BCA Remote Control and AZC

[Astraios]

Unless you do it using FL Studio, as that makes it possible without any significant difficulties...
I imagine other DAWs, such as Reaper, Logic or Studio One, also allow for such a versatile setup; though I'm not familiar enough with those to say for sure. 

[azslow3]

What you have shown for FL Studio is not really versatile. Studio One also has assignments for simple surfaces, but "integrations" are proprietary (the same with Cubase). Ableton and Bitwig have integration APIs, not officially documented, but community documentation exist. REAPER has the deepest API, officially documented.

Note that all APIs are for programmers, C++ / Python. So they are not for "normal" end users. AZ Controller is an attempt to create something close in versatility to API, but usable without deep programming skills.

Sorry to say, but if you want continue with AZ Controller, you have to decide if you want "Global link" like behavior, specialized support for particular synths or both. And we have to understand what is not working in my test preset (if something is really not working there). Jumping between technologies and declarations "in that DAW it is like..." is not going to help on this road.

[Astraios]

Okay, fine... I'm already quite unpopular on the Cakewalk forum and have been bullied there for years. I've had enough for now - I have plenty of other projects
 
including:

https://github.com/theprinterlightstudio-lab/MIDI-Pro/blob/main/MIDI_Pro_User_Guide.md

C U then... 

[azslow3]

I have not noticed you are "unpopular" on Cakewalk forum. And you are not unpopular here.

I have just tried to return the discussion into topic, controlling a synth in Cakewalk using some external devices/software. You have uploaded a short video, which demonstrate that my example preset is at least partially working, but with the description it doesn't work. That part is important for me, since I usually try to understand why something doesn't work. But instead of spending several minutes to clarify that, you have switch to discussing about possibilities in other DAWs, reposting the documentation what encoders send, etc.

I have tried to explain how the approaches you have mentioned can be used in Sonar and proposed you choose what you want for our original topic, so we can advance in making something working. But you reply "I've had enough for now...".

AZController, TouchOSC, OpenStageControl, CtrLr, OSCBot and MIDI controllers are all designed to work with music. Touch Portal is not really. I understand why people want use hardware devices not specifically designed to control DAWs, like Stem Deck or Digital Mixers. But using questionable for the purpose software is, well, questionable...
If you in practice just want make fancy configuration with tools designed for something else, fine. Nothing wrong with that, I also do many things which make little sense, just because I like doing them 

But if you at some point back to the idea to control something in Sonar, convenient and stable way, you are welcome here.

[Astraios]

 
In short: after about 25 years of working with a PC mouse, my fingers and hand began
to experience cramping after only a short period of use—primarily due to clicking the
left or right mouse buttons, or combinations thereof. I was therefore forced to find
alternative ways to operate the mouse...
With Touch Portal, I was able to significantly streamline my DAW interface through
custom shortcuts and assignments; this also made it possible to manage mouse-intensive
tasks, such as controlling plug-ins. And yes, I'm back in action! BTW, I'm 67 now...

Have you already heard about this new Free DAW called "MorningDEW" built in sweden?

[azslow3]

Recommendation for the keyboard, and especially mouse (for some reason not mentioned everywhere): keep these devices FAR away from you on the table, so almost whole hand is laying on the table. At least that has helped me when I was continuously getting problems with mouse after short time working with it. Another option, which has helped one of my (older) friends: try a trackball. Initially disappointing experience, but after short time possible to use as a mouse. Unlike touchpad/screen and mouse, there is no hand movements at all. But at least one finger should be able to work "precisely"...
Btw there are many different technologies for mouse (and keyboard) buttons, from "touch sensors" up to "hard mechanical". May be worse to find what is better for you, it may be not the same as what you think is better...

---

I have not installed MorningDEW so far. It has no API and it is based on on custom private graphic framework.
Also unclear who and why finance it. For REAPER, the situation is way more transparent (it is well knows who is Justin, from where he has money, how good he can program and why he has written REAPER...).

[Astraios]

I've tried everything: trackballs, various mice, touchpads, and joysticks.
The touchpad works best, but my personal favorite is using Touch Portal
with a stylus and my smartphone as a virtual mouse/touchpad (Remote Mouse).
Perhaps I should go back to playing the piano more - strangely enough, that
actually seems to help...

MorningDEW is also available in a Linux version, which might be of interest
to you.
In my view, this DAW is the best I've ever used, both in terms of graphics
and functionality. The overall concept is incredibly well-developed.

[azslow3]

I was working with touchpad (at work) for 10 years, as long as I had a notebook with dedicated buttons above and below the touchpad. Then I have switched to MX Master mouses, which fit right ergonomically for me (the form does matter!). With elevated left side, the hand lay in natural position. For clicking you don't have to bend fingers - buttons are sufficiently long so you press by the whole finger, the resistance is sufficient to completely relax fingers when you are not clicking. Half of my hand is on the table. As i wrote, I had problems till I have found correct devices.

---

I am still active in Accessibility, so DAWs without API are "no go". Even when original developers make an application accessible, the result is always far from perfekt. To understand it is bad or good, you need to switch off the monitor and work with the program for hours. Which sighted developers do that?

---

Open Stage Control is designed to work on touch devices, in browser. And it is for MIDI/OSC. It is possible to "sync" controls, so "cooperate" devices (f.e. make fader/knob on touch screen controlled by your Arturia, while still target Synth in Sonar).

But any half way logical operations require small code peaces in JS. Well, even WWW, after very long attempt to do things purely descriptive way with HTML/CSS has realized that "logic" needs some kind of "code". There is theory (with proved theorems) why it is so (my original profession is "controlling", so I have studied that rarely mention topic). "Brute force" (aka "Remote control" in DAWs) approach stop working well once the complexity of what your control (f.e. a synth) rise. That is unavoidable: the complexity of controlling system should match the complexity of controlled system. Unfortunately, some people which build very complex systems (f.e. huge particle accelerators) try to control them with "simple" approaches, and then wonder why that doesn't work       

---

I have first tried to use Web interfaces long time ago (f.e. Sonar Transport control from browser), but at that time the technology was not ready (browsers on phones had tendency to switch app or scroll, instead of operating controls and there was no "Web Socket" direct stream connection in the backend). So I have found TouchScreen and alike (dedicated Apps) work better. But there was drastisch improvements in that section, to allow building complete applications purely based on web technologies.

Open source and no dedicated App means you are not companies dependent. The history of Sonar shows why that is good.

I wish open source DAWs was on pair with other, but they are not. REAPER is not open source, but it will work virtually forever, even if the development is abandoned now. You still can download version 1, and it will run.
Other DAWs try to bring "modern" interfaces and other "current trend" features, which tend to stop working relatively fast. No source to update and it doesn't work any more, the end... There is no version of CbB which can work now, Sonar Platinum depends from authorization servers and "new" Sonar is also "locked". I still have Sonar X2/X3, with corresponding plug-ins, for that reason.