Switch set to MIDI CC - sending two messages

[thirdspace]

Hi folks - wondering if anyone has come across this: I have a switch set to send a MIDI CC message which I assumed would only send one message. But - I actually have the switch set to send a message to select a different snapshot. So what happens is that when I press the switch it changes the snapshot and then when I release it it sends another message which is what the switch is set to send in the new snapshot. Strange. Is there a way to stop it sending the second message?

[rd2rk]

 

Need more info.

The solution depends upon the actual cause, which could be a couple of things.

Attach a copy of the Preset (the actual preset, not a screenshot).

[thirdspace]

Hi thanks for the reply - I have attached a preset with just MIDI CC's assigned to switch 2 that has a different CC per snapshot.

This on its own doesn't show what I mean unfortunately - to see this in action you need to somehow send MIDI to the Helix in between the press and release of the switch as follows:

Press Switch 2 (if in Snapshot 1 this will send CC1 value 127 out of the Helix) - hold it down

Send CC69 value 1 into the Helix (channel to match HX base channel) from an external device - this will cause the Helix to change Snapshot 2

Release Switch 2 (HX is now in Snapshot 2 and sends CC2 value 127 out of Helix)

 

So what I want to be able to do is tell the Helix not to do anything on Switch release - hope that makes sense :)

Forum 1.hlx

[rd2rk]

Behavior confirmed. Makes total sense.

 

The switches send on both PRESS and RELEASE.

This allows for messages to be sent on both PRESS and RELEASE, enabling MOMENTARY behavior when, for instance switching SNAPSHOTS.

When sending CCs, once a message is sent on PRESS, it is not RESENT on release.

This is standard behavior when, for instance, using ICs (Instant Commands).

When a SS loads the IC sends the message assigned to it in that SS, and that message is not resent until a different SS sends a different message on that IC.

In your case, when you switch to SS2, no PRESS message has been sent, so the message is sent on RELEASE.

 

I suppose that it might be possible for the programmers to create logic to accommodate your situation, but I can't imagine why they would have thought to do so. 

In what real-world scenario would you want to be HOLDing a FS while switching snapshots from an external device?

 

If I could understand WHY you would want to do this, maybe I could figure out a workaround.

At the very least, an explanation of your use case might allow you to make a case on Ideascale for inclusion of such logic in the code.

[thirdspace]

Ah ok - thanks for the detail - good to have it confirmed I suppose. Out of interest is this documented somewhere?

 

The use case is as follows:

Helix is doubling as a MIDI foot switch sending messages to TouchOsc (which incidentally is acting as a MIDI router and graphic interface for control of things like GigPerformer and Ableton)

TouchOsc is set up to have 8 banks of 10 switches corresponding to the 8 snapshots of 10 switches available on the Helix. I was hoping to have (on some banks at least) a switch that allowed you to jump from that bank to another, so say on bank/snapshot 6 switch 1 selects bank/snapshot 2. So:

Helix sends a CC to TouchOsc (on switch press)

TouchOsc sends the snapshot select CC back to Helix

It's at this point that Helix sends the additional CC (on switch release) because Helix is now in the new snapshot

 

 

[rd2rk]

I assume that the CC that Helix sends to TouchOSC causes it to perform some of those GP and Ableton functions.

Why not have the Helix FS call the Snapshot directly and use an IC in that Snapshot to send the CC to TouchOSC?

 

Edit: For that matter, why not use the ICs in Helix to perform the GP/Ableton functions and cut TouchOSC out of the circuit completely?

[rd2rk]

As to documentation, basic FS and IC behaviors are covered in the CommandCenter portion of the manual, but the "rules" are not well covered.

I learned this stuff through years of sometimes frustrating experimentation.

[thirdspace]

Thanks for these comments - your experience is certainly valued by folk like me :)

 

Ref the use of ICs - yup that's one of the ideas I had today while doing something completely different (funny how that happens) - so I'll give that a go over the next few days - thanks for the suggestions so far though - much appreciated