BMTP Key Strokes Not Working in Ableton Pop Up Window

Bome Products
1

I want to be able to open various Ableton .als files using a MIDI controller. I have set BMTP to open specific files with specific MIDI CC# input from my controller, which works. However, when opening a new file, a popup window occurs in Ableton asking whether I want to save unchanged changes. I would like to be able to hit ‘left, left, enter’ on my MIDI controller to select ‘don’t save’ and move forward with opening the next file. I have used BMTP to map the ‘left’ and ‘enter’ key strokes, but they do not work on this Ableton pop up window. They work in all other contexts (within and outside Ableton), and the physical ‘left’ and ‘enter’ keys on my keyboard work for this pop up window. It is only in this context with my MIDI controller via BMTP that this is not working. Any guidance is appreciated.

2

Hi and welcome to the Bome community!

Have you tried to set an outgoing action to focus Ableton Live prior to sending the keystroke? In many cases, only the focused application actually receives a keystroke.

If a keystroke doesn’t work and the popup allways shows up in a fixed location, you might also be able to use a mouse click to the given location.

Maybe if you share the project file, I can find something else that works. Are you on Windows or Mac?

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
3

Thanks, Steve, for the speedy and helpful response! Unfortunately, I couldn’t get either of your suggestions to solve this issue. Oddly, if I wait two minutes (no less) after the pop up appears, the key stroke commands work as intended. Does that shed any light on a potential solution? I have used other software to do this in the past, so I’m not convinced it’s an Ableton problem. I am on a Mac.

4

Hi,

The attached seems to work for me as long as Bome MIDI Translator Pro is not focused.

Left-Left-Enter.bmtp (1.3 KB)

You will need to change your MIDI input device to the one that you use and then set up the appropriate MIDI trigger. I’m using my X-Touch MINI.

The first translator handles the incoming trigger and calls “Perform” actions with various delays to use Left and Return for the keystrokes.

Tested in my Mac M4 MINI with Ableton Live 11 Suite.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
5

In case anyone runs into the same issue, I have found the solution:

I was using AppleScript to open the .als files I wanted to switch between. I must have done something weird with the AppleScript as that was interrupting things and causing the delay before other triggers were allowed. When I use the Execute File command to open the files instead, then everything works as expected.

Thank you, Steve, for your help!