Anyone here handy with javascript/node.js?

If you're not a programmer this might sound like greek. :D

So if you are at all involved with backend web development you have probably heard of node.js. If not go google it. It's awesome. There's a project now called Node-Webkit, which basically is a headless version of the webkit rendering engine that is build into chrome and safari. Basically it lets you build desktop applications using only html, css and js and compile for all OS platforms. Cool!

Anyways, my idea involves using node-webkit to build a system which would allow easy creation of GUI editors for hardware synths, and having it work on all OSes right out of the box.

I imagine a setup where a person could make a new GUI editor as an HTML page, using basic html markup and a css framework we'd create to handle layouts. Then maybe a json file or something to define what each element does midi-wise.

i've done quite a bit in JS and could probably do this over the course of a couple of years haha. Does a project like this sound interesting to anyone here? It would be an awesome open source project.

I just made a github repo with the project description. I'll be adding some more stuff there eventually.

https://github.com/askdesigners/retroedit_FD

What would be truly awesome would be to get a little team together of 2-3 devs and try to get Kickstarter funding. :)

I tried the greek->english translator on google, but it didn't help. Am i doing something wrong?

*returns to playing with legos*

Good luck with your building hardware synths which will work on any machine though.

Please don't call me stupid, but in the mobile devices age, is js the best/only option? Is there a way in html5 ? (I have no idea what im talking about, but im assuming mobile devices and java are not the best of pals)

Yes! The node-webkit thing is basically a whole server + browser packaged up into an application file. All the end user has to do is start the application but what's really happening is a server starts up and serves the interface. Since the server is running locally, it has access to the machine's file system to read and write files, and can also access serial ports (usb) for midi messages.

Cool thing is that the entire UI is all html5 and css!

Javascript is the programming language of the web and works perfectly well in mobile. It's in no way related to Java. I read today "Java is to Javascript as Ham is to Hamster". LOL.

The main idea is that anyone who can write HTML would be able to make an interface for their synth.

I'm not sure if there is a mobile version of node-webkit, but if so it should run there too with no issue. You'd only need to be able send midi, or else it would be useless haha.

i've avoided nodejs thus far.. but this is an interesting idea.

"Java is to Javascript as Ham is to Hamster"

Beautiful! :D

Why does the server have to have a WebKit package? It just has to serve the files, not render the files. Right?

HTML5 interfaces for synths is a pretty cool idea, but it only solves the multi-platform problem in terms of interface, right? You’d still need to write a ‘node2midi’ module that can deal with USB on Windows, vs. USB on Linux, USB on OS X, separately, yes? Or does node expose a uniform interface to USB on all three platforms (this would surprise me)?

I wonder if OSC fits into this discussion anywhere at all, since it is already a pseudo-network protocol…

That's the part I'm least knowledgeable in. :p

I did find this > https://github.com/carlos8f/node-midi-api/blob/master/index.js so I think it should be possible.

USB ports can be accessed as serial ports I assume, and that data could be streamed into and out of the app right?

OSC would be a natural aspect, although I know nothing about it.

and the node webkit thing functions basically like a browser and server built into one application. It does everything.

Boom. USB working out of the box on the three main OSes.

https://github.com/voodootikigod/node-serialport

More midi libraries.

https://github.com/justinlatimer/node-midi

https://github.com/jdachtera/node-rtpmidi

https://webaudio.github.io/web-midi-api/

and did you look into noflo as development environment? http://noflojs.org/

is this an analord outtake

I know lots about those subjects but I'm way too fucking lazy to work on anything.

If it helps, I think it's a fantastic idea.

Well perhaps you can help out with advice and such if needed?

If there was money would you work on it? :)

Thanks for the additional libraries iococoi! Have you used no-flo? I've read about it on r/programming, but haven't looked into it. To be honest I'm only just now learning a bit of Node, so any additional concepts will have to wait a bit :D

Really great idea. I wish I had some time to give you a hand with this, but weighed down with projects as it is :(.

Who knows when I can get it started actually. Could I contact you in the event that it actually happens?

I'm teaching full time, working in a design studio, and building a product of my own already too haha. In addition to 2 kids. :D I know about busy.

It is very unlikely that I would be able to give you a hand, but I might be able to point you towards someone that can give you a hand. Lots of work though, good luck :).

haha ya I know. I imagine the process something like this:

Learn some node basics (doing this now for other projects)

Learn some node-webkit basics

Design some wireframes + feedback and revise

Build a basic midi-out demo w/ nwk

Build UI + plan out templating framework

Design api for making new templates

Put it all together

lol. Ya it's a lot of work. Definitely over a year or more.

Onwards!

idea isn't miles away from ctrlr http://ctrlr.org