Adjusting the Teensy MIDI device name

[Pensive]

Hi all

i note in this thread it is possible to hack your teensyduino install with a new USB device type and code to rename your midi controller.

https://forum.pjrc.com/threads/23523-Change-device-name

it is functional but not elegant in the usual PJRC manner, and ongoing support is unlikely to be available using this method.

are there any better ways to achieve this from code in 2016?

thanks

jon

[urbanspaceman]

follow with interest.

[urbanspaceman]

No answer for this question?
Thanks

[Pensive]

No answer for this question?
Thanks

No - there is no new approach unfortunately - you can do it - but you have to hack your Teensyduino install about, and if anyone has previously plugged in a teensy on a host windows computer, it will almost certainly pop up as a Teensy, ignoring your changes.

Right now, this is probably bubbling around at the very bottom of Paul's todo list if it is on it at all - so I wouldn't hold your breath.

[urbanspaceman]

Thanks for your reply Pensive

[PaulStoffregen]

Actually, there is some provision for this using weak linking you can override, but no friendly documentation on how to actually do it.

https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/co...y3/usb_names.h

[dr_d_nice]

also following this one

[oddson]

Actually, there is some provision for this using weak linking you can override, but no friendly documentation on how to actually do it.

https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/co...y3/usb_names.h

Any chance on some unfriendly documentation or even a hint or two?

I get that the weak attribute means these defines can be overridden so I assume the sketch would need to have some #define statements to take the place of the ones in usb_desc.h.

But I gather it's not a simple as adding the replacements in the setup section of the sketch:

#define PRODUCT_NAME {'M','y',' ','M','I','D','I'}
#define PRODUCT_NAME_LEN 7

So are there some broad strokes or general guidance on this as the question keeps coming up but there are still no details.

[Pensive]

i've done some googling and in c++ you can punch in weak link overrides before runtime via DLL file, i maybe a million miles away but i think you might need to pull in a dll which defines these values in the correct structs which will be pulled into the compile chain before runtime.

Total guess, i'm sure there's an easier way, and it might not be arduino compatible - i've never seen a DLL in an arduino project before.

EDIT - I don't think this is right at all, I'm totally at sea here, missing out some core knowledge.

[oddson]

DLLs use weak linking so they show up in searches on the topic but the idea is more general.

There's a hint in the other thread where Paul indicates why the fix isn't simple:

...The trouble with a weak symbol is the USB descriptor stuff depends on finding the string length as a compile-time constant. Obviously the compiler can't know the length of your string in the sketch while compiling the USB code (remember, restructuring the build process is not an option because compatibility with Arduino is a major design goal). So the USB descriptor sending code, inside that interrupt-based code, needs to be redesigned to handle data somewhat differently. That's the main reason this is still on my to-do list... there's no quick and easy way to do it. On AVR, there's also the issue of making sure the user's data is in the right memory space, but that's a lesser concern because people will probably just copy and edit an example.

So I gather we have to declare the structure(s) since that's what has the weak attribute, thereby overwriting the structure declarations at about line 1200 of usb_desc.c.

[tni]

The weak symbol stuff is implemented and works. However, there appears to be no way to make it work directly from C++ (e.g. your .ino sketch). So go to your sketch folder and create a new C file "usb_desc.c":

#include <usb_names.h>

#define MANUFACTURER_NAME    {'t','n','i'}
#define MANUFACTURER_NAME_LEN 3
#define PRODUCT_NAME    {'t','i','n', 'y', ' ', 'd', 'e', 'v', 'i', 'c', 'e'}
#define PRODUCT_NAME_LEN 11

struct usb_string_descriptor_struct usb_string_manufacturer_name = {
        2 + MANUFACTURER_NAME_LEN * 2,
        3,
        MANUFACTURER_NAME
};

struct usb_string_descriptor_struct usb_string_product_name = {
        2 + PRODUCT_NAME_LEN * 2,
        3,
        PRODUCT_NAME
};

The weak symbols that get overwritten are "usb_string_manufacturer_name" and "usb_string_product_name".

[Pensive]

well this is exciting, i've held off bothering because i need to re-do it all every time i update

[chaosmoon]

The weak symbol stuff is implemented and works. However, there appears to be no way to make it work directly from C++ (e.g. your .ino sketch). So go to your sketch folder and create a new C file "usb_desc.c":

#include <usb_names.h>

#define MANUFACTURER_NAME    {'t','n','i'}
#define MANUFACTURER_NAME_LEN 3
#define PRODUCT_NAME    {'t','i','n', 'y', ' ', 'd', 'e', 'v', 'i', 'c', 'e'}
#define PRODUCT_NAME_LEN 11

struct usb_string_descriptor_struct usb_string_manufacturer_name = {
        2 + MANUFACTURER_NAME_LEN * 2,
        3,
        MANUFACTURER_NAME
};

struct usb_string_descriptor_struct usb_string_product_name = {
        2 + PRODUCT_NAME_LEN * 2,
        3,
        PRODUCT_NAME
};

The weak symbols that get overwritten are "usb_string_manufacturer_name" and "usb_string_product_name".

Hi there. Has anyone got this working? What is the definition of "your sketch folder" for placing the usb_desc.c file? The folder besides the .ino?

thanks

[PaulStoffregen]

Has anyone got this working?

Yes, they have.

First, open the example code by clicking File > Examples > Teensy > USB_MIDI > MIDI_name.

Now, here's the trick. This "sketch" is actually 2 files. Arduino shows them in tabs. You need to click the "name.c" tab.

Here's a screenshot:



This is where you will edit the name. But perhaps just try it as-is, where the name changes from "Teensy MIDI" to "My MIDI". Make sure Tools > USB Type is set to MIDI, and upload to your Teensy.

[PaulStoffregen]

There's one more tricky step, which is getting your computer to "forget" the old name and show you the new name. Just today, these words were suggested for Macintosh:

Macintosh: Open “Audio Midi Setup”, unplug the Teensy device, delete it from the Midi Devices/Midi Studio Window, replug the Teensy device and your changes will show.

My guess is you would do something similar on Windows, perhaps involving uninstalling the "driver" from the Device Manager. This last part is still in need of specific instructions, maybe even with screenshots. If anyone can contribute specific advice for Windows users, please do?

[chaosmoon]

Thanks for the swift reply, i'll check this out and report back. (i see im running a few versions behind on both Arduino and Teensyduino)

[chaosmoon]

After updating Arduino and Teensyduino i can confirm that the methods described above are working under OSX 10.11.16, Arduino 1.8.5, Teensy 1.41

i saved the example as plain text in my sketch folder from notepad as "name.c"
re-opened the sketch
edited the filename characters in the example
adjusted the length
uploaded sketch
unplugged Teensy
deleted the old device in Audio Midi Setup

[PaulStoffregen]

I've updated the website with instructions.

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_midi.html

Still hoping someone can contribute instructions on Windows, ideally specific to each mouse click or other action taken. Screenshots wanted for both systems.

[el_supremo]

FYI: I just tried my sketch which combines two keyboards and a couple of buttons into one USB stream from the T3.6. I added the name.c tab to it, recompiled and uploaded and it works immediately - Midi-Ox sees it as "My MIDI". I then recompiled the original version and uploaded that and it immediately shows up in Midi-Ox as "Teensy MIDI".
So, you don't have to delete drivers. Just compile, upload and go.
BTW, this was on a Win 10 Pro X64, Arduino 1.8.5 + TD 1.41

Pete

[el_supremo]

Here's a screencap of MIDI-OX


Pete

[el_supremo]

@Paul:
Did you see #19? Windows users shouldn't need to delete the device.

Pete

[Davidelvig]

Woo Hoo!
I added a new tab to my project in the Arduino IDE titled MIDI_Name.c... copied in the code, and Audacity on OSX now reports "My MIDI"
Very cool!

[MickMad]

One thing I learned while doing the early USB Audio tests was that the device name and general USB properties are not automatically updated on an host for devices using the same name, VendorID and ProductID unless the bcdDevice field in the Device Descriptor is not updated too (usb_desc.c, line 90)

[PaulStoffregen]

Did you see #19? Windows users shouldn't need to delete the device.

Thanks. I've updated the web page with a link to this thread.

Can anyone confirm whether Windows 7 automatically detects the MIDI name change?

[chaosmoon]

I've updated the website with instructions.

https://www.pjrc.com/teensy/td_midi.html

Still hoping someone can contribute instructions on Windows, ideally specific to each mouse click or other action taken. Screenshots wanted for both systems.

Here's a screenshot of OSX Audio MIDI setup.