Problems setting up remote - very annoying! (1 Viewer)

[Wilseus]

Hi, I hope someone can help me with a problem. Apologies if this has already been answered but I can't find it if it has been.

I'm using MediaPortal on an HTPC that I recently built. It has an IR reciever built in, and I have sucessfully configured the MCE replacement plugin to use an old DVD player remote I had lying around by using the learning facility on the button mapping tab. This works extremely well and I am happy with it.

However, for various reasons I'm using an external player to play my movies (Zoom Player to be precise.) I'm currently trying to configure the plugin to remotely control Zoom Player. I've been struggling with it for a week now and got virtually nowhere. I know I need to use the macro stuff, but I'm struggling with a number of problems:

1) I want to send commands to Zoom Player ONLY IF there is video playing - not a DVD and not Audio - I'm still using the internal player for those. What condition in the button mapper do I need to use? I just can't work it out.

2) I think the most elegant way to remotely control Zoom Player is using the macros to send Windows messages. Where can I obtain documentation of what these messages are? I've tried their website but while it mentions the subject I can't seem to find what the messages actually are.


I hope someone can help as this is driving me insane!

Chris

 

[and-81]

According to the Zoom Player FAQ there is a file in the Zoom Player directory that will tell you how to do this ...

From http://www.inmatrix.com/zplayer/faq/faq_entry0015.shtml

How can I control Zoom Player through windows messages?

The "default.key" text file in the Zoom Player directory documents the interface used to control Zoom Player directly through windows messages. This allows programs such as Girder to control Zoom Player more effectively.

I don't have Zoom Player installed, so I can't confirm this myself, but if you continue to have problems let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Cheers,

 

[Wilseus]

Thanks for that, I think I now have most of the information I need. Being a programmer, it seems fairly straightforward.

I still don't know "condition" I need to use though. None of them seem to be the condition I need. Anyone got any ideas regarding that? The help doesn't tell you what any of them mean.

 

[and-81]

If I get a chance I'll try it out myself, but I think the best thing to do will be to just give it a try and see how you go. Let us know if you get it sorted out. I might have some time in a few days to look at it myself.

Cheers,

 

[Wilseus]

Well, I have given this a try and I really cannot get it to work. Whatever I try, Zoom Player just does not respond.

I've set the message number in the Macro editor to 32817, and tried all manner of different values on LParam and WParam (0 and 0 should be Play according to the documentation), all manner of different targets and I get precisely nothing. I know the plugin macros work because I got it to display a message box OK when I press a key on the remote.

This is especially annoying as I am a professional programmer with over 10 years' experience and I just cannot get this to do a damn thing.

 

[and-81]

I haven't used ZoomPlayer for a few years now, but I'll download it and see if I can figure it out for you. It could be that you need to enable something in ZoomPlayer config ... I'll have a look and see what I can find.

I should have some time to look into it in the next few days. I'll post back here and let you know what I find.

Cheers,

 

[and-81]

I've had a go myself, and I see what you're talking about ... it just doesn't work !

Then I found this:

* Messages Sent to Zoom Player

To have Zoom Player recognize your application, you need
to send it an ATOM String containing the window name.

The parameters are:
LParam = 200, WParam = ATOM String value.

Message Number : [WM_APP+49]

I don't know why you need to do this ... and there is no way to do this with the current Windows Message setup in MCE Replacement Plugin. So you might be better off using keystroke commands in macros.

I'll keep trying, and if I figure anything out I'll let you know.

Also, I have been able to control it with TCP messages, so maybe I should add a TCP message macro command to the plugin?

Cheers,

 

[and-81]

I've added a "TCP Message" command to my other plugin/app suite I'm working on (IR Server Suite) and it works.

I can control Zoom Player with it quite well.

I'll put it into MCE Replacement Plugin and get a copy to you in the next couple of days.

Although, if you're interested in controlling external apps then maybe the "IR Server Suite" would be worth a try. Are you interested in testing it out?

Cheers,

 

[Spooon69]

Just a quick example for others trying to get Zoom Player working...

Window Message to Zoom Player for Play/Pause:
Class: TMainForm
Message: 32817
WParam: 80
LParam: 1

The default.key file has all the wparam values. Keep lparam in check, 1 for most, 4 for holding down shift, etc.

Window Message to Zoom Player for Play/Pause:
IP: localhost
Port: 4769
Text: 5100 fnPlay

I'd rather use Window Message, you don't have to explicit tell ZP to enable TCP with the /tcp flag.

I literally got TCP Message working last night and Window Message working 15 minutes ago, so I don't know all the quirks yet, but it looks good so far.

 

[Spooon69]

I wrote a little python script that went through Zoom Player's default.key and spit out IR Server Suite macro files. These all go in the Macro directory for IRSS. There are 258 of them and they work great for me, has all the functionality you'll ever need from Zoom Player. They use the Window Message path instead of the TCP Message path. The macro names are based on Zoom Player's function names.

I was planning on spitting out a Zoom Player program only xml file, but that's based on each specific remote control code which could vary for each person, so I went the macro route. It works great, but 258 files instead of 1, no big deal I think.