companion-module-digico-s31/companion/HELP.md

DiGiCo S-Series (S21 / S31): control and iPad relay

This connection does two things:

1. Controls the console over OSC. On connect it asks the console what it has (inputs, busses, matrix outputs, control groups, graphic EQs, snapshots) and builds its dropdowns, variables and presets from the live names. Faders, mutes, solos, pans, aux sends, group assigns, matrix sends, control groups, graphic EQs, per-channel switches (phantom, EQ in, filters, inserts ...) and snapshots are covered, with feedbacks, variables, rotary-encoder presets and input meters.
2. Relays the DiGiCo iPad app. An S-Series console talks to exactly one iPad at a time. Companion takes that slot and the iPad apps connect to this computer instead; everything an app sends is forwarded to the console unchanged, and everything the console sends is copied to every app, so several iPads can be used together with Companion.

Console setup (once, at the surface)

Main Menu, Extensions > iPad:

Console field	Value
iPad IP address	the computer running Companion
Send port (console to this computer)	this connection's Local receive port (default 9000)
Receive port (this computer to the console)	this connection's Console receive port (default 8000)
iPad connection	enabled

The console sends every reply and every change to that one IP address and Send port, never to the port a query came from. That is why the connection binds a fixed local port.

iPad app setup

In the DiGiCo S app, for every iPad:

iPad field	Value
Console IP	the computer running Companion, not the console
Send port	this connection's Relay port (default 8000)
Receive port	this connection's iPad receive port (default 9000)

An iPad that stays quiet for Forget an iPad after seconds (0 = never) is dropped from the fan-out list, and at most 16 are kept. $(label:relay_clients) shows how many are live. Changing only the idle timeout, the iPad receive port or Debug logging does not interrupt the relay or the console link; changing the relay port reopens the relay and keeps the list of iPads. If the relay port is already in use the connection shows the warning "iPad relay: port N in use" and tries again every 10 seconds (a console-link port that cannot be bound shows a connection failure and is retried the same way). Other controllers share the console through the relay, and anything they change reaches this module too, so feedbacks follow moves made on the surface or on an iPad.

Settings

Setting	Default	Meaning
Console IP		The console's address
Console receive port	8000	UDP port the module sends to
Local receive port	9000	UDP port the module listens on (the console's Send port)
Enable iPad relay	on	Turns the relay on
Relay port	8000	Where iPad apps send
iPad receive port	9000	Where relayed console traffic goes (0 = the app's own source port)
Forget an iPad after	3600 s	Idle time before an iPad is dropped (0 = never; an iPad that only watches sends nothing). At most 16 iPads are kept; the least recently seen is dropped first
Debug logging	off	Logs every new address pattern once and all traffic at debug level

What it discovers

On every connect (and on the Reload action, and automatically after the console was silent for 20 seconds and comes back) the module asks for the console name, the matrix, control group and graphic EQ counts, the buss types and modes, every name, the session name, the snapshot list, and the fader, mute, solo and pan of everything that answered. The console does not answer the input and buss counts, so an entity exists when its name answered; entities that never answer are hidden from dropdowns, variables and presets. Dropdown entries read 1 · KICK In, 24 · Monitors (group), 3 · Message · cue 4. When a name, a buss mode or the snapshot list changes, the definitions are rebuilt a moment later. Sends, group assigns, matrix sends, graphic EQ gains and the per-channel switches are not bulk-loaded: each is read the first time a button or action needs it.

The 25 busses are each an aux or a group, according to /Console/Aux_Outputs/types (1 = aux, 0 = group). Aux busses take sends (level, on, pan); group busses take input assigns. A buss's fader, mute and solo are on the Aux_Outputs or Group_Outputs side that matches its mode.

Actions

Level actions take dB (-inf at the bottom of the number field). Every level has a set and a relative adjust version for rotary encoders; adjusting from -inf lands at -60 dB on the first step up. Toggles read the current state first when it is not known yet.

Group	Actions
Inputs	mute, solo (several inputs at once), fader set/adjust, pan set/adjust, set name
Aux sends	on/off, level set/adjust, pan set/adjust
Groups	assign input on/off
Busses	mute, solo (several), fader set/adjust
Matrix	output mute, fader set/adjust; matrix send on/off, level set/adjust
Control groups	mute, solo, fader set/adjust
Graphic EQ	in/out, band gain set/adjust (bands 1-32)
Channel strip	per input and per buss: phantom, phase, pad, EQ in, compressor in, gate in, high-pass in, low-pass in, delay in, insert A/B in (on/off); trim (-40 to +40 dB), analog gain (0 to 60 dB), filter frequencies (20 to 20000 Hz) (set/adjust; trim also on matrix outputs)
Snapshots	fire (pick from the list or type an index), next, previous
Console	reload, raw OSC, relay: forget all iPads

The channel-strip values are what the console reports (trim and gain in dB, filters in Hz). In the console's own naming lo_filter is the high-pass filter and hi_filter the low-pass filter; the actions are named for what they do. Delay times and the send pre/post fader switch are not offered: their units and meaning were never verified.

Encoders and writes. Every write updates the module's state at once, so a fast encoder turn accumulates. For 0.4 seconds after the last write to a value, a different value arriving for it is treated as a late echo of an earlier step and ignored; then one query confirms what the console has. The snapshot Fire action sends the snapshot's list position (0 = the first); verify it once on your console before using it live.

Macros: the console never answered a macro query, so there is no macro action. If your console supports it, the Send raw OSC action can send /Macros/Buttons/press with an integer argument (0-255).

Feedbacks

• Boolean (button colour): input muted / solo, aux send on, group assigned, buss muted / solo, matrix muted, control group muted, snapshot is current, fader level above/below a threshold, send level above/below, console link alive, relay has an iPad, every channel-strip switch above, and the meter feedbacks below.
• Value (use with a preset's local variable to put live numbers in button text): input fader, input pan, send level, send On/Off, buss / matrix / control group fader, current snapshot name, input meter value.
• Advanced bars: input fader, aux send level and buss fader draw a horizontal bar along the bottom of the button (-60 to +10 dB); the input meter draws a vertical bar at the right edge (green, amber, red).

Variables

input_N_name|fader|mute|pan, buss_N_name|mode|stereo|fader|mute, matrix_N_name|fader|mute, cg_N_name|fader|mute (only for entities that exist), snapshot_index|name|cue|count, console_name, session_name, connected, relay_clients, relay_client_ips and last_change. Use them as $(label:input_1_name) with the connection's label. There are no per-send variables: use the value feedbacks.

Presets

Presets are named with the live entity names and rebuilt when names load.

Preset group	What the buttons do
Inputs: Mute	One button per input; red when muted
Inputs: Fader (knob)	Rotary: turn = fader -/+1 dB, press = mute; shows name and dB, with a level bar
Inputs: Solo	One button per input
Busses	Master mute, and master fader knob (turn = fader, press = mute) per named buss
Sends to aux name	One section per named aux buss: per input an On/off button (green when on, shows the level) and a Level (knob) (turn = send level, press = on/off, with a bar)
Group group name	One section per named group buss: per input an Assign toggle, green when assigned
Matrix, Control groups	Mute and fader knob per output / group
Snapshots	Fire per snapshot (green when current), next, previous, current (display)
Input meters	Level, gate gain reduction and compressor gain reduction buttons per input
Console	Reload, connection status, relay status

Busses and control groups with no name are unused slots and get no presets. If the preset list would exceed 3000 entries or 4 MB, the per-input send level knobs are left out and a warning is logged.

Meters

Input meters are subscribed on the console the first time a meter feedback renders (ids start at 5000 so they never collide with an iPad's). The console then streams values 0-127 several times a second; the module re-checks the meter feedbacks at most 10 times a second. Level is the post-fader input meter; gate and compressor gain reduction are the two reduction meters. There is no known buss meter address, so busses have no meters. The console keeps one subscription table: an iPad connecting clears it (/Meters/clear), and the module re-subscribes half a second after it sees that pass through the relay. Two iPads watching different banks both receive the mixed stream. The module never sends /Meters/clear itself.

Troubleshooting

• No reply from the console. The console only answers to the iPad IP address and Send port set on the console. Check them, and that nothing else on this computer owns the local receive port.
• Dropdowns show generic names. The load has not finished or the console did not answer the names; press Reload. The log shows load complete with the counts when it is done.
• Something changed on the console is not shown. Press Reload after a session change; sends and per-channel values are only read when first needed.
• Debug logging lists every new address pattern once (Connections log), so touching a control on the surface shows its address; $(label:last_change) shows the last change reported.

Protocol (condensed)

A query is the address plus /? with no argument; the reply is the same address without /?. All 0/1 switches are reported as floats but written as integers 0/1; levels, sends and pans are floats. Numbers are 1-based, snapshot indexes 0-based.

Address	Reply	Notes
/Console/Name	s	also the keepalive (every 5 s)
/Console/{Matrix_Outputs,Matrix_Inputs,Control_Groups,Graphic_EQ}	i	counts that answer
/Console/{Input_Channels,Aux_Outputs,Group_Outputs}	i	pushed once after first contact, never answered
/Console/Aux_Outputs/types	25 x i	1 = aux, 0 = group
/Console/{Aux_Outputs,Group_Outputs,Input_Channels}/modes	i per buss / input	2 = stereo, 1 = mono
/Console/Session/Filename	s
/Input_Channels/N/Channel_Input/name, /Aux_Outputs/N/Buss_Trim/name, /Group_Outputs/N/Buss_Trim/name, /Matrix_Outputs/N/Buss_Trim/name, /Control_Groups/N/name, /Graphic_EQ/N/name	s	matrix inputs have no name address
/{Input_Channels,Aux_Outputs,Group_Outputs,Matrix_Outputs,Control_Groups}/N/{fader,mute,solo}	f	fader in dB, -150 = -inf
/Input_Channels/N/Panner/pan	f	0..1, 0.5 = centre
/Input_Channels/N/Aux_Send/M/{send_level,send_on,send_pan}	f
/Input_Channels/N/Group_Send/M/group	f
/Matrix_Inputs/N/Matrix_Send/M/{send_level,send_on}	f
/Graphic_EQ/N/{geq_in,geq_gain_1..32}	f
/Input_Channels/N/{Channel_Input,Filters,Channel_Delay,EQ,Dynamics,Insert}/... and the buss equivalents	f	the channel-strip switches and values above
/Snapshots/Current_Snapshot, /Snapshots/count	i
/Snapshots/names	one /Snapshots/name iiis per snapshot: index, cue x 100, ?, name
/Snapshots/Fire_Snapshot_number, /Snapshots/Fire_Next_Snapshot, /Snapshots/Fire_Prev_Snapshot	none	write-only int
/Input_Channels/N/Channel_Input/post_meter, /Input_Channels/N/Dynamics/GR_meter	none	send ,ii [id, kind] (kind 1 level and gate, 4 compressor) to subscribe
/Meters/values	ii...	pushed pairs [id, value], value 0..127
/Meters/clear	none	clears every subscription on the console; sent by iPad apps, never by this module