wtf is akai-apc-mini-td-interface?

akai-apc-mini-td-interface is a component for TouchDesigner, a visual programming tool used for interactive media and installations, that emulates an entire AKAI APC Mini mk1 MIDI controller on screen. Instead of needing the physical hardware, a creator can build and test their project against this on screen version, then swap in the real controller later since the layout matches exactly. The component reproduces every physical control: the 8 by 8 grid of pads, 16 round buttons, a Shift button, and 9 faders. Each control behaves like the real hardware, so clicking a pad or dragging a fader on screen produces the same kind of signal a real APC Mini would send. Output values are normalized between 0 and 1 by default, matching how TouchDesigner's built in MIDI input tool reads a real APC Mini, though a raw 0 to 127 mode is also available. A deliberate design choice gives every control a readable, friendly name such as pad1, trackVolume, or faderMaster, rather than exposing raw MIDI note and CC numbers directly. The exact MIDI mapping behind each friendly name is documented in the readme and stored inside the component's configuration table, so someone can later build a small renaming layer to make a real hardware MIDI input use the same naming convention. Other built in options include a toggle mode that makes pads latch on or off instead of only responding while held, adjustable colors and sizing for the interface, and a label system that lets a user attach their own custom text labels to any pad, button, or fader, which then get saved automatically inside the TouchDesigner project file. Installation is a matter of dragging the provided file into a TouchDesigner project or saving it to a shared palette for reuse. It requires TouchDesigner 2023 or newer and works in the free, non commercial edition since it does not depend on any paid only features. The project is offered free of charge, with an optional donation link for anyone who wants to support the author.