New version of farmpad - os x hack for padKontrol

[zoomzoom]

this is awesome, can't wait for the new version (hurray scenes!). now if i could only have david debreczeni's step-sequencers for one of the scenes, heh.

one cosmetic feature request, should be low on your list:

if you enter more than 3 characters for the led display, why not have them scroll and repeat?

[flycycle]

I've uploaded the new version (v1.0) with scenes support, think it's all working right, let me know if you have any problems...
Get it here: http://farmaudio.com/farmpad

@autogenesis

Regarding your second question, I've only defined some retrigger groups in my config file for the main pads and nothing else. The rest of the buttons still function as toggles, and the knobs and encoder still send MIDI, so I guess the answer is yes.

You're right, the settings in your config file apply on top of the default settings.

@jaju

I totally agree – I've waited for a proper way to get clip feedback from Ableton for years. When I first saw padKONTROL I thought this was the solution, but no. Now comes flycycle to the rescue – thank you so much for doing this and sharing

No problem! It's what I thought too and was gutted when I found the normal toggle mode stays lit up all the time.. When I read that you could mess about with the padKontrol using its Native Mode (in this post) I tried to get it working how I wanted, then sharing the results seemed a good idea .

@zoomzoom

one cosmetic feature request, should be low on your list:

if you enter more than 3 characters for the led display, why not have them scroll and repeat?

I read your mind The new version includes scrolling led text. (I've referred to it as lcd text throughout farmpad, not sure why, should change that )

[autogenesis]

I'm all over this like a bad rash!

[JaJu]

me to... Thank you so much again – and thank you also autogenesis for the crash course in Terminal.

Is there a clever way to script or save the commands for farmpad, so you don't have to write them all the time? I tried with automator, but I find it hard.

Another thing (presupposing that someone uses farmpad with Ableton Live) – I know that Live sends back the same MIDI message which is assigned to a parameter (e.g. clips, scenes, effects on/off etc.). It sends these messages back to MIDI outputs where 'remote' is activated.
So the question is: Can you get these messages to feedback to the (farm)padKONTROL so that the pads and switches will update if you change something from elsewhere – that would be amazing.

I hope you understand what I mean

[autogenesis]

me to... Thank you so much again – and thank you also autogenesis for the crash course in Terminal.

Is there a clever way to script or save the commands for farmpad, so you don't have to write them all the time? I tried with automator, but I find it hard.

I'm by no means an expert in terminal either, but I know enough to run some basic commands. I've just saved a text file with the line to launch farmpad with my config file, and I just open this and paste it into terminal to start up farmpad each time.
I've tried using automator too. It works but I just seem to get a workflow running endlessly with no way to exit farmpad except turning the pK off then on, and I then have to force quit automator to stop the workflow running . I'm sure there must be a way to save some kind of executable to do it, but I'm afraid its beyond my knowledge at the moment.

Another thing (presupposing that someone uses farmpad with Ableton Live) – I know that Live sends back the same MIDI message which is assigned to a parameter (e.g. clips, scenes, effects on/off etc.). It sends these messages back to MIDI outputs where 'remote' is activated.
So the question is: Can you get these messages to feedback to the (farm)padKONTROL so that the pads and switches will update if you change something from elsewhere – that would be amazing.

I hope you understand what I mean

This would be nice. For example I set up a config file to have the 'scene, message, fixed velocity & prog change' buttons all transmit on the same MIDI channel for scenes 1-4 to control layer on/off in my VJ app. But if I turn on my top layer on scene 1, then switch to scene 2 the assigned button is still off. Only a minor niggle though, as I have ways of working around this with my other controller.

One other thing. Whilst trying to set the same channel for 'scene, message, fixed velocity & prog change' across the 1st 4 scenes, I've noticed that although I defined 'channel:1' they seem to all be transmitting on MIDI channel 2?
Heres the code I used to do it -

Code: Select all

scene:1
switch_1:
	channel:1
switch_2:
	channel:1
switch_10:
	channel:1
switch_11:
	channel:1

scene:2
switch_1:
	channel:1
switch_2:
	channel:1
switch_10:
	channel:1
switch_11:
	channel:1

scene:3
switch_1:
	channel:1
switch_2:
	channel:1
switch_10:
	channel:1
switch_11:
	channel:1

scene:4
switch_1:
	channel:1
switch_2:
	channel:1
switch_10:
	channel:1
switch_11:
	channel:1

I'm pretty sure I've probably made some simple mistake. I'm not that bothered which channel they transmit on as long as its the same one across all scenes, but I'm just curious to know what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks again, farmpad has made my setup infintely more user friendly. I can't wait to reap the benefits in the pitch black booth at the weekend. I've got a feeling that I probably won't even need to refer to my laptop screen by then

[flycycle]

Is there a clever way to script or save the commands for farmpad, so you don't have to write them all the time? I tried with automator, but I find it hard.

I'm sure there must be a way to save some kind of executable to do it, but I'm afraid its beyond my knowledge at the moment.

Here's what you need to do to make an executable script..

- Save your command in a text file.
- In terminal enter the following command, replacing the path to 'run_farmpad.txt' with your text file:

Code: Select all

chmod +x /users/name/run_farmpad.txt

This command made the text file executable. (This is a unix thing, google 'executable shell script' for more info...)
- To let you double-click the file in Finder to run farmpad, rename the file to either remove the '.txt' extension, or change the extension to '.command', so you now have something like 'run_farmpad' or 'run_farmpad.command'.

Job done!

So the question is: Can you get these messages to feedback to the (farm)padKONTROL so that the pads and switches will update if you change something from elsewhere – that would be amazing.

This should be possible, I'll put it on the to-do list

For example I set up a config file to have the 'scene, message, fixed velocity & prog change' buttons all transmit on the same MIDI channel for scenes 1-4 to control layer on/off in my VJ app. But if I turn on my top layer on scene 1, then switch to scene 2 the assigned button is still off.

Yeah there isn't anything in code to check for duplicate controls over scenes, so at the moment there's nothing you can do about this. I'll put this on the list too

One other thing. Whilst trying to set the same channel for 'scene, message, fixed velocity & prog change' across the 1st 4 scenes, I've noticed that although I defined 'channel:1' they seem to all be transmitting on MIDI channel 2?

You're not doing anything wrong, you found a bug I've uploaded version 1.0.1 which fixes it.

[zoomzoom]

another feature request.

on first press do this, on next press do that

ie

pad_16 first_press:
control:100

pad_16 second_press:
control:120

[zoomzoom]

yet another...

octave +/- buttons

[JaJu]

I also have one: Ability to use roll and flam when farmpad is activated.

I can't wait to see if you can get it to recieve MIDI - that would be so awesome

Good day to everyone.

[flycycle]

another feature request.

on first press do this, on next press do that

ie

pad_16 first_press:
control:100

pad_16 second_press:
control:120

What I've been thinking of adding is min/max values for all controls, which would apply to all controls including the encoder, xy pad etc. That would cover what you want right? I'll add it in next week, will be very useful

yet another...

octave +/- buttons

Good idea!

I also have one: Ability to use roll and flam when farmpad is activated.

I can't wait to see if you can get it to receive MIDI - that would be so awesome

I doubt I'll add in roll and flam as they're rhythmic effects which i'm not planning to get in to at the moment, but I'll keep it in mind if do.

I was playing about with getting midi in to farmpad earlier and it's working well, I'll have it sorted next week sometime

[zoomzoom]

What I've been thinking of adding is min/max values for all controls, which would apply to all controls including the encoder, xy pad etc. That would cover what you want right?

not sure if thats exactly it. essentially i'd like a way to set a button to do something on the first press than something different on the second. whether its a different note or different cc

[zoomzoom]

fixed velocity would also be helpful

[autogenesis]

Here's what you need to do to make an executable script..

This is great, I've made new icons to replace the standard script icon, with different colours for each of my configurations. It makes it a lot easier to just quickly launch the one I need for a certain application. I'll upload them somewhere if anyone else wants them.

Yeah there isn't anything in code to check for duplicate controls over scenes, so at the moment there's nothing you can do about this. I'll put this on the list too

Thanks, I'm looking forward to this feature.


I just got back from playing a 6 hour set using farmpad, and it worked a treat. I barely had to refer to the screen at all, and when I did it was more force of habit than anything else.

I did realise that I need to add one more feature request though. I need to be able to use my foot-switch with the pK while using farmpad please.

[flycycle]

not sure if thats exactly it. essentially i'd like a way to set a button to do something on the first press than something different on the second. whether its a different note or different cc

I see.. It's an interesting idea, I'll think about adding something like it to the version after the one I'm working on now. I'd want to extend it so that you could have a sequence of different hits, up to 16 or something.. You could do some mad stuff with summit like that

fixed velocity would also be helpful

For sure - I'll do that this week.

This is great, I've made new icons to replace the standard script icon, with different colours for each of my configurations. It makes it a lot easier to just quickly launch the one I need for a certain application. I'll upload them somewhere if anyone else wants them.

I'd like to see them, it's really useful to see what people get up to with the config files - things I hadn't thought of etc. Plus it means I've got a good collection of examples to test against so I don't go breaking anything

I just got back from playing a 6 hour set using farmpad, and it worked a treat. I barely had to refer to the screen at all, and when I did it was more force of habit than anything else.

Awesome =)

I did realise that I need to add one more feature request though. I need to be able to use my foot-switch with the pK while using farmpad please.

Shouldn't be a problem, I'll probably put it in the next release.

[S4racen]

Autogenesis Hi!

What footswitch do you use with the Pk?

I'm one switch away from perfection in my setup and didn't realise i could do this..... Would be awesome if Flycycle can get it to change message with each stomp as well!!

Oh Happy Days!

Cheers
D