Web Remote Map Generator

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djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

04 May 2020

Hi,
I've just uploaded a trial web based Remote map generator. It's early days and only has limited features but you are free to try it out.
http://www.reasonremoter.co.uk/
You can use it to create maps for most rack extension devices for most of the Reason included control surfaces. Once created, you can download the text file and copy/paste it into your remote map.
Please let me know your thoughts and bare in mind, its only a quick prototype, to see the level of interest from Reason users.
Later I hope to add more features, like remote groups, key and scale values as well as red/yellow/green indicators to help with control to remote assignments. These indicators will be based on both the control input/output type with the remote input/output types.
Well have fun trying it out and let me know what you think.

Sterioevo
Posts: 407
Joined: 02 Apr 2015

04 May 2020

Good work. Don't know if it is possible but would be very beneficial if all or multiple selectable parameters are mapped initially, and you had the ability to rearrange the parameter column as required - kind of how a spreadsheet works. This would assist in developing remote maps for the available controls, with layers or pages.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

05 May 2020

Sterioevo wrote:
04 May 2020
Good work. Don't know if it is possible but would be very beneficial if all or multiple selectable parameters are mapped initially, and you had the ability to rearrange the parameter column as required - kind of how a spreadsheet works. This would assist in developing remote maps for the available controls, with layers or pages.
Thank you for trying this web app out and getting back to me with your idea.
I have been looking at different ways to help create remote maps and one of the issues are that no two controller/device combos are the same. The problem with having a script automap controls is it can only go on matches of input/output between the control/remote items. There is no rules for naming conventions for either controls or remote items. So my thinking is at a later date introduce a system where users share their maps and then you can start from another users map, for the same controller/device combo and then tweek it to your own needs.

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mcatalao
Competition Winner
Posts: 1826
Joined: 17 Jan 2015

05 May 2020

Hey, I've been working on a similar project but on a desktop environment.

My project already supports Groups, and i was now working on an import function and integration with the remote files. However, problems with my work set me aside from this project so its a bit on a halt.

I'm thinking about releasing it on Git so people can get it and keep evolving it.

Anyway... Good job.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

05 May 2020

Hi Mcatalao, good to hear from you! Sorry to hear you've had to halt work on your desktop app, it sounded like you were almost ready for release. If you do decide to release it on GIT, you get my backing! Unfortunately I'm only a web developer, so probably not able to help much with a desktop app. However, I'm sure many will find a desktop app helpful and on GIT, there all kinds of developers.
It has took me quite a long time, just collating the data for controllers and RE remote info files. This has been the bases on which my web app has been built on.
I know from your earlier video, you were further along in development then I am and I hope either you are able to release your desktop app for a small fee or publish it on GIT, if you are unable to continue/support future development.
All the best, John

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

07 May 2020

Quick update, I've now updated the display, so the mapped items are listed in a table with Del/Edit buttons for each entry. The Edit button, will initially remove the mapped entry from the table but the dropdowns are set to that entries values, making it faster to change mapped entry values. I hope to add the Key & Scale values soon. Note at the moment, you can add a keyboard control but there's no option for setting its associated key value. I hope to have this done by the weekend, if not before.
Please let me know your thoughts, ideas and any comments you may have.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

08 May 2020

I've now added keyboard key values to the web app. This allows notes on a keyboard control to be mapped as toggle/trigger switches for remote items. This can be useful when you have limited controls on your midi controller. I'll keep posting updates here as they get uploaded.
If you have any ideas, thoughts or issues with the app, please let me know.

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jam-s
Posts: 3035
Joined: 17 Apr 2015
Location: Aachen, Germany
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08 May 2020

I'd really like to have a quicker way to map the controls. For example you could start with a mapping table that lists all of the controls of the controller and then dropdowns for the target remotables of the RE.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

09 May 2020

Thanks Jam-s for your thoughts, I'll have a look into this idea and see if it can work. The only difficulty is preventing duplicate remote items being selected in the same scope. At the moment, each time you add a control+remote item, it updates the dropdowns, to prevent you adding either the same control or remote item twice.
I've now also added some info to the top of the page, giving info for controller and the currently selected control/remote items, with a match icon based on the in/out values.
Please keep your comments, ideas and thoughts coming, it will help me develop the web app.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

11 May 2020

Latest update, I've now added two automatic map generators, that add map entries based on the control/remote input match. It excludes keyboard, pedal and transport controls and excludes keyboard related remote items and patch select remote items.
The Auto Map, add remote items in the order they are listed where as the Random Map, adds remote items randomally.
There is also a Clear Map button, that removes all mappings.
My next task is going to be a quick step feature, where, it cycles through each control item and you just click the remote item to map it. The idea is for a faster mapping method. I hope to have this feature ready later this week.
Please give these new features a try and let us know what you think.

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Noise
Competition Winner
Posts: 470
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Location: Lisbon
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11 May 2020

Hello!

My small advice! "Select remote item" dropdown could have a text filter, do easily locate for example: "filter". That would be nice. Also, great work!
Albums: BandCamp | Youtubz: Noise Channel
Projects: P1 Easy Remote Mapping | Personal Refill Sale Store: https://payhip.com/noisesystems | Title Generator! untitled.noiseshadow.com

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

12 May 2020

Hello Noise, thank you and yes I agree a search filter will be helpful, especially for devices like Zero, with over 700 remote items. I'm hoping to also have a filter of sorts for control items, based on control groups like Keyboard & Pedals, Transport etc. Although most controllers only have a limited number of controls a few do run into hundreds.
As for the filter on remote items, I was thinking a text box and the option (starts with, ends with or anywhere). This way you can filter the remote items with a little more control. Does this sound like what you're after?

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Noise
Competition Winner
Posts: 470
Joined: 16 Jan 2015
Location: Lisbon
Contact:

12 May 2020

djsmex wrote:
12 May 2020
Hello Noise, thank you and yes I agree a search filter will be helpful, especially for devices like Zero, with over 700 remote items. I'm hoping to also have a filter of sorts for control items, based on control groups like Keyboard & Pedals, Transport etc. Although most controllers only have a limited number of controls a few do run into hundreds.
As for the filter on remote items, I was thinking a text box and the option (starts with, ends with or anywhere). This way you can filter the remote items with a little more control. Does this sound like what you're after?
Hello dsjmex, that sounds like a great improvement with filtering items!
If you noticed on my signature, I also had something cooked for the remotes, just a personal utility that i've shared online. It's not the latest version, but I think it's a interesting way to assign remotes to a interface, just drag and drop. It takes some time to convert hardware into HTML / CSS :D
For now it has limited controller selection. Your solution seems a little more robust!

Thanks!!!
Albums: BandCamp | Youtubz: Noise Channel
Projects: P1 Easy Remote Mapping | Personal Refill Sale Store: https://payhip.com/noisesystems | Title Generator! untitled.noiseshadow.com

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

12 May 2020

Thanks Noise, I did ponder on a more graphical UI but the problems include: controllers that use multiple templates and/or multi-functional controls via shift/bank controls etc. Then there are rack extensions that use multi-layered UI's, expandable panels etc. Plus it takes someone who can work with graphics, something I'm not too great with.
However, I now have the quick step feature up, here it simply lists all control items except keyboard controls and all unmapped remote items. The first control is selected by default and you can optionally select a different control. Then clicking a remote item, it will map it to the selected control and move down the control list to the next unmapped control. Just click Done and you are returned to the previous mapping mode.
I'll get started on the filters next and all being well, hope to have this up by next week.

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visheshl
Posts: 1235
Joined: 27 Sep 2019

12 May 2020

Why don't you let people desing the controller itself ? you could let user add any numbrr of controls like faders,buttons etc, add a custom name image etc and then map them to whatever devices.
I use touchOSC fir example it allows me to make a control surface with as many knobs faders and buttons, it would be cool if your web app allowed the user to make custom controller with knobs and faders which the user can assign midi cc values, then this controller can be saved and all maps can be designed

Sterioevo
Posts: 407
Joined: 02 Apr 2015

12 May 2020

visheshl wrote:
12 May 2020
Why don't you let people desing the controller itself ? you could let user add any numbrr of controls like faders,buttons etc, add a custom name image etc and then map them to whatever devices.
I use touchOSC fir example it allows me to make a control surface with as many knobs faders and buttons, it would be cool if your web app allowed the user to make custom controller with knobs and faders which the user can assign midi cc values, then this controller can be saved and all maps can be designed
That's a very interesting idea. Most (all?)controllers that have already been mapped have their control item names already specified (with associated midi assignments), so this would need also to develop the lua codec as well. If you were also able to customise these files for existing devices (at the same time in the background) you could, in theory, rename everything and come up with a universal solution.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

13 May 2020

If you only wanted a basic codec to send midi to reason, I could add the existing <other> codecs. One of which has over 2000 control items, one for every CC on every midi channel. It means the control items will be named by CC/Channel and not fader/button but this will be much easier to code and implement into the current application.
This would allow you to write custom remotemaps for devices like touchosc without the need to write custom codecs. Codecs are much more complex compared to remotemaps, with multiple files, multiple ways to write the lua scripts etc.
Implimenting the <other> codecs into the current app will be much faster and easier to do and will allow you to get custom remotemaps for devices like touchosc, reasonably easy.
Let me know your thoughts and I'll let you know when I've added the <other> codecs.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

13 May 2020

Latest update, I've now added a filter on the remote items. It has a type dropdown: contains, starts & ends plus a text box to enter your filter term. The filter is not case sensitive so LFO & lfo, will give the same results.
The filter works on the remote items dropdown, the auto/random maps as well as on the quick step feature.
Please give it a try and let me know your thoughts. Also any issues or errors, let me know.
many thanks

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

13 May 2020

Quick fix: I've fixed a bug with the Keyboard control items, it wasn't updating the dropdown key list based on mapped items but it is now.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

14 May 2020

I've now added the <other> codecs to the app. You can use these to create remotemaps for controllers not included with Reason, such as the touchOSC. There are keyboard, controls, both and multi channel versions. It should cover most standard MIDI controls except Delta, These are normally CC values treated as -1/+1 using 3F/41 or 01/7F. Perhaps at a later date, I'll look at adding another <other> controller to include (Delta) controls.
Please give it a try and let me know your thoughts.

Next I'll be adding a control group filter and then option for Scale values, as well as absolute output values, used in remote maps in place of remote items to send text or static values like 0 (zero).
Keep your ideas coming, they are all appreciated and help shape the development.

Sterioevo
Posts: 407
Joined: 02 Apr 2015

14 May 2020

This is developing nicely. Is it feasible or possible to develop the generator to select multiple devices to be automapped, i.e. select all the devices you own and create the map? :)

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

15 May 2020

Sterioevo, a multi-auto map, one click and then multiple devices get mapped, wow, let me think on that.
In the mean time, I've now added a control group filter. It works by a dropdown and filters the control items by predefined groups. It works across everything like the remote item filter, so give it a try and if you spot any issues/errors or have any thoughts, please let me know.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

15 May 2020

Update, a quick fix, the del/edit buttons broke but are working again. Also you can now add scale values to delta controls. It only excepts whole numbers or p2/hi formular.

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

15 May 2020

Another small update, the quick step view now has the I/O match icons, to help you match the input/output from control item to remote item.
Next I'll add the output value options which can be used in place of remote items for controls that have outputs.
These values are used in remotemaps to reset LEDs or send text to LCD displays etc.
Give it a try and let me know your thoughts, ideas...

djsmex
Posts: 248
Joined: 23 Aug 2016

17 May 2020

fix and small update: fixed a error in js, that broke the control item options for key, scale & mode. Also added the missing mode values for the bcf2000 & bcr2000.
next, output remote values then on to remote groups.

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