Stream Deck

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w9ac
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Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Postby w9ac » Fri Feb 18, 2022 9:15 pm

NC3Z wrote:I think Scott made a wish list item to have Macros on the GUI so you can do what ever you want. I use a StreamDeck and I have a Split button that does all that via CAT commands, set Split, turn on MultiRX, set 2nd freq up 5KHz, etc. Works pretty slick.

I just received a Stream Deck 15 Mk.2 and downloaded software from the Elgato website. Any tutorials or instructions available for setup with Thetis? The split routine that NC3Z describes above is exactly what I want to accomplish for my first macro.

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Thetis 2_8_11 changes/ideas/wants/wishes

Postby NC3Z » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:19 pm

E-mail me an I can share some of the StreamDeck buttons.

You will need SerialSend installed so grab that too https://batchloaf.wordpress.com/serialsend/
Gary NC3Z
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Stream Deck

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:32 pm

Starting this thread since it's worthy of it's own separate discussion.

Please don't randomly post stuff off-topic at the bottom of other topics. If it's a new topic, then create a new topic. This is a forum, not a mailing list with a single stream of consciousness. We have multiple streams. :D
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Sat Feb 19, 2022 2:30 pm

Thanks to Gary N3CZ, my Stream Deck was up and running with minimal effort. It works nicely side-by-side with a MIDI controller.

This is one more device that allows us owners the ability to create a hands-on UI to our liking and not be enslaved to a standard control panel as is the case with other transceiver manufacturers.

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w-u-2-o » Sat Feb 19, 2022 4:20 pm

We need photos!
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w9ac
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Sat Feb 19, 2022 6:09 pm

Photos attached. The camera angle distorts some of the labels.

The top image shows the home layer, followed by the VFO and Bands sub-layers. Gary created this hierarchy to get many more functions out of 15 buttons.

Anyway, this is a good start..

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby oe3ide » Sat Feb 19, 2022 9:12 pm

I am using only the StreamDeck app and a cheap 10" android tablet (it was a free gift for an internet package). PC software to configure is the same as for the physical deck.
Android is tuned (auto startup, disabled display saver, etc.)
The app connects via network (wifi) to the PC where the StreamDeck-software is running.

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73 Ernst
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Mon Feb 21, 2022 2:24 am

Paul, I now have converted all my StreamDeck macros/buttons to use the TCP/IP CAT server (Thanks Ritchie!!!) verse the virtual com ports, in fact I have all the Thetis virtual CATs disabled.
Gary NC3Z
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Mon Feb 21, 2022 2:20 pm

NC3Z wrote:Paul, I now have converted all my StreamDeck macros/buttons to use the TCP/IP CAT server (Thanks Ritchie!!!) verse the virtual com ports, in fact I have all the Thetis virtual CATs disabled.

Gary,

That's awesome. Maybe as time permits, post some instructions?

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Mon Feb 21, 2022 2:52 pm

You will need NCAT.exe. Download the latest stable command-line zip file from https://nmap.org/download.html

This zip file has more than you need. If you want to use my sample StreamDeck Profile you need to match where I install NMAP which is C:\Apps\nmap and once unzipped to there you can delete everything except for ncat.exe and libssl-1_1.dll.

Then in this same nmap directory unzip my Batch files from https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

Also from the Google Drive you can download a StreamDeck Profile for these batch files.

A few caveats; some of these functions are based on how I run my 7000, that is with RX2 always on and split sample rates (192k on RX1 and 1536k on RX2) as I like to have a close look from RX1 and a wide view on RX2. Also I use the default port. If you run otherwise you can simply edit the batch file CAT commands to your liking.

And you do not need StreamDeck, you can launch these Batch files without it.

The pictures above that Paul W9AC posted are the layout on a 15 button StreamDeck

A big thanks to Ritchie for adding the TCP IP CAT commands to Thetis.
Gary NC3Z
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:37 am

Gary,

Thanks. Got the directories t'eed up and ready but it looks like I'll need to wait for the 21k9 release.

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Mon Mar 21, 2022 12:39 pm

With the TCP/IP CAT server running in Thetis, NCAT.exe has been flawless with Stream Deck for the last four weeks. Operationally, Stream Deck has been a great complement to my MIDI controller.

A big thanks to Gary and Richie for making this happen.

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Mon Mar 21, 2022 1:01 pm

Great, it has been a slick addition. The old fashion way of using COM ports was quaint, the TCP way is so much better.
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby EA1DAV » Mon Mar 21, 2022 8:55 pm

Hi Gary, can you put here the correct sintax of any command with SendSerial and with ncat.
With a single CAT command is enougth

Many thanks, 73

Jesus.
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:10 pm

Simple 2 CAT command example using SerialSend and COM ports:

SerialSend.exe /hex /devnum 15 /baudrate 9600 "ZZFA00001855000;ZZMD00;"


And NCAT:

echo ZZFA00001855000;ZZMD00 | ncat 127.0.0.1 13013
Gary NC3Z
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w-u-2-o » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:15 pm

That's interesting. It's essentially how you do it with VB Audio macro buttons as well.
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby EA1DAV » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:30 pm

Tested and it work, thanks Gary


73, Jesus
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:35 pm

Serial or TCP?
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby EA1DAV » Mon Mar 21, 2022 9:39 pm

I chech both, it is very interesant. The tcp even more because I can send commands from a different pc than thetis is running.
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Tue Apr 26, 2022 5:18 pm

Some interesting features were recently added to my Stream Deck. In the images below, you'll see how the TUNE and MON functions are managed. Instead of separate On/Off buttons, Stream Deck has a multi-switch utility that allows for multiple switch states from one button (like a MIDI controller). Button text and background color is also differentiated based on the state of the switch. The switch buttons appear to show some astigmatism, but that's a byproduct of the camera angle.

Also seen are web-based buttons. The button with my QSL card image is a direct link to my QRZ page. Next to it is a button with a small Apache Labs logo. That button launches the web browser straight to the community forum.

On the HF band page, note that the 60m FT8 channel is missing. That mode isn't part of my operating vocabulary. Even if it was, digital software would automatically set the 60m channel.

Paul, W9AC
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kc4vo
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby kc4vo » Sat Apr 30, 2022 7:31 pm

Hi All,

I noticed that users who wish to use the Stream Deck with our ANANs have been taking two approaches (both of which work fine). The first is to use the "SerialSend.exe" program to send a specific cat command directly to a com port which is specified in the Thetis Cat setup screen. I too have done this and it works fine. However, the newer versions of Thetis have provided us with a TCP / IP Cat server which works exceptionally well (thanks, Ritchie!).

To use this functionality, you have to be able to send the cat command directly to a the TCP IP address and port number specified in Thetis -- IP address 127.0.0.1 and port number 13013. For those of you who may not know how to do this, it requires you to have a program installed on your computer called Ncat. Ncat is part of a larger suite of programs included in something called Nmap. (You can download Nmap from Nmap.org/download.). You do not have to install all of Nmap, all you need to install is Ncat. You can make this choice by deselecting everything but Ncat and "register Nmap path" during installation (the register path option is critical so that Ncat is always available in Windows even after a reboot.) Once you do this, you will be able to pass the CAT commands directly to Thetis via the TCP / IP server functionality using Stream Deck.

The way in which I have seen the CAT commands passed to Thetis via Stream Deck is to use the "open" command in a stream deck button and instruct it to open a .bat file with the CAT command syntax included in it. This effectively pipes the CAT command via the Windows CMD line functionality to Ncat and then on to Thetis for action. This works perfectly well.

However, I have found a more direct method to accomplish the same action. There is a Stream Deck plugin available called "Stream Deck-Command Line" written by Mike Powell. By using this functionality instead of the "open' command in Stream Deck. you simply enter the a CAT command formatted correctly for Ncat directly into a Stream Deck button and it will automatically pass the command via the command line to the Thetis CAT server. There is no need for a separate ,bat file for each command. For instance by directly entering "echo ZZMA1; | ncat 127.0.0.1 13013" would directly mute RX1 without the intermediate steps of opening the .bat file, calling the command line and then passing the data on to Thetis. You can download the Stream Deck-Command line from Github directly at https://github.com/mikepowell/streamdec ... e/releases. (It does not seem to be available using the built in plug-in listing in the Stream Deck app.) It works perfectly for me.

Best regards to all. Bob KC4VO
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w9ac
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w9ac » Sat Apr 30, 2022 7:55 pm

kc4vo wrote:Hi All,
By using this functionality instead of the "open' command in Stream Deck. you simply enter the a CAT command formatted correctly for Ncat directly into a Stream Deck button and it will automatically pass the command via the command line to the Thetis CAT server. There is no need for a separate ,bat file for each command. Bob KC4VO

Bob,

I initially went down that path and it works fine as you mention. I eventually started using batch files for two reasons: (1) each file is easily edited or reverted back with a keyboard CTL-Z press if a change doesn't execute as planned; and (2) the batch files can be saved into a common C: drive directory, then Zipped to a cloud drive to quickly rebuild the Stream Deck command structure in the event of a Windows or PC hardware meltdown.

Paul, W9AC
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby NC3Z » Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:02 pm

Thanks Bob, I will play around with this.
Gary NC3Z
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby kc4vo » Sun May 01, 2022 2:49 am

I initially went down that path and it works fine as you mention. I eventually started using batch files for two reasons: (1) each file is easily edited or reverted back with a keyboard CTL-Z press if a change doesn't execute as planned; and (2) the batch files can be saved into a common C: drive directory, then Zipped to a cloud drive to quickly rebuild the Stream Deck command structure in the event of a Windows or PC hardware meltdown.

Paul, W9AC


Yes Paul, your approach makes perfect sense as a backup strategy. In fact, I do something similar with the AutoHotKey scripts that are activated by Stream Deck to operate my HF Auto tuner. For the Thetis backups I have been using the profile export function and profile backup function provided in the Stream Deck application. The good news is that we now have three different ways to send Cat commands to Thetis and can choose whichever one works best in our circumstances as they all work well.

There is actually a fourth process that we could use as well that I didn't mention which can be done either by using your batch file method or using the Stream Deck Command Line plugin. You can directly redirect a Cat command to a com port in Thetis using the batch redirect function ">". The syntax is very simple and is "Echo {Cat command}; > ComX. So for the mute function for RX1 (if you were using Com5) it would be: Echo ZZMA1; >Com5. This works but requires some special syntax if the Com port is higher than 9. I have also found a couple of other anomalies using this method, so I don't recommend it if you have many commands to send.

73 Bob
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Re: Stream Deck

Postby w-u-2-o » Fri May 20, 2022 11:23 am

Should we move this discussion to the "Macro & MIDI Controller Software, Hardware & Scripts" sub-forum or leave it here?

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