Message Plugin: Additional commands (1 Viewer)

[Joche]

I have very succesfully installed and configured the Message Plugin together with HIP. I'm using a Logitech Harmony very customized remote with IR codes from different remote controls. NO MCE then.

Now I want to customize in more detail but there are a few things I need to know and that I can't find anywhere in the wiki or forum.

1. When HIP sends the POST command to the Media Portal, is it only the Message Plugin that recieves those messages then? Not Media Portal itself?
2. Is Media Portal listening to windows messages?
3. Are there any more commands that the message plugin supports except for the ones listed in the readme.txt file bundled with the plugin download?

An example of what I would like to do is to have a button on my remote named "View". This should be used for changing views in all listings (music and videos). Another thing is a "Now Playing" that would do the same thing as the menu with the same name does in the "My Music" section.

If someone could write down some directions on how to perform those tasks I think the three questions above would be answered automatically.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[and-81]

Hey,

I hope I can answer some of your questions and if there's anything that could be added to make the plugin better just say so and I'll see what I can do.

1. HIP posts the message to MediaPortal, it passes the message to any plugins that register for messages (implement the IPluginReceiver interface).

2. So yeah, MediaPortal is listening, but I don't know which ones (if any) it would respond to.

3. Not really, but because it can map the messages through the MediaPortal input handler you can do anything that MediaPortal lets other remotes do. If that makes sense.

If you'd like more control over MediaPortal there's two ways to get it. We can either add new commands to the plugin, or we can try to get more inputr handler commands put into MediaPortal. It sort of depends on what you want as to which way we go. I'm not really sure if MediaPortal already has what you're asking for, but you should try to familiarise yourself with the input handler / mapper and see if you can get it to do what you want there. If not, there is a function in my MCE Replacement plugin for jumping to screens in macros, maybe I could put that in the message plugin too (if it's not already there, I can't remember and I'm not on my development pc right now).

Hope that helps,

 

[Joche]

I'm not really sure if MediaPortal already has what you're asking for, but you should try to familiarise yourself with the input handler / mapper and see if you can get it to do what you want there.

Not that the input handler/mapper is an interaction designers wet dream, I think I got a grip on it and I can't find a way to fulfill my dream.

If not, there is a function in my MCE Replacement plugin for jumping to screens in macros

This sounds more like what I want to do. I have no idea on how this is done in the back end, and I don't know how Media Portal works.But I do know that this is absolutely not the right thread to say:
Wouldn't it be awsome if each menu in the main menu was assigned a number. Let's say [2] My Music. Then, when open My Music another menu shows up with:
[1] View
[2] Selection
[3] Now Playing
[4] etc

The screen number for Now Playing would then be 23 and I could assign any button on my remote to open that specific screen.

, maybe I could put that in the message plugin too (if it's not already there, I can't remember and I'm not on my development pc right now).

Am I completely lost if I think that the MCE Replacement plugin when it gets USB-UIRT support will more or less be able to replace the message plugin? In that case there will be, from my point of view, any reasons to add the macro thing to the message plugin. But if you think the USB-UIRT is further away than the possibility to add the macro thingie to the message plugin then the later would be preferred of course.

May I also take the opportunity to give you all possible positive feedback and creds for what you are accomplishing in this area. I have read throw all threads covering your plugins and not only that they are very appreciated plugins, your time to respond and willingness to help is a very good raw model for us all!

Enough flattering!

//Joachim

 

[and-81]

What you're describing, for the most part, is how the jump to screen stuff works in the MCE Replacement Plugin. I'll try to get USB-UIRT support up and running as soon as I can ... I'll post back here when it's in.

Cheers,

 

[Joche]

Alright, I'm doing nothing and just wait for the USB-UIRT release.

Maybe I could start seeing some of the movies!

 

[and-81]

I've done some significant work on the USB-UIRT support in the MCE Replacement plugin today. But I've had to make a few key decisions about it along the way.

Basically, I will not be including USB-UIRT support in the MCE Replacement Plugin in it's current form. I am incorporating USB-UIRT support into a project I've been working on since the early days of the MCE Replacement Plugin. It's tentatively titled the "RC Suite" and it's a collection of programs and plugins that are more suited to the TV Server approach.

Don't Panic.

The "RC Suite" (Name will probably change in the future) has ALL the flexibility and functionality of the MCE Replacement Plugin, and more...

For example, it can operate over a local area network. This lets you share IR devices between computers (TV server & client for example...) And it will support MCE IR and USB-UIRT for input and output from day one, and XBCDRC for input too. And it uses a plugin architecture for adding more transceiver types at a later date, so the sky's the limit. It also includes applications to do the work of MPTray, HIP/Girder and other cool features. All coded from scratch, by me, with MediaPortal in mind. So I'm hoping it lives up to all my hype now

When USB-UIRT support is in and working I will give you (and anyone else who's interested) a test copy you can try out.

Shouldn't be long now ... Hopefully only a few days.

Cheers,

 

[Joche]

And it uses a plugin architecture for adding more transceiver types at a later date, so the sky's the limit. /.../ All coded from scratch, by me, with MediaPortal in mind. So I'm hoping it lives up to all my hype now

That's awesome. And with your recently published software no one could expect you to be humble!