TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

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w-u-2-o
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TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:48 pm

TouchOSC for iOS and TouchOSC for Android are a really marvelous tools for creating custom MIDI control surfaces on either iOS or Android tablet devices. You can use TouchOSC alone, or in combination with a conventional hardware MIDI controller. I posted a video some time ago demonstrating some of the things you can do with TouchOSC:



Recently I received a question on my Youtube channel asking how TouchOSC actually connects to the radio. As you probably know, a conventional MIDI controller is generally a USB connected device and PowerSDR will find such devices automatically on the PowerSDR MIDI setup screen. TouchOSC is almost unique, I think, in that it connects to the PC over Wi-Fi. There is a driver application that needs to be installed on the PC called TouchOSC Bridge. The download link for TouchOSC Bridge can be found near the bottom of the main TouchOSC pages referenced above. Once the bridge driver is installed and the PC rebooted, running the TouchOSC Bridge application will allow your TouchOSC equipped tablet to find the PC, and applications such as PowerSDR to see the TouchOSC MIDI device.

The wireless aspect of TouchOSC makes it great fun to kick back in your easy chair and run the radio wirelessly. I've even gone so far as to use Chromecast to cast the PowerSDR display and audio to my living room TV and control the radio with TouchOSC on my Android tablet. A wireless microphone gets the audio back to the radio.

Image

73!

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Sun Jul 02, 2017 1:10 pm

Scott,

Ok ... thanks for the follow-up on the TOUCH-Bridge. So I installed it - and everything worked. I ran the app on my tablet (Android) ... I pulled up a default template.... on PowerSDR (using the latest with 8000DLE) I went to CAT and then MIDI and it seemed to find it ok. I could see if I tapped on a button it would pop up. I could edit SOME of the detail there - not much ... and I could see some of the controls working - volume or AGC-T slider for example. There seemed to be only one template that had a full circle platter type jog wheel, Jog-On I think it is called - most are like a pot with end stops ... ALSO you didn't mention that the wheel doesn't work in both directions!! Only in one. (tuning the VFO). So I watched your video again and happen to see that the data for it was 1 for the min value and not 0... I then downloaded the editor from the Hexler site, found that template, changed the min to 1, moved that over to the tablet - and tried it and it worked. Albeit not long and it stopped working (tuning - buttons continued to work) ...

So - beyond this post serving as info for those struggling like I was with the wheel not tuning and the need to change the min value to 1 .... today I tried to fire it up again to show someone how it worked - and it won't do anything! Everything APPEARS to be there. It appears the PSDR/MIDI panel sees the controls I had previously configured, a 1/2 dozen or so ... but tapping or sliding or turning on any of the tablet devices doesn't pop up - well anything. NOTHING changes on the panel that "Configure MIDI" brings up ... if I look at the diagnostics it has a current value of some very large negative number so obviously its not getting proper data. I've not a clue whether or not the app on the tablet is connected to the PC via TOUCH-bridge (I get an error if I double click on Touch-bridge - it seems like it is pre-installed to run on start up of the computer)? I DO have an ip of 192.168.1.7 on the tablet app but there is no "HOST" value (and wasn't before when it was running)?

I don't remember if there is a sequence to how you bring this stuff up - I've tried a number of ways - nothing seems to work .... HELP!
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Sun Jul 02, 2017 1:54 pm

Ok - never mind ... at least for the "can't get it to run again" part ... my dumb mistake. I KNOW you can't just drag an app to the desk top - but i did that anyway. I saw the "exe" and assumed, obviously incorrectly, that it was self-contained ... I'm talking about Touch-Bridge. So I moved the exe back to the folder - then did the proper thing of right click, 'create desktop icon', and moved THAT to the desktop ... and I also now realize that I need to run this before running the app/PSDR. I'll put this in the START menu if and when all is said and done and I've decided to stick with PSDR/8000.

thanks - sorry for the dumb error.

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:13 pm

Glad to see you got it going, Gary! That's the easy part. The hard part is to learn how to create MIDI surfaces that do what you want in TouchOSC Editor. It took me an entire week to get where I wanted to be. I sure learned a lot about MIDI while doing it!

You can find a couple of examples to work from here.

73!

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Sun Jul 02, 2017 2:37 pm

SUPER! I was hoping someone had a template to start with!! It is indeed quite tedious work using the editor. I plan on using a proper DJ panel with a jog wheel for the VFO's and the more commonly exercised functions like VOL, AGC, A<B, SPLIT etc ... but the less often used ones on the tablet like band selection (hopefully it will maintain the band stacking that is available from within PSDR - which I find great - it was frustrating NOT to have this in SSDR when testing the 6700).

Do you know if anyone is working on a touch screen monitor use? That would eliminate the need for the tablet ... I don't think that is just "usable as is" .... or maybe I'm wrong on that point - but it seems like one would need to map the touch screen as well.

I'll give your template a try.

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Jul 02, 2017 5:36 pm

Gary,

A Windows 10 touch screen PC should work as is, no fuss, no muss, with PowerSDR.

73,

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Mon Jul 03, 2017 7:02 pm

Scott,

Is there some way for you (and thus others) to also show/provide the MIDI settings from within PSDR for your template? Obviously having the template, although it saves a great deal in not having to use the editor or at least reducing the 'base' planning, doesn't satisfy the needs of MIDI/PSDR. And I'm not necessarily looking towards a DB - although a 'canned' database for just this and the ability to import/export it would be nice (I guess I need to write to the creator - Andrew was it?) ... even if I just had a copy of the one 'page' that shows the settings that would allow me to enter those. If it is more than this - if the "Advanced" settings are used of course then its more info that is needed but at least this would be a start. I'll ask N1EU as well.

He, N1EU, has a "coarse" as well as "fine" tune - separate dials - so my suspicion is that required more than just a simple min/max setting ...

thanks

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:48 am

Gary,

I've been doing so much beta testing and whatnot that my MIDI settings have fallen into disrepair. If you give me a few days I'll get it set back up and I can export and publish a mapping that matches my TouchOSC layout. However I would expect that you could do one from scratch yourself that quickly, too ;)

73!

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Wed Jul 05, 2017 11:33 pm

Scott,

Thanks for the reply .... the good news is this was a good day re getting more info. I found through reading various things scattered around docs on midi originally done in April of last year on the file system of the Yahoo forum. I had not been there as yet (nor seen references to it until I read the release notes for 3.3.8 as suggested by Warren) ... and a good deal of other 'stuff' there. It seems there is an (easy?) way for you to provide what you have for your template - just export it it seems. No hurry - whenever you have a moment. Yes I could recreate it reinventing the wheel of sorts but that would more than likely just generate questions and we both know that that editor is a bit non-intuitive (TouchOSC Editor) - I apologize for 'using your labor' for this purpose ... but if you wouldn't mind and at your convenience if you could do an export I'd appreciate it.

I also now have your earlier info on the DJ panel as well as that of DG9FDA - the latter being very extensive so I'm getting more pumped about this ...

have a great week.

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Jul 06, 2017 12:09 pm

Gary,

While you are waiting, it's not that hard to do it yourself. I put up a video some time ago on how to do it. Just pretend the Hercules is your TouchOSC MIDI surface.



73!

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:11 pm

Scott,

Its not an issue of whether or not I CAN do it ... I just thought since you've already done it it would be somewhat simple to do an export of the settings from PSDR/MIDI... if not I can indeed do it. Also there are obviously nuisances that aren't going to be gathered by trying it yourself - for example it was only in watching your video that I noticed for the wheel to work in both directions the MIN setting has to be 1 and not 0. As an embedded designer HW/SW (www.ServoCAT.com) I would have assumed it would be 127/-127 (0x7F/0x80) ... its non-intuitive to know that '1' is the value needed - it appears that PSDR has been programmed to see this as the opposite direction unbeknownst to me ... likewise COASE/FINE values, And on and on ...if you're too busy no worries... I'll get it done. Thanks

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Sun Nov 19, 2017 3:22 pm

Hi,

I purchased TOUCH OSC for my Ipad and need to use it for my Hermes. Is there any detailed tutorial to INSTALL and configure step by step ?

73s,

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby K9RX » Sun Nov 19, 2017 3:46 pm

Hello Prem - Chris has a detailed write up on using MIDI .... I believe Scott has the only info re TouchOSC including his videos. I abandoned it after I got a Behringer Studio 2A midi panel. It does all that I need wonderfully. I'm very pleased using it.

Gary
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 19, 2017 4:12 pm

Prem,

There are no detailed tutorials that I'm aware of.

I made a couple of Youtube videos about a year ago. They are both getting a little dated. However you probably will find them helpful. They essentially show that, from the radio side, configuring PowerSDR to use a MIDI controller, whether it is something like a normal Hercules series controller, or something based on TouchOSC, is exactly the same.

I have not, and have no plans to, create any tutorials on how to use TouchOSC or how to create TouchOSC MIDI surfaces. It requires learning about MIDI in some level of detail, and how to use the TouchOSC layout editor. Those things are WELL beyond the scope of using and operating openHPSDR architecture radios, and, quite frankly, I do not have the time to dedicate teaching people how to use MIDI and TouchOSC. I would strongly recommend that you sign up for the TouchOSC forum to build your MIDI and TouchOSC knowledge. However, I am happy to provide the last TouchOSC layout I produced as a template or starting point for anyone who might benefit.

Most important: M0YGG and W2PA get all the credit for all of the improvements in PowerSDR MIDI support we have enjoyed over the last two years.

Youtube videos:





73,

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Sun Nov 19, 2017 5:19 pm

Hi Scott,

I installed touch OSC in my iPad (Paid version) . Installed Editor in my PC (free version) . Made a simple layout with a push button. Then downloaded layout to iPad.
My PSDR identify touch OSC. But I am not able to communicate from iPad to PSDR.

Do we need to buy editor paid version ?
Any other program like OSC Bridge needed ??

73s

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 19, 2017 5:37 pm

You have to be running TouchOSC Bridge.
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Sun Nov 19, 2017 5:57 pm

Hi Scott,

It is installed on my PC. But still not communicate.
When I run OSC Bridge, cant see any running programme !!
i think OSC Bridge do not run . I cant see any program as OSC Bridge running .

Any further sugession ?

73s

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 19, 2017 8:00 pm

Did you restart your system after installing TouchOSC bridge?

Then did you start TouchOSC bridge before PowerSDR?

If you did both of these things, then:

a) You will see TouchOSC bridge running in your system tray (the "B" icon),

b) When you do start PowerSDR, and go to Setup > CAT Control > Configure MIDI then you will see TouchOSC Bridge as one of the available MIDI devices.
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:18 am

Hi Scott,

I could make it working. Thanks for advice.
For the rest of team who are new to this , I am posting here the settings I made it to work.

1. Download and install Touch OSC Bridge and Run it.
2. Download and install and Run Touch OSC Editor. Build our Panel as required to control PSDR from Tablet or IPad or iPhone. Few tutorials are available for designing these layouts.
3. Install Touch OSC in remote device like iPhone, Tablet or iPad.
Configure Touch OSC in remote device as below:

- Refer to PSDR and get the IP address used by PSDR. We need to use this IP address in Touch OSC.
- Go to connections - OSC : Enabled ; Host : IP address copied from PSDR ; Port outgoing : 8000 ; Port incoming : 9000
- Local IP address (system generated)
- Touch OSC Bridge : Enabled ; Network Host : Select our Host computer System will assign IP address.
- Now Press Sync button in OSC Layout in PC.
- Go to Layout Tab in Touch OSC in iPad/iPhone ,
- Layout : Add , Select out PC where we designed our Layout; Select Layout name.
- Done

- In PSDR : CAT : MIDI Control Tab Press
- If all well, we can see Touch OSC selected there.
- Now press any Push button on our Layout or move slider to complete rest of mapping details with PSDR functions. Few tutorials available on YouTube to see how to map MIDI controller with PSDR.
- Done

73s

Prem, A65BK\VU2OLU
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:19 pm

Hi Scott,

I was trying to prepare one custom Layout for me starting from your layout. I have some doubts as :

1. Any special setting need when I place a button and a label over it ?
2. Settings for Rotary controller ??
3. Specialty of Multi push ??
4. Difference between individual Buttons and Multi push ??

now in between configuring my OSC Layout, something went wrong and now I get an error message as attached, while start PSDR. It fail to start.
Can you advise me to correct it ?



73s

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:44 pm

HI Prem,

With respect to the first set of questions, as I said above, I am not able to take the time to answer MIDI and TouchOSC design questions. It would be like trying to teach you C++ or something like that, and it's just not something I am willing to make the time for, I'm sorry. There is an excellent forum over at the hexler.net site where there are many people far more talented than I regarding TouchOSC design.

I will say that my layout has controls that are designed in the style of those found on the Hercules series of controllers. That includes lighting features. If you copy those then MIDI configuration on the PowerSDR side is just like it is for a Hercules controller.

As for the error message, my guess is that you are stuck with a either a bad midi2cat.xml file, or a bad database file. Save copies of the ones you have in case you want to go back to them, and try fresh ones to see if that fixes the problem. If that does fix the problem, well, the software we use is FAR from bug free, and there are many things that seem to corrupt the database structures that PowerSDR mRX relies upon to work properly.

73,

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:54 pm

Hi Scott,


PSDR fail to run now. Means program fail to open.
I tried after reinstalling PSDRmRx 3.4.3. Still same error.

Need to delete old database ? I dont know where it is lying. Can you help me to correct it please ?

Thanks and Regards,

Prem.
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Nov 22, 2017 1:11 pm

The database files are stored here:

C:\Users\<your PC login name goes here>\AppData\Roaming\FlexRadio Systems\PowerSDR mRX PS

The AppData folder is a hidden, system folder. You can either configure Windows to show hidden folders, or just type the path name in manually in a File Explorer window to get there. Once you are there, jump up a directory level and create a shortcut to the PowerSDR mRX PS folder, then put that shortcut somewhere convenient so you can use it in the future.

You can delete or rename the entire PowerSDR mRX PS directory that is in the FlexRadio Systems directory and that will make it like you have never installed the program. Renaming is a good trick in case you ever want to recover the old contents for reuse.
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Thu Nov 23, 2017 5:32 am

Hi Scott,

I could make it working with new Database. I removed all files from PSDR mRx folder and then imported my old database. But I loose some newly created TX Profiles. Can I get it back ?

Hi Team,

Can anyone help me to configure and use rotary type slider to use as Vol control, Mic Gain etc . ??

73s

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:51 pm

Prem wrote:I could make it working with new Database. I removed all files from PSDR mRx folder and then imported my old database. But I loose some newly created TX Profiles. Can I get it back ?

There is no easy way of doing this, because the database is so corrupted that it cannot be opened in PowerSDR and the profiles exported. There is the hard way, which is to use an text editor to open the old database.xml file, find the section with the profile you want, and then copy/paste that using the text editor into the new database.xml file. This method is NOT for the faint of heart! And, if you try it, make sure to keep a clean, original backup copy of your new database.xml file in case your efforts at editing result in another corrupt database.

It's always a good idea to keep , separately, exported versions of any complex and important Transmit Profiles. Use the Export Current Profile button in Setup > Transmit to do that.

73,

Scott

P.S. There are PLENTY of good templates that come with TouchOSC, many of which have rotary volume controls. Just copy and modify one of those.
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Sat Nov 25, 2017 6:39 am

Dear Scott,

Well , noted. Thank you very much.

I checked the open option in touch OSC Editor to see samples available there. But all folders are empty and so I could not find any sample Layouts there to give a try. I only have yours and that one did not use a rotary Vol control.

73s,

Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Sun Nov 26, 2017 3:32 pm

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the idea to set Channel for different controls in Touch OSC Layout like Button, Slider etc. ?
Is the Channel number same for all controls in a Page or in a Layout ?

73s
Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Sun Nov 26, 2017 4:36 pm

Prem,

You must be doing something wrong. I just downloaded the latest TouchOSC editor. In the Layouts folder that it comes with there are no less than 14 sample layouts. Download and extract a fresh copy. They are there.

You can see in my example that I used the same channel for all controls. That is what you need to do.

73,

Scott
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby Prem » Mon Nov 27, 2017 5:35 am

Hi Scott,

I had used 64 bit OSC editor for windows.

Ver 1.8.4 win64.zip
Is that ok or not ?

73s,
Prem
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Re: TouchOSC custom tablet MIDI control surface

Postby w-u-2-o » Mon Nov 27, 2017 12:43 pm

Why wouldn't it be OK?

A folder of 14 sample layouts comes with both the 32 and 64 bit downloads.

If you don't see them, re-download and look carefully.

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