Updating NG files (another way?)

MIDIbox NG
1

This post is motivated by the desire for simple, fast way of updating certain files in the MIOS Studio File Browser.

 

While it’s general use is fairly intuitive, when iterative upload of 3 files NGC, NGL, NGR is required for an intensive NG application development, it begins to seem very tedious.

 

This is a request for a simple command line interface executable from batch files (or cross platform equivalent) to upload files either via MIOS Studio (which would be very nice) or not.

 

Something like 

MSUpload.exe myfile.ngc default.ngc
MSUpload.exe myfile.ngl default.ngl
MSUpload.exe myfile.ngr default.ngr

 

There may not be many voices calling for this, but if as it happens, there is the wherewithal to make implementing this, or a similar idea easy, I though I’d put it “out there”.  

2

Well, a command line interface for MIOS Studio was on my TODO list since years, today I implemented it:

 

Command Line Parameters:
--help this page
--version shows version number
--batch don't open GUI
--in=<port> optional search string for MIDI IN port
--out=<port> optional search string for MIDI OUT port
--device_id=<id> sets the device id, should be done before upload if necessary
--query queries the selected core
--upload_hex=<file> upload specified .hex file to core. Multiple --upload_hex allowed!
--upload_file=<file> upload specified file to SD Card. Multiple --upload_file allowed!
--send_syx=<file> send specified .syx file to core. Multiple --send_syx allowed!
--terminal=<command> send a MIOS terminal command. Multiple --terminal allowed!
--wait=<seconds> Waits for the given seconds.

Usage Examples:
  MIOS_Studio --in=MIOS32 --out=MIOS32
    starts MIOS Studio with MIDI IN/OUT port matching with 'MIOS32'

  MIOS_Studio --upload_hex=project.hex
    starts MIOS Studio and uploads the project.hex file immediately

  MIOS_Studio --batch --upload_hex=project.hex
    starts MIOS Studio without GUI and uploads the project.hex file

  MIOS_Studio --batch --upload_file=default.ngc --upload_file default.ngl
    starts MIOS Studio without GUI and uploads two files to SD Card (MIOS32 only)

  MIOS_Studio --batch --terminal="help" --wait=1
    starts MIOS Studio, executes the "help" command in MIOS Terminal and waits 1 second for response

NOTE: most parameters can be combined to a sequence of operations.
      E.g. upload a .hex file, upload files to SD Card, execute a terminal command and wait some seconds before exit.

 

 

It doesn’t match with your proposals… hope that you don’t mind.

E.g. specifiying the target file (+path) requires much more programming and testing effort at my side.

If you want to use different file names, you would have to rename the files on your harddisk before upload.

 

 

The command line extensions are perfectly working under MacOS and Linux, e.g.:

macmini2:midibox_ng_v1 TK$ ../../../tools/mios_studio/Builds/MacOSX/build/Release/MIOS_Studio.app/Contents/MacOS/MIOS_Studio --batch --upload_hex=project.hex --upload_file=cfg/templates/lre8x2x4.ngc 
Waiting for first query.
Operating System: MIOS32
Board: MBHP_CORE_LPC17
Core Family: LPC17xx
Chip ID: 0x26113f37
Serial: #70E02121AE022535DBA7CCC47000005F
Flash Memory Size: 524288 bytes
RAM Size: 65536 bytes
MIDIbox NG V1.025
© 2013 T.Klose
Uploading project.hex...
Reading project.hex
Trying to contact the core...
Upload in progress...
project.hex contains 240996 bytes (942 blocks).
0 of 942 blocks (0%)
64 of 942 blocks (6%)
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Upload of 224768 bytes completed after 6.07s (36.16 kb/s)
Waiting for reboot...
[631821.499] [MBNG_LCD] no response from CLCD #2.1
[631821.499] [MBNG_LCD] no response from CLCD #3.1
[631821.500] [MBNG_LCD] no response from CLCD #4.1
[631821.500] [MBNG_LCD] no response from CLCD #5.1
[631821.513] Init DHCP
[631821.613] [network_device_init] PHY initialized
[631822.522] SD Card connected: 
[631822.541] [MBNG_FILE_C:16] ERROR: missing '=' after EVENT_LED ... #
[631822.715] Init DHCP
[631822.718] [MBNG_FILE_C] Event Pool Number of Items: 71
[631822.718] [MBNG_FILE_C] Event Pool Allocation: 3905 of 24576 bytes (15%)
[631822.732] [MBNG_FILE_L] DEFAULT.NGL hasn't been changed; reading labels from existing DEFAULT.BIN file.
[631822.739] [MBNG_FILE_L] 4 labels found in /DEFAULT.BIN file
[631822.749] [MBNG_FILE_S] snapshot #0 not stored in /DEFAULT.NGS yet
[631822.777] Values retrieved
Operating System: MIOS32
Board: MBHP_CORE_LPC17
Core Family: LPC17xx
Chip ID: 0x26113f37
Serial: #70E02121AE022535DBA7CCC47000005F
Flash Memory Size: 524288 bytes
RAM Size: 65536 bytes
MIDIbox NG V1.025
© 2013 T.Klose
Uploading cfg/templates/lre8x2x4.ngc...
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc (21665 bytes)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 1024 bytes transmitted (4%, 4.4 kb/s)
[631825.592] [FILE] Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc with 21665 bytes
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 2048 bytes transmitted (9%, 4.4 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 3072 bytes transmitted (14%, 3.7 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 4096 bytes transmitted (18%, 3.4 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 5120 bytes transmitted (23%, 3.9 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 6144 bytes transmitted (28%, 4.3 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 7168 bytes transmitted (33%, 4.7 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 8192 bytes transmitted (37%, 5.1 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 9216 bytes transmitted (42%, 5.4 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 10240 bytes transmitted (47%, 5.6 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 11264 bytes transmitted (51%, 5.9 kb/s)
[631827.284] [FILE] Upload of 21665 bytes in progress (47%)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 12288 bytes transmitted (56%, 6.1 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 13312 bytes transmitted (61%, 6.2 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 14336 bytes transmitted (66%, 6.4 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 15360 bytes transmitted (70%, 6.6 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 16384 bytes transmitted (75%, 6.7 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 17408 bytes transmitted (80%, 6.9 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 18432 bytes transmitted (85%, 7.0 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 19456 bytes transmitted (89%, 7.1 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 20480 bytes transmitted (94%, 7.2 kb/s)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 21504 bytes transmitted (99%, 7.3 kb/s)
[631828.316] [FILE] Upload of 21665 bytes in progress (94%)
Uploading /lre8x2x4.ngc: 21664 bytes transmitted (99%, 7.1 kb/s)
Upload of /lre8x2x4.ngc (21665 bytes) completed in 3.3s (6.5 kb/s)
[631828.703] [FILE] Upload of 21665 bytes finished.
[631828.703] AUTOLOAD 'lre8x2x4'
[631828.703] [MBNG_FILE_C] Event Pool Number of Items: 65
[631828.703] [MBNG_FILE_C] Event Pool Allocation: 3707 of 24576 bytes (15%)

 

 

But the bad news: under Windows nothing is print out in the command shell!

I don’t want to release this extension in such an incomplete state, because the (Windows) user experience will be bad if they don’t get any notification…

 

It seems to be a known issue, but the workarounds are ugly: http://www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9868

 

Windows hasn’t been designed for the command line - continue to click on the tiles :wink:

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

3

TK, it looks _ brilliant _, does this mean I have to buy a mac? (Now that is an ugly workaround! :D )

 

Is there an easy way of using the MIOS Studio console window for feedback?

 

It’s seems you’ve covered things very thoroughly. I could suggest some additional (future) functionality:

  • the ability to specify screen position/size of MIOS Studio windows
  • enable/disable virtual keyboard
  • Window title caption
  • etc.

This allows to set up “instances” for different jobs, of which there are quite a few, now.

 

Anyhow this is a very welcome development, let me know if there is any way I can help.

4

There is unfortunately no robust way to use the console from where MIOS Studio has been started.

I’ve tested the workaround to output text in a new console, this seems to work stable.

In order to avoid, that the text messages get lost when the batch jobs have been executed, the console has to be closed with the enter key.

 

It would be nice if you could test this at your side:

-> http://www.ucapps.de/mios_studio/MIOS_Studio_2_4_5.zip

 

Available options (inclusive the proposed ones):

Command Line Parameters:
--help this page
--version shows version number
--batch don't open GUI
--in=<port> optional search string for MIDI IN port
--out=<port> optional search string for MIDI OUT port
--device_id=<id> sets the device id, should be done before upload if necessary
--query queries the selected core
--upload_hex=<file> upload specified .hex file to core. Multiple --upload_hex allowed!
--upload_file=<file> upload specified file to SD Card. Multiple --upload_file allowed!
--send_syx=<file> send specified .syx file to core. Multiple --send_syx allowed!
--terminal=<command> send a MIOS terminal command. Multiple --terminal allowed!
--wait=<seconds> Waits for the given seconds.
--gui_x=<x>: specifies the initial window X position
--gui_y=<y>: specifies the initial window Y position
--gui_width=<width>: specifies the initial window width
--gui_height=<height>: specifies the initial window height
--gui_title=<name>: changes the name of the application in the title bar
--gui_hide_monitors: disables the MIDI IN/OUT monitor when GUI is started
--gui_hide_upload: disables the upload panel when GUI is started
--gui_hide_terminal: disables the terminal panel when GUI is started
--gui_hide_keyboard: disables the virtual keyboard panel when GUI is started

Usage Examples:
  MIOS_Studio --in=MIOS32 --out=MIOS32
    starts MIOS Studio with MIDI IN/OUT port matching with 'MIOS32'

  MIOS_Studio --upload_hex=project.hex
    starts MIOS Studio and uploads the project.hex file immediately

  MIOS_Studio --batch --upload_hex=project.hex
    starts MIOS Studio without GUI and uploads the project.hex file

  MIOS_Studio --batch --upload_file=default.ngc --upload_file=default.ngl
    starts MIOS Studio without GUI and uploads two files to SD Card (MIOS32 only)

  MIOS_Studio --batch --terminal="help" --wait=1
    starts MIOS Studio, executes the "help" command in MIOS Terminal and waits 1 second for response

NOTE: most parameters can be combined to a sequence of operations.
      E.g. upload a .hex file, upload files to SD Card, execute a terminal command and wait some seconds before exit.

 

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

5

I’m testing everything as thoroughly as I can (win7x64), so I’ll report everything I notice:

  • –version does not display if --help is a parameter (gui only)
  • specifying midi in/out port works even on partial name match (but issues a warning), remember to enclose names with spaces in them with quotes (“My Midiport”)
  • –device_id did not recognise (I only tried 0, and “0”)
  • if --batch appears on command line after --in= and --out= then the console window is empty.
  • –upload_hex== works fine. (I only used current directory as path)
  • –upload_file= (multiple) works great!
  • muliple --terminal= with multiple --wait== all works perfectly.
  • All --gui_ parameters work as expected. I have a strange desktop. It consists of 2x22" flat lcds the left one is landscape, the right one is portrait. Like an “L” rotated left. The --gui_y=0 line is aligned with the top edge of the left monitor, so that the top third of the right monitor is unreachable (would require --gui_y=-400 to locate the gui there). I mention this as an interesting aside, if it bothers me, I’ll change my monitor setup!
  • All the --gui_hide_ functions work as expected.

This is all just so incredibly welcome! It will really help my workflow in the NG applications development now and into the future. Also using multiple instances for various devices without having to constantly adjust the port and gui settings will be very good.

6

Thanks for testing! :slight_smile:

I just have released the updated 2.4.5 binary

 

 

–version does not display if --help is a parameter (gui only)

 

unfortunately I can’t prevent this, because the number of lines in the info window is limited, so that some lines are truncated

E.g. “MIOS_Studio --version --help” will print the version at the top, but one additional line of the help page is missing…

 

 

 

–device_id did not recognise (I only tried 0, and “0”)

 

now set before Query

 

 

 

if --batch appears on command line after --in= and --out= then the console window is empty.

 

the Windows console workaround is now applied when --batch is at any position in the command line, so that the ports should be displayed now.

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.