ArturCON

ArturCON is a quick Python 3 script for using your old Arturia BeatStep as a physical button launch pad for applications, actions, text macros or almost anything that can be made using a keyboard. Just like Stream Deck and the like, but cheaper.

It's capable of:

• Press a key or key combinations (that you can assign to actions on your apps or system)
• Type strings on active windows (so not have to type them every time)
• Send direct keycodes, press special keys with or without retention
• Ejecute multimedia actions (mute, play and pause, volumen up and down, etc)
• Any combination of the above, making it a supercapable MacroMachine(tm).

Use it to launch a shortcut in any program, fill fields of formularies, open or close applications, switch windows, mute of change volume, etc..

The script also provides aditional functionalities as:

• MIDI monitor (for the BeatStep input).
• MIDI thru, in case you still need the BeatStep to raw communicate to a plugin.
• Blinkenlights, to amaze the world.

All these functionalities can be mixed with the main launchpad one. The "--resident" option will make Arturcon survive a suspension or even a BeatStep disconnection and back to work when you reconnect it (mostly).

ArturCON uses just the pads, so leaves the encoders free for you to assign to other applications (Jack plugins, for example)

How to use

Configure your desired actions, launch the script with the desired functionalities, connect your BeatStep, be happy. Read the How to config section at the bottom of this readme.

python3 ./arturcon.py --resident --monitor --thru --blinken --process

The script defaults to "--process" if no actions selected.

You have 16 pads per bank and 16 banks, so 256 combinations are possible. To change bank just press [CHAN] + [pad number]. Be aware that this will also change encoder bank.

Press briefly the [CHAN] button to relit the pads in case they garble. The pads are relit every 10 seconds.

Installation

Clone this repo and get into it:

git clone https://github.com/Ismas/arturcon.git
cd arturcon

Install the dependencies:

• Mido
• pynput
• Scipy
• python-rtmidi (not the "rtmidi" package)

You can use the requirements.txt file to autoinstall them:

pip install -r requirements.txt

or install them manually instead:

pip install mido
pip install pynput
pip install scipy
pip install python-rtmidi

Usage

$ python3 ./arturcon.py --help
ArturCON, the poor man's button deck V0.0.5

Usage: arturcon [parameters]

	Modes (pick one):
	-p, --process:	Use your BeatStep as a button deck (Default)
		The folowwing modes can be used themselves or added to 'process'
	-m, --monitor:	Just print BeatStep MIDI messages at stout
	-t, --thru:	Just creates a virtual output MIDI port and redirects BeatStep messages (not very practical)
	-b, --blinken:	Awesome astonising blinkenlights on your BeatStep! 

	Options:
	-s, --select:	List and select BeatStep MIDI port (autodetected by default)
	-d, --debug:	Print debug messages at stderr
	-r, --resident:	Keeps looking for BeatStep, for start-at-boot use and make permanent. Disables -s and -d
	-v, --version:	Print version and exits
	-h, -?, --help:	This text

How to config

Config is now at the separate file arturconf.py. Open it and edit the actions table changing the values.

Button configuration consist of a dictionary of dictionaries (one for bank) associating actions to the pads. Actions are defined as pynput constants. I thing it's pretty autoexplanatory, so just gave it a look.

First dictionary (the stuff between "{ }") is bank 0 (channel 0), second is bank 1 (channel 1), and so on.

{ "pad":1, "a":[kk.media_play_pause], "toggle":True, "state":False },

• "pad": is the pad number, starting at 0 and reading left to right and top to bottom. So "1" is the second and "15" is last. Order does not matter.
• "a": The action/s to perform. It's a vector of keys to press, media actions, string or keychars, or any combination of them. They are executed sequentially. The possible actions are listed below.
• "toggle": Indicates if the button is toggable instead of push-only. When toggle, the pad will be lit magenta when "on" and red when "off". For example, to enable or disable the mute:

{ "pad":7, "a":[kk.media_volume_mute], "toggle":True, "state":False },   

• "state": Defines the inital state for a toggle pad. Has no use in other modes.

List of actions:

• Keys

kk.caps_lock
kk.backspace
kk.delete
kk.enter
kk.esc
kk.menu
kk.num_lock
kk.space
kk.tab
kk.f1 to kk.f12

• Cursors and special

kk.left
kk.right
kk.up
kk.down
kk.insert
kk.home
kk.end
kk.page_up
kk.page_down
kk.pause
kk.print_screen
kk.scroll_lock

• Multimedia Actions (they can miss if you use Jack or any other sound engine instead the system default)

kk.media_next
kk.media_play_pause
kk.media_previous
kk.media_volume_down
kk.media_volume_mute
kk.media_volume_up

• Key modifiers:

Modifiers act different to other keys. They keep pressed until you realeas them by invoking again. For example, to perform and [ALT}+[F4] to close the focused application:

{ "pad":14, "note": 42, "a":[kk.alt,kk.f4,kk.alt], "toggle":False, "state":False },

kk.alt kk.alt_gr
kk.alt_l
kk.alt_r
kk.cmd
kk.cmd_l
kk.cmd_r
kk.ctrl
kk.ctrl_l
kk.ctrl_r
kk.shift
kk.shift_l
kk.shift_r

• Strings. Just that. You can combine them with the rest of the actions.

{ "pad":3, "note": 47, "a":[kk.shift,"M",kk.shift,"yUser",kk.tab], "toggle":False, "state":False },  

• Keycodes Some keyboard shortcuts do not work with the key and you should provide the keycode. Use them this way: pk.KeyCode(code)

{ "pad":15, "note": 43, "a":[kk.ctrl_l, kk.alt_l, pk.KeyCode(76),kk.ctrl_l, kk.alt_l], "toggle":False, "state":False }   

This keycode list might help you: https://gist.github.com/rickyzhang82/8581a762c9f9fc6ddb8390872552c250

How it works

ArturCON works by reading BeatStep MIDI input, and asigning note values to actions. For this all pads should be assigned to "General" channel and each pad configured to play one note. You don't have to do this as the script does it for you. AFAIK this will not modify your stored configuration, so just stop Arturcon, recall a config and your are done.

TODOs

• Make something with the pots
• Adapt it to Jack
• Kill bugs

Bugs

• Sometimes at the actions the first letter of a string is not recognized as uppercase. In that case do [ kk.shift, "r", kk.shift, "est of the string"]
• Sure, many. Just tell me.

Contributing

Pull requests are welcome. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.

Please make sure to update tests as appropriate.

License

MIT Also you can buy me a beer.