OSC as an input virtual device for different special text characters (to extend physical keyboard)

[theodor_the_1st]

INTRODUCTION:
So far I’ve been successfully using OSC to send MIDI messages to my Digital Audio Workstation (Cubase 10 Pro). Everything’s perfect, because Cubase can do whatever I want with a MIDI message. It can send it to a VSTi, execute a menu command, etc.

PROBLEM:
Now, I’d like to know if OSC can generate on its own a unicode hex code, or a combination of modifier keys and a unicode hex code. I’m asking this because I don’t want to be limited to what the physical keyboard has to offer (when a font like “Arial” has … < drum roll > … 3381 characters/codes!).
Midi2Key (on Windows) and midiStroke (on macOS) are both limited to what the physical keyboard can input. Such a pity… because the user wants not to replace the keyboard, but to extend it.

It would be so nice if OSC could generate characters like the ones below and be program/application specific (meaning it could make something happen to an application/program, even if that app is not in focus / active - e.g. in taskbar). This way, OSC could be used with any software that is capable of creating keyboard shortcut.

The benefit:
→ increased compatibility with other software (including music notation software, where not only that the user needs lots of keyboard shortcuts, but also needs to be able to quickly input special characters; for example, when writing lyrics in a foreign language).

[jean-emmanuel]

Hi,
OSC can only send and receive osc/midi messages, you’ll have to use a 3rd party software to generate the keystroke events from these messages. Utf-8 strings/characters can be sent via in osc messages though they are encoded to ascii (and decoded from on the receiver side) as per the osc specification, so this should be possible.

[theodor_the_1st]

@jean-emmanuel

Hi,
OSC can only send and receive osc/midi messages, you’ll have to use a 3rd party software to generate the keystroke events from these messages. It sure sounds promising!

Understood. So far, I didn't find any "OSC to keystroke" 3rd party app. But, I'll keep looking.

@jean-emmanuel

Utf-8 strings/characters can be sent via in osc messages though they are encoded to ascii (and decoded from on the receiver side) as per the osc specification, so this should be possible.

Thank you!

[cyberic]

@theodor_the_1st

Understood. So far, I didn’t find any “OSC to keystroke” 3rd party app. But, I’ll keep looking.

I did use simple python scripts to do something like thar. You should take a look at python-uinput, autopy, or even xdotool

[theodor_the_1st]

Thank you! I’ll be back as soon as I take a look at your suggestions.

[PeterJared]

I added a list of apps that claim to have the functionality to convert midi or OSC to keystroke here. Not tested yet, but would be cool to know what is the more convenient one:

Keyboard commands or keystrokes

I’m afraid the answer is never, o-s-c is just an osc controller : the midi extension is the only exception to this and I’m not willing to make another one. This software is built with modularity in mind, not just at it’s own scale but at the system’s : having one software per job, that does it right, and the possibility to connect different softwares to serve any purpose.