Touch OSC

Experiments with TouchOSC

Setup - Attempt 1

Interface Editor

MacOS

Download and install TouchOSC app for Mac. It's free but intermittently suggests that you buy a license (NZD 44.16).

The device apps also have built in editors, but for the purpose of keeping everything in sync use the Client-Server Editor Network instead:

Click on Editor Network (WiFi icon) > Server > Enabled.

Note: this comes with some quirks. Repeatedly toggling the Editor Network off and on seems to open a new tab on the client iDevice. With multiple copies open, it's difficult to know which one is synced to the macOS server - some of them? all of them? none of them?

In the menubar, click + > Fader.

Locate the Control panel on the right hand side of the editor. The Name is fader1.

Locate the Messages panel below this. The Address is /name. This means that the OSC address of this control is ./fader1.

To change the name:

1. Click on name and click Delete.
2. To the right of Address, click + > Constant.
3. Delete constant and type something else, e.g. myfader.
4. Click away and the Address changes to /myfader. The Control name is still fader1. This means that the OSC address of the fader1 control is now ./myfader.

iOS

Download TouchOSC app from the App Store (USD 9.99, NZD 16.99). One purchase enables the download for all of your iDevices.

Connect your device via USB and disable WiFi. This minimises latency and reduces the complexity of network connections!

Open the app.

Tap on Editor Network (WiFi icon) > Client. Locate your Mac's name in the list and tap the down arrow to see the address options.

Locate the address 169.xxx.xxx.xx (this appears at the top of the list and is currently 169.254.248.82) and click Connect.

This forces your device into Control Surface mode. (This is normally accessed via the triangle / Play icon).

In the desktop editor, change the Color then click away. The element color will update on all Client iDevices (regardless of whether they are connected via USB or WiFi).

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OSC

Please note the wired USB connection only passes MIDI through (which is the purpose of the TouchOSC Bridge), as OSC itself requires a network protocol to function and therefore does require a network connection.

More information on wired connection with TouchOSC can be found here: https://hexler.net/blog/post/uncut-the-wire

Source

But Wired USB Connection To TouchOSC suggests that a wired connection supports both MIDI and OSC.

macOS

Download and install the Protokol test utility.

Note: this comes with some quirks - this doesn't seem to register messages sent from an iDevice using a wired connection and with WiFi also enabled (notionally to allow OSC over the wire, see https://forum.pdpatchrepo.info/topic/10184/touchosc-direct-usb-connection-finally-possible-with-midimux). For iDevices it's therefore better to click the 3 bars icon to toggle the Log area, and then select OSC.

iOS

Tap on Connections (link icon)

Connection 1:

• UDP
• Host: Tap Browse and select the Mac, then select 169.xxx.xxx.xx:xxxx (this appears at position 3 on the list and is currently 169.254.248.82:6667.
• Send Port: 6667 (as per the selected host)
• Receive Port: 6668 (arbitrary - this (just) needs to be different from the Send port). Tap the (i) to the right to see the IP address of the iDevice - en2 169.254.77.91.
• Enable by checking the checkbox

Ableton Live

1. Download the free Connection Kit.
2. Open Ableton Live and drag OSC TouchOSC.amxd and OSC Send.amxd to the User Library

Input

Drag OSC TouchOSC.amxd to a track

1. Port: This is the Mac's 'in' port, corresponding to the iOS device's 'out' port - so enter the iOS Send Port number (6666)
2. Click Learn > Move the slider on an iOS device > /myfader appears under OSC Address > click Learn again to deactivate learn mode
3. Click Map > Move a control in Live > The control's name appears under the Parameter box
4. Move the slider on an iOS device > The mapped control moves.

• Note: this is uni-directional, so the other connected iDevices won't update to match, and you'll need to configure each device to have a matching UDP connection in order for them to also have uni-directional control.
• Note: The mapped control cannot be moved with the mouse anymore.

Output

Disable the OSC TouchOSC device

Drag OSC Send.amxd to the same (or another) track

1. Host: Enter the IP Address of the iDevice (192.168.1.21) - this means that it's impossible to update all connected iDevices at the same time. Alternatively enter the IP Address of the Mac (192.168.1.24) - but this won't affect the connected iDevices, even if they are connected to the Editor Network server
2. Port: Enter the Receive Port of the iDevice (6667)

Click Map > Move a control in Live (which is why OSC TouchOSC.amxd is disabled).

Enter /myfader into OSC Address.

Move the slider in Live > The control will update on the iDevice.

Enable the OSC TouchOSC device.

Now adjusting the control on an iDevice will mirror the changes in the Mac editor - but not vice versa. Changing the OSC Send Host to 192.168.1.21 (the Mac) allows the Mac editor to control the iDevice, but again not vice versa.

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MIDI

Desktop

Download TouchOSC Bridge.

TouchOSC Bridge is a standalone application that relays MIDI messages sent from TouchOSC to any MIDI capable application on your computer (and vice versa). TouchOSC Bridge is free to download and use.

Install and open TouchOSC Bridge. Enable USB Connections is checked by default.

Download and install the Protokol test utility.

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Setup - Attempt 2

Using the Ableton Connection Kit to send and receive OSC

A) Mac: Wifi, iPad: Wifi, iPad to Mac: Wired

iDevice

• Host: 192.168.1.24:6667
• Send Port: 6667
• Receive Port: 6668

OSC TouchOSC

• Port: 6667

This corresponds to the Send Port in iDevice > Connections > Host (Browse to Mac then choose either 192 or 169 or other???? address - which address is really undocumented).

So essentially this is the port that the Mac is sending out on.

OSC Send

• Host: 192.168.1.21
• Port: 6668

Host has nothing to do with the Mac host, it's the iDevice hosting the app.

This is not at all clear in the app preferences. What you get there is an (i) which you click on. Apparently those addresses relate to the iDevice. I don't know why there are so many!! But choose 192.168.1.21 to match the host address style.

Note: choosing 127.0.0.1 doesn't represent the USB connection / doesn't work.

The port is not shown there so just make one up. Presumably some ports are already used so randomly choose one until it works. I just added 1 to the Mac port - 6667 + 1 = 6668.

Two things suck about this:

1. This is presumably a wireless address, which sucks for keeping the latency down when all the flatties are on Netflix.
2. This targets one device, so you'd need a second sender to target a second device (if supported).

Note that these are only limitiations of OSC. MIDI can still use the bridge. So theoretically MIDI commands wouldn't be affected by network latency.

B) Mac: NO-Wifi, iPad: Wifi, iPad to Mac: Wired

iDevice

• Host: 169.254.248.82:6667 (192~ is not available)
• Send Port: 6667
• Receive Port: 6668

OSC TouchOSC

• Port: 6667 (no change)

OSC Send

Host: 169.254.77.91 (iDevice Address en2) Port: 6668 (no change)

C) Mac/iPad/iPhone: Wired, NO-Wifi, NO-Bluetooth, TouchOSC Bridge closed

iDevice A

• Host: 169.254.248.82:6667 (same as B)
• Send Port: 6667
• Receive Port: 6668

iDevice B

• Host: 169.254.131.77:6667 (169.254.228.204:6667 was also available but that didn't work)
• Send Port: 6667
• Receive Port: 6668

OSC TouchOSC

• Port: 6667 (no change)

iDevice A iOS 16.3 (local project with address /myfader, plugged into Mac)

Moving fader does not affect iDevice B.

iDevice B iOS 16.3 (local project with address /myfader, plugged into monitor usb port)

Moving fader does affect iDevice A.

iDevice C iOS 15.7 (local project with address /myfader, plugged into monitor usb port, and thenb USB3 hub)

Cannot find any host. Does not show any address of type 192 or 169 in the (i) popup.

Lightening connection is dodgy but when connected it charges and the Mac can see it and show the Finder management screen including the iOS version.

OSC Send - Instance 1 for iDevice A

Host: 169.254.77.91 (no change from B) Port: 6668 (no change)

OSC Send - Instance 2 for iDevice B

Host: 169.254.86.63 Port: 6668 (no change)

Moving Live fader affect both iDevice A and B.

When both OSC TouchOSC and OSC Send are enabled: both iDevices control one another and Live.

Mac is sluggish though - USB overload?

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So it looks like WiFi needs to be enabled for the initial connection, then it can be disabled.

Rinse and repeat...

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Setup - Attempt 3

After a restart of the Mac

OSC TouchOSC

Neither iDevice is controlling Live.

OSC Connection - Neither iDevice can see the Mac or anything else

OSC Send - Instance 1 for iDevice A

Not working.

OSC Send - Instance 2 for iDevice B

Live is only sending to iDevice B.

After reenabling WiFi on Mac and both iDevices and restarting both Touch OSC apps

OSC Connection - devices can see each other but not the Mac

Noticed that Bridge was enabled for both devices with USB option, although Bridge was closed.

OSC Connection - devices can see each other but not the Mac

Open Bridge with USB connections.

Reenabled Bridge connections and choose USB.

OSC Connection - devices can see each other but not the Mac

Restarted both devices.

OSC Connection - devices can see each other but not the Mac

Warning in top right hand corner of Mac screen - USB Accessories Disabled - Unplug the accessory using too much power to re-enable USB devices.

Unplugged both devices

Manually closed warning

Reconnected both devices

OSC Connection - devices can see each other but not the Mac

Unplugged both devices

Restarted Mac

Plugged in iDevice A only

OSC Connection - Device cannot see anything

Unplugged Device B cable from monitor

Unplugged Device A cable from iPad and Mac

Reconnected Device A cable to Mac

OSC Connection - Device cannot see anything

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Setup - Attempt 4

Open Touch OSC on Mac

OSC Connection - Device can now see Mac

But why does Touch OSC have to be open on the Mac? Isn't that the point of the Bridge?

Close Touch OSC on Mac.

Enable Bridge on Device using USB.

OSC Connection - Device cannot see anything

Enable Bridge on Device using Mac - 192.168.1.24:12101

OSC Connection - Device cannot see anything

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Setup - Attempt 5

Open Touch OSC on Mac

Disable all connections in Touch OSC on the Mac

OSC Connection - Device can now see Mac

So maybe the concept of a 'host' on Touch OSC means an instance of the cross-platform Touch OSC app. You connect to another instance of the app.

In terms of Ableton Live integration, the Touch OSC app has to be running on the same platform, i.e. the Mac. Is that it?

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Setup - Attempt 6

Close Touch OSC on Mac and iDevice

Disable WiFi on Mac and iDevice

Open Touch OSC on Mac, no connections

Open Touch OSC on iDevice, no connections

OSC Connection - Device cannot see anything

Connect iDevice to Bridge on USB

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

Connect iDevice to Bridge on Mac.

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

Connect iDevice to MIDI using Bridge 1

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

Enable WiFi on Mac and iDevice

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

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Setup - Attempt 7

Disable WiFi on Mac and iDevice

Touch OSC Mac - OSC Connection > Enable TCP Server on Port 6667 > Done

iDevice - OSC Connection > Enable TCP Client > Browse > Select Mac > 169.254.246.29:6667 (didn't work - no log output) > 169.254.60.75:6667 (log outout works but doesn't work in Live)

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Setup - Attempt 8

Enable WiFi on Mac and iDevice

Close Touch OSC on Mac

Touch OSC on iDevice - OSC Connection > UDP > Mac > 169.254.88.217:6667 (169.254.15.68:6667 didn't work)

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Setup - Attempt 9

Close Bridge

Delete connections on iDevice

Close Live

Open Touch Osc on iDevice

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

Start Touch Osc Bridge

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

Open Live - maybe it is the host?

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

iDevice - Enable Bridge on USB

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

iDevice - Enable Bridge on Mac 169.254.88.217

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

iDevice - Enable Bridge on Mac 169.254.15.68

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

iDevice - Enable Bridge on Mac 192.168.1.24

OSC Connection - iDevice cannot see anything

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Setup - Attempt 10

Create Ad Hoc network on Mac

Cannot connect to this from iDevice

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Setup - Attempt 11

Open Touch Osc on Mac

Connections > OSC > Enable Connection 1 > UDP

Host is prefilled with the Mac's IP of 192.168.1.24. Unsure if I put it in there at some point or whether it always auto prefills.

Verify that it's the Mac by clicking the (i) next to Receive Port - en0 = 192.168.1.24

Verify again by opening System Preferences > Network > The IP is shown under Status: Connected

Open Touch Osc on iDevice

Connections > OSC > Enable Connection 1 > UDP

Host > Browse > Mac > 192.168.1.24:6667

Send Port: 6667

Receive Port: 6668

Ableton OSC Touch OSC: Port 6667, then re-Learn control and Parameter

Ableton OSC Send: 192.168.1.21 (iDevice A), Port 6668, then re-Learn Parameter

Ableton OSC Send: 192.168.1.35 (iDevice B), Port 6668, then re-Learn Parameter

iDevice A and B now control each other and Live

Rinse and repeat

^ was WiFi on this go-round?

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Setup - Attempt 12

Disable WiFi on Mac and iPad

Clear out UDP settings on Touch OSC Mac and iDevice and restart the apps

Mac: Connections > UDP > Host: Browse gives nothing so click the (i) - enter 127.0.0.1

Send Port: 8002 (was 8000 but logically...)

Receive Port: 8001

iDevice A: Connections > UDP > Host: 169.254.227.211 (the second one I tried, this also took a little while to appear in the list)

iDevice B: Connections > UDP > Host: 169.254.48.160:8001 (the second one I tried, this also took a little while to appear in the list)

Send Port: 8001

Receive Port: 8002

Ableton OSC Touch OSC: Port 8001, then re-Learn control and Parameter

Ableton OSC Send: 169.254.136.24 (iDevice A), Port 8002, then re-Learn Parameter

Ableton OSC Send: 169.254.12.82 (iDevice B), Port 8002, then re-Learn Parameter

Rinse and repeat

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