text for buttons

Sat, 27 Mar 2021 00:14:22 +0000

I am working with an organist developing a controller using MidiDesigner Pro (MDP) for the Hauptwerk (HW) Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO) computer application. MDP only has White and Black Button Labels (text). Described here is an approach to create Red letters for buttons. It could be usable in other applications. The approach is a bit complicated and it would be better if MDP Button Labels had LED color control much like the color text for Labels (hint, hint).

Background: Organs typically will have labeled Stops and pistons (see Image 1). While most of the labels are typically black, some labels are red. Therefore the MDP layout should have red letters to represent the organ.

What is presented here is an approach to clear the button Label, create Label controls with the desired text and set their LED color to red (#2). Then overlay the red label over the blank button. This works quite well in Play Mode.

Some observations (see image 2):

The page, panel (if used), and button LED color needs to be light. Notice Trumpet 8 in a dark background under the PEDAL. The top 4 PEDAL buttons were lightened so the red letters are readable whether the button is on or off.
Using a more desirable multiline label has several problems:
1. The text is either too large (see the Posaune 16 multiline label not in a button with label size 2) or too small.
2. The font is not bold and not very readable in an organ environment (compare to the clarity of the Posaune 16 single line font in the button).
Using individual labels require having to create 2 or 3 separate labels representing each line.
Overlaying and centering each line requires turning Snap to Grid Off in Config-Options.
When selecting a button in Design Mode to make a change, the button moves to the top above the red letters (see Trumpet 16 under GREAT). When finished, you need to go to Control-Actions and select Send to Back.
Clicking on a button to edit its properties is difficult since the labels overlay on top and not carefully clicking a button may select a label.
Fortunately, there is no problem in Play Mode if configured properly.

Dynamic labels

Wed, 20 May 2020 08:02:08 +0000

It would be good to have a dynamic label type (ideally that can be addressed by MCU protocol messages).

One example is mixer scribble strips, but I'm also thinking about preset names for synths, error messages, prompts...

This is the format for the Behringer X-Touch, which serves as an example:

0xF0 x"00 00 66 14" x"12 00"
"ChannelChannelChannelChannelChannelChannelChannelChannel"
0xF7

0xF0 x"00 00 66 14" x"12 38"
" 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 "
0xF7

(The 38 is the text position offset)