---
name: "oss_midiloop"
section: "7"
platform: "linux"
package: "oss4-base"
version: "4.2-build2010-2"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/oss_midiloop"
---

# oss\_midiloop(7)

Loopback MIDI driver.

## NAME

**oss\_midiloop** - Loopback MIDI driver.

## DESCRIPTION

**The loopback midi driver makes it possible to create special purpose** **virtual midi devices based on user land server processes.**

## INTRODUCTION

**MIDI loopback devices are like named pipes or pseudo terminals. They are**  **grouped in client and server device pairs. The server side device must be open** **before the client side device can be opened.**

### SERVER SIDE DEVICE

**The server side device is used by some special application (such as a** **software based MIDI synthesizer) to receice MIDI events from the applications** **that want to play MIDI.**

### CLIENT SIDE DEVICE

**Client applications such as MIDI players open the client side device when they** **need to play some MIDI stream (file). The client side device behaves like any** **"ordinary" MIDI device. However it cannot be opened when there is no program** **connected to the server side.**

## COMPATIBILITY ISSUES

**MIDI loopback devices differ from "normal" MIDI devices because an** **application is needed at the both ends of the loop. The loop device** **will return a "Connection reset by peer" error (ECONNRESET) error. Applications** **designed to be used as loopback based server applications can/should use this** **error (returned by read or write) as an end-of-stream indication.**

## OPTIONS

- **o midiloop\_instances:**

  **Specifies how many loopback client/server MIDI device** **pairs to be created.**

  - **Values: 1-16**

    **Default: 1**

## KNOWN PROBLEMS

**None**

## FILES

**/etc/oss4/conf/oss\_midiloop.conf Device configuration file**

## AUTHOR

**4Front Technologies**