Can Automator or Some Progam Make a Sequence of DP Commands?

drburt2 · Post by **drburt2** » Mon Sep 11, 2023 7:07 pm

Long, long ago, in a DAW far away (Vision) I made a macro program (in "QuicKeys") that could, with one keystroke, execute a series of commands that help me automate some composing/arranging maneuvers I needed to do.

For example,:

1. Select Track 1 which has 6 note chords
2. Split the notes so the top note of each chord is on Track 2, next note on Track 3 etc
3. Shift tracks 2-7 an 8th note later
4. Shift tracks 3-7 an 8th note later
5. continue to shoft Track 7 an 8th

Automator requireds the "library' of commands to be published. Has anyone found how to do this with DP?

Or is there some current app, in this universe, that does this kind of thing now?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Mon Sep 11, 2023 7:30 pm

I don't know about all of that. I think the app developer has to adapt the app so that Automator can access certain functions?

Anwyay... FWIW, I *do* know that Keyboard Maestro has replaced QuickKeys as the primary macro app for Macintosh. You can do a lot of things with it, but not sure it can do all that you need it to do in your example.

https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/main/

drburt2 · Post by **drburt2** » Tue Sep 12, 2023 11:15 am

Thanks James for the fast response! I am glad you heard of Quickeys and could recommend a 21st Century replacement. I am diving into it now!

drburt2 · Post by **drburt2** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 3:56 pm

Thanks James - Keyboard Maestro is a worthy successor to Quickeys!

Now the limitation seems to be from 'inside the house"!

Does DP have a "library" of commands [that some programs have] that Automator on the Mac needs to access for its work? Applescript used to use this 'libary' also. I see obviously the COMMANDS page in DP.

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Thu Sep 14, 2023 6:33 pm

How about Shift-Alt- Up and Down Arrow?

ghobish · Post by **ghobish** » Fri Sep 15, 2023 3:10 pm

Yes, you can- the app does not necessarily have to be scriptable. I've got some sequences that I usr for auto placement of markers from region boundaries in a track in the Sequence editor that I did by using the Record function in Automator and then massaging the commands as needed. I'd be happy to send that workflow, but here's a screen shot:

drburt2 · Post by **drburt2** » Sat Sep 16, 2023 1:08 pm

Thanks baywater - That works to select an adjacent track.

Still looking for a library of commands like the ones Applescript and Automater can use on a Mac.

bayswater · Post by **bayswater** » Sat Sep 16, 2023 9:33 pm

drburt2 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 16, 2023 1:08 pm Still looking for a library of commands like the ones Applescript and Automater can use on a Mac.

Would that be different from what is in the Commands window?

bleach30 · Post by **bleach30** » Mon Sep 18, 2023 7:40 am

You can do this without needing a library with AppleScript or automator or ,even easier, with keyboard maestro.

The trick is in the initial setup:

To split the notes how you want go to the Region Menu select "Split Notes...".
Set this up to:
Get the notes using: Cut
Send the notes to: One new track
Under Pitch criterion select Top notes of each chord
Save this as a preset using the min drop down menu in the upper right corner. Then under the same menu select
"Set Presets Keybindings"
This will open the Comands Window where you can add key shortcut to the preset you just made.

To move the notes open the Commands Window and search for "Time Shift...". (this is different than the shift window) There is no key command for it so you can add one to open it.
Select Earlier or Later and by how much then same as before save it as a preset and add a key command to it.

Now you can perform these steps of your process with these new key commands.

I think to do this it would be best to manually select the track you want to process and then show only that track. This will make it easier to select and move subsequent tracks.

bleach30 · Post by **bleach30** » Mon Sep 18, 2023 9:34 am

A quick vid of a macro I made in keyboard maestro doing what I think you want to do...or at least the idea.

select the MIDI track first
It asks the number of notes you want to split (Number notes in the chord)
Then shows only that selected track and proceeds to split out and move the notes using the presets and key commands previously set up in "Split Notes" and "Shift"

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jkc2rf3z ... im6rx&dl=0

SMS · Post by **SMS** » Tue Oct 17, 2023 1:24 am

Plus one for Keyboard Maestro. I have yet to find anything that QuickKeys used to do that keyboard maestro doesn’t do. In addition keyboard maestro has limited MIDI capability i.e. it can send basic data to an app.

There’s also quite a bit of online support, including ways to integrate Apple script and I think other scripting languages so I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to do it anything you need to do with it.

drburt2 · Post by **drburt2** » Sat Nov 25, 2023 11:29 am

Hi bleach,

I'd love to see your video but Dropbox says it's gone.

Also I'd like to see the actual KM code.

I'd like to make a macro that takes a staff of four note chords and splits it into Fl Ob Cl Bsn with one click. Did you ever make such a macro?

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