(original thread) MCE Replacement Plugin v1.0.0 (3 Viewers)

[arjay]

Aaron

Thnx for the helpful reply as always.

I have read the whole thread from start to finish, but I find it is getting rather complicated for me - and difficult to make out what is the latest position because you keep improving everything all the time!

It's difficult, I know. I want to stop posting because I want to give people a chance to test the plugin, but people are making really good suggestions and I end up implementing them faster than I expected. After the next version I promise I'll slow down.

Don't you DARE slow down - we'll allow you 4 hours sleep a night but that's it. That's the time we need to log in and see what you have been up to. Then we have just a couple of hours to download your latest version and try it out before you wake up and improve it again

RJ

 

[and-81]

New Version RC3

OK, here's the new version for today.

I PROMISE I will ease up on the updates now and give everyone a chance to test. I won't be bringing in new features for at least a week, there's plenty in there now for everyone to play with.

I've gone back and removed all the other attachments in this thread, this is the one to go for. I've put the attachment on the first post.

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showthread.php?t=11068

The SVN required is as it was in the last few versions, 10-10-2006.

What's New?
Some bug fixes and a couple of new features I think you'll enjoy...

"Message Mode" lets you use HIP or Girder to send commands to MediaPortal, the plugin will make MediaPortal think it was receiving the actual remote button presses itself. This means you can get the same level of control over MediaPortal as you would if you were using the native MCE remote support while still being able to use HIP or Girder for all your other remote control needs. I personally use this.

"Multi-Mapping" lets you cycle through multiple sets of button mappings, effectively giving you an unlimitted number of buttons.

Please, read the documentation for a full description of all the features. I'm trying to keep the size of these posts down because it's getting to be a long thread to read from the start.

To Do:
Add more "Quick Setup" STBs.
Add a Message Mode config for Girder.
Bug Fix.

My Requests:
1. I haven't received any STB setups for external channel changing, so I've just downloaded codes off the net. If you use a STB for external channels, just drop me a private message with the make and model and I'll do what I can to include it in the next release.

2. If someone could put the Message Mode stuff from my HIP configuration into a Girder configuration file and send it to me I'll include it in the next release too. I don't use Girder, so I haven't been able to set up message mode for it. But the information you need is contained in the docs, so if someone wants to sort that out for me that would be fantastic.

Anyway, Have a look and let me know how you go. Oh, and keep up the suggestions and comments, it's been great.

Thanks everyone,

 

[arjay]

OK Aaron

First the great news. I installed the latest svn and your plugin. The result - I chose the generic sky quick setup as that is the only one that is near my box (a sky Pace 2600C1 digibox). For the first time, my mce remote will change channels on the stb. Brilliant - first time this has worked in MP (it's always been fine in win mce).

In detail - I can select a channel in the TV guide and it changes correctly. I can also cycle up and down using the channel up/down key and the channels change correctly. However, if I try to type a channel number (e.g. 101 for BBC 1) it only changes to 1 which is the first channel in my list of channels (Artsworld, not BBC1). My channels are listed in alphabetical order, so the remote just chooses the channels by their order in the list. Not sure why this happens. I have painstakingly (took about an hour) set up each channel individually as stb, etc and entered the channel numbers - all from 101 to 700 or so. However, MP/this plugin/my remote/whatever - will only allow me to type in a number that corresponds to an existing channel in the list by its entry number. I have, say, 95 channels and I have to type in 1-95 to get them. Hopeless of course as there is no way i know the numbers (whereas i do know the sky channel numbers - 101 for BBC1, 401 for sky sports 1, etc.) Any idea why this should happen?

A few other probs but I presume that is just because the codes are wrong, or delays are not right. For example, if I want to pause or use the info key I have to hold them down for several seconds otherwise they don't work. If I just press the pause key for 1/2 second or so it flickers and jumps back to the program. If i hold it down for too long it cycles back and forth. i have to try and judge a key press of about 1.5 secs or so. (Think there is another post about this here - need to check it out).

Anyway - I am MUCH encouraged and think you are a genius mate. In fact I would nickname you Guinness (long-time TV ad in the uk for "Guinness - Pure Genius") - but then you probably just drink that awful Aussie beer....?

Keep up the brilliant work. Thnx again

RJ

 

[and-81]

if I try to type a channel number (e.g. 101 for BBC 1) it only changes to 1 which is the first channel in my list of channels (Artsworld, not BBC1). My channels are listed in alphabetical order, so the remote just chooses the channels by their order in the list. Not sure why this happens.

This is because of MediaPortal. I believe the Configuration -> Television -> Select channel by index checkbox is what you're after, but I don't have cable/sat TV, and there's not even 10 free to air channels in Australia so I haven't tried that myself.

A few other probs but I presume that is just because the codes are wrong, or delays are not right. For example, if I want to pause or use the info key I have to hold them down for several seconds otherwise they don't work. If I just press the pause key for 1/2 second or so it flickers and jumps back to the program. If i hold it down for too long it cycles back and forth. i have to try and judge a key press of about 1.5 secs or so. (Think there is another post about this here - need to check it out).

I'll admit I haven't looked into this yet, but I will investigate it now that I've promised not to update the plugin for a week or two. On that subject, a change went in to SVN today (thanks mPod, I'm a big fan of your work) that I will take advantage of in the next version of the plugin, so I'll give you all time to catch up with your SVNs (or stables) before I release another version. I promise there will be nothing for a week at least. If the pause / info issue is my fault I'll post a fix in the meantime though.

Anyway - I am MUCH encouraged and think you are a genius mate. In fact I would nickname you Guinness (long-time TV ad in the uk for "Guinness - Pure Genius") - but then you probably just drink that awful Aussie beer....?

Keep up the brilliant work. Thnx again

Thanks mate, I appreciate it. And I know better than to argue with a European about beer! Australian beer's not that bad though. Don't get me wrong, there are some terrible ones, but at least it's not American

Cheers,

 

[Dale#1976]

Hello Arjay:

A few other probs but I presume that is just because the codes are wrong, or delays are not right. For example, if I want to pause or use the info key I have to hold them down for several seconds otherwise they don't work. If I just press the pause key for 1/2 second or so it flickers and jumps back to the program. If i hold it down for too long it cycles back and forth. i have to try and judge a key press of about 1.5 secs or so.

I have the same problem. I'm not sure if it is in the SVN that I am using or the plugin because I installed them at the same time.

If find that if I press the 'INF' or the 'Pause' buttons twice very quickly they seem to work properly. It has almost become second nature so I seldom have problems with these two functions any more.

Hope it works for you .... Dale

 

[FLY]

"Don't get me wrong, there are some terrible ones, but at least it's not American "


what did you mean by that comment ? I think you are in big trouble !!

just kidding.

you are awesome Aaron and please don't leave the forum like other plugin guys.

Fly

 

[arjay]

Aaron - sorry, I am going to have to give up for the moment - at least until the new stable release is up and running. Your plugin seems to work fine but the svn is DREADFUL. I now have:

intermittant pause and info button (have to double press fast as suggested earlier by Dale, or try to hold it for a given number of seconds - around 1.5)

no skip or fast forward - they seem to have "died".

After one hour of a recorded movie it has started to skip a huge number of frames and the sound is out of sync.

All this is with the same defaults from the install as I have always used before. So I am off back to the stable 2.0.4 that I had before. It worked fine except for no control of my stb. Sorry but myblaster is cr*p.

Regards and see you again when the next release is up.

RJ

 

[and-81]

I have the same problem. I'm not sure if it is in the SVN that I am using or the plugin because I installed them at the same time.

If find that if I press the 'INF' or the 'Pause' buttons twice very quickly they seem to work properly. It has almost become second nature so I seldom have problems with these two functions any more.

I'm looking into this with the new stable release that is out now. Things are moving so fast I haven't been able to get to the bottom of it yet. But if it is my plugin at fault then i will fixed it. Even if it's not I'll give it a go.

what did you mean by that comment ? I think you are in big trouble !!

Don't worry mate, I was only joking. I love everyone's beer!

Aaron - sorry, I am going to have to give up for the moment - at least until the new stable release is up and running. Your plugin seems to work fine but the svn is DREADFUL.

This was always the risk, but without the SVN it would have not been able to use the Numeric 0 - 9 buttons on the remote, AT ALL, and other little things too. So I chose to compile against SVN.

Good news is, now that 0.2.1.0 is out I will ONLY compile against stable releases from here on in. I'm downloading 0.2.1.0 as I type this, so expect a new version "Release 1" of the plugin within 2 days. I've just got to get to the bottom of the Pause/Info button issue people are reporting and then I'll post it in the file download section and reply here to let everyone know.

Thanks for everyone's support, it's been great. And I do intend to support this plugin for as long as possible.

Just from a software engineer's (not saying I'm a good one!) point of view: I've looked at the source code, I've seen how much effort is going into this project, I've seen the skill of the developers that are on-board (Frodo's resume alone should sell anyone on this project), I've seen the steady flow of updates going into SVN and I believe that MP is absolutely full of potential. Of course, that makes it sound like it's not there yet. But in a lot ways it is there, and it's only going to get better!

I'd love to be a part of that, in whatever small way I can.

I know everyone says this, but keep up the good work guys! Just so you know, the emphasis is not on "keep" it's on "good work".

Cheers,

 

[xavier]

... can put the source of the plugin in the .zip ?

I did early on, but I haven't bothered lately because I've been doing such rapid releases. I'll make sure I include it from here on. All I ask is that you direct updates and changes through me.

I have quickly read the code of your new release RC3.

I think about having found a possible cause for which "External Programs" it doesn't work.

    /// <summary>
    /// Splits an Run command into it's component parts.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="execCommand">The command to be split</param>
    /// <returns>Returns string[] of command elements</returns>
    public static string[] SplitRunCommand(string runCommand)
    {
// ---
//    string commandString = runCommand.Substring(5).TrimEnd(")".ToCharArray());
      string commandString = runCommand.Substring(0).TrimEnd(")".ToCharArray());
// ---
      string[] commands = commandString.Split("|".ToCharArray());

      if (commands.Length != 6)
      {
        Log.Error("MCEReplacement: Run command structure is invalid: {0}", commands);
        return null;
      }

      return commands;
    }

In your SplitRunCommand function, the Substring statement trim out the first five characters of the runCommand string.

I don't know the reason for which in other parts of the plugin this has to be necessary, but eliminating this cut the function "External Programs" works fine.

Second, as you have made to compile the Bruno Fleurette driver (in the first release of your plugin the date/time of the mceir.sys was up-to-date) ? I work with Visual Studio 2005.

I'm not sure I understand the question, could you rephrase it for me?

The driver mceir.sys has been written in C++. I don't have knowledges of C++ to succeed to recompile. If I try to import in Visual Studio I get too many errors.

If you were interested to a collaboration I asked you if you could point out me as to correctly do to recompile.

Regards,
xavier.

 

[and-81]

I have quickly read the code of your new release RC3.

I think about having found a possible cause for which "External Programs" it doesn't work.

In your SplitRunCommand function, the Substring statement trim out the first five characters of the runCommand string.

I don't know the reason for which in other parts of the plugin this has to be necessary, but eliminating this cut the function "External Programs" works fine.

I see. That was due to a change in the way I stored the External Program commands while I was developing it. I'll make the fix in the 0.2.1.0 release version. I'll put that on the download section soon. Thank you for that. I don't know how it slipped past my testing! I'm very sorry about that.

The driver mceir.sys has been written in C++. I don't have knowledges of C++ to succeed to recompile. If I try to import in Visual Studio I get too many errors.

If you were interested to a collaboration I asked you if you could point out me as to correctly do to recompile.

I will try to open the code in my version of Visual C++ Express. If I get it working I'll post the files so you can have look at it too. I personally don't want to touch Bruno's code for a while yet, but if you want to give it a try I'd be happy to help. I'll get back to you on this soon.

Thanks,