PixiLang 3.5 arrives, but this has pretty big implications when you think about it

So here's what's new in PixiLang v3.5 (17 aug 2014):

• experimental camera support (for iOS, Android and Linux); API is unstable now; check the camera.pixi example for more details;
• additional parameter (optional) flags has been added to copy();
• additional parameter (optional) offset (write/read offset in bytes) has been added to fgets(), fwrite() and fread();
• additional parameter (optional) max_xsize has been added to print(), get_text_xsize() and get_text_ysize();
• new flag for the copy(): COPY_NO_AUTOROTATE (don't rotate pixels from GL_SCREEN);
• type DYNAMIC has been removed;
• flags parameter has been added to the thread_create() function; now only one flag available - THREAD_FLAG_AUTO_DESTROY;
• new container flag: GL_NO_ALPHA;
• new data processing operations for the op_cn(): OP_H_INTEGRAL and OP_V_INTEGRAL (running sum), OP_H_DERIVATIVE and OP_V_DERIVATIVE (first difference), OP_H_FLIP and OP_V_FLIP, OP_SUM;
• new function: gl_bind_framebuffer();
• new function: rotate() for rotating the container;
• new function: copy_and_resize();
• new function: get_system_log();
• new sound examples: input_to_output, input_visualizer;
• new graphics examples: camera, filtering.motion_blur2, integral_and_derivative, rotate_container, flip, copy_and_resize, save_avi_mjpeg;
• new OpenGL examples: texture, render_to_texture;
• bugs fixed.

But if you think about it this is a pretty amazing thing. Alex created PixiLang and has used it to bring us a load of other amazing creative tools. I'm not sure I actually know of any other developer who created their own language to make mobile music tools. It's incredible actually.

A new Processing App for Android

A new app on Google Play for writing and running processing sketches on your Android device. Here's the app's description:

IDE for developing and viewing Processing sketches.

See processingjs.org and processing.org for more details about ProcessingJS/Processing.

Features:

• Run the sketch in-app
• Syntax highlighting
• Code tidy-up/indent
• Code keyboard with visibility toggle
• Open/Save sketches on SDCard
• Download remote sketches
• Share code with other applications
• New sketch opens with basic template

For 3D/WebGL sketches make sure you have Firefox installed and choose 'Launch sketches in external browser' in the Options screen, then when running the sketch choose Firefox and select Always.

ArduinoDroid - Introduction

ArduinoDroid - Arduino IDE for Android

Features:

• open/edit arduino sketches
• example sketches and libraries included
• code syntax highlighting
• compile sketches (no root required)
• upload sketches (FTDI-based board and Arduino Uno are supported at this time only, * android devices with USB-host support required)
• works offline (internet connection is not required)

On first launch ArduinoDroid downloads and extracts SDK (about 30Mb), so about 100Mb on sdcard is required.

Procoding updates with some great new features

Processing and JavaScript app Procoding updates in a big way:

New Features

• Resource Manager to add photos, sounds, fonts, html-snippets, css, scripts, js-libraries, external classes and other media files to sketches
• iCloud Sync across all your iOS Devices
• Export sketches as .js, .pde or as HTML5 project folder (that will run as standalone webapp in most modern browsers!)
• Make screenshots (export to documents or save to camera roll)
• Import and export sketches & screenshots from and to iTunes File Sharing
• You can now use your own templates for new documents by adding a file "default.js" or "default.pde" to your Documents folder (via iTunes sharing or export as js/pde)
• Share & print sketches (iOS 6 only)

Improvements

• Procoding is now just Procoding. New design theme…
• Many internal changes including the new Procoding .pro document file format (see note below)**
• New coverflow-like document overview on iPad
• New document organizing buttons in the iPhone/iPod landscape coverflow view
• JS Checker is now using JSHint and has been improved visually
• Use a customized version of processingjs by adding a file "processing.js" to your Documents folder via iTunes sharing*

Changes

• Procoding now has its own document file format. See notes below
• Sketch covers can now be preserved from being changed individually ("lock cover"). The general preference to lock cover screenshots has been removed. There's an option to lock the current cover in the canvas action menu
• On the iPhone & iPod the keyboard button has been moved to the new canvas action menu

What I need is something like ViziBasic for PixiLang

Wouldn't that be awesome? If you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about then don't worry. I'm not going mad.

ViziBasic was (is) a visual editor for a BASIC language for the Palm OS. It let you create apps for Palm OS on the device, including compiling them. So wouldn't it be amazing if you could have something like that for iOS or probably more likely for Android that could be used with PixiLang which has some awesome sound generating possibilities.

Just a thought. Alex, if you're reading this, what do you think?

Pythonista, yep, it's Python on your iPad

Another programming language comes to the iPad. Here's the app description:

Pythonista brings the Zen of Python™ to your iPad.

Create interactive experiments and prototypes using multi-touch, animations, and sound – or just use the interactive prompt as a very powerful calculator.

Pythonista is also a great tool for learning Python – The interactive prompt helps you explore the language with code completion, the entire documentation is accessible right within the app and you can get started with lots of ready-to-run examples.


Features:

• Full-featured code editor with syntax highlighting and basic code completion
• Extended keyboard, designed specifically for Python
• Interactive prompt with code completion and history
• Complete documentation with quick lookup directly from the editor
• Multiple color themes for syntax highlighting
• Includes most of the standard library and additional modules for graphics and sound
• Lots of examples included

The app is priced at $5.49.

Pd Extended on a Raspberry Pi

So I may have answered my previous question around musical applications of the Raspberry Pi. Here's how to build Pd Extended on the Raspberry Pi!

GlitchMachine Upgrade

P5JSSketch gets updated

P5JSSketch gets updated to version 1.1

• iPhone/iPad universal application.
• New gestures.
• More import/export feature.
• Brows and preview other resource. (Images and Texts)
• File name suggestion.
• More import/export option.
• Japanese Help.
• Bug Fixes

And the price has gone back up to $1.99.

Glitch Machine 1.1 arrives

Here's what's in version 1.1:

• Interactive controls in the form of two XY pads/sliders, and eight code preset trigger pads. Along with these comes new input variables (x, y, u and v).
• FAST FORWARD and REWIND controls, so you can scrub through your glitchtune in forward and reverse at various speeds.
• PAUSE control for the expression, and combined with the FF and RW buttons, you can now single-step through your expression's wave output in both forward and reverse.
• Fullscreen visualizations, and transparent overlay modes for all screens, so you never have to be apart from the funky waves.
• Multiple named session saving, so you can set it up just how you like for performance
• Extra MUTATE button so you can mutate code and numbers separately.
• New screen navigation methods

Bitwiz Audio Synth gets some love

I like this app, you can tell as it's my app of the week right now, and it just got a cool little update. Here's what's new:

• Separate library into: user code, factory code, recordings
• Group user code library by date with colors
• New icons
• Added more factory presets
• Improve help text
• Support older devices
• Use external twitter app on iOS 4.x
• Bugfixes and minor tweaks

So, even more reasons to love it!

PR0C0D1N6 for iOS

This isn't a music app, but it is something that I think will appeal to a few readers. PR0C0D1N6 is a code app that works with Processing JS and has just been updated. Here's what's new:


Version 2.0 extends PR0C0D1N6 with JavaScript/HTML5-Canvas sketches and comes with a ridiculous huge offline documentation on JavaScript, HTML5 and new JS APIs - and a new as-you-type syntax checker for JS sketches. This version is an important step to improve PR0C0D1N6's capabilities and code structure and will lead the way for more feature packed updates.

I think that this is going to be a really interesting app as it develops, and if mobile code is something you're interested in then it is worth taking a look at.

Glitch Machine basic demo video

With Glitch Machine 1.1 on the way here's a video from the developer on what the current version does.

Glitch Machine 1.1 en route

Great to hear that another code based app is due another update. Glitch machine 1.1 is on the way, and you can find all the details here.

P5JSSketch on sale

Ok, this is a little off topic I guess, but I know there will be a few people who are interested in this app. It is a processing JS app for writing processing sketches on the go. It is an iPhone / Touch app at the moment, and the 1.1 version has just been submitted, at which point the price goes up from $0.99 to $1.99.

Thought you might be interested to know. It's a lot of fun too if you like messing around with processing.

The Joy that is BitWiz Audio Synth

I've been playing with this app on and off for a few days now, and it is amazingly good fun. Or rather, I should say, if you're interested in making noises from simple fragments of code, then it is a lot of fun. I've really enjoyed using this app. It's a universal and you can audio copy out your work as well.

I especially like that you can share your code from the app via twitter and other means too, that's a nice touch, as is the randomise feature, which gives you some random noise making code from just a swipe.

I think I'm going to do a round up of these code based music making apps soon. I think I probably have most of them, but if there are any that you think I should cover, then please let me know.




iPads at the Apple Store

More from Pete Cole on reducing Audio Latency in Android

Pete's last post on the subject seemed to spark some good debate, so I hope this will too.

You can read his post here.

CTRL: London MHD Hack

This was a great hack from a couple of guys from Reactifymusic. It was one that I was most impressed with. Even though it wasn't entirely mobile music creation it was a really clever hack and use of Pd and mobile devices.

I'd really like to see this one developed further.

CTRL at the MHD Wiki.

Codify changes to Codea

The lua code app changes it's name in the latest version and boasts a really big update on the next version.

Codify changing name to Codea

Some may remember that I posted about this coding app a while back. Well it's changing it's name from Codify to Codea and getting an update too as per this forum post. Also it seems to have a really active community there too.