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tangent

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Tangent Control Surface Extension
API Version: TUBE Version 3.2 - TIPC Rev 4 (22nd February 2017)
This plugin allows Hammerspoon to communicate with Tangent's range of panels, such as their Element, Virtual Element Apps, Wave, Ripple and any future panels.
The Tangent Unified Bridge Engine (TUBE) is made up of two software elements, the Mapper and the Hub. The Hub communicates with your application via the TUBE Inter Process Communications (TIPC). TIPC is a standardised protocol to allow any application that supports it to communicate with any current and future panels produced by Tangent via the TUBE Hub.
You can download the Tangent Developer Support Pack & Tangent Hub Installer for Mac here.
This extension was thrown together by Chris Hocking, then dramatically improved by David Peterson for CommandPost.

API Overview

API Documentation

Constants

​action​

Signature
hs.tangent.reserved.action -> table
Type
Constant
Description
Definitions for reserved action IDs.
Notes
  • alt - toggles the 'ALT' function.
  • nextKnobBank - switches to the next knob bank.
  • prevKnobBank - switches to the previous knob bank.
  • nextButtonBank - switches to the next button bank.
  • prevBasketBank - switches to the previous button bank.
  • nextTrackerballBank - switches to the next trackerball bank.
  • prevTrackerballBank - switches to the previous trackerball bank.
  • nextMode - switches to the next mode.
  • prevMode - switches to the previous mode.
  • goToMode - switches to the specified mode, requiring a Argument with the mode ID.
  • toggleJogShuttle - toggles jog/shuttle mode.
  • toggleMouseEmulation - toggles mouse emulation.
  • fakeKeypress - generates a keypress, requiring an Argument with the key code.
  • showHUD - shows the HUD on screen.
  • goToKnobBank - goes to the specific knob bank, requiring an Argument with the bank number.
  • goToButtonBank - goes to the specific button bank, requiring an Argument with the bank number.
  • goToTrackerballBank - goes to the specific trackerball bank, requiring an Argument with the bank number.

​fromHub​

Signature
hs.tangent.fromHub -> table
Type
Constant
Description
Definitions for IPC Commands from the HUB to Hammerspoon.
Notes
  • connected - a connection is established with the Hub.
  • disconnected - the connection is dropped with the Hub.
  • initiateComms - sent when the Hub wants to initiate communications.
  • parameterChange - a parameter was incremented.
  • parameterReset - a parameter was reset.
  • parameterValueRequest - the Hub wants the current value of the parameter.
  • menuChange - The menu was changed, +1 or -1.
  • menuReset - The menu was reset.
  • menuStringRequest - The application should send a menuString with the current value.
  • actionOn - An action button was pressed.
  • actionOff - An action button was released.
  • modeChange - The current mode was changed.
  • transport - The transport.
  • unmanagedPanelCapabilities - Send by the Hub to advertise an unmanaged panel.
  • unmanagedButtonDown - A button on an unmanaged panel was pressed.
  • unmanagedButtonUp - A button on an unmanaged panel was released.
  • unmanagedEncoderChange - An encoder (dial/wheel) on an unmanaged panel changed.
  • unmanagedDisplayRefresh - Triggered when an unmanaged panel's display needs to update.
  • panelConnectionState - A panel's connection state changed.

​panelType​

Signature
hs.tangent.panelType -> table
Type
Constant
Description
Tangent Panel Types.

​parameter​

Signature
hs.tangent.reserved.parameter -> table
Type
Constant
Description
A table of reserved parameter IDs.
Notes
  • transportRing - transport ring.
  • fakeKeypress - sends a fake keypress.

​toHub​

Signature
hs.tangent.toHub -> table
Type
Constant
Description
Definitions for IPC Commands from Hammerspoon to the HUB.

Variables

Signature
hs.tangent.automaticallySendApplicationDefinition -> boolean
Type
Variable
Description
Automatically send the "Application Definition" response. Defaults to true.

​ipAddress​

Signature
hs.tangent.ipAddress -> number
Type
Variable
Description
IP Address that the Tangent Hub is located at. Defaults to 127.0.0.1.

​port​

Signature
hs.tangent.port -> number
Type
Variable
Description
The port that Tangent Hub monitors. Defaults to 64246.

Functions

​callback​

Signature
hs.tangent.callback() -> boolean
Type
Function
Description
Sets a callback when new messages are received.
Parameters
  • callbackFn - a function to set as the callback for hs.tangent. If the value provided is nil, any currently existing callback function is removed.
Returns
  • true if successful otherwise false
Notes
  • Full documentation for the Tangent API can be downloaded here.
  • The callback function should expect 1 argument and should not return anything.
  • The 1 argument will be a table, which can contain one or many commands. Each command is it's own table with the following contents:
  • id - the message ID of the incoming message
  • metadata - A table of data for the Tangent command (see below).
  • The metadata table will return the following, depending on the id for the callback:
  • connected - Connection to Tangent Hub successfully established.
  • disconnected - The connection to Tangent Hub was dropped.
  • initiateComms - Initiates communication between the Hub and the application.
    • protocolRev - The revision number of the protocol.
    • numPanels - The number of panels connected.
    • panels
    • panelID - The ID of the panel.
    • panelType - The type of panel connected.
    • data - The raw data from the Tangent Hub
  • parameterChange - Requests that the application increment a parameter.
    • paramID - The ID value of the parameter.
    • increment - The incremental value which should be applied to the parameter.
  • parameterReset - Requests that the application changes a parameter to its reset value.
    • paramID - The ID value of the parameter.
  • parameterValueRequest - Requests that the application sends a ParameterValue (0x82) command to the Hub.
    • paramID - The ID value of the parameter.
  • menuChange - Requests the application change a menu index by +1 or -1.
    • menuID - The ID value of the menu.
    • increment - The incremental amount by which the menu index should be changed which will always be an integer value of +1 or -1.
  • menuReset - Requests that the application changes a menu to its reset value.
    • menuID - The ID value of the menu.
  • menuStringRequest - Requests that the application sends a MenuString (0x83) command to the Hub.
    • menuID - The ID value of the menu.
  • actionOn - Requests that the application performs the specified action.
    • actionID - The ID value of the action.
  • modeChange - Requests that the application changes to the specified mode.
    • modeID - The ID value of the mode.
  • transport - Requests the application to move the currently active transport.
    • jogValue - The number of jog steps to move the transport.
    • shuttleValue - An incremental value to add to the shuttle speed.
  • actionOff - Requests that the application cancels the specified action.
    • actionID - The ID value of the action.
  • unmanagedPanelCapabilities - Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode. Sent in response to a UnmanagedPanelCapabilitiesRequest (0xA0) command.
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
    • numButtons - The number of buttons on the panel.
    • numEncoders - The number of encoders on the panel.
    • numDisplays - The number of displays on the panel.
    • numDisplayLines - The number of lines for each display on the panel.
    • numDisplayChars - The number of characters on each line of each display on the panel.
  • unmanagedButtonDown - Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode. Issued when a button has been pressed.
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
    • buttonID - The hardware ID of the button
  • unmanagedButtonUp - Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode. Issued when a button has been released.
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
    • buttonID - The hardware ID of the button.
  • unmanagedEncoderChange - Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode. Issued when an encoder has been moved.
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
    • paramID - The hardware ID of the encoder.
    • increment - The incremental value.
  • unmanagedDisplayRefresh - Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode. Issued when a panel has been connected or the focus of the panel has been returned to your application.
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
  • panelConnectionState
    • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command.
    • state - The connected state of the panel, true if connected, false if disconnected.

​connect​

Signature
hs.tangent.connect(applicationName, systemPath[, userPath]) -> boolean, errorMessage
Type
Function
Description
Connects to the Tangent Hub.
Parameters
  • applicationName - Your application name as a string
  • systemPath - A string containing the absolute path of the directory that contains the Controls and Default Map XML files.
  • [userPath] - An optional string containing the absolute path of the directory that contains the User’s Default Map XML files.
Returns
  • success - true on success, otherwise nil
  • errorMessage - The error messages as a string or nil if success is true.

​connected​

Signature
hs.tangent.connected() -> boolean
Type
Function
Description
Checks to see whether or not you're successfully connected to the Tangent Hub.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • true if connected, otherwise false
Signature
hs.tangent.disconnect() -> none
Type
Function
Description
Disconnects from the Tangent Hub.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • None
Signature
hs.tangent.isTangentHubInstalled() -> boolean
Type
Function
Description
Checks to see whether or not the Tangent Hub software is installed.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • true if Tangent Hub is installed otherwise false.

​send​

Signature
hs.tangent.send(byteString) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Sends a "bytestring" message to the Tangent Hub. This should be a full
Parameters
  • byteString - The string of bytes to send to tangent.
Returns
  • success - true if connected, otherwise false
  • errorMessage - An error message if an error occurs, as a string
Notes
  • Full documentation for the Tangent API can be downloaded here.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendAllChange() -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Tells the Hub that a large number of software-controls have changed.
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendApplicationDefinition([appName, systemPath, userPath]) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Sends the application details to the Tangent Hub.
Parameters
  • appName - The human-readable name of the application.
  • systemPath - A string containing the absolute path of the directory that contains the Controls and Default Map XML files (Path String)
  • userPath - A string containing the absolute path of the directory that contains the User’s Default Map XML files (Path String)
Returns
  • true if successful, false and an error message if there was a problem.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendDisplayText(messages[, doubleHeight]) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Updates the Hub with a number of character strings that will be displayed
Parameters
  • messages - A list of messages to send.
  • doubleHeight - An optional list of booleans indicating if the corresponding message is double-height.
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendHighlightControl(targetID, active) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Highlights the control on any panel where this feature is available.
Parameters
  • targetID - The id of any application defined Parameter, Menu, Action or Mode (Unsigned Int)
  • active - If true, the control is highlighted, otherwise it is not.
Returns
  • true if sent successfully, false and an error message if no.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendIndicateControl(targetID, indicated) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Sets the Indicator of the control on any panel where this feature is
Parameters
  • targetID - The id of any application defined Parameter, Menu, Action or Mode
  • active - If true, the control is indicated, otherwise it is not.
Returns
  • true if sent successfully, false and an error message if no.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendMenuString(menuID, value[, atDefault]) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Updates the Hub with a menu value.
Parameters
  • menuID - The ID value of the menu (Unsigned Int)
  • value - The current ‘value’ of the parameter represented as a string
  • atDefault - if true the value represents the default. Otherwise false.
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendModeValue(modeID) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Updates the Hub with a mode value.
Parameters
  • modeID - The ID value of the mode (Unsigned Int)
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendPanelConnectionStatesRequest())
Type
Function
Description
* Requests the Hub to respond with a sequence of PanelConnectionState
Parameters
  • None
Returns
  • true if sent successfully, false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendParameterValue(paramID, value[, atDefault]) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
Updates the Hub with a parameter value.
Parameters
  • paramID - The ID value of the parameter (Unsigned Int)
  • value - The current value of the parameter (Float)
  • atDefault - if true the value represents the default. Defaults to false.
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendRenameControl(targetID, newName) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Renames a control dynamically.
Parameters
  • targetID - The id of any application defined Parameter, Menu, Action or Mode (Unsigned Int)
  • newName - The new name to apply.
Returns
  • true if successful, false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendUnmanagedDisplayWrite(panelID, displayID, lineNum, pos, message) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode.
Parameters
  • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command (Unsigned Int)
  • displayID - The ID of the display to be written to (Unsigned Int)
  • lineNum - The line number of the display to be written to with 1 as the top line (Unsigned Int)
  • pos - The position on the line to start writing from with 1 as the first column (Unsigned Int)
  • message - A line of text (Character String)
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.sendUnmanagedPanelCapabilitiesRequest(panelID) -> boolean, string
Type
Function
Description
* Only used when working in Unmanaged panel mode
Parameters
  • panelID - The ID of the panel as reported in the InitiateComms command (Unsigned Int)
Returns
  • true if successful, or false and an error message if not.
Signature
hs.tangent.setLogLevel(loglevel) -> none
Type
Function
Description
Sets the Log Level.
Parameters
  • loglevel - can be 'nothing', 'error', 'warning', 'info', 'debug', or 'verbose'; or a corresponding number between 0 and 5
Returns
  • None
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