[dorkbotpdx-blabber] Rotary Encoder Workshop at Open Lab Tomorrow? + Arduino MIDI Library

[Hans Lindauer]

Hi All,

I have this idea to make a controller for my CAD software.  For my day 
job, I spend all day long using keypress combinations to select points 
and nudge them around in virtual 3-D space, and I've finally come up 
with a Better Way, which is to use rotary encoders to initiate the 
keypresses.  For example, one pair of encoders could be used to change 
the row and column to select a point, and another could be used to move 
that point in and out normal to the surface.  This will make everything 
a lot faster and more intuitive.

I'm wondering if anyone who's planning on coming tomorrow has experience 
with rotary encoders, and could give me and whoever else is interested a 
short tutorial about the various types of encoders, the choice of 
outputs, incremental vs. absolute, etc.  I was looking around in 
Digikey, and once again there are an overwhelming number of choices.

I'd also like to know methods to get the encoders' output into a 
microcontroller, and eventually I'll need to be able to get the 
microcontroller to tell the computer to execute the keystrokes, which I 
have a feeling is going to be the most difficult part.

I had originally wanted to use a standard MIDI knob box for this 
purpose, but I think building custom hardware or hacking a MIDI box to 
gain access to the encoder data is going to be better in the long run, 
since MIDI boxes in their native mode seem to want to put out 0-127 and 
then stop transmitting, whereas I'm going to need endless encoders.

So if anybody out there wants to share their knowledge, either at the 
workshop, at a meeting, or on-list, please let me know.

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Also, I'm planning on using the time tomorrow to try to move my MIDI LED 
box code over to using the Arduino MIDI library, so if anybody else 
wants to team up on that task, I'll be getting my feet wet and will 
probably need some help in the most rudimentary library implementation 
since I'm still a beginning programmer.

In exchange, I can share what I've learned about powering and 
controlling hi-powered LEDs.

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Thanks,
-Hans