Completely Automate the Recording Process? - Page 2

tXShooter · 12-12-2017, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumpm1

Specifically let me what you have in mind in total so I can be of help. Oh and glad I could be of help and you are welcome.

My thought process is... I won't be there to set the markers for when specific things happen... I'll have 32 channels of tracks that start at a specific time and end X minutes later. Currently I am setting markers manually to signify the start of and end of the sermon. I then go through the playback and tweak those markers to ensure that I set them down to the millisecond (especially the sermon markers), double-click the 'ruler' on the top, right-click and set the region, quickly add some FX Chains to the tracks involved with the sermon, and then render the region to upload to our website. (I've gotten to where I can do most of that in a matter of a few minutes.)

Since I won't be there, and nobody else at my church knows how to run Reaper, let alone own a copy... I was checking to see if maybe one of the other 'operators' can maybe click on a desktop executable script that will send a signal across the network to the recording laptop, whereby maybe another script will be listening and then turn around and send the hotkey "M" to Reaper in order to mark out at least the start and stop of the sermons (+/- a few seconds). Or perhaps have their script directly access Reaper to enter the hotkey of "M" (if that's possible).

Me being new to AHK, and still somewhat new to Reaper, I thought it was worth asking this forum if anything like this had ever been attempted.

So, that's where I'm going with my question.

sumpm1 · 12-12-2017, 08:03 PM

Easiest solution I can think of: If you are already considering relying on a person in the church to trigger a marker being set... You can just show a reliable person or two at the church how to press the 'm' key on the keyboard lol, and show them how to see on the screen that a marker is on the timeline.

I think that is the most foolproof way to get this to happen and not have to constantly troubleshoot software for such a simple task. I can imagine more elaborate setups. But I tried something similar in the past. I was a high school teacher, and would use Reaper in the classroom for some things, and wanted to trigger events on the PC with my phone through AHK. I never got it working.

----

On your planned workflow. I think it would be easier to record directly to a synced google drive folder, and then the project files and recorded files will exist on your personal home machine without any extra work, it would be as if you had attended the church and recorded directly to your laptop and took the project home to work on. And you can have full control there to add fx and render for publishing.

I think this process puts you in most control and is robust. I use synced google drive folders for this daily, and it allows you alot of freedom and options. You could for example share the link to your google drive recording folder to another user, and they could play with the projects or take over for you if you need them or want them to. And your files are also protected on the cloud. If files are deleted, google drive on their website allows you to view file history and restore files. So you don't have to worry about losing files. The church machine's hard drive could fail and you would have an online backup ready to go.

I don't want to tell you what to do. This is your thing, I just want to assist. So I'm just letting you know my considerations for workflow that allows options and ease of use.

tXShooter · 12-12-2017, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumpm1

On your planned workflow. I think it would be easier to record directly to a synced google drive folder, and then the project files and recorded files will exist on your personal home machine without any extra work, it would be as if you had attended the church and recorded directly to your laptop and took the project home to work on. And you can have full control there to add fx and render for publishing.

I think this process puts you in most control and is robust. I use synced google drive folders for this daily, and it allows you alot of freedom and options. You could for example share the link to your google drive recording folder to another user, and they could play with the projects or take over for you if you need them or want them to. And your files are also protected on the cloud. If files are deleted, google drive on their website allows you to view file history and restore files. So you don't have to worry about losing files. The church machine's hard drive could fail and you would have an online backup ready to go.

Thank you, but... While I am not using Google Drive to sync the recordings, I am using a similar service currently... one of about 4 free cloud services I am already joined to (5GB Limit each), and it's getting downright confusing which one I have doing what, and shared with whom. I really don't want to be adding in another service to do something that I am already doing. Until I can find some real major advantage to switch over to Google Drive, I would really rather keep my Google accounts (several) separated from this task.

So again, thank you for your input on this subject. I don't want to seem like I don't appreciate your input and efforts.

As to the hard drive failing... I'm already auto backing up after each recording session to a local NAS drive AND to my home NAS drive using one of the other cloud services... got that covered in molasses on a cold winter's night. lol

----

My recording laptop has to be near the main sound console (less than 6 feet for USB 2.0 speeds). There's only so much room in that booth as it is, which is why I'm trying to find a way to stash this laptop away and administer to it remotely, and the other guy in the sound booth is already busy mixing the FOH, so he's not going to be reliable. That really leaves nobody else to do this task AT the computer. USB Extenders haven't yet proven themselves reliable enough, and they're costly.

I'm not the only one recording the sermons. We have one person recording for CD and DVD Archiving using Audacity for the CD (and a high dollar DVD burner for the live stream / video mixing archive). It was him that I was thinking of to do the Remote Marking task (he's in the video booth located at a different part of the church getting his mono signal from a mixbus off of the soundboard via an XLR to a sub-mixing console. (Mono? Yeah... the horror of it all. lol)

I was thinking that if I could build him a script that he loads prior to his recording sessions that could capture HIS marker input keystrokes in Audacity, then I could maybe get that script to transfer his key presses to my machine across the LAN to set my markers whilst simultaneously and seamlessly still setting his markers.

That was my endgame thought process in my newest 'quest'.

Sooo... is it possible to send Script-to-Script LAN signals, or maybe a Script-to-Reaper Lan signal?

tXShooter · 12-12-2017, 08:56 PM

I found this just now from a Google search... haven't even had a chance to look it over, but wanted to post it here for input from others. Would something like this ramp up the latency on either machine?

Server:

Code:

;Server

#include Socket.ahk

myTcp := new SocketTCP()
myTcp.bind("addr_any", 54321)
myTcp.listen()
myTcp.onAccept := Func("OnTCPAccept")
return

OnTCPAccept(this)
{
    newTcp := this.accept()
    newTcp.onRecv := func("OnTCPRecv")
    newTcp.sendText("Connected")
}

OnTCPRecv(this)
{
    msgbox % this.recvText()
}

Client:

Code:

;Client

#include Socket.ahk

myTcp := new SocketTCP()
myTcp.connect("your servers A_IPAddress1", 54321) ; lokal
myTcp.onRecv := Func("OnTcpRecv")
return

OnTcpRecv(this)
{
    ToolTip % this.RecvText()
}

sumpm1 · 12-12-2017, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tXShooter

Sooo... is it possible to send Script-to-Script LAN signals, or maybe a Script-to-Reaper Lan signal?

Alright, makes sense to me, and I understand better what you are trying to do.

With AHK, I was never able to achieve this. I was never able to remotely tell AHK to do something. Doesn't mean it's not possible, but I never figured out a way and I usually try pretty hard.

As far as other options? I really don't know, haven't researched this task specifically.

I recently saw on this forum a web interface for Reaper, where you can easily design a control surface that just opens in a remote browser and controls Reaper. You can design the layout of buttons for different tasks. This honestly looks like the best option for your purpose. Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyC0KPtVT7E and here https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=200154

If the Reaper machine keeps Reaper in the foreground at all times, you could probably easily setup a phone app that works as a remote keyboard to that machine or lets you create buttons on the app interface that trigger keystrokes or macros on the Reaper machine, and your buddy could use that app to trigger marker creation.

I have also seen some Reaper phone control surface apps floating around this forum, look neat, but never had a use for them. That is another possibility. Here is one: https://youtu.be/TMZZvk4x93o?t=2m48s, and another https://youtu.be/TfaEBtzoatE?t=47s, and another https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=188151.

A low tech option that seems somewhat wasteful: If you have an extra mic and line in available on your interface, you could have someone smack a microphone; perhaps they could tap the mic three times with their finger. This would not create the markers for you. But someone could easily see the spikes in the waveform in Reaper and use those as markers or create markers manually after the fact for your purpose.

A similar option, use a midi device for this. If there is a keyboard nearby for someone that could do this, perhaps the preacher or band members, or if you have an old drum machine not being used that has midi connectivity, this would eliminate your 6ft usb constraint. You could easily find many midi devices dirt cheap on ebay or perhaps a band member has an old cheapy keyboard or obsolete drum machine that could pull this off. If any midi press is present in the track, it will serve as a visual marker.

There are a few ideas, but just off the top of my head and nothing I've ever tried or considered.

----

There are all kinds of creative solutions, just depends how much homework you feel like doing and how long you are willing to spend to get something working to your liking.

I'd bet there is a way to trigger AHK remotely, but I never found it, and I lost interest. And the phone app remote keyboard type of idea seems the simplest to me, it would create the markers unlike the mic or midi idea. And a Reaper web or app control surface would pull off the same task. But I have no experience with these.

----

Anyways, keep this thread updated. I'd at least like to see how things turn out and what you end up trying and if they work.

mschnell · 12-12-2017, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tXShooter

or maybe a Script-to-Reaper Lan signal?

That is why I recommended Beyond Python. This is what same is all about. Beyond uses OSC (a UDP / LAN protocol) to remote-control ()and remotely watch) Reaper.

-Michael

tXShooter · 12-13-2017, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumpm1

A similar option, use a midi device for this. If there is a keyboard nearby for someone that could do this, perhaps the preacher or band members, or if you have an old drum machine not being used that has midi connectivity, this would eliminate your 6ft usb constraint. You could easily find many midi devices dirt cheap on ebay or perhaps a band member has an old cheapy keyboard or obsolete drum machine that could pull this off. If any midi press is present in the track, it will serve as a visual marker.

I'm confused... how would a midi device eliminate the need for the 6ft USB connection to the mixer console (which is the source of all of the audio tracks)?

tXShooter · 12-13-2017, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschnell

That is why I recommended Beyond Python. This is what same is all about. Beyond uses OSC (a UDP / LAN protocol) to remote-control ()and remotely watch) Reaper.

-Michael

Either my coffee hasn't kicked, or my meds have... but I didn't make much sense of your comment. I think you're trying to say that my quest is achievable through BP using OSC as a comm protocol directly into Reaper??

Would that be in the form of a VST in Reaper (server side), and maybe a single action app (or perhaps a web app) on the client (mouse click or whatever)?

tXShooter · 12-13-2017, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumpm1

I recently saw on this forum a web interface for Reaper, where you can easily design a control surface that just opens in a remote browser and controls Reaper. You can design the layout of buttons for different tasks. This honestly looks like the best option for your purpose. Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyC0KPtVT7E and here https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=200154

Definitely looks interesting, to say the least. I'm gonna have to explore that at some time. Right now, monies are super tight so I'm going to have to forge on to other avenues and seek FREEdom. lol

mschnell · 12-13-2017, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tXShooter

Would that be in the form of a VST in Reaper (server side), and maybe a single action app (or perhaps a web app) on the client (mouse click or whatever)?

No VST involved.

Reaper provides an API to scripts (e.g. in Python) that allows for remote-controlling Reaper and to fetch any kind of states.

"Beypond" forwards this API via OSC.

OSC is an IP-network protocol based on UDP.

An external Python program equipped with the appropriate library can communicate with the Beyond script in Reaper via IP network.

With that, the (remote) Reaper API is available in this Python priogram "beyond" the net.

(Many standard stuff can be done without Beyond directly with Reaper's OSC interface. This might be an option, as well).

-Michael

tXShooter · 12-13-2017, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschnell

No VST involved.

Reaper provides an API to scripts (e.g. in Python) that allows for remote-controlling Reaper and to fetch any kind of states.

"Beypond" forwards this API via OSC.

OSC is an IP-network protocol based on UDP.

An external Python program equipped with the appropriate library can communicate with the Beyond script in Reaper via IP network.

With that, the (remote) Reaper API is available in this Python priogram "beyond" the net.

(Many standard stuff can be done without Beyond directly with Reaper's OSC interface. This might be an option, as well).

-Michael

After reading your previous comment, I went digging for more information. I will have to say that who ever coined the names "Beyond Python" and "Beyond Reaper" didn't really think it through on how a search engine treats these terms (including this forum).

Do you have a link that will take me directly to 'Beyond'?

mschnell · 12-13-2017, 12:31 PM

-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=129696

Did you try Google with

"beyond reaper"

including the quotes ?

-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=194567
-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=178521
-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=172368
-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=170862
-> https://www.google.de/search?q=%22be...w=1920&bih=903

If you try and get stuck please ask, I'll forward to my friend who happily uses it.

-Michael

sumpm1 · 12-13-2017, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tXShooter

Definitely looks interesting, to say the least. I'm gonna have to explore that at some time. Right now, monies are super tight so I'm going to have to forge on to other avenues and seek FREEdom. lol

Oh, I didn't even notice that was commercial. Try some of the other reaper remote options I listed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tXShooter

I'm confused... how would a midi device eliminate the need for the 6ft USB connection...

My thought was that you can run a midi cable longer than 6ft. And you can either try to set up a midi key on a midi keyboard to create a marker, or you could just record a midi track along with your project and treat midi presses like visual markers (markers not created).

----

The other option is a remote qwerty keyboard app for the phone. Create a function in your AHK script that WinActivates reaper and then SendInput the create marker keystroke, and assign this function to a hotkey in the script (using for example f1::{}). So for example, you could make the f1 key do this, and then have your buddy have this app open on his phone and press f1 key in the app to trigger marker creation.

TonE · 12-13-2017, 02:18 PM

No, I showed above how you can trigger the action directly, no need for mapping to any keys, you only need the action ID.

tXShooter · 12-14-2017, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonE

No, I showed above how you can trigger the action directly, no need for mapping to any keys, you only need the action ID.

Huh?

What action? Which ID? Who's wine? What wine? Where the h#!! did I dine?

tXShooter · 12-14-2017, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschnell

-> https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=129696

Did you try Google with

"beyond reaper"

including the quotes ?

No, I did not, and now I see the errors of my ways. When I get some more time I'll delve into "beyond reaper" some more. Unfortunately, time is not on my side for the next couple of weeks.

sumpm1 · 01-08-2018, 10:56 AM

So txShooter, did you get any of this working? Or did you bail on the project?

hopi · 01-09-2018, 12:27 PM

question for TXshooter

as I understand what I read so far... there IS internet connection at the church... even if it is not very strong

and what you need to do is merely load a reaper project and have it start recording... and then at the end to save itself with all it's tracks...right?

...and you also have a net connection at home...

Have you ever tried the free version of Team Viewer?

I use it daily on a few machines that are 'several states away'...
It can be set up on the church machine so that when the PC boots up, Team Viewer will start and it can be set up to automatically allow just you from your home PC to remotely control the church pc

so in theory, you could know when the recording needs to start... like someone could phone you... and you could run the church pc from home, start the recording and come back later, to start another recording project

go to Team Viewer.com and see

tXShooter · 03-05-2018, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sumpm1

So txShooter, did you get any of this working? Or did you bail on the project?

Sorry, sumpm1... I didn't catch your question earlier as I thought this thread was dead.

Yes, I got it working, but it does have a few quirks, one of which I am attempting to get around right now. It seems that on occasion (doesn't happen every run), the script will 'play' instead of render, and that just squashes everything I am attempting to perfect.

Another thing that I've added is an auto-emailer to forward the final products (there are currently two renditions happening because of this scripting, and I may add some more if I can get through this). Currently I am attempting to use SendSMTP v2.19.0.1 as an inline emailer, but it too has some quirks and is extremely finicky when it comes to variables.

What I am attempting to get around now is the rendering... I am looking for the Command ID for rendering. Would you happen to know it? (I'm not at home so I don't have access to Reaper to look it up.)

Thank you for all of your input.

tXShooter · 03-05-2018, 04:18 PM

Hmm... looks like I am going to have to take the approach of copying and editing an RPP file directly, then call on it and then render using Command ID 41824 if I want to remove the potential for whatever it is that is mucking up the script's sequence.