Website: http://cflake.backpackit.com/pub/244180

I've just posted the first version of VDLMidi - a freeware software input device for Mac OS X 10.4 ('Tiger'). It makes it easier to input percussion sounds without the need for a MIDI keyboard, by showing a list of the available sounds and allowing you to click them to input notes.

I hope you will find it useful for any work that you do with Virtual Drumline 2. I have tested it with Sibelius 4 (which is what I use), and I expect that it should work with Finale and other apps as well. Please let me know if you find things that do or do not work in other applications.

There are plenty of things left to do - such as adding the rest of the keymaps (it currently has snare, tenor, bass, cymbals, and a few others).

Jim has been very supportive in my efforts to make this happen, but it's not an official app from Tapspace, so please send any problems to me. (vdlmidi at gmail)

Enjoy!
Corey Peterson

This follows from my post in this thread:
https://www.tapspace.com/forums/index.php?topic=762.msg2961#msg2961

Doh! I apologize to anyone who tried the link before and got to a login page - it should be correct now.

Corey,

This is absolutely wonderful!! For any Mac 10.4 users who don't have immediate access to a midi keyboard, Corey's program may be the one-stop alternative for your VDL2 note entry. I highly recommend this utility to anyone who might find themselves without a keyboard from time to time. Personally, this will give me a very convenient way to write on my laptop when I'm in situations where pulling out my O2 isn't convenient or possible (like on a flight).

Kudos again Corey! Thanks for developing what will surely be an incredibly useful tool for VDL2 users on OSX!

Will it work with 10.3.9?

Ted Boliske

[quote]Will it work with 10.3.9?[/quote]

I don't have a 10.3.x machine that I can try it on at the moment, so I can't say for sure. I'd be happy to help you figure things out if you want to take a look... just send me an email with any questions.

It doesn't look like the typeahead searching/filtering will work in Panther - you will have to press tab/enter to get the results to update. Other than that, if you launch it and see results in the table then it's working fine.

I've added another 16 keymaps that Jim worked on, bringing the total to 22. I will keep adding them to the program they are completed.

Thanks. I've downloaded the app and will give it a try with Finale as well as 10.3.9.


Ted

Added topic as a sticky.

[quote author=Corey Peterson link=topic=867.msg3447#msg3447 date=1131669495]
[quote]Will it work with 10.3.9?[/quote]

I don't have a 10.3.x machine that I can try it on at the moment, so I can't say for sure. I'd be happy to help you figure things out if you want to take a look... just send me an email with any questions.

It doesn't look like the typeahead searching/filtering will work in Panther - you will have to press tab/enter to get the results to update. Other than that, if you launch it and see results in the table then it's working fine.
[/quote]

Corey,

It crashed on start up in 10.3.9. All I got was the dialogue bax say it unexpectedly quit and do I want to send a crash report to Apple. If you'd like I'll email you the crash log, just let me know.

Ted Boliske

Thanks for letting me know! I got to a Panther machine and found the problem - the search field doesn't behave well on the older OS.

I added a new link on the other page to download a version that will work on Panther - it has the search field removed. In the future I'll get a single version that will work on both OSes, but this should work for now.

Downloaded. Will give it a try and report back.

Ted

Great work corey (always great to see other developers on the forum too. :-) )

Simple and elegant--bravo.

I'm not sure on how the input trapping works given different application focuses (maybe it would since the app is ";always on top";) but have you thought about adding some light functionality for keyboard shortcuts?�� I'd be great to map RH or LH snare hits to two keys or something similar.�� I'm sure that's something you've investigated and I was just curious what you found out.

Justin

I feel so jealous of the Mac users.  Maybe, someday, us Windows users will have access to such a wonderful program.  *sticks out bottom lip*

Justin - I haven't added many key commands because it would prevent them from getting to the notation app. So far I've only used cmd-1, 2, and 3 for the snare, tenor and bass mappings. However, I just remembered that command-3 is the shortcut for creating a triplet in Sibelius, so I will probably take them back out.

I want to make it flexible, but it is going to be hard to find keys that aren't taken by Sibelius _and_ Finale, and possibly other apps. Since I don't own Finale, I don't have a good idea what key commands would be left open, or what would be useful.

BTW, has anyone tried the app with Finale? I'm really curious to know if it works :)

I could probably make a way for you to customize keyboard shortcuts for different sounds... I'll have to think about that some more.

[quote author=Corey Peterson link=topic=867.msg3477#msg3477 date=1132170825]
BTW, has anyone tried the app with Finale? I'm really curious to know if it works :)
[/quote]

Corey,

I have been able to get the app to work with Finale 06. Because the app window is open along with Finale, changing note values for entry is a bit awkward. I'll try it with FIN05 in a day or so and report bakc.

Ted