Ports, Midi Thru, and the APC40 Ableton Handshake

Hi everyone. I could use some help with a very specific problem. I have developed a template that allows a user to switch between control of Live and Traktor Pro (or any other program), on a single APC40 while maintaining the APC40/Live native behavior - ie bidirectional communication. (Original thread here - and I am "Johnny Vulcan": http://www.bome.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2704). So far this works great, but in order for it to work, MT needs to be started with an APC->Virtual port midi THRU connection (so the handshake can be sent). After the handshake is established and all the programs are up and running, that midi thru connection must be manually deleted by the user, so that there is no cross talk to Live when the user is in Traktor mode. This is clunky and confusing if the user forgets to delete.

Florian recently approached me with the idea of having me possibly license MT Player for use with a set of templates/files. I like the idea, but I want the user set-up to be streamlined and elegant. Do any of you have ideas about how I can get the "handshake" moving through translators (that I can automate to shut down), vs. the midi thru connection? The handshake itself is a bunch of sysex + regular midi, but also needs unique identifiers from the hardware. I have no idea how to handle this in a translator, or if MT will even do it, other than using the THRU connection.

I've always wished I could open or close the midi thru connections like any other MT action, but this is NOT possible, right?

Any help is very appreciated!

I have no idea, but I imagine a good person to ask would be Stray at Native Kontrol.

Nevertheless, I would love to see what you have come up with. Wish I could be more help.

Yeah, Stray says they use a combo of bomes + a script. Maybe it's time to learn Python