MIDI-compatible Window Manager?

[dave]

Is there currently any way to use MIDI to control window management?

Ideally, I'd like to be able to cycle through windows by turning a knob and have access to the usual minimize/restore, maximize, close functions, by pressing buttons/switches.. all using a typical controller; in my scenario, a BCR2000. I'm not picky about window managers and I would equally appreciate any reliable hacks if no other method is available. For example, if there is an easy way to convert midi to keystrokes, I think I'd pretty well be in business for my immediate purposes.

Am I silly to imagine that such a solution would make it 100x easier to cobble together a legit-looking synth from computer parts? (regarding the idea that a keyboard and mouse instantly kills the look of any 'synth'..) Have I overlooked some obvious method(s)? Is this a silly idea altogether?

Sorry if this has been asked already, but I finally had to give up looking and just ask. Maybe I'm wording it all wrong.
Oh, also sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I couldn't decide if it should be here or in the distro & other software forum.

[raboof]

Is there currently any way to use MIDI to control window management?

Ideally, I'd like to be able to cycle through windows by turning a knob and have access to the usual minimize/restore, maximize, close functions, by pressing buttons/switches.. all using a typical controller; in my scenario, a BCR2000.

I wonder if you could put something together with some midi triggering tool and wmctrl

Am I silly to imagine that such a solution would make it 100x easier to cobble together a legit-looking synth from computer parts? (regarding the idea that a keyboard and mouse instantly kills the look of any 'synth'..) Have I overlooked some obvious method(s)? Is this a silly idea altogether?

I'm not sure I'd expect there to be window management (needed) on a synth... but I might be old-fashioned in that .

[dave]

I'm not sure I'd expect there to be window management (needed) on a synth... but I might be old-fashioned in that .

Ah yes well, a bit of background information, to explain where I'm coming from with this:

The frankensynth/fauxsynth I'm trying to put together has a 17" accusync, a bcr2000 and a keystation 49es. I suppose maybe it's more of a 'workstation' because of the DAWs and all that, but eh. The parts have changed a lot since I started playing with it, but it's all still just sprawled on a desk, like a normal system, which- don't get me wrong, works just fine. But as a legit synth dude, I don't have to tell you that all that mess just never looks as pretty as a single unit could. Of course, if I can't figure out how to control windows from the controller, I might still go through with it. I'd probably end up doing like the earlier openlabs systems (no touchscreen); I'd simply add a touchpad and (probably compact) keyboard in to the layout. It's purely a personal challenge of frugality and aesthetics. I totally don't have to do it, as I am continually reminded. I described the idea to a friend and they said I was trying to put lipstick on a pig. I neckbeardedly reminded him that the linux mascot is not a pig.

It's just something I've been playing with, mostly using the KXStudio stuff. Once I really started playing with session management, I realized that I wanted to massage my current realtime setup in to a dedicated package; something I could turn on and play, that is optimized to have only the necessary software (and hardware) to be a synth, but that is not my main computer/not hidden in a grub menu. I know the necessary software to pull it all together might not quite be there, though. I guess I had to put the beacon out there before I make the decision to start considering which touchpad to buy or alternatively, I may just set everything up for keyboard control, since I'm somewhat accustomed to that sort of interface and it's pretty much just for me anyway.

I have reached the phase where I am culling software from the OS and trying to make the boot sequence look more like a thing.

wmctrl is very interesting. I am definitely keeping this bookmarked, thank you.

[tatch]

that's a pretty cool idea. you could probably use mididings + i3wm or any other scriptable window manager (all the ones i can think of are tiling but those are the best anyway)

[briandc]

I'd love to see if what the OP proposes here can indeed be done. Sometimes it's the "silly" ideas that end up being the most genial!

My guess is that the work to be done will be on the windows management side, so that any midi controller could control them. So there's programming to be done (definitely out of my field) and as I've never heard of such a thing before, it would indeed be innovative! (This is one of those things that I would say can only be done on a linux system, considering that the windows management is a principle (root) element of any OS.)

Sounds exciting! I'd love to be able to use such a management system here!


brian

[tatch]

out of curiosity i wrote a tiny mididings script that interacts with i3wm using i3-msg. if you connect a midi keyboard to it and press note 60 (i think thats C4) itll change focus to the left window, and if you press note 62 (D4) it'll move focus to the right.

Code: Select all

#!/usr/bin/env python

from mididings import *
import subprocess

def focus(midi):
    if midi.note==60:
        subprocess.call(['i3-msg', 'focus', 'left'])
    elif midi.note==62:
        subprocess.call(['i3-msg', 'focus', 'right'])
    return midi

run(
        Filter(NOTEON) >> 
        Process(focus)
        )

this is a neat idea.