jsynthlib-devel

[Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Christoph E. <ce...@ch...>]

Hi all,


I just subscribed to the list, and of course I did because I have some 
questions ;-) .

I have been lurking around JSynthLib for a long time, but as my MIDI 
device isn't supported by OSS but ALSA, JSynthLib was no option for me.

These days I installed Tritonus et voila, JSynthLib was able to talk to 
my Virus via ALSA (though it complained about illegal checksum).

My questions:

a) Can anyone provide a list archive which I can use with kmail? I know 
the web based archieve on sourceforge, but I dislike reading mail via a 
HTML gateway

b) I need support for some devices. There's already a librarian for the 
Access Virus, but additionally I'd like to see support for the 
Midisport 8x8, the V-Amp2 and the m-audio TriggerFinger

c) I have no programming skills except some poor knowledge in Basic, 
bash and even C++/Qt3. OTOH I'm familiar with sysex for a long time 
now. I already have read the programming tutorial, but I failed because 
I don't know how to compile the CVS source I checked out. I get a lot 
of errors, and I'm not familiar with Java at all. So the question is: 
Will I be able to write the drivers mentioned above? For all three 
devices I need to write a programmer, not only a librarian.

For the Midisport 8x8 I have already written a shell script and a Qt-app 
to program it, but I'd like to see it in JSynthLib as well. This device 
seems to be a good starting point because it's a simple one. For the 
V-Amp2 there's a programmer called V-Amp design but it's Win only, not 
Mac or even Linux. For the TriggerFinger there's a programmer called 
Enigma (Mac and Windows), but to be honest, it's not a comfortable app. 
For all these devices I already have collected/reverse engineered some 
sysex commands, but the difficulty remains: Java programming :(


OK, that's it so far. I really appreciate some comments like "No, 
without any Java experiences you'll never be able to do it" or even 
RTFM :) .



Thanks & best regards


ce

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Joe E. <jo...@em...>]

Christoph Eckert wrote:
> a) Can anyone provide a list archive which I can use with kmail? I know 
> the web based archieve on sourceforge, but I dislike reading mail via a 
> HTML gateway
>   
I have almost all of the messages from the developers' list for the past 
year... but they're stored as individual messages in my IMAP server. You 
probably need them in mbox format.
> b) I need support for some devices. There's already a librarian for the 
> Access Virus, but additionally I'd like to see support for the 
> Midisport 8x8, the V-Amp2 and the m-audio TriggerFinger
>   
Looks like the MidiSport 8x8 is much like the MOTU MidiXpress. I guess 
it all depends upon whether you can program the 8x8 by sending sysex 
messages to one of the ports on it. If you can only program it via the 
USB port or through the legacy serial port, then the answer, for now, 
would be "no". JSL does not, at this time, use the USB or serial ports 
on the computer for anything... and I don't recall there ever being any 
plans to. JSL only talks to the outside world through the MIDI ports 
that the OS provides to it.
> c) I have no programming skills except some poor knowledge in Basic, 
> bash and even C++/Qt3. OTOH I'm familiar with sysex for a long time 
> now. I already have read the programming tutorial, but I failed because 
> I don't know how to compile the CVS source I checked out. I get a lot 
> of errors, and I'm not familiar with Java at all. So the question is: 
> Will I be able to write the drivers mentioned above? For all three 
> devices I need to write a programmer, not only a librarian.
>   
Your best bet is probably to try the XML driver. One of the developers 
has put together a system that lets you use XML to describe the sysex 
format and the messages to request and store patches and banks. If 
you're not into programming Java, then this is probably the route you 
want to go.

- Joe

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Christoph E. <ce...@ch...>]

Hi,


> I have almost all of the messages from the developers' list for the
> past year... but they're stored as individual messages in my IMAP
> server. You probably need them in mbox format.

yes, but thanks anyway!

[...]

> Looks like the MidiSport 8x8 is much like the MOTU MidiXpress. I
> guess it all depends upon whether you can program the 8x8 by sending
> sysex messages to one of the ports on it.

At least on Linux the Midisport appears with 9 ports. The 9th is called 
"Control" and I can send and receive sysex via these ports. I can 
already program the device through these ports. I have written a shell 
script/Qt app which simplifies this process but both "only" generate 
the sysex files to send but cannot communicate with the device for 
themselves.

> Your best bet is probably to try the XML driver. One of the
> developers has put together a system that lets you use XML to
> describe the sysex format and the messages to request and store
> patches and banks. If you're not into programming Java, then this is
> probably the route you want to go.

Sounds very promising, but before I haven't actually done it I won't 
believe it :) .


Thanks & best regards


ce

[Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Rib R. <ri...@gm...>]

On 3/5/06, Joe Emenaker <jo...@em...> wrote:
> Your best bet is probably to try the XML driver. One of the developers
> has put together a system that lets you use XML to describe the sysex
> format and the messages to request and store patches and banks. If
> you're not into programming Java, then this is probably the route you
> want to go.

The XML driver is probably the easiest solution if you don't know
Java.  You don't have to compile anything, and the amount of code you
have to actually write is greatly reduced.

You can find the beginning of a totorial I started writing for XML
drivers at http://joe.emenaker.com/Wikka/wikka.php?wakka=3DXmlExample

You can also look the the XML version of the Motif driver, and of
course you can ask questons about it here.

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Christoph E. <ce...@ch...>]

Hi,


> The XML driver is probably the easiest solution if you don't know
> Java. =A0You don't have to compile anything, and the amount of code you
> have to actually write is greatly reduced.

this simply sounds amazing.

> You can find the beginning of a totorial I started writing for XML
> drivers at http://joe.emenaker.com/Wikka/wikka.php?wakka=3DXmlExample
>
> You can also look the the XML version of the Motif driver, and of
> course you can ask questons about it here.

OK, I'd like to give it a try.  I'll ask the questions and if you agree=20
I'll try to document the important steps in the Wiki so others can=20
benefit as well. I'm already familiar with writing documentation, so=20
yes it will need time but I'll try.

Question: Is it even possible to write an editor via XML or only a=20
librarian?


Best regards


ce

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Rib R. <ri...@gm...>]

On 3/6/06, Christoph Eckert <ce...@ch...> wrote:
>
> OK, I'd like to give it a try.  I'll ask the questions and if you agree
> I'll try to document the important steps in the Wiki so others can
> benefit as well. I'm already familiar with writing documentation, so
> yes it will need time but I'll try.

Sounds great!

> Question: Is it even possible to write an editor via XML or only a
> librarian?
>

There is a program called EditorBuilder that will read the XML
description of a patch, and then allow you to create an editor by
draging parameters onto a canvas.  It's been a while since I've worked
on it, so I can't remember exactly how finished it is.  I believe it's
possible to create editors as long as they only have one window and
use simple widgets (ie no widgets that edit multiple parameters like
envelope widgets).  I'll be finishing school in a few weeks though, so
I might actually have some time to start working on it again.=20
Especially if it's being used.

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Christoph E. <ce...@ch...>]

> You can also look the the XML version of the Motif driver,

the Yamaha Motif driver seems to be plain Java. Also there seems to be 
no XD-5 driver like mentioned in the tutorial. Can I download them 
somewhere outside the CVS tree?


Thanks,


ce

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Rib R. <ri...@gm...>]

On 3/6/06, Christoph Eckert <ce...@ch...> wrote:
>
> > You can also look the the XML version of the Motif driver,
>
> the Yamaha Motif driver seems to be plain Java. Also there seems to be
> no XD-5 driver like mentioned in the tutorial. Can I download them
> somewhere outside the CVS tree?

The XML version of the motif driver is in the
org.jsynthlib.jsynthlib.synthdrivers.yamaha.motif package.  I was
writing the XD-5 driver as I was writing the tutorial, and I never
finished it or the tutorial.

Re: [Jsynthlib-devel] New member :)

[Christoph E. <ce...@ch...>]

> The XML version of the motif driver is in the
> org.jsynthlib.jsynthlib.synthdrivers.yamaha.motif package.

Ah, got it, sorry. I'm not yet familiar what a "package" is in Java 
meanings, but found the directory now.

> I was 
> writing the XD-5 driver as I was writing the tutorial, and I never
> finished it or the tutorial.

Anyway it will give me a starting point.

Thanks!


Best regards


ce