Control Pro Tools from the command line

[bjorn]

Hello

I am building a website for an show, an expo, and the basic function of this website is to run the show. That is you go to the website and press play or stop and the show does just that.

I have the web site up and running but my problem is that I need to be able to start an Pro Tools session from the website; a user open's up the site on his mobile or computer and presses play, the site then issues either an midi signal or osc signal to trigger Pro Tools to start the session.

The site is hosted on the same machine that runs Pro Tools and I have come across some OSC python scripts which can be integrated into the site but I am running into a bottle neck with Pro Tools itself. I don't know exactly how to fuse these two things together. Osculator was something that kept popping up in my google searches but I haven't really gotten anywhere with that program.

Is there anybody out there who has some idea how to make this happen ?

Thanks alot :)

[musicman691]

Technical issues aside (you don't say if you're running Windows or OSX) I think you're going to have a legal issue because you'd have an unlicensed user running Pro Tools.

If all you need is to run a pre-programmed video or piece of music then something other than PT might be better. There's plenty of options using the basic things built into whatever operating system you're running or even free third party software that'll be easier to work with. Just because you have PT doesn't mean it's the best or easiest way to go.

[bjorn]

Thank you for your response.

I am running Mac osx 10.7. The reason for using Pro Tools is out of my hands, I am working for an IT company that is assisting an event company that is putting together a show and they have already spent a lot of money into Pro Tools. They have set up a system that is utilising the midi timecode, sending it via internet to a server which runs 4 Pro Res videos simultaneously.

Regarding the legal issue, the only thing the unlicensed user would be controlling is starting and stopping the session, the user wouldn't even know that he was using Pro Tools since its just part of the back end setup.

But in theory how would I go about telling Pro Tools to receive either OSC messages or midi Messages from the command line and react to them ?

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by bjorn

But in theory how would I go about telling Pro Tools to receive either OSC messages or midi Messages from the command line and react to them ?

Why would you not set your session to wait for a MIDI note to start recording a dummy track? I don't know PT MIDI capabilities to its fullest, perhaps you can even start a simple playback this way too, but at least you can set a recording session to wait for a MIDI note.

[Sonopolis]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Technical issues aside (you don't say if you're running Windows or OSX) I think you're going to have a legal issue because you'd have an unlicensed user running Pro Tools.

What you're saying is, that every studio would need a separate license for each person that walks through the door and operates their PT rig. That's not the case. I wouldn't worry about that.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Sonopolis

What you're saying is, that every studio would need a separate license for each person that walks through the door and operates their PT rig. That's not the case. I wouldn't worry about that.

I could not walk into another studio and use their PT license; I'd have to bring my own ilok.

[Mista Min]

Originally Posted by musicman691

I could not walk into another studio and use their PT license; I'd have to bring my own ilok.

Since when?! I'm pretty sure you go to an HD studio to use their HD software and have a tape operator run it. License belongs to the studio not the clients. Bringing my own PT license when I work at a studios room I book is ridiculous an completely erroneous.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Mista Min

Since when?! I'm pretty sure you go to an HD studio to use their HD software and have a tape operator run it. License belongs to the studio not the clients. Bringing my own PT license when I work at a studios room I book is ridiculous an completely erroneous.

Then I'm not using their software as such especially if by 'using their HD software' you mean I'm recording with my band there. If I were operating the console which runs PT I'd need to bring my ilok.

[Mista Min]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Then I'm not using their software as such especially if by 'using their HD software' you mean I'm recording with my band there. If I were operating the console which runs PT I'd need to bring my ilok.

Ummm, no?!

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Mista Min

Ummm, no?!

Huh? No to what?