Hi,

I am trying to get Joystick controls into CHOPs via the Midi IN CHOP. I am using VMIDIJoy to remap the Joystick to MIDI and I see that that program is picking up the Joystick fine, but I can't seem to get Houdini to see it.

When I look at the MIDI In CHOP it only gives me the option to see a “MIDI File” in “MIDI Source”. According to the help file it is supposed to also give me options for “Hardware Port” or “Internal”. Any ideas why the MIDI In CHOP doesn't let me have the option for the other Sources?

Anyone got any clues to how to get this working? This is for Windows XP.

Thanks,
Craig Hoffman

This probably means that this pseudo-MIDI port isn't recognized by Windows. Houdini gets the list of MIDI sources from the Windows media library. Perhaps the application isn't advertising the port there.

Some sound drivers allow you to configure a joystick port as a MIDI port, but as I imagine that won't work very well with the joystick, I'm not sure what to suggest.

Okay, so now I am using MidiYoke and Houdini is seeing the MIDI Device!! That is a huge step and thanks to the Audio guys here at work for help with this.

So I have a Joystick going to Midi via VMidiJoy properly and a Soft Synth that Houdini sees. BUT I can't seem to get Houdini to acess the correct MIDI channels. I assigned the X Joystick to “Pitch Modulation” in VMidiJoy and made the first MIDI-In CHOP channel look at “Pitch Modulation” and it doesn't seem to pick up anything.

Plus the MIDI Channels that VMidiJoy seems to be able to write to don't match up well with the ones in the list in Houdini for it to read.

Does anyone have any idea on how to get the MIDI info into Houdini properly? There are so many confusing parameters from “Current Frame” to “Time Slice” to a myriad of other things. I just want MIDI input to come into CHOPs…

Thanks!
Craig Hoffman

Here are links to the programs:

V midi Joy converts USB to Midi info
http://vellocet.com/software/VMIDIJoY.html [vellocet.com]

Midi OX - creates a patchable Midi application (runs like a soft synth) called a Midi Yoke. This can be assigned as a midi control source inside an application. http://www.midiox.com/ [midiox.com]

I have no idea how joystick-midi works but I'm guessing it uses MIDI controllers.

There might be a “midi implementation chart” that says what the joystick does, and what MIDI data it uses.

Controller data is the “c” most synthesisers use their buttons and send automation with controller data (as opposed to note or pitch data). Make sure to put the * there

A good way to trouble shoot it might be to record the MIDI somehow (you could use an audio program, HA, or maybe there is a utility in the software you are using) … Houdini might be able to record it but it could be very slow and innacurate.

Turn off time-slice and try all the *'s until you've isolated what type of info is coming into the MIDI, then turn time slice back on.

No, that didn't work. I think the MIDI software synth is mapping the controls to something that Houdini doesn't see.

I am not sure, though.

Anyone done anything like this before?

Thanks,
Craig

Are you actually able to record MIDI?

Can you send me all of your settings? There are so many and I can't try every permutation…

Also, are you pushing the Play button for this to work like you need to do for Audio?

Thanks for any help.
Craig

I've never tried any joystick stuff but yes I've been able to record MIDI from my keyboard into Houdini although it's certainly not accurate time-wise. However, my keyboard is a basic keyboard and doesn't send controller data. I also have a very strange professional sound interface and a few audio programs can't recognize it, but Houdini works great

As long as Houdini recognises the device it should be getting the MIDI data in just like an audio program but the first thing would be to make sure what the important info is.

To get in notes, controllers, or volume you'd want to make sure to * the channels to get everything.

This might not help, but if you have an audio program capable of recording MIDI than those will pretty much record all the data being sent into them. I would recommend recording the MIDI into a .midi file with a progam made to do that, and then bringing in that data into the MIDI in CHOP and exploring what data is in it. without time slice. There might also be documentation in the joystick/software about what controller-channels are being sent to.

Once you know what to look for then turn on time slice and try recording the stuff from the same device as the audio program got it.

There might be some free audio programs that would do it, I use Nuendo for audio-mixing / midi sequencing.

I've attached a file that takes in MIDI notes, you'll need to set it to your MIDI device to get it to work, and then check “record”

Craig

I fiddled round with this a few years ago and managed to get it working after a while.
I had the Joystick controlling some random object.
I seem to remember there was some issue with a loss of connection between the Joystick and Houdini, but I don't remember what caused it.
I don't remember what version of Houdini it was in either, and if that's an issue, but I'll hunt around at home to see if I saved the file and post it here if I find it.

Depending on your requirements, you might use Touch, which has support in CHOPs for both Joysticks and Wacom Tablets (would be very nice to have those in Houdini as well).
http://www.derivativeinc.com/Tools/Touch000/Manual/OP/CHOP/joystick/joystick.asp [derivativeinc.com]
http://www.derivativeinc.com/Tools/Touch000/Manual/OP/CHOP/tablet/tablet.asp [derivativeinc.com]

Dragos

I was just able to get midi data into Houdini from an old Hammerhead FX joystick with a USB adaptor. I used a slightly hard to find, unsupported program called Rejoice along with Midi-Yoke.
You can get a copy of both of them here:
http://rapidshare.com/users/JBQATO [rapidshare.com]

It's pretty cool! I'm driving 16 different on/off channels and 4 analog channels (2 dual axis joysticks) with one controller.

First you have to map all the channels of your joystick inside Rejoice.
And even though it said it was output to Channel 1, Houdini saw it as Channel 2. Turning on Echo Messages to Textport was the magic that told me what Houdini was seeing.
It was a little finicky getting Houdini to see it without getting a midi feedback freakout, but after a restart or two they saw each other, and fell in love.

Edit: After playing around with Rejoice for a while I've come to the conclusion that it's a bit buggy. It tends to crash badly enough to require a reboot to get it to work again. I did find something else that works pretty good called Edrum Monitor. It also works with Midi-yoke, and seems a little more stable. Pretty customizable too. And free:

http://www.edrummonitor.com/download.html [edrummonitor.com]


~Mike D.