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Daz Studio, Visual Menus and Elgato Stream Decks.

bshugs1525871bshugs1525871 Posts: 184
edited October 2021 in The Commons

Update:  I've worked with Esemwy to get a working plug-in for Daz Studio and the Elgato Stream Deck.  No keyboard shortcuts.  No workarounds.  See my Post Here for details.

Originally I was going to reply to this thread, but decided to start a new post instead.  I've working on a plug-in for the streamdeck that integrates with Visual Menu by BitWelder.  Basically it reads a Visual Menu's JSON file and then assigns the StreamDeck button's Title and Icon based on the matching Visual Menu Action.  When you press the button on the StreamDeck, the Streamdeck 'presses' the shortuct key for the Visual Menu, tabs over to the correct item and then 'presses' enter.

So, basically, you put the Plug-in on your StreamDeck and give it a file.  It set the action based on that.  If you change the Visual Menu, it updates next time it appears.

I did this because sometimes Visual Menus offers access to features that are hard to code with a StreamDeck and making a menu is easier than assigning custom keyboard shortcuts.

I'm a hobbiest, both at Daz and at programming, so while it's working, it's kinda rough.  If anyone's interested, the github is over here: Windamyre/DazStudioStreamDeckPlugins: Plugins for Daz Studio (github.com)

There are a few limitations at this point:

  • It's for the 'regular' 15-key streamdeck. I plan to expand beyond that soon.
  • Every Visual Menu needs a shortcut key and is limited to letters and numbers.
  • It requires a matching Visual Menu sized the same as the StreamDeck.  There's one for the 15 key in the git repo
  • Installing is entirely manual at this point.  This includes installing the Visual Menu template, compling the source, pointing to the Visual Menu you create burried in your Daz Library.
  • It takes a second for each Button to load when switching Profiles/Folder on the StreamDeck.

I'm plannign to continue working on it.  Some of the things I hope to do in the next few weeks/months are:

  • Exapnd to other StreamDeck models.
  • Automate as much as I can of the install process.
  • Have the Plugin ask only for where your Daz Library is and then populate a pulldown of compatible menus.
  • Improve 'load' speed.

As mentioned, I don't do any of this stuff for a living - I print shirts - so if anyone has any advice, comments, feedback, suggestions, etc. I welcome them.  Feel free to fork my code as long as you point back to me.

Thanks for reading.

Edit: I've been talking with someone who's working on a Daz Plug-in that would work with the StreamDeck directly.  If that works out, it would be better than this solution.

Post edited by bshugs1525871 on

Comments

  • Saxa -- SDSaxa -- SD Posts: 880

    Hi, don't have stream deck but use Visual Menus all the time, for a long time now.

    Looking at photo of streamdeck in other thread, what really is the added benefit of SteamDeck integration with Visual Menus vs just using Visual Menus in DAZ?

    With Visual Menus you can make own grids for your icons how you like. Calling up a grid in front of you with hotkeys (like in blender) is super easy. And latest also allows you to click and end up at DAZ library directory of your choice.  Visual Menus is so powerful already, that I am intrigued what this might add?  Inquiring minds would like to know.  :)

  • bshugs1525871bshugs1525871 Posts: 184

    Saxa -- SD said:

    Hi, don't have stream deck but use Visual Menus all the time, for a long time now.

    Looking at photo of streamdeck in other thread, what really is the added benefit of SteamDeck integration with Visual Menus vs just using Visual Menus in DAZ?

    With Visual Menus you can make own grids for your icons how you like. Calling up a grid in front of you with hotkeys (like in blender) is super easy. And latest also allows you to click and end up at DAZ library directory of your choice.  Visual Menus is so powerful already, that I am intrigued what this might add?  Inquiring minds would like to know.  :)

    lol.  I'm not sure I'm adding anything, to be honest.  I have Visual Menus and have used it a little, though I'm guessing not as extensively as you have.  The StreamDeck is handy as it can run a wide range of functions with some feedback.  The downside is that it can't do much natively with Daz Studio.  I had hoped to address that with a DazStudio plugin that would interact with the StreamDeck in something like a physical Visual Menu for those of us who like that.  The problem was that I'm not good with C++ and figuring out Daz Studio's SDK is even worse than the script.  The hoops I see people jumping through just to set up an IDE gave me headaches.  So I figured I'd try to hook into something I could understand and Visual Studio seemed the way.

    Now I've heard from someone who has the Daz Plugin part figured out, and is working on the StreamDeck side.  I'm hoping to help them and will probably abandon this project if that goes through.

    So what would be the end game?  I'm thinking for those who like the StreamDeck, and perhaps use other features it offers like GPU usage and the like, they'd be able to assign keys to that behave a lot like Visual Menus but without the screen popping up.  The key is there, you press it.  Maybe it even brings up your favorite Visual Menu!

  • WendyLuvsCatzWendyLuvsCatz Posts: 40,167

    I am an outsider looking in not using either but I gather streamers use Elgato to do chat functions etc while gaming controlling OBS and other software so a sort of extra key menu

    so wouldn't you just assign Hotkeys to it under preferences? why would you need visual menus?

  • bshugs1525871bshugs1525871 Posts: 184

    WendyLuvsCatz said:

    I am an outsider looking in not using either but I gather streamers use Elgato to do chat functions etc while gaming controlling OBS and other software so a sort of extra key menu

    so wouldn't you just assign Hotkeys to it under preferences? why would you need visual menus?

    You can, and that's what I've been doing, but I've been searching for something that doesn't require me to hop into the F3 Customization menu and figure out a new keyboard shortcut.  You can also go so far as to work out the keyboard presses needed to get to any menu and use that.

    Basically, I'm just tyring to work out more options.  Everyone has a different workflow and while some people are great with custom keyboard shortcuts, or love the flexiblility Visual Menus offers, some would like better integration between their StreamDeck and Daz Studio.  For me, I have one hand on the mouse and the other on my cheap, second hand Spacemouse.  Switching back to keyboard is something I'm trying to avoid and the StreamDeck offers me the option of quickly hitting one, maybe two, keys and doing what I want.

  • Saxa -- SDSaxa -- SD Posts: 880

    Thanks for info.  You probably know this already, but DAZ is working on upgrading it's QT integration to newer, so all/most? plugins will likely need a rewrite soon(tm).  Good luck with your project.

  • bshugs1525871bshugs1525871 Posts: 184

    Saxa -- SD said:

    Thanks for info.  You probably know this already, but DAZ is working on upgrading it's QT integration to new so all/most? plugins will likely need a rewrite soon(tm).  Good luck with your project.

    Yeah, I've read that and TBH, I'm hoping the upgrade will help.  Especially if they upgrade the SDK for plug-ins.  The current one seems to require quite a bit of hoop-jumping to get an IDE set up correctly. 
    On the bright side, it's usually easier to revise code than to create it in the first place. :-)

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