Editing middev and midnam files in OSX 10.9.1 (Maveriks)

[soniq2]

Hi all:

How can I edit the MIDI patch names for my external MIDI systems in OSX 10.9.1 (Mavericks)?

I'm using DP 7.24.

CherryPicker does not seem to work for Intel-based MACs (at least this is a warning I get each time I attempt to install CherryPicker).

I've attempted editing the XML files directly but DP and/or Audio MIDI Setup never seem to see the changes correctly.

The middev and midnam files are located in (HD)/Library/Audio/MIDI Devices/MOTO/Ensoniq.

Any ideas?

Thanks

-Mike

[NazRat]

Is there already a midnam file for the device you are using? If yes, the changes should stick when editing with a text editor. If you're creating a new device, don't forget to add the entry to the Ensoniq middev file or create a new middev file just for that device. I think another possibility might be if you have PT installed also, it could be picking up the patch list from those files.

Cherry Picker runs under Rosetta on Intel Macs so the last OS to support it was Snow Leopard.

[soniq2]

Thanks NazRat

Now I understand why I can't run CherryPicker under Mavericks.

I do have both middev and midnam files for my device.

This is what I've tried so far along with the results I've seen:

1) I've tried to add a new device to the Ensoniq middev file by copying and pasting one of the existing devices (including the opening and closing XML tags) and changing the device name. When I then open Audio MIDI Setup in OSX, it seems to only detect the devices up the new device I just added and does not show any device (including the new) after the new device. I can then delete the new device I added and Audio MIDI Setup then shows all devices in the middev file as normal.

2) I've tried editing the Ensoniq midnam file by simply changing the name of one of the existing voices. But then DP shows "No voices" for that device when I attempt to select a voice to play for that device.

I'm so confused.

-Mike

[NazRat]

You don't need to edit the Ensoniq.middev if you already have a standalone middev - just move that along with the midnam file into the Ensoniq folder. Or you can create a standalone file. One thing that is also important is that the Manufacturer and Model are the same in both the midnam and middev files. What Ensoniq device are you trying to setup?

[soniq2]

Thanks again NazRat for all of your help.

There is a stand along middev file:
(HD)/Library/Audio/MIDI Devices/MOTU/Ensoniq/Ensoniq.middev

The patch file I'm trying to edit is:
(HD)/Library/Audio/MIDI Devices/MOTU/Ensoniq/SQ-1+,2,R+.midnam which contains the patch definitions for my device (Ensoniq SQ-2).

If I edit one voice (say "Island Perc." in the ROM bank to "My Island Perc.", then DP now seems to only show default Patch Names 0-128 when I open the MIDI Patch drop-down to select a patch instead of the real patch names that show up before I did the edit.

The SQ-2 is very old (I've had it for at least 25 years) but it still works well.

I've checked the Manufacturer and Model and they do match in both files.

-Mike

[NazRat]

Since all you are doing is editing an existing midnam file, you shouldn't have to do anything to the existing Ensoniq.middev file - the correct entry is already there. Just a simple edit of the patch names with TextEdit should be OK as long as you don't change anything else and keep it inside the quotes. Maybe give tech support a call in the AM for guidance.

[soniq2]

Arg!

Discovered the problem I was having with editing middev and midnam files.
It turns out that TextEdit (the text editor on Mac) automatically attempts to alter the ASCII character for a double-quote (0x22) when typed from the keyboard to some other character. The other character displays like a double-quote only italicized. Anyway, the alternate character is not a 0x22 double-quote character and so Audio MIDI Setup never detects closing quotes for parameter names and discards the remainder of the file.

So if anyone is having issues with editing middev or midnam files in TextEdit on a Mac, make sure the closing double-quote is not the italicized one.

Or just disable 'Smart Quotes' in TextEdit Preferences.

-Mike

[bayswater]

For things like this you should have Textedit in Plain Text mode, or use something like TextWrangler, more suited to this purpose.

[soniq2]

Thanks bayswater.

I agree. I guess some of us just learn the hard way.

[James Steele]

Yep... "curly quotes" as they're often called, look really nice in print layouts, but are a PITA for other purposes." I got used to invoking these with the Option+([ or ]) and Option+Shift+([ or ]).

[jborum]

This is an old thread, but many thanks for the tip about curly quotes in the midnam and middev files. That fixed all my problems just now.

[monkey man]

Discovered the problem I was having with editing middev and midnam files.
It turns out that TextEdit (the text editor on Mac) automatically attempts to alter the ASCII character for a double-quote (0x22) when typed from the keyboard to some other character. The other character displays like a double-quote only italicized. Anyway, the alternate character is not a 0x22 double-quote character and so Audio MIDI Setup never detects closing quotes for parameter names and discards the remainder of the file.

So if anyone is having issues with editing middev or midnam files in TextEdit on a Mac, make sure the closing double-quote is not the italicized one.

Or just disable 'Smart Quotes' in TextEdit Preferences.

-Mike

Correct!

IIRC, issues I had were sorted by my ensuring that TextEdit saved as UTF8 or whatever; it must be in the correct format... I think... it was a while back.

Further to this, the dev (Rob Martin) of Cherry Picker actually gave MOTUNation a slightly-tweaked version of the app that allowed it to work in Mavericks, which is what I'm still on too.

Here's his post:

• What happened to CherryPicker?

Basically, I gave away all my MIDI boxes soon after I wrote CherryPicker, and switched to audio. I wrote it for myself, and no longer needed it, so it was left to rust away. Since I started it back on OSX 10.1, it was PPC only, and its code belongs in a museum given the way the frameworks and Obj-C have evolved.

About 5 years ago I got a Yamaha Motif XS8 and couldn't find any patch lists for it, so I hacked an Intel version for myself that covered the basics. I never thoroughly tested it, but it worked for what I needed: all my XS8 banks and patches, along with my custom patch lists, showed up in DP. This version miraculously runs on 10.9.

• About this version

I am not supporting it - it's 'as is'! I remember that most of it worked: auditioning, creating custom patch lists, note lists etc. But I never tested it all... You're on your own!

The functionality is 'with luck' identical to the 2.62 released version - so the original documentation is still valid. Some bugs have been reported, but I can no longer compile/debug the old project in Apple's current development environment to make any quick fixes. Too much has changed.

------

I will not be putting this up on the CherryPicker site as I cannot support it without a complete re-write for the modern 10.9/10.10 world. With 83 source files, that's not a trivial weekend project!

James has kindly offered to put this Intel version of CherryPicker up on his site - many thanks James .

I hope you find it useful. Here's the link:

James' link:

http://www.motunation.com/files/CherryPicker3.zip

The thread's link:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=57752

If it's no longer hosted by James, PM me and I'll Email the app to you.

I'd like to know if it works in Yosemite, El Cap and the forthcoming OS too, just so I know what to expect and can plan accordingly. My MIDI setup requires further tweaking in the midnam department, as well as occasional adjustments.

[bayswater]

Cherry Picker works in Yosemite.

On editing middev files: I use Textwrangler to edit text files of this sort, or anything where something other that readability matters.

[monkey man]

Woohoo! Thank you, Stoivo.

So, that's Yosemite down.

Now, how about El Cap and beyond... anyone?

EDIT: ... and for that matter, Sysex Librarian.

[bayswater]

Woohoo! Thank you, Stoivo.

So, that's Yosemite down.

Now, how about El Cap and beyond... anyone?

EDIT: ... and for that matter, Sysex Librarian.

Sysex Librarian is OK in Yosemite.