How to make trigger key to work outside of character animator

[Laousom]

Hi I am trying to outuput my puppet of Character Animator to OBS using NDI.

(Using NDI or not does not matter, that's not the one making the problem)

I assigned my puppet to shake his hand when I push the X button. I want my puppet to move his hand whenever I press the "X" button regard of any application.

I press the X button to make my puppet to shake his hand on desktop or on chrome but nope it doesn't work,

my puppet does not shake his hand. He uniquely shakes his hand when I press the "X" button on Character Animator's window...

So what I want to say is that Adobe Character Animator only detects the trigger key pressed on Adobe Character Animator's window. It does not detect the key pressed outside of Adobe Character Animator's window.

Anyone having a good solution, or any Tips ?

Regard of my stupidity If there is no solution or if this function is not implemented yet I want Adobe to implement "Detect Key outside of Adobe Character Animator" features on future updates.

[RamsterUK]

I don't have a solution for you however I am facing the same dilemma as I wish to stream using my puppet but have it autorun triggers at intervals say once every 5 minutes, I have thought of a way in which it could be done. The idea involves using an Auto Keyboard application to press the trigger key in the background however this is where I am currently struggling despite getting very close with one application, in particular, I cannot find one that I can set an interval time and run multiple instances so I can maybe set 3 or 4 triggers, I know something must exist to achieve this as I have seen others doing what I presume is similar.

Like I say I know it doesn't answer your question however by having something able to run a predetermined keystroke on an inactive window even with another set command i.e. F12 runs Z you may achieve what you are looking for considering some auto keyboards work on inactive windows.

For anyone else that may stumble upon this any help or direction would be appreciated.

[Laousom]

Thank you for your opinion. I once thought the same but I gave up using that method because it'll make things much more complicated and  I am pretty sure there are easier ways (but I don't know how to do that haha...)

Somebody can lay us a hand maybe ? : l

[alank99101739]

Midi events will go to Character Animator even if the window does not have focus. That is the only way I know of. Get a midi device, hook its buttons/keys up to triggers, and away you go! (I liked the idea of foot pedals myself - keeping hands free to play game or whatever you are streaming. I just searched on Amazon - there are ones with adjustable levels, or just a series of buttons, etc)

[Laousom]

Thank you for your suggestion Alank ! I also once thought that maybe MIDI input might solve this problem but I did not dare trying that one because of 2 reasons.

1.I was not sure of it and if I buy Midi inputs and if it doesn't work = > Waste of money

2.MIDI pedals products didn't have enought number of pedals to link to all of my triggers.

I saw 1~5ish pedals but wait, I have a question related to this one you said "there are ones with adjustable levels, or just a series of buttons, etc)" do you mean that by adjusting the pressure of a single pedal I can link it to 2,3 triggers ?

Light pressure -> Trigger 1 

Medium pressure - > Trigger 2

Strong pressure - >Trigger 3

Like this ?

But now I know that MIDI input is the only solution ATM I think I gotta get some MIDI Device. Could you suggest me some product please ? I'll need a midi device linkable to at least 15triggers. (I haven't searched carefully but I haven't seen a product with 15pedals or It was so much expencive)

I am thinking of this "Elgato Stream deck" but since it's not a midi input It would not work right ? hmmmm

[alank99101739 · Accepted solution]

Definitely needs to be a MIDI device. I would suggest trying to find a friend with a portable keyboard that supports MIDI. You can try it out without spending $, then proceed from there.

The number of triggers you need is a question of course. If you need a lot, foot pedals would be a pain anyway. You might want something more like a button box. https://www.midifighter.com/#64 ? (I have never used one) https://www.guitarcenter.com/Novation/Launchpad-Mini-MK3-1500000299403.gc?source=4WWMWXGL&storeCode=... ? That one is 64 buttons for $100 from Guitar center.

I was thinking about this device myself: Behringer FCB1010 Ultra-Flexible MIDI Foot Controller with 2 Expression Pedals and MIDI Merge Function https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CZ0RK6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_s1IkEbC4YPGZS. The pedals can be hooked up to slider controls (e.g. rotation of a hand). No, it cannot generate different triggers. (Well, actually it can - I wrote a program that took MIDI inputs and based on thresholds turned into trigger events - but it was not shareable and not sure where the code is now. And too hard to control.)

Note: I did not buy any MIDI devices in the end - I had a keyboard that can do MIDI, so I just used that. I more tinker than do anything serious to be honest. I tried using the keyboard as foot pedals, but it was not great - I could not coordinate the pedals very well without looking, so buttons on the desk probably were the way to go.

The most interesting was using HTC Vive (VR Headset) trackers. Put them on your wrists and convert movements into MIDI events. That was the easiest to control, but a pain because the HTC Vive is set up in another room from my computer. So I played, then dropped the project. https://youtu.be/ovXXki5kWu4 But it was fun doing! 😉

[Laousom]

Thank you for fast reply haha.

After replying I also did some researches and I watched your video it is great and I might try that one later (but atm my puppet does not need real time hand control yet)

If I had one midi device like you do, it would be great to save some bucks but unfortunately I don't have a midi device yet 😞 so I need to buy one. Refering to my researches and your comment this is what I am thinking/considering now

1.Pedal is good because as you said our hand can be free !

But there arent 5+pedals and there are pedals with buttons but buttons aren't easy to be pressed with feets so it is sad but I'll skip on this one

2.Launchpads are good but they have too much of buttons

Better to have more than missing some buttons but 64 buttons are really too much.

It's going to be dizzzy. I've searched launchpad with less buttons but I haven't found 24,32,48.

It's 16 or 64. I think 16is not going to be enough for the future purposes.

3.So I am considering this atm

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004M8UZG0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

25key Korg nanokey2 25is going to be fairly enough for my need.

Again,thank you for contributing your knowledge to commnunity and helping me 🙂 I think I got my answer (Not 100% exactly answer but it somehow solve my issue)

[MikeJar]

I know this is 4 years later, but I had this same problem and seem to have solved it another way.

I bought a simple USB keypad, installed AutoHotKey scripting language, and use HIDmacros to execute the AutoHotKey scripts.

It sounds complicated, but it's actually quite simple.

The script I made saves the active window to a variable, switches to Character Animator, simulates the button press, then switches back to the previously active window. I have to play games in borderless window mode, but it works with minimal drawbacks.

This answer was the clearest response I've seen though, confirming that MIDI devices can work outside of Character Animator. So my next step might be to get a mouse with a numberpad on the side, and see if I can simulate MIDI notes with that so I don't have to move my hand and can more reliably trigger things outside of Character Animator (while gaming, etc)

[Seyfert]

Hey, mind sharing a guide how to do it? i got a second keyboard i can use and don´t want to buy an expensive Midi device that might not even work.

Would really appreciate it thx

[MikeJar]

Hey Seyfert!

You bet, I'll try to help. It's easiest if you have a bit of coding experience, but you don't need it.
I couldn't find a way to do what I needed with HIDMacros alone, so I had to learn some AutoHotKey scripting language, which is very simple as far as coding goes.

A) Install AutoHotKey and Create your Scripts
1. Download & Install AutoHotKey from here: https://www.autohotkey.com/ 

2. Once you have it installed, it doesn't need to run. It allows you to run .ahk files, and compile .ahk files to .exe if you prefer.
3. Create your scripts - you can use Visual Studio Code to create / edit scripts if you use that free coding app.
If not, you can use notepad.

The script:

#SingleInstance
#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

/* Character Animator trigger script */

; Save the active window to a variable for later
x := WinActive("A") 

; Switch to Character Animator
WinActivate "Adobe Character Animator 2024"

; Send simulated keystroke (Change to your trigger button set in Character Animator)
Send "0"

; Return to initial active window
WinActivate(x)

; Exit Script
return

B) Install HIDmacros from https://www.hidmacros.eu/download.php
- The benefit of HIDmacros is that it easily identifies between different devices / keyboards, so you can set a key on a second keyboard and not have it interfere with your main keyboards functionality.

C) Set your Macros in HIDmacros

1. Click New (Under Macros) & Name it

2. Click "Scan" and tap the button you want to be the trigger

3. Select "run application" under action, and you will target your script file which we created above.

The limitation of this method is that it's actually switching the active window, and simulating a keyboard press, then switching back. It's usually very fast but not instant. With a Midi Device, Character Animator listens universally, regardless of which application is open.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask for more clarification 

[jaw2943625212si]

The stream deck will work as a midi output you just need to get a program called loopmidi....

how you set it up is: open loopmidi it should have a default loop port even two (more about that later)..if you are using your stream deck get the midi plugin from market place..then in the midi option on stream deck drag note on/off to your buttons..inside the options under "keys" whatever number you set make sure it's the same in both drop down tabs eg 60, 60...now further down you will see "midi out port" set that to loopmidi port and "midi port in" to loopmidi port 1...then inside character animator where you set the keybinding for triggers right at the bottom next to the latch tickbox should be a box that says " midi note" click in that then hit your stream deck button and whatever number/note you set eg. 60 should appear....you might notice that you have to hit the button twice to get it to work sometimes...hopefully that helps you.