v1.12.0

[mcascone]

✅ Stable Release

What's New

MIDI Features

• Add MIDI Thru routing matrix (4 independent USB/DIN routes) #126
• Add mode: "keytimes" — press-timing-based button dispatch (Parity: Support four trigger timings for buttons #48) (Add mode: "keytimes" — press-timing-based button dispatch (#48) #130)
  • This also enabled Multiple Messages Per Press!
• Add SysEx message MIDI-Thru forwarding
  • Note: SysEx forwarding is limited to messages less than 64 bytes. This should work fine for commands, but longer strings and sysdumps etc will have undefined behavior.

Robustness Features

OS Compatibility

• Add Linux Config Editor build with GPG signing (GUI: MCM Config Editor build for Linux #26)

I prioritized these enhancements due to Paint Audio shipping new Captains with incompatible OS firmware:

• Add on-device SyntaxError recovery: SOS blink + NVM-gated compile check: best-effort visual feedback that bootup failed
• Bundle CP 7.3.1 .uf2 + Reflash CircuitPython GUI flow (Bundle CircuitPython 7.3.1 .uf2 + add "Reflash CircuitPython" GUI flow #134) (Bundle CP 7.3.1 .uf2 + Reflash CircuitPython GUI flow (#134) #135): Reflash CP 7 via the GUI!
• Surface ReflashCircuitPython in the no-device empty state (Bundle CircuitPython 7.3.1 .uf2 + add "Reflash CircuitPython" GUI flow #134 follow-up) (Surface reflash button in the no-device empty state (#134 follow-up) #136)

Windows Installer

• Add deploy.bat launcher + fix pip resolution in deploy.ps1 (deploy.ps1 unsigned install issues #140)
• Remove circup from deploy scripts; libs are bundled in the firmware zip (deploy.ps1 unsigned install issues #140)

Full Changelog

v1.11.0...v1.12.0

Installation

First: Backup!

Before doing any of this, if you haven't already, please back up your existing config and firmware to a safe place for recovery or to revert to OEM firmware:

1. Mount the device to your computer. You may have to hold down Button 1 / KEY0 to force it to mount.
2. Copy all contents of the device to a safe place on your computer.

Install

Once MIDI Captain MAX is installed, manual firmware updates are no longer needed. The GUI Config Editor now includes a Firmware Installation section at the bottom of the window. It shows the currently installed firmware version and the bundled version available to install.

You can download either:

• The appropriate Config Editor installer for your OS: .dmg for macOS, .exe or .msi for Windows, .AppImage (portable) or .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) for Linux. The Config Editor includes the bundled firmware, so you don't need to download it separately, or
• The MIDI-Captain-MAX-v1.12.0-complete.zip package if you want the GUI and the firmware as separate packages.
  For example, if you need to use the deploy script for the first install, or for an unsupported OS, this package includes everything you need. (The GUI still includes the bundled firmware; the zip is just for convenience if you want to use the deploy script instead of the GUI installer.)

Updating an Existing MIDI Captain MAX Install

1. Connect your MIDI Captain via USB and power it on.
   • The device may mount as CIRCUITPY or MIDICAPTAIN.
   • If no drive appears, hold switch 1 / KEY0 while plugging in USB.
2. Install and open the MIDI Captain MAX Config Editor.
3. Scroll to the Firmware Installation section at the bottom of the app window.
4. Click Install Firmware.

By default, the installer preserves your existing config.json. Enable Reset config.json to bundled defaults only if you want to overwrite your current settings with the default template.

The app will copy the firmware, reload the device, and update it in place.

First Run on OEM Firmware

If your MIDI Captain is still running the factory Paint Audio firmware, the Config Editor may show OEM (no VERSION.txt file).

The first install requires a one-time deploy script run to write a config.json with your device type — the GUI installer cannot detect device type without it.

If the Config Editor shows a CircuitPython version error (2026-batch devices)

2026-batch devices shipped with CP 9.2.7. The Install Firmware button will block with a version error. Fix this first:

1. In the Firmware Installation section, open Advanced / Recovery.
2. Click Reflash CircuitPython 7.3.1. The editor sends a command over serial, reboots the device into its RP2040 bootloader, copies the bundled .uf2, and waits for CIRCUITPY to remount — no physical button hold needed.
3. Once CIRCUITPY remounts, continue to the deploy script steps below (the device is already mounted; skip step 1).

If the editor can't reach the device over serial, see the manual bootloader entry guide (doc pending)

Deploy script — required for all OEM first installs

In many cases, the first install still requires a one-time bootstrap because the OEM firmware does not provide a MIDI Captain MAX config.json for device-type detection.

1. Hold Button 1 / KEY0 while plugging in USB to enter the OEM USB settings mode. A MIDICAPTAIN drive should appear.
2. Download and extract MIDI-Captain-MAX-v1.12.0-complete.zip from the Assets section below.
3. Run the included deploy script once with your device type:
   
   NOTE: only enter the desired device type, not the full list of options.
   
   For example, if you have a Nano 4, run ./deploy.sh --device nano4.
   • macOS / Linux: ./deploy.sh --device std10|mini6|nano4|duo2|one1
   • Windows PowerShell: .\deploy.ps1 -Device std10|mini6|nano4|duo2|one1
   • Windows cmd (if PowerShell blocks unsigned scripts): deploy.bat -Device std10|mini6|nano4|duo2|one1 — invokes deploy.ps1 with a per-process ExecutionPolicy Bypass; does not change any system policy.
4. Reconnect the device and open the MIDI Captain MAX Config Editor.
5. From then on, use the Firmware Installation section in the app for future updates.

Recovery

If anything goes wrong, it is fully recoverable:

1. Mount the device.
2. Erase the contents.
3. Restore your backup, or re-run the first-install steps above.

---

This discussion was created from the release v1.12.0.

[M1DHB]

Thanks Max. I'm away so I can't try it until next week.

[M1DHB]

I ran some tests tests and I noticed that the Bi-directional feature, that is "an incoming matching CC value on a button toggles the led" only works on Mode "Toggle" is that correct?

[mcascone]

Yes, that's true. #118 and #151 (#57) will enhance that with more granular/targeted incoming CC support, like what I believe you're alluding to. I'm currently finalizing the spec for #15: Pages support, an old outstanding OEM Parity feature and long-time user request.

A full-blown user guide is sorely needed too, I'll have to start building that!

[M1DHB]

I'm running v1.12.1 I noticed that there is and issue with label colours in keytimes mode. It is very similar to the #143 issue which had a "sticky Long Label" the issue now is that the Label changes Ok but "Long Colour" sticks.

Sorry I didn't notice this before :(

I've attached a config.json with my current setup.

config.json

[mcascone]

Dang! Confirmed. Root cause: LED color render and label render use opposite rules. #143 fixed the label; the LED color was left on the old persistent-composition rule.

Also, are you kidding?! Don't be sorry! You are a HUGE help here! I can't thank you enough for your engagement, testing, and feedback! I appreciate it SO much! Your testing has made this product way better than it would have been! THANK YOU!

For updates see #157

[mcascone]

this was closed in #158: working as designed; both modes made available.

[M1DHB]

Does v1.13.0-beta.5 have pages or am I confused?

[mcascone]

Firmware for pages is done.I’ve got the GUI changes for pages in flight right now. Will land in the next day or two. It works really well!

…

On Jul 5, 2026, at 11:10 AM, M1DHB wrote: Does v1.13.0-beta.5 have pages or am I confused?

[M1DHB]

Thanks Max, I'll look out for it :)

[mcascone]

https://github.com/MC-Music-Workshop/midi-captain-max/releases/tag/v1.13.0-beta.6 has pages in the ui working great! I'd appreciate your eyes on it! I'm working on a release doc/announcement, there is a lot of complexity in the available functionality. But at a high level it works exactly as you'd expect. I'm pretty happy with the UI flow for editing/navigating pages.
You can set any key of any mode to be a page button. Options are increment, decrement, and jump to a specific page. it also has full incoming midi support for page changing, with its own section in the GUI.

[M1DHB]

v1.13.0-beta.7
I've had a fairly extensive look at the pages functionality and it is really good. It widens the scope of MCMax applications a lot I think.

The page creation options are good especially the "duplicate page" option. this is useful if using "Keypress" to switch pages since the page switching is the same Key on each page.

Starting with a duplicate means that direct editing of the config.json is less likely to be needed. Your "Dont do this unless.." on the homepage is great. I tried direct editing so as to copy a more complex key setup between pages and its tricky.

I setup 3 pages and tested Keypress Page+ Page- & Jump, I also checked external page control - Everything seemed flawless to me.

I had a play around to see if I could find anything broken and couldn't spot any regressions. I'll keep giving it a workout and keep you posted

Thank You for these new features Midi Captain Max is just so versatile and GUI makes leveraging the versatility within the grasp of less technical users.

PS
I plugged MCM on the pod-ui github. see issue #83

[M1DHB]

v1.13.0-beta.8
Pages - When pages are given names in the GUI I expected the name to be displayed on the MC screen. I still get Page 1, 2 3 etc.
is this correct?

[mcascone]

Good catch, i haven't considered that. Great idea. I'm kind of lumping "screen candy" together in my mind for now but i think this would be a reasonable addition to the Pages feature now.

[M1DHB]

v1.13.0-beta.8
Pages - When I setup "Page Jump"on a button with "single press" I can enter the "target page" value.

When I setup "Page Jump" on a button with "Keytimes" there is no "target page" option.

[M1DHB]

I wanted to setup a "Jump to Page action and a "PC Fixed" action on the same button press "short down"

In the keytimes entry Page Jump Type wont know where to jump to? There is no Target Page Field!

[mcascone]

yep it was a miss in coding that flow into the keytimes UI. the wiring is all there in the midlayer. fix coming now.

[mcascone]

https://github.com/MC-Music-Workshop/midi-captain-max/releases/tag/v1.13.0-beta.9 has this fixed!

[M1DHB]

Thank You - That works a treat