TouchOSC LXConsoleRemote not working

LXConsole support and feedback
spadrille
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Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:36 pm

TouchOSC LXConsoleRemote not working

Post by spadrille »

I need some help with the LXConsoleRemote on TouchOSC. I can't make it work. My iPhone and MacBook Pro are on the same wifi network. On Touch OSC, LX_OSC is shown as a found host. I have selected it. The host IP address is the one of my wifi network, the outgoing port is 53000. Then i go to the LXConsoleRemote layout. In LXConsole the OSC port is 53000, the OSC IP address is the one of my wifi network and in File/External OSC In is selected. But when i select the go button or type something in TouchOSC, nothing happens in LXConsole. And if i go in the setup and use the detect mode in OSC, nothing is received. What am i doing wrong?
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Post by admin »

There is some issue with TouchOSC and connecting over a computer-to-computer WiFi network. I'm not sure what this is but it routinely takes several tries for me to get TouchOSC to connect when it is over WiFi directly to my MacBook Pro.

On my home WiFi network, TouchOSC connects easily on the first try.

At work, the network has a firewall and TouchOSC will NEVER connect because the firewall is blocking the UDP traffic. Note: a firewall may not be set to block the Bonjour packets so you might very well see "LX_OSC" as available and still not be able to connect.

I think that the problem in connecting with TouchOSC may be in how it refreshes its connection and/or with how it refreshes information from Bonjour. It appears that just tapping a Bonjour connection in the list does not reset TouchOSC's connection. However, manually changing the port number to something else, closing the settings and then returning and changing the port back does seem to reset the connection. I've had to resort to the change-the-port, change-it-back method to get TouchOSC to connect to QLab. (QLab does not use Bonjour and so you are forced to connect manually)

Every time I think I've found a repeatable method for getting TouchOSC to connect on the computer-to_computer WiFi, it later turns out to be coincidence. But, having said that, my current method (which seems to work for now...) is to get TouchOSC to the connection screen where I can see "LX_OSC". Then, I turn off OSC in LXConsole so that "LX_OSC" disappears. Then, I turn it back on so it re-appears. Then I tap "LX_OSC" and navigate back and the connection seems to work.

Its frustrating and doubly so when you are on a lift messing with a light and the TouchOSC connection gets dropped. Of course, in this situation, the turn OSC off and back on in LXConsole thing won't work. I haven't experimented. But the manual change-the-port, change-it-back might work better.

Again, I'm not sure why this happens. LXBeams on iPad completely uses Bonjour to connect to LXConsole and it does not seem to have this issue. But, it is also easy to turn OSC off and back on in LXBeams to get it to connect. Perhaps that's what the turn it off and back on does for TouchOSC.
spadrille
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Joined: Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:36 pm

Post by spadrille »

I don't think we have the same problem. I use an external wifi router, an airport express. I even used two different ones without more luck. I have disabled the firewall on my MacBook Pro. I have tried what you proposed about changing port and setting it right again. I have tried to disables OSC In then enable it again. That doesn't help. I have tried dozens of time, nothing. Could i have forget something?
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Post by admin »

It sounds like you have everything covered. But, modern networking is great and easy when it works like it is supposed to... and not so much when there's one tiny thing that stops everything else.

I'd really like to know what prevents TouchOSC from connecting the first time to LXConsole. I don't know how many times, I've tried to connect, checked everything, tried again (and again) and then suddenly, it connects and its fine.

Try downloading the latest build of LXConsole 3.1.3 (65C06). That way we know we are on the same page, with the same version.

Then, open LXConsole and check the OSC preferences. If you are using a local WiFi router, the IP address in the popup should be something in the range of 192.168.n.n. If you have more than one network connection (such as an ethernet ArtNet connection out of LXConsole) there may be more choices. If you have a limited network, "any" usually works. But, not always. If there are choices, "any" will pick a network interface, and not always the one you would like it to choose. Better to choose for it so you know what LXConsole is listening to.

If you have QLab running, it may be occupying port 53000. You won't be able to use the same port for two OSC destinations on the same computer. If you did, either QLab or LXConsole would receive the message (whichever got the port open first). So, you can pick a different port to be sure. For sake of argument, try 53002.

When you enable OSC either with a toolbar button or using the File=>External=>OSC In command, you should see a message in the Messages window (Window=>Messages...). It should be in green and read something like "OSC connected at 192.168.1.101 port 53002".

If you are OK so far, LXConsole should be listening for OSC. If not, you might see something like "Failed to Bind Socket". If so, close everything, restart the computer and try again. If the problem persists, we have found it.

On your phone, you should be connected to the same wireless network as the computer is.

Assuming you are green, start TouchOSC on your iPhone. If it was already running, be sure to quit it (Home screen, double-click home button, select TouchOSC from the exposed list of running apps and touch and hold until the "x" appears so you can quit.)

Navigate to the connections screen and you should see "Found Hosts", tap "LX_OSC". The settings above should show the IP address and port you selected in LXConsole's preferences. OK, navigate back to LXConsoleRemote.

There are two ways to test reception in LXConsole. If the Live window is open, LXConsoleRemote should let you add key presses to the command line. To check for raw OSC input, you can open the Setup window, change to the OSC tab and click the detect button.

It sounds from your posts like you have followed most of steps. However, like I said at the top, it only takes one small thing...

And, here's where it sometimes takes me more than one try to connect. I don't know if I have to wait longer for TouchOSC or what. I usually go back through the TouchOSC connection steps several times and eventually it works. Its here that I have tried the thing of turning off OSC In in LXConsole, waiting until "LX_OSC" disappears from the list of Found Hosts, turned OSC back on and had it connect properly.

If anyone else has any insight into this, please post!!
spadrille
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Post by spadrille »

First of all, thank you for your time. I have followed all your steps, still not working. But i have some more information. First of all, the IP adress of my wifi is not at all in the range of 192.168.n.n. It's 10.0.1.5. This address is showned in the wifi network preferences. So i selected this address in the LXConsole OSC preferences. In the message window, when i select OSC IN, sometimes it shows "OSC connected at 10.0.1.5 port 53000" (or 53002, i tried both) sometimes is shows "connected at 0.0.0.0 port 53000" (or 53002). In both cases, LX Console appears as found host in Touch OSC and if i select it, it's 10.0.1.5 that appears as host . Anyway, at that time it still doesn't work. Even after rebooting of my MacBook pro and closing and reopening Touch OSC. I tried also to deselect OSC IN in LX Console and wait till LX_OSC disappears in the TouchOSC setup but it never disappears. The only thing that make it disappears instantly is quitting LX Console. Oh, and by the way, i downloaded the last version of LX Console. You should also know that i use TouchOSC to control other software on the same MacBook with the same wifi network and it works every time. I hope that these informations could help.
nizer
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OSC and MacBook Pro

Post by nizer »

I have gotten mine to work but it can be finicky.

Get your computers IP Address via the Network panel and use that for the IP in LXConsole. Make sure you quit all running iOS touch OSC apps.

I run into trouble when I use my iPhone and iPad at the same time. Seems to loose the connection.

I do have one question for Claude. I can't seem to get the cmdline field to have data show up on my TouchOSC enable devices. I have a label field named cmdline, with a message /1/cmdline

My outgoing OSC in LXConsole is set to 10.0.1.23:9000 and shows up in the message window. I have 9000 as my in address in the touchOSC device. Perhaps I need to add the IP to that so that it is the same as LXConsole. 10.0.1.23:9000 I'll try that.

Do you have any other guidance so I can see what is in the command line from my iPad/iPhone?

Thanks
Mark Nizer
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Post by admin »

I'm going to start a new thread for Nizer's question so that we can keep this discussion focused and not get confused.
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Post by admin »

It would help to know all of the hosts available to LXConsole. If you go in the Preferences and to the OSC tab and refresh the connection popup, what is the complete list of available addresses?

It appears that there is a problem with TouchOSC connecting to self-assigned IP addresses. I don't see that it will even send packets to a 10.n.n.n address.

When you connect TouchOSC to other applications, what IP address/Port is used?
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Post by admin »

The IP address returned by Bonjour to TouchOSC may not necessarily be the same as the outgoing connection set in LXConsole's preferences. Hopefully there is a way to improve this in a future build. But, there's nothing to prevent entering the correct IP address and port into TouchOSC manually.

There are some considerations when picking what address to use when there are more than one available. Between the MacBook and the iPhone the connections must match so that the subnet mask is compatible. The MacBook may have several active connections. The iPhone will have only one. You can see what the subnet mask is by going to the Settings app. In the WiFi pane, you can see the selected network. Tapping the small arrow icon on the right side lets you see the network settings. For every 255 in the subnet mask, the IP addresses must match between The MacBook with LXConsole and the iPhone with TouchOSC.

For example, if the iPhone has an IP address of 192.168.1.136 and a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, then the IP address on the Mac that you choose to use should be the one that starts with 192.168.1.

So,(assuming the network numbers in the above example) if the MacBook also has an Art-Net 10.n.n.n connection and that address is selected from Bonjour by TouchOSC, you will need to manually enter the 192.168.1.n address into TouchOSC.
nizer
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TouchOSC connection thoughts

Post by nizer »

I think a big problem with getting connections is accidentally having another OSC connection already using the port.

QUIT ALL OTHER OSC APPS IN ALL USER ACCOUNTS. I had Qlab running in another user account and it prevent LXConsole from connecting until I Quit it.
Mark Nizer
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spadrille
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Post by spadrille »

I come back to my issue a few months later. Sorry for the BIG delay but i was taken on some work. I come back now since i still can't use TouchOSC with LX Console and it bother me a lot since it's the last step preventing me to use LXConsole as my main console.
I have checked in the Wifi preferences of my iphone.
IP address is 10.0.1.3
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
I have checkes the wifi preferences on the MacBook Pro, it is
IP address is 10.0.1.2
Subnet mask is 255.255.255.0
I have set in LXConsole 10.0.1.2 as ip adresse and OSC port 53002
In Touch OSC the host is 10.0.1.2 and port outgoing is 53002.
So i think everything is set right.
The problem should be elsewhere.
Also i can use touch OSC to control QLab on the ip address 10.0.1.2 on port 53001. Works like a charm!
spadrille
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Post by spadrille »

Also, since it seems to be some problems using TouchOSC with LXConsole, are you planning to make an iPad and/or iPhone app that could be a remote control for LXConsole? That would be an app i will be happy to pay for.:-)
nizer
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Osc

Post by nizer »

It is still a wildcard if it works or not. I find it depends on what wifi network I am on and a ton accidental steps. Try quuiting Qlab and all other user accounts and see if u can get it to work
Mark Nizer
mark@nizer.com
spadrille
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Post by spadrille »

I 've tried quitting QLab and other user accounts. Still not working. Really frustrating.
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Post by admin »

When you select File->External->OSC In, LXConsole will attempt to open a port for OSC as specified in the preferences. The result is shown in the Window->Messages panel. You should see something in green that says "OSC connected at 10.0.1.2 port 53002" Then, in Touch OSC, tap the settings icon. In the "Connections" section, tap OSC: to configure the connection. In the OSC settings, you should see "LX_OSC" in the Found Hosts section. Tap that. You should see the host settings change to match the settings in LXConsole. Once you back out of the settings to a layout, you should be able to send messages to LXConsole. Occasionally, I have to repeat the setup steps in Touch OSC more than once to get it to connect when the wireless connection is created by the Mac as opposed to being provided by a router. I don't know why this, is but eventually TouchOSC will connect and send messages to LXConsole. If one of these steps don't appear as described, particularly the connection message in LXConsole, that may be a clue to why you are not able to connect.

Also, what versions of TouchOSC, LXConsole and OSX and iOS are being used?
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