General Automation of MP (1 Viewer)

[orencha]

Hi,

I thought that since MP is very open, and people will probably have more and more ideas, of which some will not be implemented in MP...

How about the ability to automate MP from an external program/process? This can be done using a command-line interface.

Example 1: a "Caller ID" application.
A standard CID application can be used. When a call is received, the CID program can run the following command:

MediaPortal.exe /pause /popup "Incoming call from 555-12345" /image "d:\pics\john.jpg"

Since MP is already running, it will:
* Pause the current playing video/music (or TV if timeshifting is on)
* Display a Popup message with the caller ID....
* Display the picture of the caller!
* Other stuff is optional, such as: playing a ringtone (midi/wav/mp3)...


Example 2: Sending commands to MP.
An external application can send commands to MP. This will help integrate with unsupported input devices (including remote controllers):

MediaPortal.exe /command "13"
or: MediaPortal.exe /command "ACTION_STOP"

The idea is to help integrate MP with existing software, rather than writing new code to support various features already existing elsewere.

Wanna hear what you think!

- Oren.

 

[samuel337]

I'm working on this at the moment. I've done a prototype and I've implemented this in MPWebControl - a web interface for mediaportal.

I'm currently working on version 2 of the External Control Plugin, which will cover many more functions in MP. Without going into the specifics, my plugin is controllable via HTTP, so I can easily create a simple app that takes command line switches and sends the commands to the plugin via HTTP.

I'm doing this when I have free time, so it might take a while...

BTW, any particular functions that people want to access via MP? Please post them here...

Sam

 

[orencha]

Mainly the ability to display a custom "pop-up" message. I'm really into implementing this CallerID feature.

 

[Dantev]

I can support the CallerID request - that feature would be very usefull.

Dantev

 

[civikdude]

Along these lines ... is there any way to call a specific module/application within MP using a command-line switch/parameter? For example, my remote control issues a "Shift + Ctrl + Alt + 2" when the TV button is pressed. I would like to use this Hotkey Helper program I found (which runs as a service) to map these keypresses to the My TV portion of MP (open MP, bring me directly to the "My TV" module.)

So the missing piece is the command line & parameters that are necessary to accomplish this. Something along the lines of:

C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe /run="My TV"

Question for samuel337 - it sounds like you're working on something like this. Can you confirm? Is there a trial version you have created that I can try? It would be GREATLY appreciated.

Aaron

 

[samuel337]

There's a plugin around here that allows you to jump to various modules using special keypresses, can't remember what its called though.

As for the external control plugin 2, essentially, its been released as its been combined with the web interface, STSC's pvr scheduler, and AllanConquest's LCD plugin. STSC and I however, can't figure out how to display a progress window as the usual code doesn't work... I'm hoping to get the plugin placed into MP's source so its in line with everything else and other people can edit it too.

Sam

 

[LastMar]

Mainly the ability to display a custom "pop-up" message. I'm really into implementing this CallerID feature.

Example 2: Sending commands to MP.
An external application can send commands to MP. This will help integrate with unsupported input devices (including remote controllers):

MediaPortal.exe /command "13"
or: MediaPortal.exe /command "ACTION_STOP"

The idea is to help integrate MP with existing software, rather than writing new code to support various features already existing elsewere.

Wanna hear what you think!

- Oren.

Combining these two would allow a lot of new functionality to MediaPortal.... Would prolly make it easier to implement some new plugins as well.

 

[civikdude]

Hi Sam,

There's a plugin around here that allows you to jump to various modules using special keypresses, can't remember what its called though.

I'm unable to find the plugin you mention, maybe because I'm just not typing in the right keywords. Any idea where you saw the writeup? Is any out there running this plugin? Thanks!

-aaron-

 

[samuel337]

Hi Sam,

There's a plugin around here that allows you to jump to various modules using special keypresses, can't remember what its called though.

I'm unable to find the plugin you mention, maybe because I'm just not typing in the right keywords. Any idea where you saw the writeup? Is any out there running this plugin? Thanks!

-aaron-

See: http://nolanparty.com/mediaportal.sourceforge.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5232&highlight=key+jump

Sam

 

[civikdude]

Thanks! I'll give that a try. Also sounds like I should keep an eye on Gucky's Home Plugin . . .

-aaron-