Google has introduced three new Android Marshmallow’s sample apps for developers. These apps are named as Direct Share, MidiSynth and MidiScope. From the names it seems that Google is playing a lot with MIDI.
Let’s discuss about these apps in detail. First taking Direct Share – It is a new feature in Marshmallow that provides APIs for allowing users to share content to other sources such as contacts and social networks. Here’s what Google says:
To enable Direct Share, apps need to implement a Service extending ChooserTargetService. Override the method onGetChooserTargets() and return a list of Direct Share options.
In your AndroidManifest.xml, add a meta-data tag in your Activity that receives the Intent. Specify android:name as android.service.chooser.chooser_target_service, and point the android:value to the Service.
Next up is Direct MidiSynth, MidiSynth demonstrates the MIDI API that is used for receiving and playing MIDI messages sent from an input device, such as a MIDI keyboard. Here’s Google saying:
This sample demonstrates how to use the MIDI API to receive and play MIDI messages coming from an attached input device (MIDI keyboard).
The Android MIDI API (android.media.midi) allows developers to connect a MIDI device to an Android device and process MIDI messages coming from it.
This sample demonstrates some basic features of the MIDI API, such as:
- Enumeration of currently available devices (including name, vendor, capabilities, etc)
- Notification when MIDI devices are plugged in or unplugged
- Receiving and processing MIDI messages
Final and 3rd one is the Android MidiScope – the MidiScope shows how the MIDI API received and processes signals coming from attached devices. It does not play them, but it will display these input instances in a log.
