ORCΛ

Each letter of the alphabet is an operation,
lowercase letters operate on bang, uppercase letters operate each frame.

To learn more, have a look at some projects created with #ORCΛ, watch the introduction video, or check out the examples & tutorials. If you need some help, visit the forum, or the chatroom.

If you're looking for a light version of Orca, visit Orca-c.

Install & Run

You can download builds for OSX, Windows and Linux, or if you wish to build it yourself, follow these steps:

git clone https://github.com/hundredrabbits/Orca.git
cd Orca/desktop/
npm install
npm start

Operators

A add: Outputs the sum of inputs.
B bool: Bangs if input is not empty, or 0.
C clock: Outputs a constant value based on the runtime frame.
D delay: Bangs on a fraction of the runtime frame.
E east: Moves eastward, or bangs.
F if: Bangs if both inputs are equal.
G generator: Writes distant operators with offset.
H halt: Stops southward operators from operating.
I increment: Increments southward operator.
J jumper: Outputs the northward operator.
K konkat: Outputs multiple variables.
L loop: Loops a number of eastward operators.
M modulo: Outputs the modulo of input.
N north: Moves Northward, or bangs.
O offset: Reads a distant operator with offset.
P push: Writes an eastward operator with offset.
Q query: Reads distant operators with offset.
R random: Outputs a random value.
S south: Moves southward, or bangs.
T track: Reads an eastward operator with offset.
U uturn: Reverses movement of inputs.
V variable: Reads and write globally available variables.
W west: Moves westward, or bangs.
X teleport: Writes a distant operator with offset.
Y jymper: Outputs the westward operator.
Z zoom: Moves eastwardly, respawns west on collision.
* bang: Bangs neighboring operators.
# comment: Comments a line, or characters until the next hash.
: midi: Sends a MIDI note.
^ cc: Sends a MIDI CC value.
; udp: Sends a UDP message.
= osc: Sends a OSC message.

MIDI

The MIDI operator : takes up to 5 inputs('channel, 'octave, 'note, velocity, length).

For example, :25C, is a C note, on the 5th octave, through the 3rd MIDI channel, :04c, is a C# note, on the 4th octave, through the 1st MIDI channel. Velocity is an optional value from 0(0/127) to g(127/127). Note length is the number of frames during which a note remains active. See it in action with midi.orca.

MIDI CC

The MIDI CC operator ^ takes 3 inputs('channel, 'knob, 'value).

It sends a value between 0-127, where the value is calculated as a ratio of 36, over a maximum of 127. For example, ^008, is sending 28, or (8/36)*127 through the first channel, to the control mapped with id0. You can press enter, with the ^ operator selected, to assign it to a controller.

UDP

The UDP operator ; locks each consecutive eastwardly ports. For example, ;hello, will send the string "hello", on bang, to the port 49160 on localhost. In console, use terminal.io.udp.select() to select a custom UDP port.

You can use the listener.js to test UDP messages. See it in action with udp.orca.

OSC

The OSC operator = locks each consecutive eastwardly ports. The first character is used for the path, the following characters are sent as integers using the base36 Table. In console, use terminal.io.osc.select() to select a custom osc port.

For example, =1abc will send 10, 11 and 12 to /1, via the port 49162 on localhost; =a123 will send 1, 2 and 3, to the path /a. You can use the listener.js to test OSC messages. See it in action with osc.orca or try it with SonicPi.

Advanced Controls

Some of Orca's features can be controlled externally via UDP though port 49160, or via its own command-line interface. To activate the command-line prompt, press CmdOrCtrl+K. The prompt can also be used to inject patterns, to see the full list of patterns, see patterns.js.

Default Ports

UDP Input	OSC Input	UDP Output	OSC Output
49160	None	49161	49162

Commands

All commands have a shorthand equivalent to their first character, for example, write can also be called using w.

play Plays program.
stop Stops program.
run Runs current frame.
time:0 Sets the frame value to 0.
goto:aV Sends cursor to string aV.
move:3;4 Move cursor to position 3,4.
bpm:140 Sets bpm speed to 140.
apm:160 Animates bpm speed to 160.
write:H12;34 Write glyph H, at 12,34.

Project Mode

You can quickly inject orca files into the currently active file, by using the command-line prompt — Allowing you to navigate across multiple files like you would a project. Type CmdOrCtrl+K and the name of another .orca file, located in the same folder as the opened file, to paste it into the current patch.

Base36 Table

Orca operates on a base of 36 increments. Operators using numeric values will typically also operate on letters and convert them into values as per the following table. For instance Dp will bang every 24th frame.

0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	A	B
0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N
12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35