X-Touch Mini Support?

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The Artful Dodger
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X-Touch Mini Support?

#1 Post by The Artful Dodger »

Hello, all:
I have just purchased one of the subject items and I wondered if AM supported them? They are a midi device with 8 rotary encoders (each with its own push switch), 16 button switches (each with its own LED), and a slider. There are also two button switches which, in effect, doubles all of the above by creating two banks of all of the above! Everything connects through a single USB cable.
image.png
I was wondering if the AM supported it?

Sparky

The Artful Dodger
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#2 Post by The Artful Dodger »

I just noticed I put this in the wrong section. Sorry. I don't know how to move it.

Sparky

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Sling
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#3 Post by Sling »

If it’s a standard USB HID joystick device with no more than the standard 32 inputs then AM can interface with it.

SimPassion
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#4 Post by SimPassion »

There's also some interesting plugins which handle the X-Touch mini in X-Plane

X-Keypad from Stick and Rudder Studios (Mark Cellis)
https://stickandrudderstudios.com/x-keypad-for-x-keys/
https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/f ... -x-keypad/

XMidiCtrl from @VirtualCPT
https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/f ... r-x-plane/
https://mauer.github.io/xmidictrl/#/

SimPassion
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#5 Post by SimPassion »

Sling wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 2:46 am If it’s a standard USB HID joystick device with no more than the standard 32 inputs then AM can interface with it.
Hi Tony, not sure for this, it's rather an USB Midi controller using native Mackie mode
Further there's LEDs on it, which wouldn't be handled in a Joystick mode if it were able, though they're currently handled using default MIDI CC messages

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jph
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#6 Post by jph »

Hi Gilles,
You could write a sketch on a pico or Arduino using the Arduino IDE (Midi libs are well supported) and use Messageport. It would be fairly easy to do if all the info on the midi hardware - the xtouch or whatever it is called - is available. With the number of encoders a Pico is definitely preferable as the basic Arduinos are slow as a slow thing with the brake on. ;)
Joe
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

SimPassion
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#7 Post by SimPassion »

Thanks Joe for the hint and the reminder, it could be useful for the OP
Interesting part I've worked on in the past, already months ago, around simulating MIDI devices using Arduino sketches
My initial answer was to eliminate the statement for such device being seen as Joystick device

here's also a very quick available sample from PJRC using name.c

Code: Select all

/* USB MIDI Custom Name Example
 *  
 * This example demonstrates how to change the USB MIDI 
 * device name on Teensy LC and 3.x.  When creating more
 * that one MIDI device, custom names are much easier to
 * use when selecting each device in MIDI software on
 * your PC or Mac.  The custom name is in the "name.c" tab.
 *
 * Windows and Macintosh systems often cache USB info.
 * After changing the name, you may need to test on a
 * different computer to observe the new name, or take
 * steps to get your operating system to "forget" the
 * cached info.  (TODO: wanted... can anyone contribute
 * instructions for these systems)
 * 
 * You must select MIDI from the "Tools > USB Type" menu
 * 
 * This example code is in the public domain.
 */

void setup() {
}

void loop() {
  // Add your MIDI application here...

  // MIDI Controllers should discard incoming MIDI messages.
  // http://forum.pjrc.com/threads/24179-Teensy-3-Ableton-Analog-CC-causes-midi-crash
  while (usbMIDI.read()) {
    // ignore incoming messages
  }
}

// To name the individual ports for MIDIx4 and MIDIx16
// https://forum.pjrc.com/threads/50043?p=260134#post260134

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jph
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#8 Post by jph »

Hi Gilles my friend, I hope you are well ?
Yes absolutely, The device is nowhere near standard hid joystick etc. 100% agreed,
The PJRC / Teensy has a lot of code and is super. I am not overly familiar with it these days as I use - almost exclusively - Arduino IDE. The PICO is FULLY supported even down to dual core level with each individually accessible. Even Teensy are available but these is no point - imho - to buy a teensy nowadays due to the amazing support in A/IDE for so many excellent micros.
I can run the raspberry pico at 250 Mhz no worries - and again, dual core. It is a beast.
There is a heck of a lot of code availabe in pre written libs for Arduino IDE that offers all we need for MIDI in whatever form. The xtouch thingy looks relatively straight forward as a device.
I have almost given up with basic arduino branded devices as they are stone age now compared to some of the newer offerings such as pico and the ST Micro offerings - again - all fully supported natively with AIDE.
At the moment I have far too much on to look at this but may well in the future if I get some time to play.
I will look to see if I can find a cheap midi device such as this or unless someone has one to donate lol. They do look to be a very interesting offering. Native support from AM is - I believe - a non starter as there are so many of these devices that are 'similar' but subtly different.

Definitely a very interesting prospect.

All the best
Joe
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

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Sling
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#9 Post by Sling »

SimPassion wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 5:06 am
Sling wrote: Thu May 25, 2023 2:46 am If it’s a standard USB HID joystick device with no more than the standard 32 inputs then AM can interface with it.
Hi Tony, not sure for this, it's rather an USB Midi controller using native Mackie mode
Further there's LEDs on it, which wouldn't be handled in a Joystick mode if it were able, though they're currently handled using default MIDI CC messages
Understand. I was out and about at the time and didn’t check it out which us why I said if it is.

The Artful Dodger
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Re: X-Touch Mini Support?

#10 Post by The Artful Dodger »

Would someone please clarify: Yes or no, will AM interface with the X-Touch Mini? I would like to point out that the device has two modes: Mackie mode (to support music applications) and standard mode (where it is just an I/O device with 16 encoders and 48 switches in two banks of 8 and 24 respectively, where 32 of the switches have independent LEDs in two banks of 16. It also has two sliders, one in eack bank). It doesn't require any additional hardware to interface - it's plug and play. But, it's not a Joystick - it's like a throttle quadrant with no hat switches.
I hope this clarifies what it is and what it isn't. I would just like to know if I can access it from AM?

Sparky

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