Feature request: Custom OSC Output on Events

[Keksstar]

Please add custom OSC command output per Event. OSC Port should be definable in the options menu or in the (new?) OSC dialog per Event. This could be used to trigger external software.

[cpvalente]

Hi @Keksstar

For now I am skeptic of creating something like this. At least until we have proven that the workflow works well and it is useful.

Ontime is used in different industries and for different purposes. But it is not a show controller.

The fear here is that since ontime is working on a single nodejs thread, we could be touching the limits of what is performant

However, if we see that the application is performant and can handle overhead, I have no issues in doing this change in future.

[Keksstar]

But where is the difference if it spits out custom OSC messages or the ones that is ontime already generating for start/end of event? It's just one more port that needs to be opened. Nodejs will yawn about it...

For show control you use something like Qlab, etc. but not ontime. ;-) It would just make the life easier if we could get rid of middleware that translates the ontime OSC output to something useful.

[cpvalente]

I am definitely not against the idea. If we can prove that this offers no significant performance hits, I am all for it. I personally have no experience on what is the cost of opening ports every second and this is something we can try and find.

The integration feature is new and I would prefer to see it mature before trying to push more nuance into it.

We are also hoping to use this as a proof of concept to implement the same with HTTP which has been in the books for a while

ONCE v2 is out I can unlock the limitations of OSC integration in a separate release. Would you be available to stress test?

[Keksstar]

Yup, would be happy to test this :-)

Once a second? What are you running for crazy shows? 😆

[herzogmedia]

I'd also volunteer to test this =)

[cpvalente]

Hi @herzogmedia, thank you for volunteering.

Could you specify which part of the task you would be able to test? We currently have custom messages per event (in v2). Are you using the feature?

This is the first time the feature is in production and I would like to have it ironed out before extending. Perhaps you have some general feedback as to your experience with the feature?

[herzogmedia]

so, the thing I wanted to do is to be able to trigger specific companion buttons from ontime as soon as a timer starts. I think that should be possible utilizing the osc integration and a user field. I'll try and then get back and report

[cpvalente]

so, the thing I wanted to do is to be able to trigger specific companion buttons from ontime as soon as a timer starts. I think that should be possible utilizing the osc integration and a user field. I'll try and then get back and report

Perfect, thank you. It sounds like this should be possible with integrations. Also look into the companion feedback variables. I don't use companion but it sounds like that should be possible

Let me know if you get into trouble. You might also get some help on companion side by Fabian over at the companion repo

[alex-Arc]

hey @Keksstar @herzogmedia could you get what you needed from the osc integration and/or companion ?

[herzogmedia]

Hi @alex-Arc Yes. With using the OSC triggers and variables I was easily able to trigger buttons in companion. This is really great. For future endeavors it would be great to be able to have multiple OSC outputs out of ontime. But that is not critically needed in any way.

[alex-Arc]

@herzogmedia good to hear :)

you could look into sending the osc over a broadcast address if you can get the ports to match up

[Keksstar]

hey @Keksstar @herzogmedia could you get what you needed from the osc integration and/or companion ?

Hi Alex, well... for me not really. I´m working in Videoproduction. So we add videos to the rundown and their duration. So it would be great to have an way to control the time of the Event itself via OSC. This would give everyone in production they possibility to see the time left... With the current solution you can´t see the time in cuesheet/operator view. So camera guys can relax during the videos, etc.

[alex-Arc]

hmm I'm a bit confused now :) do you need to control the event duration? (OSC -> ontime) or do out need ontime to output the remaining event duration? (ontime -> OSC) or a third thing?

the reaming time is displayed in the op view

[Keksstar]

OSC->ontime to control the current countdown event time. So when sending an an time from OSC to the event it should reflect it as the event itself, not as an additional time. The running time should also trigger the event. So sending an OSC command, something like /ontime/eventid/time, should control the current countdown of the event.

Do you understand what I mean? :-)

[alex-Arc]

I think so you want to be able to drive the event timer externally, but only on selected events right?

[Keksstar]

Exactly 🙂 Also see #318 and #115 on this topic.

[alex-Arc]

OK, and you can't use the new external #580, because you want it to be part of the rundown?

[Keksstar]

Correct :-)

[cpvalente]

There are several ideas here and the app has changed a lot since, I will close this for now. Please feel free to open new issues with specific improvements you would like to suggest