HI, I am opening this thread to keep a sort of STASH about TOUCHOSC + REAPER. Although the program is really useful and works perfectly, its information is poor, unintuitive and too scattered.
First of all, bear in mind that there are TWO versions of the program.
2.- OLD VERSION
The original and obsolete version it is now called “TOUCHOSC MK1”. It is just being “maintained” at the moment but no new features will be added to it.
Unlike other DAWs, Reaper uses a pattern config file to define the OSC messages that it understands. The default one is called Default.ReaperOSC and it can be found in the OSC REAPER FOLDER. This file gives you rudimentary understanding about how messages are formed and their meaning. If you find the file difficult to read try the following PDF instead: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/43590/OSC%...FIG%20FILE.pdf
Obviously, you can edit or use other ReaperOSC files, place them in that folder and launch them from Reaper > Preferences > OSC > Pattern config.
Summing up, you will need two files to use Reaper + TouchOSC 1) A reaperOSC file (for example logictouch.REAPEROSC) 2) The layout file which has got a TOSC extension (for example Logictouch.TOSC)
TOUCHOSC SOFTWARE
There are several applications to download (choose the right versions depending on your systems: android, windows, ios, linux, macos).
2. TouchOSC BRIDGE
This is a FREE standalone application that relays messages sent from TouchOSC to your computer and viceversa. https://hexler.net/touchosc/bridge-releases Note: Requires Windows XP or later. Requires macOS 10.7 or later.
4. Protokol [Optional Application]
Protokol is a useful utility which controls all messages from any MIDI or OSC source connected to this application. By doing so, it allows users to check that signals and external hardware are seen by your computer. Therefore it makes your life easier when dealing with the communication among mobile devices, instruments and your computer.
Protokol is a light, fast and FREE (to download and use) program for all of us.
INSTALLATION AND CONNECTION ISSUES
There are some videos above showing the process step by step, besides you can download the following RAR file with images to help you to set up TOUCHOSC + REAPER. https://stash.reaper.fm/v/43624/Reap...SC%20setup.rar
1. Install TouchOSC mobile app from google.play and install the Desktop Editor from hexler.net. 2. Download TouchOSB Bridge from hexler.net and double click on the file touchbridge.exe. Remember, you will have to double double click on this file every time you start using TouchOSC. 3. In Reaper:
Go to preferences > midi devices > enable TouchOSC.
Go to preferences OSC > Add control surface mode: OSC (Open Sound Control). Configure it. 4 Launch your Touchosc mobile app, press the chain icon in the upper right. Configure OSC, MIDI and BRIDGE tabs. 5. If you wish to use the Desktop Editor yo will have to set up the OSC, Midi and Bridge tabs. Use the the chain icon in the upper right.
CONNECTION ISSUES
- If your computer changes the local IP frequently you might consider assigning a static one, otherwise you will have to change the IP accordingly in all the previous configurations. Static IP, Windows Tutorialhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSHunPYosi0 Static IP, Android tutorialhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA21TvZVXLE
- If you don’t run the BRIGE the communication between mobile and desktop system will not work.
- If you are using a firewall, BRIDGE should be added as an exception to your firewall.
- Running an ethernet cable (while sometimes cumbersome) really steps up how reliable OSC is. Spring for the official adapter as well. iOS devices running iOS 10 and above will bring up an ethernet settings menu allowing you to see the ip that was assigned to the device. iOS 9.3.4 and below doesnt have that and I've been unable to get two way communication on those devices.
LAUNCHING ORDER REAPER AND TOUCHOSC
Does order matter? I have read comments in the forum about some data that needs to be "modified" if you want it to show up, for instance (status, tempo, volume etc). They complain because that it is not neccesary in other cases, for instance with time, measures, pan etc. To counter this problem, they use a workaround; let's say you want the tempo value to show up, then they just increase or decrease tempo once and tempo will be present and "work" in the rest of the session. Well, though it works, this is not really efficient or necessary if you launch the programs in this order:
First launch touchOSC and load your layout.
Second launch Reaper and your template, song etc.
If you do it this way, those data will be present without having to modify any value manually.
REALEARN WITH TOUCHOSC
Realearn is an awesome VST instrument plug-in which mission is to equip Reaper with the most comprehensive MIDI/MCU/OSC learn features. The installation process includes both TouchOSC and Realearn:
1) Setting up TouchOSC
Go to your TouchOSC application and press the chain link icon. Then go to the OSC tab and complete the following.
- Connection 1: UDP
- Host: Enter the IP address of the computer running ReaLearn. You can easily find it by pressing the "Projection" button in ReaLearn and scrolling down a bit. It’s the value next to "Host" and should start with "192.168.".
- Send port: Choose a random port number greater than 1024, preferably 7879. This number must not be in use yet by other OSC applications, not even by REAPER’s native OSC!
- Receive port: Choose a random port number greater than 1024, preferably 7879. This number must not be in use yet by other OSC applications, not even by REAPER’s native OSC! Preferably the same number as Send port.
- Zeroconf: Disabled
Important
In general, you need to set it up using OSC, not the TouchOSC MIDI Bridge.
2) Setting up ReaLearn:
- Local port: This needs to be the same as configured for "Send port" in TouchOSC.
- [Device host: This needs to be the same as displayed in TouchOSC when you click the ⓘ icon next to "Receive port". It should be starting with 192.168.
- Device port: This needs to be the same as configured for "Receive port" in TouchOSC.
Notes
- TouchOSC Works for both control and feedback.
- If you want to send a color value to TouchOSC, use the feedback argument style.color.rrggbb. This sends a string instead of a native OSC Color value (latter is not supported by TouchOSC). The string can be directly mapped to a color property in the TouchOSC editor.
- TouchOSC fixes the issue with X/Y controls in TouchOSC MK1. It’s able to receive the feedback values for X and Y on different OSC addresses, which is perfect for the way ReaLearn works (one mapping per axis).
- This information is taken from helgoboss.org where you could also find updated information about TouchOSC MK1 (Old version). https://www.helgoboss.org/projects/r..._older_version
USING IMAGES IN TOUCHOSC
TouchOSC does not currently support custom images yet, (the Devs intend to add it in the future for all platforms). However, there is a workaround: you can copy & paste symbols/emoji/arrows etc into labels using some fonts:
It's meant to strengthen collaboration and the community as a whole in different ways.
Users of this group are already on board to help and discuss all the possibilities and crazy ideas in the different channels of topics.
Youtube
- Tim Corpus has got a comprehensive series of video tutorials dedicated to TOUCHOSC + Reaper (using actions, creating faders, using keystrokes, configuration etc). https://www.youtube.com/c/TimCorpus/...query=touchosc
- Mat Ward.
Mat has got several free interesting controllers for TouchOSC which you can check out on his youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAN...uM47yl70tqHrdA
If you are interested in getting them you just need to email him and he will send you a download link and instructions for installation. matwardmusic@gmail.com
FINAL NOTE
All contributions to this "Stash" will be highly welcome, besides if you find any trouble or mistakes in concepts or English language, please let me know.
Ty so grateful for you update, your layout has helped me a lot I am gonna edit the link and the info right now!! if you change anything or add a video just let me know. Your new layout looks even better, awesome!!, it needs a closer look, I will check it out this weekend.
Btw, your play button works better for me now (it keeps the on state perfectly), and the design is so cool (my old eyes needed bigger buttons). Good Job Eduardo!!!
Ty so grateful for you update, your layout has helped me a lot I am gonna edit the link and the info right now!! if you change anything or add a video just let me know. Your new layout looks even better, awesome!!, it needs a closer look, I will check it out this weekend.
Btw, your play button works better for me now (it keeps the on state perfectly), and the design is so cool (my old eyes needed bigger buttons). Good Job Eduardo!!!
I'm glad to hear the template has been of help. That's exactly what I was going for.
And, yes, my 42-year-old eyes are getting kinda tired here =) .
Now, look, I actually updated it in quite a rush, so there should be bugs and just plain wrong things. Please, let me know if/when you catch any.
Running an ethernet cable (while sometimes cumbersome) really steps up how reliable OSC is. Spring for the official adapter as well.
iOS devices running iOS 10 and above will bring up an ethernet settings menu allowing you to see the ip that was assigned to the device. iOS 9.3.4 and below doesnt have that and I've been unable to get two way communication on those devices.
I have been messing around your layout, trying to understand how you have made such an elegant and proffesional design, really nice, frankly I thought you were using images.
I think it is interesting, the app is unexpensive, they don't charge for updates and you don't have to buy the editor if you don't want to (I did). Your old layouts will work, it fixes some bugs, it supports scripting (which gives a lot of possibilities because people are creating scripts and they are available to use freely). Anyway, my main reason to buy TouchOSC was the improves it will come in the future and because TouchOSC will surely stop working some day with Android updates.
Added: Beto Valdez new layout. (This is the first layout I have ever seen which works with Reaper and Realearn. Frankly, you should try it. Don't worry about the setting up, it comes with comprehensive documentation, including installation). I recommend trying this one because it opens Realearn possibilities.
TouchOSC Update: Version 1.1.0, 08 Feb 2022
[ALL] support for game controllers (new GAMEPAD message type)
[ALL] new 'Gamepad' example layout
[ALL] Removed "Unlock" context menu (use the Document Tree to unlock controls)
[IOS] Improved handling of floating and undocked touch keyboards
[IOS] Fixed editing gestures interfering with multi-touch operation
[IOS] Fixed Apple Pencil input behavior
[ALL] Fixed scripts not being run under certain conditions
[ALL] Fixed editor navigator view rendering issues
[ALL] Fixed possible crash when logging messages
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements
New version of TouchOSC BRIDGE available to download:
TouchOSC BridGe Update: Version 1.7.3, Sun, 27 Feb 2022
[WIN] Fixed a bug where not all types of MIDI messages were sent to the clients
[ALL] Added forwarding of locally received MIDI SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE messages to clients
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/touchosc/bridge-releases
Protokol update: Version 0.4.4(build 86), Tue, 15 Feb 2022.
[IOS] Improved handling of floating and undocked touch keyboards
[IOS] Fixed editing gestures interfering with multi-touch operation
[IOS] Fixed Apple Pencil input behavior
[WIN] Fixed possible problems in DirectX renderer
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/protokol/releases
You can vote in the following polls in TouchOSC discord server to help devs in the development: https://discord.io/TouchOSC
Which of these scripting features do you think would improve TouchOSC the most?
Choices
A. Creating new objects using scripts
B. Reorder or relayer objects using scripting
C. Update message properties (channel, controller, triggers etc) via script
D. Create global/root variable (without a hack)
F. Improve autocompletion for the scripting interface
G. A way to measure cpu load from scripts/latency created by scripts
Which of these control-related features do you think would improve TouchOSC the most?
Choices
A. Import images as control/box backgrounds.
B. Custom properties/custom tags on controls
C. Free-rotation on shapes (not sure north/south/east/west)
D. More shapes! (Octagons, right triangles, trapezoids, or free-form shapes)
E. More fonts! (or complete font book)
F. Allow pointer to "pass through" to other controls Beneath that control
G. Option for full color contrast on controls
H. Larger grids (64x64?), more lines on faders (127)
I. Ability to acces parent.parent.parent in message source values
Which of the following UI/UX improvements do you think would improve TouchOSC the most?
Choices
A. Copy and paste formatting/style
B. Pop out script editor
C. Copy and paste local/midi/osc messages
D. Hot key for sending to back/front, forwards, back
E. Drag and drop on document tree to reorder (and regroup?)
F. Filter and sort on document tree (default = layer order)
G. Add right-click menu to document tree elements
Which of the three things you just picked is the most important in your mind?
Choices
A. Scripting-related features.
B. Control-related features
C. UI/UX Improvements
TouchOSC update Version 1.1.1 (Build 136) Mon, 21 Mar 2022
[ALL] Added message copy/paste actions to 'Edit' menu
[ALL] Added script editor preference options
[AND] Fixed 'getBatteryLevel' script function always returning 1
[ALL] Fixed editor 'Ungroup' action with multiple containers selected
[ALL] Fixed possible corruption of documents caused by certain characters
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/touchosc/releases
OK - so part of my problem is that I was running MK1 on my iOS and MK2 on my mac.
I splurged and bought Mk2 so now I have both versions. Using Mk2 editor network function I was able to get the template I want to use to synch to the ipad.
Then I setup Reaper as best as I could make sense of the instructions. But I still can only receive touchosc commands to the ipad and not send commands to reaper.
The only strange thing I can think is a problem is in the reaper midi settings I only see touchosc bridge in the inputs but both touchosc bridge and touchosc in the midi outputs list. See attached.
So I sort of have it working. It seems that opening the template I want to use from the server - the server being touchosc on my Mac, doesn't connect to reaper bi directionally. It receives msgs but doesn't send them back to reaper.
So I saved this template on my ipad and then closed touchosc bridge and touchosc on my mac. Then I opened the ipad copy directly and it connects and works both send and receive.
TouchOSC update Version 1.1.2 (Build 138) Tue, 10 May 2022
[ALL] Added preference option for size of new documents
[ALL] Allow TouchOSC native objects to be passed using 'notify'
[ALL] Fixed loading of defaults for locked values
[IOS] Fixed possible crash when connecting game controllers
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/touchosc/releases
TouchOSC update Version 1.1.3 (Build 141) Fri, 10 Jun 2022
[ALL] New MIDI/OSC/GAMEPAD messages have all connections enabled by default
[ALL] Added new 'enable all' button to message connection configuration UI
[ALL] Updated example layouts to send/receive messages on all connections
[ALL] Added support for INT64 and DOUBLE type tags to 'sendOSC' script function
[ALL] Added usage note to 'Editor Network' dialog
[IOS/AND] Fixed save filename not updating when switching documents
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/touchosc/releases
Hi there, I gotta say, the old version is complete ass. Totally obsolete. I don't think it should even be presented as an option at this point, esp considering old templates can be imported.
At the very least please make it number 2 in your OP. The new version is ofc amazing.
TouchOSC update Version 1.1.4 (Build 143) Wen, 1 Jul 2022
[ALL] Improved error message when no renderer can be initialized
[AND] Fixed a possible crash when rotating device on Android 12
[ALL] Fixed multiple potential memory leaks
[ALL] Minor bug fixes and improvements https://hexler.net/touchosc/releases
I am working of the logicipad template example in TouchOSC in Reapler. Everything is working great however I am having issues getting the meters to work.
I did add these parameters to the Reaper OSC file.