Turning play off and on with a widget?

Jack · February 25, 2020, 9:38pm

Is it possible to turn “Play” off and on with a widget?

dhj · February 25, 2020, 9:49pm

Not just yet but on our list for a GP update

rank13 · February 26, 2020, 10:37am

With the awesomeness of GPScript you can!

Var
   PLAYSTOP : Widget

On WidgetValueChanged(newValue : double) from PLAYSTOP
    If newValue == 1.0 Then
        EnablePlayhead(true)
    Else
        EnablePlayhead(false)
    End
End

I have attached a sample gig file so you can see it in action.

Widget to Play-Stop.gig (5.5 KB)

djogon · February 26, 2020, 12:24pm

What is the primary purpose of using a widget to control the global play state?
In other words - what are you trying to accomplish exactly?

Thanks.

Jack · February 26, 2020, 1:21pm

I want to be able to start and stop the metronome or playback of an audio file, or perhaps control whether a DAW plays or not.

djogon · February 26, 2020, 1:26pm

@Jack - understood, but why do you need to do it using a widget? I’m trying to understand your workflow - maybe there is something we are missing…

Are you using a MIDI controller that you want to attach to a widget or an OSC touch surface or are you using the screen directly?

Jack · February 27, 2020, 3:04pm

First of all, thanks for everyone’s help. It’s so appreciated. I have some experience with scripting (Filemaker database) but not actual coding so thanks for “holding my hand”. Rank13 sent a script which does what I want and think I get the general idea of it. However, when I try to implement the script on an existing backspace, I get an error that says this.

The widget ‘PLAYSTOP’ is declared in a script but does not exist in the rackspace called ‘Crazy Love’

My problem is that as far as I can tell, I do have a widget called “PLAYSTOP” in my rack called Crazy Love. I have included a screen shot showing what think should work but doesn’t. So I must be laboring under a misconception.

Your suggestions are much appreciated.
Jack

pianopaul · February 27, 2020, 3:12pm

Did you give the widget a OSC/GPScript Name? (under the section Advanced)

Take care of Upper-/Lowercase!

djogon · February 27, 2020, 4:35pm

I would still like to know what the primary purpose of this is

Is it to

a) Use the screen on your computer during your performance or
b) Use a MIDI controller (or OSC controller) connected to a widget?

Thanks.

Jack · February 27, 2020, 4:57pm

Primarily I want to use this to turn off the metronome or audiofile, or a drum plugin like Superior drummer while I am playing guitar and singing in front of a microphone. I would access it from a foot controller (probably bluetooth) and also use the controller to turn various plugins on and off.
pianopaul gave me the last piece of the “Mother May I” puzzle and lo and behold it works! Yay!
Props to pianopaul and rank13 for showing the path and thanks to everyone for paying attention to my requests.

Jack · February 27, 2020, 5:01pm

Also I am wondering whether it is possible to have a global script so that I could apply this script to all of my rackspaces.
Thanks,
Jack

djogon · February 27, 2020, 5:10pm

This is what I wanted to really know because there is already a global MIDI mapping for that function.

All you have to do is open Options->Global MIDI Settings and click on the “Learn” button next tot the Play/Stop line then push the button on your foot controller. Once you learn it you do not need any widgets, scripting or anything else to control your play/stop button

Hope this helps.

Jack · February 27, 2020, 6:15pm

This is great information. Thanks. I currently don’t have a controller so I hadn’t looked into that aspect.
Jack

jpt · February 28, 2020, 6:26pm

If you don’t have an available control knob, button, etc. on your controller keyboard, just use a keyboard note you don’t ever need to use…such as the high C7. Then open your MIDI In processor and make the MAX note in the Keyboard split B6. All the other notes will play and C7 will still trigger the metronome.

djogon · February 28, 2020, 6:51pm

@Jack is most likely a guitar player … foot controller is his friend

Jack · February 28, 2020, 6:51pm

Thanks jpt but I don’t use a keyboard on stage. I sing and play guitar so I will be using a foot controller to change racks or turn the playback head on and off, etc. I do play keyboards so perhaps in the future I will haul one to the gig.
Jack

Jack · May 2, 2020, 6:39pm

Once again thank for everyone’s help. As to my primary purpose of being able to turn a metronome of and on, I have acquired an Airturn SB-200 foot controller. Also I am using the Melda metronome. It took a bit of configuring, but have assigned the controller to the metronome using a combo of Global Midi and a script courtesy of pianopaul and rank13. So some success.
My problem now is that the variations I have within the rack space (Rhythm, Solo, Breakdown, etc.) each have their own metronome that must be controlled. If I wish to switch between variations, then each metronome must be in the “On” position. If not, then the metronome stops when switching to a new song part. I discovered the On position persist if it was On when I switched back to the previous song part. So I just set all the song parts to On and hope I don’t inadvertently turn it off.
What would be more useful to me would be a global On and Off so if I want all off the song parts to change to a new Off or On, then I wouldn’t have to do it on the fly when I go to the chorus or whatever.
Is this possible? As I am writing this, it occurs to me that maybe I could do it with a new instance of GP with only one backspace and part. Can the two instances sync together?
Whew! Thanks for your time.
Jack

pianopaul · May 2, 2020, 7:17pm

What is the difference of the metronome in the variations?
Are you using setlist mode and songparts?

Jack · May 3, 2020, 6:39pm

The variations have the same metronome settings. I am using setlist mode and switching back and forth between songparts.
I believe I can solve all my problems if it is possible to sync two instances. One with my performance racks and one with just a metronome. I have done this and they both will start together and stay together but the metronome instance seems to take precedence over the tempo setting. That is, if the metronome instance is set to tempo =100, then all of my racks in the performance instance play at tempo=100 as well regardless of what their individual songs are set to. I would like it to be the other way around.
Also, I read that Apple Script is not supported but is there any way to copy the clipboard to the GP tempo field. Perhaps with the GP scripting? My purpose is to copy the tempo from my song list in Filemaker (using Filemaker apple script) to the clipboard. Once it’s on the clipboard, perhaps GP Scripting can access it and paste it in to the tempo field of the instance that has my metronome plugin. Wishful thinking?
As always thanks for everyone’s time and brain space.
Jack

pianopaul · May 3, 2020, 6:46pm

Sorry I do not understand.
In each rackspace in each instance you can set the tempo.
Why does your Master Instance influence the tempo in your 2nd instance?