Preferences - Mapping for MIDI Controllers
PFixer includes a vast array of mapping possibilities for controlling Lightroom using MIDI controller:
Included MIDI Maps
The easiest way to get started is with a MIDI controller from Pusher Labs. Our controllers are set up to work with PFixer out of the box. To set up your controller with PFixer, open Preferences:
On the Mapping tab, click the "cog" button , then select MIDI Maps:
When you select your device from the list, all the CC# mappings for that device will be entered into the Preferences Mapping window.
Click the Apply button to save your changes.
Customizing MIDI Mappings
There are two basic types of Lightroom functions that can be assigned to a MIDI controller: sliders and actions.
In Preferences, on the Mapping tab, a complete list of MIDI-assignable sliders and actions are listed:
The first three columns (Continuous MIDI CC#/Run, MIDI CC# Decrease, and MIDI CC# Increase) govern the MIDI CC#s assigned to each slider or action.
Sliders
Sliders have 3 assignable MIDI CC#s each:
Actions
Actions have 1 assignable MIDI CC# each:
Customizing Using the Learn Mode Button
The Learn (Learning) Mode button allows you to assign functions on your MIDI controller without having to memorize which buttons and faders are assigned to what CC numbers. It works by listening to incoming MIDI messages and assigning them to fields in on the Mapping tab automatically.
To use the Learning Mode:
Setting Up Modes
Mode switching provides an innovative and easy way to establish "banks" of controls that perform different functions depending on the selected Mode. For example, this allows you to set a fader to control Exposure in one mode, and Temperature in another mode. This greatly expands the versatility of your MIDI controller and overcomes two limitations:
The settings in PFixer Preferences on the Hardware tab provide a way for the user to designate up to 8 MIDI CC#s to be used to enable Mode switching.
Looking at the above settings taken from the MiniMal controller, CC# 53-56 correspond to buttons 5-8 at the top of the device just under the top row of encoder knobs. When the CC53 button is pressed, PFixer will switch to Mode 1. When the CC54 button is pressed, PFixer will switch to Mode 2, etc.
When making CC# assignments in the Mapping tab, simply prepend the Mode number to the controls' "actual" CC# to make that slider or action function in that mode. Note that Mode 1 simply uses the default MIDI CC numbers 0-127:
Mode 1 = CC1-127
Mode 2 = CC201-299
Mode 3 = CC301-399
Mode 4 = CC401-499
Mode 5 = CC501-599
Mode 6 = CC601-699
Mode 7 = CC701-799
Mode 8 = CC801-899
NOTE: when PFixer is in Modes 2-8, it will listen on the standard MIDI channels and prepend the Mode to the incoming CC# (e.g. CC47 becomes CC647 in Mode 6). If no Lightroom slider or actions is assigned to CC647 it will default back to Mode 1. This allows you to designate certain controls to operate in Mode 1 regardless of the active Mode as long as no other sliders or actions are assigned to the corresponding CC# in another mode.
One example of this style of cascading Mode assignments would be the Previous Photo and Next Photo buttons on the PFixer Panel and Encoder, which always operate in Mode 1.
For Example...
Let's say we want to change the last encoder (CC88) of the PFixer Panel to operate the Sharpening slider when in Mode 1, and the Rotation slider when in Mode 2:
Saving Custom MIDI Maps
Saving your custom MIDI and/or keyboard mappings to use on another computer, to backup for safe keeping, or to share with a colleague is easy.
In Preferences, on the Mapping tab, click the "cog" button and you will see two options to save and load custom mappings:
When you select the Save... menu item, you are presented with a standard OSX save window:
The three checkbox items at the bottom of this page will govern which settings are included in the mappings file:
Include MIDI mappings
If you select this checkbox, all MIDI mappings (inluding Mode mappings and other MIDI-related items on the Hardware tab) will be included in the saved file.
Include keyboard shortcut mappings
If you select this checkbox, all keyboard shortcut mappings will be included in the saved file.
Include Brush, Preset, and Unmappable Menu Item names
If you select this checkbox, all your mapped Brush, Preset, and Unmappable Menu Item names will be included in the saved file. If you intend to share this mappings file with another Lightroom user, do not select this checkbox since they will most likely not have the same presets as you.
Loading Custom MIDI Maps
To load a mappings file you have previously saved as a backup or that another PFixer user has shared with you, simply choose the Load... menu item from the "cog" button menu. Find and choose the mappings file and its mapping contents will be loaded into PFixer.