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Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

Connecting Hauptwerk to MIDI organs, sequencers, ...
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TheoJ

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Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostFri Sep 06, 2019 4:36 pm

This is my use case:

1. I have a HW installation with many organs
2. I use forScore on my iPad Pro 12.9 for all my scores
3. In a page I define sometimes a button, which loads (by a MIDI program change command) a for this piece appropriate organ from the HW organ favorite list, by ID
4. I want to load the specific combination set for this piece automatically after the organ is loaded.

The only method to load a combination set seems to be: in the same way as the organ was loaded: by its ID in the HW favorite combinations list.
My organs contain many combinations sets with unique and recognizable names (so, not Combs1, Combs2, etc.) which can't be assigned to HW favorite combinations lists.
In other words: I'm not able to load my uniquely named combination sets by a MIDI command, as far as I can see.

My questions:
1. Is there an option to load - via a MIDI command - combinations sets by their name?
2. If not: do you know a workaround to achieve my goal as defined at point 4?

Any input would be greatly appreciated!
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csw900

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostSat Sep 07, 2019 5:35 am

Midi does not have any commands for loading combinations by name but I will be pleasantly surprised and interested if someone comes up with a method of doing want you are asking for.

csw900
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IainStinson

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostSat Sep 07, 2019 7:42 am

Perhaps you already know this, but it does give you part of a solution....

1. You can assign a named combination file (named as your choice, not COMBXX) to a favorite combination.
Load the named combination file and then use Registration | Assign current combination as a favorite to assign it to one of the favorites.
2. You can load a favorite combination by assigning it to a midi (or computer keyboard) by Orgab Settings | Mid Key Triggers for Master Pistons and Menu functions for this organ
the press the advanced items (at the bottom of the list) and select Registrations: com. set favorite 01 (for example) auto detecting (or otherwise) setting the input which will load the favorite combination.

You can therefore set a midi input to load a pre assigned combination file named as you choose. (However you can only have 32 of these at any one time....)

Iain
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TheoJ

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostSat Sep 07, 2019 8:14 am

IainStinson wrote:Perhaps you already know this, but it does give you part of a solution....

You can therefore set a midi input to load a pre assigned combination file named as you choose. (However you can only have 32 of these at any one time....)

Iain


Thanks for your suggestion, Iain!

Yes, I know that method - and its limitations. When no other methods pop up I have to work this way...
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IainStinson

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostSat Sep 07, 2019 10:11 am

You might be able to do what you want by:
1. Create a macro which mimics the computer keyboard actions needed to load an arbitrary combinations file. You may be able to parameterise this with the name of the file you want to load (depending on the macro processor you use).
2. Use a program such the Bome midi translator program (probably need the Pro version) https://www.bome.com/products/miditranslator# which you configure to send most midi messages through to HW directly, but which detects the midi messages you want to use to load the combination file executes this macro (created above). (alternatively you might be able to provide a similar function in your own or another program).

You could set up the 32 favorites with these files through one macro which you execute manually outside HW and then select which favorite you want to use through "normal means".

Iain

Good luck!

Iain
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TheoJ

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostMon Sep 09, 2019 6:25 am

Thanks again, Iain! :D

As an IT-guy, I was used to use macro's in the past very often, mostly to work around an inability of an application. Before I start with that I need to confirm that it's an inability for sure, because the best way always is the direct way. So, I still hope that there is a direct way to solve this :shock:

The possible 2 workarounds I consider:
1. modifying a configuration file like "OrganID001292Config.OrganConfig_Hauptwerk_xml" in this way:
a) replace the last used combination set or favorite #1 by the set I need (e.g. with a perl command).
b) call the last used combination set or favorite #1 with a MIDI command (this is an existing HW trigger).

2. create a macro that 'understands' a text string representing the unique name of the desired and to be opened combination set. This macro should ideally be able to select the matching combination set from the HW option list.

In both cases I need to be able to send from my score reader a MIDI command containing a unique ID for that specific score, like the name. I still have to figure out how that works for forScore.
Assuming the forScore challenge will be solved, next problem is to make the HW machine understand that the incoming MIDI command has a variable text which should be put through some macro application.
For that you mentioned Bome. A quick scan learned me that this might be a rather complicated solution, so I found another app: Keyboard Maestro (for Mac OSX). This macro app understands MIDI by its own and can translate the code to an action.

Summarizing: I still need to find out a lot, but eventually I should be able to find a stable solution.
Your ideas are still highly appreciated!
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IainStinson

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Re: Load Combination set by name - with MIDI?

PostMon Sep 09, 2019 9:22 am

Quick comments.
1. Modifying the .OrganConfig_Hauptwerk_xml files would be unsupported by MDA. (Don't change them just add to the end - most XML processors can handle that.) You would have to do this before loading (or reloading the organ) - these are read when the organ is loaded and not again.
2. You could create system level macro which once triggered mimicked the action of a user selecting and load the required file. If you needed to trigger this by midi, then you would need an appropriate program to do this.
3. The reason I suggested Bome is that you could use it on the same data stream as your console is using to communicate with HW and configure it to pass on all midi except your trigger messages. You could program this fairly easily in Python/Pearl etc.You could of course use a separate midi device for such input into you computer.

Good luck.

Iain

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