The future of the Jazz Plugin

[jt419oh]

I have seen a couple of threads mentioning google phasing out the NPAPI support in the Chrome Browser. How does this affect the plugin, is there a different way to do it?

[sema]

There will be a Chrome-compatible version, but I'll have to do some API changes.
There will be also a wrapper javascript to take care of all API differences.

[karin]

Thank you for updating the plugin!

Do you already know when the new version will be available?

Here is what I could find about Google's time schedule: Google will drop the support for NPAPI plugins in Chrome v45 (https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/6213033). Chrome v43 went stable roughly in the beginning of June 2015. If a new version is released about every 6 weeks like in the past, Chrome v45 will hit the stable channel in the beginning of September 2015.

Sites using the Jazz plugin will need to take the upcoming API changes (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=901&p=1530) into account, minimally by testing and deploying the javascript wrapper taking care of the API changes.

It would be very helpful, if the new Jazz plugin was available some time before September.

Our users at scorio.com are finding it increasingly difficult to activate the Jazz plugin in Chrome (Google hides the NPAPI activation option more with every Chrome version), and probably other music sites face the same complaints.

[jt419oh]

That's great Sema. Do you have a timeline for when the Chrome compatible version would be ready?

[sema]

I will try my best to have it working during this summer, but I'd appreciate some help from you:

Please let me know which features of Jazz-plugin are most important for your projects,
and I will concentrate on those features first.

Thanks a lot!

[karin]

For scorio users, the most important feature is the ability to play MIDI files (used to play scorio scores).
Next most important feature would be receiving MIDI events from MIDI devices like a keyboard and playing them back with MidiOutLong.

If you need help, please let me know. I'd be happy to help with testing.

[jt419oh]

Hi Sema,

The absolutely most important feature for me is the midi input.
Thanks

[sema]

I know that I'm running late, but I just want to assure you that the Chrome solution is on the way.
Expect some good news in two weeks or so...

[jt419oh]

Thanks Sema for the update.

[sema]

A new release is ready for preview: http://jazz-soft.net/download/Jazz-Plugin/1.5 (Windows only; Mac and Linux - coming soon.)

If you like it - tell everybody, if you don't - tell me!

Make sure you are using the latest version of JZZ.js: https://github.com/jazz-soft/JZZ

[sema]

I've noticed that Chrome extensions only work with http:// and https:// pages, but not with local file: pages.

For your convenience I set up some engine test pages:

https://jazz-soft.github.io/modules/jzz-npapi.html - NPAPI plugin
https://jazz-soft.github.io/modules/jzz-webmidi.html - WebMIDI API
https://jazz-soft.github.io/modules/jzz-crx.html - Chrome extension (also works with new Opera)

[letoribo]

I've changed just 2 lines:
https://github.com/letoribo/Keys/commit ... 389eaebL10
, and piano works again in Chrome, even without plugin installed, but not in Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7.

[jt419oh]

Awesome news. Looking forward to trying this out this weekend!

[karin]

Thank you so much for the update!
I'm currently testing the 1.5 plugin with scorio in different browsers and will report the results soon.

[karin]

Is it already possible to play MIDI files with version 1.5?

In Chrome 45/Windows 7, this example page https://jazz-soft.github.io/modules/jzz-crx.html is working fine with JZZ, while the file example http://jazz-soft.net/demo/PlayMidiFile.html does not regognize the 1.5 plugin.

[sema]

I'll work on MIDI files after I finish more urgent tasks.
The MidiFile example is not using JZZ.js yet, I'll need to rewrite it.

[karin]

Thanks for the info, sema.

Apart from Chrome the new Jazz Plugin worked fine for me in Firefox 41, Internet Explorer 11, Safari 5.1.7 and Opera 32 (all tested with Windows 7). Opera gives a warning that a plugin is used that will soon not be supported any more (probably because I used the non-ported part of the plugin).

[sema]

Thanks a lot for the update!

[sema]

Please check the new Mac version at http://jazz-soft.net/download/Jazz-Plugin/1.5
Linux version is coming soon.

[jt419oh]

The following page is not working for me in Chrome.
https://jazz-soft.github.io/modules/jzz-webmidi.html

I do not have any midi devices plugged in however could that be why. Also I remember you mentioning that the outputs would not work with Chrome. Is this still an issue and may be why that page says WebMIDI API is not available or no MIDI ports found ?

I am using the latest version of Chrome. I had not tried the Chrome extension yet.

Also how compatible is this version's javascript with previous versions. I have not had a chance to look into it, but I had quite a bit of custom code along with the previous versions javascript. Is this backwards compatible?