Hi Harry,
I have looked a bit closer to the concepts of Ctlra, and it has a strong
issue: "The device specific files are written in c."
In terms of am everage use, a library is updated by the various Linux
distros in a two years cycle. I am in doubt that the manufacturer a will
ship a Ctlra build along with there hardware. So it takes about two years
after a brand new controller reaches the Ctlra shipped with distros.
Looking at pre-installed default mappings Mixxx suffers the same issue.
There is only a minority of users a talented musician, spending a
reasonable amount of money for a new controller and a talented C programmer
at the same time. It is a high hurdle to set up an build environment,
reengineer the controller, build a library and make it work.
If the user actually manages this, it is another hurdle to bring the device
specific into a rock solid maintainable state and merge it upstream. And
even if the user manages all these, the upstream maintainer cannot verify
the proposed code, because he most likely did not own the new shiny
controller as well. Mixxx has the same issue regarding pre-installed
default mappings.
.... fortunately Mixxx has a point and click GUI to map even unknown
controllers. It provides an outstanding scripting engine that is relative
easy for simple tasks but has the full power of a
Touring-complete language. Integrating a brand new hid mapping still
requires bit smashing, but at least it can be done with a simple text
editor, nothing more.
Did you get the point?
How to solve this?
Not sure if it works, but how about benefit from all the work already done
in Mixxx? Instead of making Ctlra a new controller type in Mixxx we can put
it between the Mixxx engine an the Mixxx controller mapping.
This way all openAV apps can benefit from the existing mappings in Mixxx
and from the sounds scripting language to solve hard issues. Mixxx can
benefit from modern controller support contributed directly to openAV.
What do you think?
Kind regards,
Daniel
Am 07.07.2017 1:07 vorm. schrieb "Daniel Schürmann" <dasch...@mixxx.org>:
> Hi Harry,
>
> welcome to Mixxx.
>
> That is awesome. :-)
> A BIG thank you to make this real!
>
> I have just skimmed over the linked resources and it looks like this
> closes exactly the gap between Mixxx and HID controllers.
>
> Currently Mix has HID controller support, but it requires scripting, and a
> lot of bit mashing to make a controller work.
> Unlike MIDI controllers, you cannot learn them via point and click GUI.
>
> You need a lot of knowledge of the interns of the controller.
> It is a great idea to put this knowledge in a single library and share
> these info between all Linux Audio Projects.
>
> Are you going to contribute to Mixxx an work towards an Ctlra interface?
>
> Here are some links:
>
> Our HID API js is described here:
> https://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/hid_device_api
>
> Which is used for example here:
> https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx/blob/8d191bf7ce2d62d24c6e0f
> fac4b2afd7359afa8a/res/controllers/Nintendo-Wiimote.js
>
> Here is a good introduction how we work in the Mixxx project:
> https://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/bugfix_workflow
>
> If I understand the Ctlra concept correct, it can finally replace all our
> controller APIs on a long run. On a short run, it can be used parallel to
> portmidi, right?
>
> The portmidi implementation can be found here:
> https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx/tree/master/src/controllers/midi
> https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx/blob/2cf29ba14da099a9d19f43
> 5a71b2ee95b9f4815e/build/depends.py#L28
>
> Can we roughly name the steps to do? :
> * crate src/controllers/ctlra
> * copy all files over
> * adopt them for ctlra
>
> Of cause there will be a lot more things to consider.
>
> Do you see a chance to port this to Mac and Windows as well?
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Daniel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Am 06.07.2017 um 23:57 schrieb Harry van Haaren:
>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> First of all - this is my first post to the Mixxx-devel list, so a brief
>> intro is in order;
>> I'm Harry van Haaren, developer of the OpenAV audio software, bit of a
>> music/tech/linux head :)
>>
>> I've recently been working on improving controller support in Linux audio
>> land, in particular
>> what I call "modern USB HID" controller devices (think DJ controllers
>> like Akai/NI/Abletons range).
>> I've developed the Ctlra library as OpenAV, which provides access to
>> these hardware devices
>> on Linux. The library allows hotplug and various other "advanced"
>> features like accessing
>> screens on devices.
>>
>> I'd like to integrate Ctlra into Mixxx - to provide access to hardware
>> currently not available
>> to Linux users, and also to provide hotplug support to those controllers.
>> I've created a blueprint
>> on Launchpad[1], and written an introduction on Ctlra and how I propose
>> to integrate it in Mixxx[2].
>> Finally, there is a documentation page on what Ctlra itself achieves
>> here[3], and the source is here[4].
>>
>> If you have an interest in hotplug of controllers, controller support or
>> hardware on Linux,
>> do have a read of the wiki page and others, and I'd appreciate your input
>> on the ideas!
>>
>> Thanks for all your efforts on Mixxx so far, onwards and upwards!
>> -Harry of OpenAV
>>
>> [1] https://blueprints.launchpad.net/mixxx/+spec/ctlra-controller-support
>> [2] https://www.mixxx.org/wiki/doku.php/ctlra_support
>> [3] http://openavproductions.com/doc/ctlra.html
>> [4] https://github.com/openAVproductions/openAV-ctlra
>>
>> --
>>
>> http://www.openavproductions.com
>>
>>
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>>
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>>
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