README.md
1# RtMidi
2
3[](https://travis-ci.org/thestk/rtmidi)
4
5A set of C++ classes that provide a common API for realtime MIDI input/output across Linux (ALSA & JACK), Macintosh OS X (CoreMIDI & JACK) and Windows (Multimedia).
6
7By Gary P. Scavone, 2003-2019.
8
9This distribution of RtMidi contains the following:
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11- `doc`: RtMidi documentation (also online at http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~gary/rtmidi/)
12- `tests`: example RtMidi programs
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14On Unix systems, type `./configure` in the top level directory, then `make` in the `tests/` directory to compile the test programs. In Windows, open the Visual C++ workspace file located in the `tests/` directory.
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16If you checked out the code from git, please run `./autogen.sh` before `./configure`.
17
18## Overview
19
20RtMidi is a set of C++ classes (`RtMidiIn`, `RtMidiOut`, and API specific classes) that provide a common API (Application Programming Interface) for realtime MIDI input/output across Linux (ALSA, JACK), Macintosh OS X (CoreMIDI, JACK), and Windows (Multimedia Library) operating systems. RtMidi significantly simplifies the process of interacting with computer MIDI hardware and software. It was designed with the following goals:
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22 - object oriented C++ design
23 - simple, common API across all supported platforms
24 - only one header and one source file for easy inclusion in programming projects
25 - MIDI device enumeration
26
27MIDI input and output functionality are separated into two classes, `RtMidiIn` and `RtMidiOut`. Each class instance supports only a single MIDI connection. RtMidi does not provide timing functionality (i.e., output messages are sent immediately). Input messages are timestamped with delta times in seconds (via a `double` floating point type). MIDI data is passed to the user as raw bytes using an `std::vector<unsigned char>`.
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29## Windows
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31In some cases, for example to use RtMidi with GS Synth, it may be necessary for your program to call `CoInitializeEx` and `CoUninitialize` on entry to and exit from the thread that uses RtMidi.
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33## Further reading
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35For complete documentation on RtMidi, see the `doc` directory of the distribution or surf to http://www.music.mcgill.ca/~gary/rtmidi/.
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37## Legal and ethical
38
39The RtMidi license is similar to the MIT License, with the added *feature* that modifications be sent to the developer.
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41 RtMidi: realtime MIDI i/o C++ classes
42 Copyright (c) 2003-2019 Gary P. Scavone
43
44 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person
45 obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files
46 (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction,
47 including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
48 publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software,
49 and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
50 subject to the following conditions:
51
52 The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
53 included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
54
55 Any person wishing to distribute modifications to the Software is
56 asked to send the modifications to the original developer so that
57 they can be incorporated into the canonical version. This is,
58 however, not a binding provision of this license.
59
60 THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
61 EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
62 MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
63 IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR
64 ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF
65 CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
66 WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
67
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