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Old 05-08-2020, 06:13 AM   #1
royleith
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Default KDE Transport Keyboard Shortcuts

I use Reaper in Kubuntu and it works very well. My other Reaper computer is a Windows machine.

I have always wanted a USB keypad for the Transport controls. I programmed an Arduino, seven buttons and an LED for a 'Record' light.

To cut a very long story, short, the transport keys work fine in many audio programs and especially in Quodlibet and Clementine (audio players), but the Multimedia keys (X86Stop, X86Play/Pause, etc) do not reach Reaper. These are the same key scancodes generated by the alternative functions for Function keys along the top of alpha/numeric multimedia keyboards, so a solution to this problem could be useful for many Linux Reaper users.

Apparently (although I have not tested this) the keys do work in the Gnome window manager (standard Ubuntu).

The keys work well in Windows.

When I started the project, the keyboard shortcuts appeared to be the same in Windows and Linux and included the MediaPlay, MediaPause etc., but the latest versions of Reaper omit the settings. Attempting to add the media keys in Reaper Preferences fails because Reaper does not register the multi-media keystrokes.

There is a simple work-around: two keypads, one for Linux, using alternate shortcuts, and one for Windows, but it seems ridiculous that these purpose-made scancodes are not available to multimedia programs in KDE.

I have played with countless configuration files and programs in Kubuntu, including System Settings, but cannot make KDE unlock the goodies. In System Settings/Global Shortcuts/Media Controller, four of the Multimedia keys are listed, but there is no explanation of how to add the rest or to access the controller from applications.

Does anyone know how to break Plasma's stranglehold on keystrokes?
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Old 05-11-2020, 07:27 PM   #2
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I can reassign easy on KDE, so for example mediakey (mute) is 1 so in a notepad, i press mute, it types 1 just fine, but i can't for some reason make an action in REAPER with it, tried to just type it in, 1, did not work either but ofc the normal 1 key works..

Edit: This/that^^ way worked in Bitwig though, hmm

So i don't know either or how to make KDE yell out command ID 1007 for play, yet
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Last edited by SmajjL; 05-11-2020 at 08:04 PM.
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Old 05-31-2020, 05:54 AM   #3
royleith
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Default Multimedia USB Non-MIDI Transport Keyboard For Linux

Quote:
Originally Posted by royleith View Post
I use Reaper in Kubuntu and it works very well. My other Reaper computer is a Windows machine.

I have always wanted a USB keypad for the Transport controls. I programmed an Arduino, seven buttons and an LED for a 'Record' light.

To cut a very long story, short, the transport keys work fine in many audio programs and especially in Quodlibet and Clementine (audio players), but the Multimedia keys (X86Stop, X86Play/Pause, etc) do not reach Reaper. These are the same key scancodes generated by the alternative functions for Function keys along the top of alpha/numeric multimedia keyboards, so a solution to this problem could be useful for many Linux Reaper users.

The keys work well in Windows.
I, now, have a working Arduino solution for both Windows and Linux which provides a keypad with the standard Reaper Transport gadget functions of Backwards, Forwards, Record, Play, Stop, Pause and Repeat, and lights an LED when Recording is in progress. Please note that these are not MIDI controller devices, but standard HID keys.

The Windows version uses the X86 multimedia keystrokes and the Linux version uses the 'Windows' key as the modifier in order to avoid any standard Windows Reaper keyboard shortcuts. Because the shortcuts are not pre-programmed in Linux, they have to be assigned in Reaper Properties, just like any other custom keystroke assignments (select the Reaper Transport function, click add and push the appropriate button on the keypad).

If anyone else wants to make such a keypad, I would be happy to publish the two Arduino sketches in the resources area. I am using the Arduino Pro Micro, but the Arduino Leonardo would also work, but costs more.
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Old 05-31-2020, 06:57 AM   #4
Glennbo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by royleith View Post
I, now, have a working Arduino solution for both Windows and Linux which provides a keypad with the standard Reaper Transport gadget functions of Backwards, Forwards, Record, Play, Stop, Pause and Repeat, and lights an LED when Recording is in progress. Please note that these are not MIDI controller devices, but standard HID keys.

The Windows version uses the X86 multimedia keystrokes and the Linux version uses the 'Windows' key as the modifier in order to avoid any standard Windows Reaper keyboard shortcuts. Because the shortcuts are not pre-programmed in Linux, they have to be assigned in Reaper Properties, just like any other custom keystroke assignments (select the Reaper Transport function, click add and push the appropriate button on the keypad).

If anyone else wants to make such a keypad, I would be happy to publish the two Arduino sketches in the resources area. I am using the Arduino Pro Micro, but the Arduino Leonardo would also work, but costs more.
Sounds pretty slick. I used to have the media keys on my Logitech Wave keyboard assigned in Windows, as well as the transport keys on an Akai MPD26 on my desk, but I haven't used them in so long I hadn't even noticed they don't work in Linux. I'm just so used to the stock REAPER keystrokes that I use them without thinking.

That said, one thing I do remember from when it was working in Windows was that the Akai would run the transport no matter what window had focus, which I guess is because it transmits MIDI CC 118 for play, 117 for stop, and so on. Looks like I can in Linux reestablish the transport controls on the Akai as REAPER sees them, but like your original post said, the X86 multimedia keys on my keyboard are not getting through to REAPER.

Edit: I set my Akai back up for the transport controls, and just like Windows I can be in a web browser where REAPER does not have focus, and the transport controls still run REAPER. I know nothing about programming an Arduino, but if one could be programmed to appear as a midi controller on USB it could probably do the same thing.
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Last edited by Glennbo; 05-31-2020 at 07:22 AM.
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Old 06-09-2020, 01:53 AM   #5
royleith
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I know nothing about programming an Arduino, but if one could be programmed to appear as a midi controller on USB it could probably do the same thing.
The Arduino Leonardo and Micro Pro can be easily programmed as USB devices. However, I wanted an HID keyboard solution that could be used on any operating system and with any program that used (HID) multimedia keys like those at the top of your computer keyboard. That includes audio and video media players and editors as well as DAWs.

My Arduino program for Windows will do just that... except for Linux!
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