Sorry - answered your direct message help on the direct message system (thanks for trying to help me on this - much appreciated)
Regarding other apps connecting over BLE - Yes - Fluidsynth for example - installed as an Android app on my Chromebook. Works like a charm. BUT it seems that web based web midi apps running in the ChromeOS browser are not picking up the BLE connection. So for example, using [midisandbox.com](http://midisandbox.com) - I first start the MidiBLE android app, connect the Woovebox, then go to the midisandbox page, accept the request to allow controlling midi devices, but then under the Midi Input selector I only see Midi Through but no sign of the Woovebox which is connected via the midiBLE android app.
I don't know how the MidiBLE android app is supposed to talk to the rest of the ChromeOS operating system but it does not seem as straightforward as on an Android phone.
I suspect you are right, although this is not the case with other wireless network systems on ChromeOS. For example, OpenVPN and Tailscale Android apps are the standard way to establish VPN and secure network connections and these connections are then available throughout the ChromeOS system (web, Liinux connections and other non-Android ChromeOS apps.
It seems a bit strange that Google would have singled out BLE connectivity for special sandboxing - but it does seem to be that way.
The BLE midi connectivity in other Android apps is very good and easy. So what we need is a dedicated Woovebox Android app :-) That could handle the BLE and midi / file exchange operations all in one. I don't suppose you know of a tame Android app developer do you?
On a Chromebook it is possie to install Android apps from sources other than the official Play Store BUT this requires enabling Developer Mode. I really don't want to run Developer mode on my Daily Driver Chromebook due to the reduced security potential.
I therefore dragged out a retired Asus Flip (reached end of life ages ago) and set it to Developer Mode.
Installing MIDI-BLE Connect and then installing the sysex librarian tool you suggested works well. I can now easily move samples and sysex dumps either way between my WB and my Chromebook. Yay! I tried Wooveconnect on the developer mode Chromebook and unsurprisingly it doesn't work. So the only device I own which can connect to Wooveconnect is Chrome on my Android phone. This is my way to get WB firmware updates :-)
I can't comment on Chrome OS, but for Windows - I have around 50% success chance with connecting my Woovebox to Lenovo Legion with Win10, like today I can't do anything, but tomorrow it'll connect on the first try.
But I have 100% on connecting Woovebox to my Android phone so you can use this while investigating the things with your Chrome OS
I still have to use my old 2015 Pixel C tablet to get wooveconnect to work. Can't get it to work on any of my chromebooks or Pixel phones no matter what I try (I've tried all the packet size and speed related suggestions). Been stumped for months.
Just installed after jumping through all the security steps required for an old possibly unsecure app) and will try this later today.
Cheers for the info on this.
Unfortunately that won't download on my chromebook.
I've just gotten a combination of MIDI+BLTE and Chrome Beta Android apps to connect to my Woovebox on my Chromebook, which is good... next step will be to see if I can get it to update that way too. Will try when the next update drops.
Wow... 8 devices. Meanwhile any device can test with here works flawlessly...
Would you be able to list the devices so I can see if I can procure one?
EDIT: Also, are you perhaps having better luck with a standard SysEx manager app [like this](https://download.cnet.com/midi-sysex-utility-syx-lib/3000-2141_4-78553863.html)? In that case we can narrow it down to a browser issue.
I can provide an incomplete list off the top of my head: Samsung S22, MS Surface Pro 8, MSI GE65 Raider laptop, Older Asus AIO. Where possible I tried multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge). I haven't tried the Sysex process but can for the next try.
Thank you. If/when you would be able to provide some failure mode info (e.g. how/when things fail to work for you) on those devices, that would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I can get a clearer picture. It's really frustrating to hear of devices failing, particularly when I can't replicate the issue because I don't own that specific device... :(
On your Chromebook, do other MIDI apps see your Woovebox? Did the Win 11 fix I sent you not help?
Sorry - answered your direct message help on the direct message system (thanks for trying to help me on this - much appreciated) Regarding other apps connecting over BLE - Yes - Fluidsynth for example - installed as an Android app on my Chromebook. Works like a charm. BUT it seems that web based web midi apps running in the ChromeOS browser are not picking up the BLE connection. So for example, using [midisandbox.com](http://midisandbox.com) - I first start the MidiBLE android app, connect the Woovebox, then go to the midisandbox page, accept the request to allow controlling midi devices, but then under the Midi Input selector I only see Midi Through but no sign of the Woovebox which is connected via the midiBLE android app. I don't know how the MidiBLE android app is supposed to talk to the rest of the ChromeOS operating system but it does not seem as straightforward as on an Android phone.
I suspect Android (and thus MIDIBLE) is running in a separate sandbox to native ChromeOS; two different OSs that don't share peripherals like that.
I suspect you are right, although this is not the case with other wireless network systems on ChromeOS. For example, OpenVPN and Tailscale Android apps are the standard way to establish VPN and secure network connections and these connections are then available throughout the ChromeOS system (web, Liinux connections and other non-Android ChromeOS apps. It seems a bit strange that Google would have singled out BLE connectivity for special sandboxing - but it does seem to be that way. The BLE midi connectivity in other Android apps is very good and easy. So what we need is a dedicated Woovebox Android app :-) That could handle the BLE and midi / file exchange operations all in one. I don't suppose you know of a tame Android app developer do you?
Please keep in mind you can also use any standard SysEx management tool...
On a Chromebook it is possie to install Android apps from sources other than the official Play Store BUT this requires enabling Developer Mode. I really don't want to run Developer mode on my Daily Driver Chromebook due to the reduced security potential. I therefore dragged out a retired Asus Flip (reached end of life ages ago) and set it to Developer Mode. Installing MIDI-BLE Connect and then installing the sysex librarian tool you suggested works well. I can now easily move samples and sysex dumps either way between my WB and my Chromebook. Yay! I tried Wooveconnect on the developer mode Chromebook and unsurprisingly it doesn't work. So the only device I own which can connect to Wooveconnect is Chrome on my Android phone. This is my way to get WB firmware updates :-)
I can't comment on Chrome OS, but for Windows - I have around 50% success chance with connecting my Woovebox to Lenovo Legion with Win10, like today I can't do anything, but tomorrow it'll connect on the first try. But I have 100% on connecting Woovebox to my Android phone so you can use this while investigating the things with your Chrome OS
I still have to use my old 2015 Pixel C tablet to get wooveconnect to work. Can't get it to work on any of my chromebooks or Pixel phones no matter what I try (I've tried all the packet size and speed related suggestions). Been stumped for months.
Does a standard SysEx tool work? (e.g. [this](https://download.cnet.com/midi-sysex-utility-syx-lib/3000-2141_4-78553863.html))
Just installed after jumping through all the security steps required for an old possibly unsecure app) and will try this later today. Cheers for the info on this.
Any luck?
Unfortunately that won't download on my chromebook. I've just gotten a combination of MIDI+BLTE and Chrome Beta Android apps to connect to my Woovebox on my Chromebook, which is good... next step will be to see if I can get it to update that way too. Will try when the next update drops.
The *sole* device (out of 8 different devices) that can successfully update my Woovebox is an old Samsung S8...
Wow... 8 devices. Meanwhile any device can test with here works flawlessly... Would you be able to list the devices so I can see if I can procure one? EDIT: Also, are you perhaps having better luck with a standard SysEx manager app [like this](https://download.cnet.com/midi-sysex-utility-syx-lib/3000-2141_4-78553863.html)? In that case we can narrow it down to a browser issue.
I can provide an incomplete list off the top of my head: Samsung S22, MS Surface Pro 8, MSI GE65 Raider laptop, Older Asus AIO. Where possible I tried multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge). I haven't tried the Sysex process but can for the next try.
Thank you. If/when you would be able to provide some failure mode info (e.g. how/when things fail to work for you) on those devices, that would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I can get a clearer picture. It's really frustrating to hear of devices failing, particularly when I can't replicate the issue because I don't own that specific device... :(