CommandPost Controller Template

Shredder wrote on 8/5/2002, 10:41 AM
Hi all,

I just got Focus Enhancement's CommandPost NLE Controller for $33 (look on www.shopper.com for 'Command Post'). I made a template for VV3 & it works great (and is a cheaper alternative to the Contour ShuttePRO):

Jog wheel for frame-by-frame advance
Shuttle for 0.25x 0.5x 1x 2x forward & reverse

Take Bar that switches between:
1. Minimize the Window docking area
2. Explorer
3. Trimmer
4. Media Pool
5. Transitions
6. Video FX
7. Text/Backgrounds

and 3 rows of 5 buttons:
Mark In | Mark Out | Insert Region | Insert Marker | Split
Toggle Snapping | Snap to Grid | Snap to Marker | Quantize to Frames | Delete
Next Tool | Loop | Play/Stop | Pause | Ripple Edits

For more info on the CommandPost check out: http://www.focusinfo.com/products/commandpost/commandpost.htm

Here's a technical note:
In order to config the shuttle wheel, I had to manually edit the config file to reference Function Keys 13-23, which are hidden keys that VV3 uses to set scrub speed.
Don't edit the shuttle keys, or you won't be able to put them back correctly in the GUI.
For reference, here's VV3's hidden scrub keys:

Key Func Hex
F17 0.25x 80
F18 0.50x 81
F19 0.75x 82
F20 1.00x 83
F21 1.25x 84
F22 1.50x 85
F23 2.00x 86
(and ctrl-key for reverse)
Ctrl-F17 -0.25x 0f80
Ctrl-F18 -0.50x 0f81
Ctrl-F19 -0.75x 0f82
Ctrl-F20 -1.00x 0f83
Ctrl-F21 -1.25x 0f84
Ctrl-F22 -1.50x 0f85
Ctrl-F23 -2.00x 0f86

Enjoy!

---- Paste below here to vegas.reg, save & double-click ----
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0]
"HasClickButton"=dword:00000000
"ClickButtonNumber"=dword:00000009
"ClickButtonType"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\0]
"Name"="Mark In"
"0"=dword:00000049

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\1]
"Name"="Mark Out"
"0"=dword:0000004f

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\10]
"Name"="Next Tool"
"0"=dword:00000044

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\11]
"Name"="Loop Playback"
"0"=dword:00000051

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\12]
"Name"="Play/Stop"
"0"=dword:00000020

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\13]
"Name"="Pause"
"0"=dword:0000000d

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\14]
"Name"="Toggle Ripple Edits"
"0"=dword:00000f4c

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\15]
"Name"="Minimize the window docking area"
"0"=dword:0000007a

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\16]
"Name"="Explorer"
"0"=dword:0000f031

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\17]
"Name"="Trimmer"
"0"=dword:0000f032

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\18]
"Name"="Media Pool"
"0"=dword:0000f035

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\19]
"Name"="Transitions"
"0"=dword:0000f037

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\2]
"Name"="Insert Region"
"0"=dword:00000052

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\20]
"Name"="Video FX"
"0"=dword:0000f038

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\21]
"Name"="Text/Backgrounds"
"0"=dword:0000f039

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\22]
"Name"="Text/Backgrounds"
"0"=dword:0000f039

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\23]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Backward 2x"
"0"=dword:00000f86

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\24]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\25]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Backward 1x"
"0"=dword:00000f83

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\26]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\27]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Backward 0.5x"
"0"=dword:00000f81

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\28]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\29]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Backward 0.25x"
"0"=dword:00000f80

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\3]
"Name"="Insert Marker"
"0"=dword:0000004d

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\30]
"Name"="Pause"
"0"=dword:0000000d

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\31]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Forward 0.25x"
"0"=dword:00000080

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\32]
"Name"="Pause"
"0"=dword:0000000d

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\33]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Forward 0.5x"
"0"=dword:00000081

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\34]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\35]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Forward 1x"
"0"=dword:00000083

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\36]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\37]
"Continuous"=dword:00000000
"Name"="Forward 2x"
"0"=dword:00000086

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\38]
"Name"="Null"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\39]
"Name"="Backward One Frame"
"0"=dword:0000f025

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\4]
"Name"="Split"
"0"=dword:00000053

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\40]
"Name"="Forward One Frame"
"0"=dword:0000f027

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\5]
"Name"="Toggle Snapping"
"0"=dword:00000077

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\6]
"Name"="Toggle Snap to Grid"
"0"=dword:00000f77

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\7]
"Name"="Toggle Snap to Marker"
"0"=dword:000f0077

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\8]
"Name"="Toggle Quantize to Frames"
"0"=dword:0000f077

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Focus\CommandPost\Templates\Vegas Video 3.0\9]
"Name"="Delete"
"0"=dword:0000002e

Comments

SonyDennis wrote on 8/5/2002, 11:19 AM
Nice work. Make sure to have the shuttle center position send F16 so Vegas goes back into Pause mode when you release the shuttle.
///d@
Shredder wrote on 8/5/2002, 5:16 PM
The CommandPost Shuttle doesn't have a 'center' position. It has an 'out' operation when you come out of the first segment, in either direction. So for the 0.25x position I have a pause.

Unfortunately, that pause also occurs in between 0.25x & 0.5x, not just 0.25x & center.

Not a big deal, just a little stutter at that point.

It was a real pain getting the F17-> keys into the config, and I'm sure other input devices with binary config files wouldn't allow the hack. Can you ask that 4.0 have some 'physical key' representations of the scrub speeds?

Thanks,

Jon
SonyDennis wrote on 8/5/2002, 5:35 PM
The reason I picked F16 - F23 is because they didn't have physical key combinations. That was just too many keys to tie up for something that you wouldn't want to do on the keyboard. The ShuttlePro has a menu for "all" the keys (and then some), so this isn't a problem. I don't see the key mapping changing for VV4, sorry.
///d@
Shredder wrote on 8/6/2002, 10:30 AM
Fair enough. It's acutally cool that you guys are saving keys for many new spiffy features!
pdmath wrote on 8/6/2002, 11:10 AM
I feel ignorant as I don't understand the instructions from Shredder at all. I have a Commandpost and would like to set it up to try with Vegas.

Can you explain on an elementary level what it is I am supposed to copy from your posting and where and how do i paste it to get the Vegas template into the Command Post.

Thanks,
Phil
Shredder wrote on 8/6/2002, 11:56 AM
Phil,

Don't feel ignorant, this is pseudo-hacker stuff, but not really hard.

1. Make sure you have VV3 - This won't work with VV2.
2. If you have a setup in the CommandPost for VV3 & you want to save it, rename it to something else temporarily. My config for VV3 will overwrite yours if it exists.
3. From my original post, highlight and copy (CTRL-C) everything starting with "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" thru to the end of the post.
4. Open up the windows notepad
5. Paste (CTRL-V) into the notepad. The file should start with "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00"
6. Save the file as "vegas.reg" somewhere you can find it (like your desktop). Using windows explorer, go to the folder you saved the file to & double-click on the vegas.reg file.
7. You should get a prompt titled "Registry Editor" asking "Are you sure you want to add the information in ~path\vegas.reg to the registry?" -- click yes.
8. You should get a response that the information was "successfully entered into the registry"
9. Now, in your CommandPost Keyset configuration, you should have an entry for "Vegas Video 3.0"

Let me know if it works. If not, I'll help you until it does.

- Jon
pdmath wrote on 8/6/2002, 12:19 PM
Ahhh...I can understand that and will give it a try.

By the way...if I worked for the US government and my job was to search for Pseudo-hackers, would I be a pseudo-fed? Pretty bad, huh...anyway, thanks for the superb instructions Shredder.

Phil
Shredder wrote on 8/6/2002, 1:06 PM
Phil,

Keep in mind the majority of "true" hackers, pseudo or not, do not engage in illegal activities. Most of the crimes are commited by script kiddies.

Hacking is an art that allows you to use a technology for some other purpose than it was intended, or was previously incapable of due to some limitation. It's also the art of figuring out how to do stuff, but not necessarily doing it.

My favorite example of true hacking is a guy who figured out how to change the channel on his really old TV set (which he had lost the remote for) by rapidly turning a Coleman Fluorescent camping lamp on & off rapidly, and then using that to program a real remote control...

So, my hack allows owners of vv3 to integrate with the CommandPost they also own. No laws broken, and maybe a few more CommandPosts will be sold in the processs...

So, be kind to your neighborhood hacker... So long as he/she isn't breaking into your stuff!

Have fun,

- Jon
pdmath wrote on 8/6/2002, 2:53 PM
Shredder...I tried but get the following error "Can not import...the specified file is not a registry script. You can import only registry files."
vinmangraphics wrote on 8/6/2002, 3:46 PM
pdmath - you *may* not have selected the right range of text. That could be why it is saying it is not a valid file.

I saved the information to a file and placed it on my web server.

You can get it at:
http://digitalimprint.com/vegas.zip

I'll leave it there for a while.
Just download it, unzip it, and double-click the resulting vegas.reg file.

- vin



pdmath wrote on 8/6/2002, 4:36 PM
Thanks Vin...that worked fine.
wazungu wrote on 8/13/2002, 2:02 PM
I've been looking at these devices for a while. I've been reared on desktop software NLE's (never used a traditional edit suite); what's the fader for? Can you use it to control VV, say as it's playing? We may not need it with the enveloping tools.

Here's another controller that looks nice:
http://www.contouravs.com/cav_shuttlepro_info.html
Shredder wrote on 8/13/2002, 5:40 PM
Wazungu,

I too have been raised on NLEs, so not sure what the traditional use is. In the CommandPost it is a 6 position switch, and you can program whatever key you want at any position.

I use it simple a a qucik way to scroll thru the various modes of VV, and to elimate that view altogether easily. You could have it adjust scrub speed, resize tracks etc.

- Jon
ldivinag wrote on 8/13/2002, 7:33 PM
traditional is using the old A/B deck to deck where you have a switcher to switch between A and B sources...

the TAKEBAR was used to control the transition speed...

these days we let the s/w do all the work. back in my days (like a few years ago... :)) you had like 3 buttons for preset speed for the transition: S, M and F(ast). or use the TAKEBAR to infinitely control the speed.
SonyDennis wrote on 8/14/2002, 10:03 AM
Shredder:

I'm curious, what does the T-bar send, keystrokes, or what? Maybe I'll have to look for one of these one closeout, just to add to my growing collection of strange input devices <g>.

///d@
dblevine wrote on 5/9/2003, 9:58 AM
Shredder,
Are you still using the Commandpost? Is it working out for you? A friend dropped one off at my house last night, and I've been trying to get it to work with Vegas 4.0. I noticed that the path in the registry for Commandpost software has changed. Do you think all I have to do is change the paths in your reg file to get your presets to work?
Thanks.
-DBL
2002CBR600F4i wrote on 5/30/2003, 3:53 PM
Hey, did you happen to get this working? I just recently got Vegas 4.0c and a friend had a spare CommandPost (he uses a ShuttlePro with his rig now) that he loaned me. I'd love to be able to use it to control Vegas...

Let me know how I can use this...

--Mike
n6nfg wrote on 6/18/2003, 7:04 PM
Any updates on getting CommandPost Controller to work
with VV verson 4.x?? This thread seems to have died
before the question was resolved!

ANYONE??

-n6nfg
dblevine wrote on 6/18/2003, 10:31 PM
I had it working with the template Shredder compiled, though the template could use a bit of editing to work better with V4. I don't remember how far I got with a new template, because I think the CommandPost software was doing something screwy with XP. Then I think I lost interest and uninstalled the whole thing. But, if you are interested, I could pick it up again.
roberths wrote on 8/10/2003, 11:44 AM
Greetings,

I picked up the CommandPost and I just wanted to let you know I am interested in a template for Vegas 4 and DVD Architect. Please let me know if there are any new developments.

Thanks so much,
Rob