User FAQ

What is HappyBrackets?

A set of Java libraries and tools that make it easy to send code over a network to a remote device like a Raspberry Pi. You type the code and press send. All your connected devices run the code. HappyBrackets is mostly about audio, but can do anything Java can do.

Why?

We like to do things with multiple devices making interactive music all at the same time. So we wanted something that would allow us to program all the devices centrally, and intuitively.

You mean, why is it called HappyBrackets? Creative coding is all about happy brackets. Keep them lined up and nothing can go wrong ;)

What technology is used?

HappyBrackets uses Java. You write runnable code segments in Java. This code get compiled on your computer, and then sent over the network to your devices, which are also running a Java program that is listening for incoming Java bytecode objects. If they like your code they will run it. HappyBrackets comes with its own Plugin for the IntelliJ IDEA development environment, so that you can deploy your code from a panel within IntelliJ. You can also send control commands to the devices. HappyBrackets also makes use of the Beads audio library, the NetUtil OSC library, the PI4J physical computing library, zeroconf for network autodiscovery, and some Linux scripts to glue everything together. The HappyBrackets project is open source and lives at this Github repository: http://github.com/orsjb/HappyBrackets. Fork away.

What platforms does this work on?

HappyBrackets consists of some server stuff and some client stuff. The client stuff typically runs on devices such as the Raspberry Pi. The server stuff typically runs on proper computer, like a Mac or PC laptop, and is embedded into the IntelliJ IDEA Java development environment. In theory the client stuff can run anywhere that Java runs, although there is currently no Windows version of the main run script. It works on Mac and Linux, and has largely been tested on the Raspberry Pi running the Raspbian flavour of Linux. The server will run wherever IntelliJ can run (Mac, Windows, Linux).

How do I learn?

Come join our course Creative Audio Programming for the Raspberry Pi on Kadenze.