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@barnone I implemented my basic Max patcher a little differently and avoided that problem with empty string. I'm still using a single regexp to detect that empty string but may replace it with a simple max external if efficiency becomes an issue.

Here are some top-down pictures of what I did.

EigenStrings The Eigen.Alpha.In object produces MIDI NoteOn/NoteOff messages (same as midiin) and pitchbend which can be fed into either a VST or an external MIDI instrument. The GenericVST is part of my Live Keyboard Rig Manager (see my blog here for more info on that library)


Eigen.Alpha.In This accepts nicely cleaned up KeyDown/KeyUp events, converts them to Row/Col number format (not sure I'm going to keep that, but it has some uses) and then the row/col info is converted into MIDI note numbers for a guitar-tuning layout.

Eigen.OSCInput Here I extract the raw OSC packets and I'm using a regex to feed me either a valid key number or 0 if the empty string is found.

The data is sent into the Eigen.OSCProcessor

Eigen.OSCProcessor Here, I'm basically keeping track of what keys are currently down by using the coll object using the event stream number as the index and the key number as the value. This patcher ensures that only a single keydown event is generated no matter how long a key is held.

So far, it has been totally glitchless so I'm optimistic about the approach.
My next step will be to properly integrate the continuous data for individual notes. It will be pretty trivial to generate polyphonic aftertouch events by finding the associated note number for the current stream and packing that with the pressure value. I'm not sure yet how I'm going to package the left-right data.

Fair enough and I should berate myself for having not provided better information. Basically, after typing in each command, the eigencommander said "ok" each time but after all was done, no OSC data ever appeared.


I will carefully log what I do today and report back. But yes, I loaded the blank patch, ran the eigencommander and executed the commands as described in the roadmap. I'll do it all again today and check the logs.

Having a look at EigenD/piw/src/piw_velocitydetect.c gives the answer how EigenD does it, they don't seem to use just one value but calculate it based on a number of value samples and scale factors.

Btw., still did not get familiar with some of the "defensive programming" concepts used in EigenD at various places. Isn't this more confusing than copy'n'paste-mistake preventing?
e.g.:

    sumx_=sumy_=sumxy_=sumxsq_=0.0;

    x_=0.0;

    sumx_+=x_;

    sumxsq_+=x_*x_;

    x_++;

    sumx_+=x_;

    sumxsq_+=x_*x_;

    x_++;

Yes, some of the conventions are a little bit... "eigen" as we say here ;)
But in small at least you get the feeling that the persons writing this know what they do and the implicit guidelines (that we may like or not) are at least mostly consistently used (even the "copy'n'paste" pattern above happens too often to be an oversight).
And as soon as you "zoom out" and start to look at things at a larger scale there is much conceptional beauty to find :)

Max has it's merits for sure. And imho EigenD and Max don't exclude each other. E.g. I could imagine that it would be nice to build an EigenD Max-agent at some point: An agent that loads a defined Max-patch (starting Max when it's not already running first). Then it communicates with the Max-patch at startup (e.g. via OSC with a Max-side "EigenD-interface"-subpatch) that gives configuration information like number of inputs/outputs of the patcher to the EigenD agent which instanciates a corresponding EigenD agent. All data coming to the EigenD agent is delegated (e.g. via OSC) to Max and vice versa.
So you could rapidly prototype agents in Max, use them in conjunction with the existing native EigenD agents, connect and configure it in Workbench and change it on the fly, while it's running in Max. (You would presumably only have to restart when you change input/output configurations).
Sounds interesting!

P.S.: The opposite should also be possible: writing an EigenD-agent wrapper patcher for Max that behaves like a subpatch from outside but really connects to a running EigenD system and instantiates a configured agent there or connects to an already running one and delegates data back and forth - so in this case the "plumbing" would happen in Max - many possibilities :)

ok --- I deleted all the logs so as to start from scratch. Here are the steps I took

1) Started EigenD, which loaded my default setup (which is my original guitar setup + the OSC stuff which I was able to save the other day)
2) Loaded Max and the appropriate Max/Eigenharp processing
3) Play the eigenharp, everything works fine.

4) Closed Max
5) Selected the Blank setup in EigenD and loaded it
6) Opened EigenCommander and executed the commands (with a delay after the 'alpha manager create' command
7) Reopened Max and the patchers.
8) Nothing works --- no OSC arrives into Max

I have archived the logs and will email them to your support email address as I can't find any way to upload the archive into this forum.

Ah, EigenD and Max again :)
"In theory, practice and theory are the same; in practice, they are not" - so much insight in one sentence :P
Don't have much to add to what was already written, both are taylored towards different scenarios by default but are and stay (fingers crossed...) open enough to allow to do virtually anything. So no, there is virtually nothing you can do with EigenD that can't be done with Max - if you have the enthusiam to make this real.

Good to hear that you have fun, looking forward to your experiments! :)

*edit* ah, posts in between, perhaps I should reload my browser before posting ;) This sounds strange, hopefully support can help.

Max and casual are not words that strike me as ever being in the same sentence.

I'm heartened you are happily on your way.

My own course is not in that direction.

That's right --- and Max is used by a significant demographic in the arts world many of who have no technical training and they're certainly not software developers. Third party libraries (free and commercial) are available from a number of universities and independent vendors as well as from artists just making their stuff available to be shared.

Of course, it's also part of Ableton Live, which is another very significant demographic and many of those users spend a lot of time with control surfaces and other exotic devices. I bet a significant percentage of those users would be interested in the Pico (at least) now that it can be used directly via Max.

Version 6 which just came out recently is much enhanced, more accessible due to the explicit focus on making it easier for new users to approach, and is significantly cheaper than was 5.x. Exciting stuff!

(Just bought a nice MIDI Bagpipe softsynth from someone in Scotland to use with my Alpha --- off to the studio to play with it!)

Any luck figuring out why I couldn't get a blank setup to work? Were the logs I sent in of any help?