Is there a new Midi API for Windows Vista/7/8?

Question

I know the midiXxx API, but I saw it is currently listed under 'legacy' in msdn. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd743619(v=vs.85).aspx

Is there some other API i should use to target the newer Windows versions?

Will the old API still work on Windows 7 and 8?

Thanx, Marc

Almshouse

MIDI is ancient, 30 years old already. No changes so no need to alter the API. It works fine on modern Windows versions. – Culver

Yes, the old API still works in Windows 7 and 8, but as far as I can see there is no way to use MIDI devices in Windows 8 store apps since the whole of winmm is unavailable. – Proteose

Note that for Win32 desktop apps, the "core" DirectMusic APIs are supported on Windows 7 x64 and later due to time-stamped MIDI. – Pizza

Answer 1

Last Friday Microsoft released a preview Windows Runtime API for MIDI. Check out the //build/ session here: http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/3-548

MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/dn643522.aspx

Although a preview, apps can go live and be deployed to the Windows Store. Please let us know what you like or don't like. Happy app building!

Lanell

Answer 2

For dektop applications (non metro) you can still use the legacy API safely.

Sadly for WinRT/Metro, there is no midi support at all (see this discussion on msdn).

Hope they will change that.

Ufo

Wow... that's insane. I guess I won't be buying a Windows Metro device. – Neysa

Brad, check out my new comment. There are workarounds (which I expect musicians will use). IIRC, MIDI was not supported in iOS either until v3. – Markman

Answer 3

Catflier is correct that there is no direct support (at the API level) for MIDI in WinRT. However, if you are wanting to have MIDI-like capabilities in your app, there are workarounds. A protocol growing in popularity is the network-based OSC (Open Sound Control). Since it is network-based, you can use that.

For example, one can use external hardware like The Missing Link which translates from MIDI to OSC. You hook up your MIDI device to The Missing Link, which then translates to OSC messages that are sent to the computer. Your app can then receive OSC messages and talk to the MIDI device. I don't have any code to show here, but I've seen demos of this working in-action.

You can see OSC in use on iOS as well with popular apps like TouchOSC.

Markman

Yes you're correct to say there's workarounds, but their problem is they are... workarounds )). Also hardware like Missing Link do translate osc into midi, often you need the other way round (eg, just plug a usb midi device to your computer). As much as I like OSC (using it a lot as well), Midi is proven and very reliable (I can run shows for night with a midi controller knowing it will not let me down, I hardly can't say the same for wireless routers). So still hope native midi support will be on the cards for metro. – Ufo

We are in full agreement :). As a musician myself, I'm hoping the exact same thing in the future. – Markman