X-touch

[mbowitz]

Hi AZslow.
I read some of your post's on the cakewalk forums, and couldn't quite figure out if you had a solution or not for the x-touch/mackie problem?
Got mine a few days ago, and its really frustrating 

-Marius

[azslow3]

Hi Marius,

If you explain from where your frustration comes, may be I can help.

There are 2 different approaches for X-Touch support, and it happens that I can go either way on in parallel:
1) original Mackie plug-in from CakeWalk. I think it should work find for mixing purpose. As you could see on the CakeWalk forum, X-Touch has all buttons from MCU, but they have different labels. So, either make an overlay and glue it to the unit or investigate which labels correspond to which MCU function and let me no so I can correct MCU plug-in
2) my AZ Controller plug-in. It let configure crazy things on each control, but it can take a while till you understand how to do this. The configuration is a kind of program in my own language, much simpler then writing such plug-in from scratch in C, but not so easy as mapping ACT MIDI plug-in. I can recommend that way only in case you plan something special, for example control specific parameters from different plug-ins life or want use 1-2 faders and/or buttons for light machine/hardware synth/etc.

[mbowitz]

Im using the original cakewalk mackie settings. Rotary, faders and some buttons work perfect, but almost all the buttons on the right are far off. For example; the "click on/off" button activates "loop on/off".
Does the programming with AZ controller happen outside sonar?

Thanks!

-Marius

[azslow3]

Im using the original cakewalk mackie settings. Rotary, faders and some buttons work perfect, but almost all the buttons on the right are far off. For example; the "click on/off" button activates "loop on/off".

As was mentioned on the official forum, X-Touch has ALL Mackie buttons. But as you have noticed, the labels are different. Take the original layout as the reference, the number on buttons are MIDI Note number. Use some tool (AZ Controller with empty configuration is good for that, but not the only available) to see which number you get from which X-Touch button. Find it in the layout and put correct label on X-Touch.

For your example:
1) you press "click on/off" on X-Touch, it produce "Note 89".
2) search for "89" inside some button, it will be "Loop On/Off"
3) put "Loop On/Off" label on X-Touch.

While you can see the effect from some button immediately, other are not so obvious. Going throw the numbers matching procedure will give you guarantied results.

And do not forget to publish the result here or on CakeWalk forum. Someone can spend 20-30 minutes once so other can just glue labels. Why not you? 

Does the programming with AZ controller happen outside sonar?

It is interactive process inside Sonar. A bit like configuring very complicated Software Synth, you can see/test the result immediately after change, some reaction is easy to get with just several clicks, but once the logic grows, configuration becomes quite complicated.

[mbowitz]

Thank you so much for the answers, and the program itself!
I get the whole idea now, but i cant figure out of to make for example:
note 81 to be note 82.
Its my first experience with midi mapping on this level 
When I figure this out I will definitely post the results here!

[azslow3]

You do not have to map MIDI, you just need to know which button on X-Touch has which label on MCU.

If the mapping is known and you (or someone else) prefer to make original X-Touch labels to work, I will do this.

[mbowitz]

Ugh. I really dont know all the terms 
I just want to make the "write", "save" etc. Bottons to work. Basicly just a few mods to the original mackie protocol!
I thought i fixed it, but then some other buttons didnt work 

-Marius

[azslow3]

I do not know what you mean by "write", but that is how you should proceed for "save":
1. Look at my layout picture, find "Save", it has "79".
3. Looking "Last MIDI event" in AZ Controller (or other method), start pressing buttons on X-Touch till you see "Note 79".
4. Make a label "Save" and somehow put it of X-Touch near that button.

That way you put correct labels on X-Touch buttons, not correct reaction of MCU plug-in on X-Touch labels (which make less sense).

Note, MCU plug-in can do much more with button combinations (it has 4! mod buttons), read the documentation (help file).

[mbowitz]

I'll see if i get some time tomorrow to check that out, and if not i will test it on saturday! Thanks so far anyway. I really appreciate it 

[azslow3]

I do not have X-Touch and I do not have Mackie, so I am not in a hurry 

But I guess other are waiting for "ready to use" mapping/overlay/MCU plug-in mod. And that I can not provide without some help.
The best you can do is to make a photo of XTouch (or take some picture from the internet) and in some graphic editor write on buttons the Note numbers. I can then compose layout the same way I have done for MCU, we can start thing of plug-in mod, etc.

[mbowitz]

The best you can do is to make a photo of XTouch (or take some picture from the internet) and in some graphic editor write on buttons the Note numbers. I can then compose layout the same way I have done for MCU, we can start thing of plug-in mod, etc.

If i make a picture, is it possible to just write down the "note numbers" on the buttons that actually don't work in the "mack.....control" preset, or do you need all of them?
Also, the "play" button dont work in the "mack....control" presets. Its the same note (79), and it reacts when i push, but stops after 0.0003 sec, but i looked, and the "stop audio engine" was set on 94. The rotors can be pushed, and it should send the pan to "C", and the faders acts strange as they jump back to the position they were at when the "mack......control" was activated.

-Marius

[mbowitz]

Here is a picture of all the note numbers too if that helps

http://postimg.org/image/96rqucs3z/

[azslow3]

Here is a picture of all the note numbers too if that helps

http://postimg.org/image/96rqucs3z/

Thanks! I will check with my MCU layout to see what is the best way to proceed (just prepare label map or modify the plug-in).

One comment: you put nothing on "Modify" keys. They also produce note. But... have you used AZ Controlled with MCU preset loaded? That can explain "NO REG" since these keys are "masked" within that preset. "Reset configuration" in the Options tab to see the numbers then.

[mbowitz]

Thanks! I will check with my MCU layout to see what is the best way to proceed (just prepare label map or modify the plug-in).

One comment: you put nothing on "Modify" keys. They also produce note. But... have you used AZ Controlled with MCU preset loaded? That can explain "NO REG" since these keys are "masked" within that preset. "Reset configuration" in the Options tab to see the numbers then.

Wow, great! Cant wait to see the results 

You were right about the "reset config"
Modify keys are;
Shift:     70
Option:  71
Control: 72
ALT:       73

[azslow3]

Super! That means X-Touch has EXACT layout (MIDI messages and Labels) of MCU Pro.

I have not finished drawing "Sonar overlay" yet (was 2:30 at night), I will publish in at the evening.