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twokingsfilms  
#1 Posted : Saturday, November 21, 2020 10:28:43 AM(UTC)
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Hey everyone! As always, if I'm in the wrong thread, or this has been answered elsewhere, please feel free to let me know.

Okay, so I am currently using Companion software to control my Stream Deck and vMix. Works great, honestly love it. However, I've very recently started working with Data Sources in Google Sheets and vMix.

So far, because I know NOTHING about scripting/coding, I have been setting up a shortcut in vMix, then using Companion/Stream Deck to say "When I press this button on the stream deck, activate this shortcut in vMix"

The shortcuts I'm referring to are usually "select this line in Data Source". So, as an example:

NumPad0 = DataSourceSelectRow (Google Sheets,Sheet1,1)
NumPad1 = DatataSourceSelectRow (Google Sheets,Sheet1,2)

Etc...

The problem is the "etc" part. My show has over 100 different data sources, and I'm sure there are shows with more, and shows with less. The points are:

1) This is super tedious
2) I'm going to run out of buttons that can be shortcuts at a certain point.
3) It gets confusing to say JoystickPadUp = DatataSourceSelectRow (Google Sheets,Sheet1,97)

So here's the question: is there an easier way? Have I created the most convoluted/confusing way to do this? Or is that just the way to do it?

I'm sure that if all I was doing was going from DataSource 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 I could just use the DataSource Next function -- but I have to jump sometimes from line 4 to line 67 to line 24 based on the flow of the show.

How do you all go about using Data Sources with your controllers?

I'm looking to make my workflow more streamlined and less...crazy. Any help is appreciated. Thank you!!
doggy  
#2 Posted : Saturday, November 21, 2020 5:37:31 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: twokingsfilms Go to Quoted Post


So here's the question: is there an easier way? Have I created the most convoluted/confusing way to do this? Or is that just the way to do it?




For such "flexible" way of specifying a particular row the easiest is to have the data Source table open (other screen) and use the mouse to select.
Secondary would be to type in a number somehow and hit a "select" button (more complicated with some form of script). Am assuming here one knows which row by memory

Quote:
My show has over 100 different data sources, and I'm sure there are shows with more, and shows with less.


100+ datasources or 100+ rows in a data source ?
MichaelOlsen  
#3 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 1:37:47 AM(UTC)
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You might consider to write a small program where you promt for the data source, read the data source and drive vMix using the API.

Someting like

"request = WebRequest.Create("http://127.0.0.1:8088/API/?Function=SetText&Input=1&SelectedIndex=0&Value=<myValue>");"

It would be very easy in VB og C#. I'm not sure at Google Sheets.
twokingsfilms  
#4 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 1:15:46 PM(UTC)
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Thanks @doggy (and @michaelOlsen)

I have 100+ rows as an FYI.

As a 1-man-band having the ability to just switch from a button push is the most ideal, so always having to mouse click on another row is a challenge (but I understand the recommendation and appreciate it).

Does anyone else have any other suggestions? hahaha
doggy  
#5 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 5:26:06 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: twokingsfilms Go to Quoted Post

I have 100+ rows as an FYI.

kind of important difference to 100 data sources ;-)


Quote:

As a 1-man-band having the ability to just switch from a button push is the most ideal, so always having to mouse click on another row is a challenge (but I understand the recommendation and appreciate it).

Does anyone else have any other suggestions? hahaha


It sounds like you randomly want to be able to select a row instead of the list being sequential to use.
And you would like to do it with one button push rather than selecting directly for a list one can quickly scroll with the mousewheel and select .
So i assume you know which row to pick just based on a number but don't want 100+ buttons

now how can we tell a button to select a specific number between 1-100+ when there is no function in vMix that can read our mind?

hmm what about a num keypad that sends the digits to a hidden tittle textblock and confirm so a script reads that value and sends the selectrow value for the data source
is only 9 digits shortcuts, a clear and a confirm shortcut (thats all within vmix ) or make something similar with an external app


DWAM  
#6 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 6:57:24 PM(UTC)
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Quote:
now how can we tell a button to select a specific number between 1-100+ when there is no function in vMix that can read our mind?


I still couldn't test myself (too much work to experiment with v24 beta) but DynamicValues might be an option. Have you tried Doggy ?

Alternatively my first thought after reading this thread was to use some PHP to XML (having the googlesheet moved to a real database system like MySQL for ease of use and advanced SQL queries).
mavik  
#7 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 7:24:26 PM(UTC)
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Maybe this is a bit 80's style but I have a speaker list with 200+ rows. I use a stream deck (mid size) and use a folder approach. One button is named speaker and it opens a folder. In that folder I have subfolders for the numbers 0-9, 10-19, 20-29.... So 10 buttons (folders) for 100 numbers. When switching to 0-9 folder I have used the same button alignment for all subfolders and then can quickly access the correct speaker number which brings the lower third up. This way it takes 3 clicks to get to the speaker.
It works for me this way very well.

doggy  
#8 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 7:33:20 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: DWAM Go to Quoted Post
Quote:
now how can we tell a button to select a specific number between 1-100+ when there is no function in vMix that can read our mind?


I still couldn't test myself (too much work to experiment with v24 beta) but DynamicValues might be an option. Have you tried Doggy ?

Alternatively my first thought after reading this thread was to use some PHP to XML (having the googlesheet moved to a real database system like MySQL for ease of use and advanced SQL queries).


No I haven't as so far not seen the explicit functionality of it

but the imo the question here is how to get any value related to the row of the data source , that data or choice has to come from somewhere in the first place and so far its a subjective one based one a selection by the operator
Dominic  
#9 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 8:00:15 PM(UTC)
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HI,

we have a similar setup, but approach it a little differently.

On our Streamdeck we don't use the Vmix shortcut but use the 'System' 'Website' function instead.

Make sure to have the 'Access in background' ticked

Then in the url we would put something like http://192.168.1.200:8088/api/?Function=DataSourceNextRow&value=GoogleSheets,Sheet1

We use a fixed IP as this streamdeck is accessing vmix across our LAN (Another benifit of this setup), you can just use Localhost or 127.0.0.1 if you IP is dynamic.

Doing it this way you would not need to have any shortcuts setup up in Vmix, far easier to setup and the bit I love is that the move or copy and paste of buttons on the stream deck works great.

Hope that makes some sense...
doggy  
#10 Posted : Sunday, November 22, 2020 8:17:16 PM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: Dominic Go to Quoted Post


Then in the url we would put something like http://192.168.1.200:8088/api/?Function=DataSourceNextRow&value=GoogleSheets,Sheet1



we do that ot a lot for using the streamdeck instead of linking it to a shortcut in vMix , but the function is the same

Op question is how to select a specific row between 1-100+ without using 100+ buttons ;-) as it appears his selecting form the source is not sequentially

Dominic  
#11 Posted : Monday, November 23, 2020 12:01:10 AM(UTC)
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Hey Doggy,

I get what your saying, however in his original post he states,

1) This is super tedious
2) I'm going to run out of buttons that can be shortcuts at a certain point.
3) It gets confusing to say JoystickPadUp = DatataSourceSelectRow (Google Sheets,Sheet1,97)

So what I was suggesting removes the tediousness of creating a shortcut within Vmix then linking the streamdeck to it. Also the fact that he would run out of buttons for shortcuts. I didn't think he has an issue with buttons on the stream deck, just the buttons that shortcuts can be assigned to.

Obviously the code i was using in my function was DataSourceNextRow, but this can be changed to DatataSourceSelectRow
doggy  
#12 Posted : Monday, November 23, 2020 2:04:31 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: Dominic Go to Quoted Post
Hey Doggy,

I get what your saying, however in his original post he states,

1) This is super tedious
2) I'm going to run out of buttons that can be shortcuts at a certain point.
3) It gets confusing to say JoystickPadUp = DatataSourceSelectRow (Google Sheets,Sheet1,97)

So what I was suggesting removes the tediousness of creating a shortcut within Vmix then linking the streamdeck to it. Also the fact that he would run out of buttons for shortcuts. I didn't think he has an issue with buttons on the stream deck, just the buttons that shortcuts can be assigned to.

Obviously the code i was using in my function was DataSourceNextRow, but this can be changed to DatataSourceSelectRow



Regardless of how tedious (obviously) , how many buttons or shortcuts or alike, the whole idea is not a logical approach in order to select a random row in a table, it will never ever involve a single action.

if scrolling and selecting or typing in a number is to hard then one has to rethink the whole approach and try to find some logic into organizing the data or way of selection no matter how its triggered . IMO it's not the shortcut or function defining that is the issue (tedious).

Would be better for the OP to give more (correct) details (100 rows versus 100 datasource ;-) ) in what the goal is and related
Dominic  
#13 Posted : Monday, November 23, 2020 2:37:39 AM(UTC)
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Hey Doggy,

I thinks it is just that we are reading his original post differently.

I didn't think that he wanted to randomly select a row, more so select a specific row. (Hence why NextRow would not be an option). I also read that he was finding the process of setting up a shortcut then linking it to the sreamdeck tedious, so my option would assist with that. He was happy to have a button to press to access the required row, however using the shortcut method he was potentially going to run out of keys.





doggy  
#14 Posted : Monday, November 23, 2020 2:51:51 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: Dominic Go to Quoted Post


I didn't think that he wanted to randomly select a row, more so select a specific row. (Hence why NextRow would not be an option). I also read that he was finding the process of setting up a shortcut then linking it to the sreamdeck tedious, so my option would assist with that. He was happy to have a button to press to access the required row, however using the shortcut method he was potentially going to run out of keys.



random or specific , same difference . it's not a sequential choice

It's not even a Streamdeck issue , its getting a selection for the row value that is needed before you can do a shortcut , webrequest or even a script

in basic form streamdeck can let you trigger a existing vMix shortcut (hotkey)(advantage is one can still use the regular keyboard too ) or defined to a button directly with the vMix plugin, or can do webrequest (website). difference is for the latter the vMix GUI does not have to be active. but if one is not able to feed it a row indication one will end up with as many ways to press something as there are rows

Of course one could use a streamdeck to act like a num keypad that sends the function upon confirming if the keyboard itself is not an option or scroll through the table and select ;-)

Many ways to skin a cat with vMix ;-) but i would like to know what OP's criteria is for selecting a specific row (a player's shirt number maybe ?)
Vince Beck  
#15 Posted : Monday, November 23, 2020 3:16:19 AM(UTC)
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Here's a template I made a while back that let's you select a row in Google sheets and populate the top row. That way someone else can handle it.

https://docs.google.com/...MzoZ8c9ZyThCi6yjS2o/copy
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