Is there a better way to do this?

[SWKerr]

Long and complicated post. I know.

I want to be able to launch Boxee from SageTV and be able to seamlessly control it with the remote. I also want it to return to Sage when I close it. This functionality could really apply to any external program not just Boxee. (Hulu Desktop, PowerDVD, etc.)

Today I use EventGhost and the MCE remote kit. (I mostly use Harmony remotes to emulate the MCE Remote)

Within EventGhost I have separate setups for each application. I use the MCE button to pick what application to control at any given time. The specific setup for each app will allow me to launch, control and close each app exactly as I would like usually using keyboard shortcuts. Spends 95% of the time controlling SageTV.

This setup works well but requires you to manually select the correct application to control. I often forget to change back to the Sage settings after closing the Hulu desktop app and spend a few minutes wondering why Sage is not responding. For the Wife and Kids it is very problematic usually ending in a reboot.

What I have done. (This works but seems overly complicated.) Is there a better way to do this?

I launch Boxee from a custom SageMC item on the main menu. It is setup to return to SageTV when I close Boxee. (If I remember to switch remote settings this works great.)

There is a command line function in EventGhost that allows me to call any EventGhost Event so I can change the remote selection automatically but not in the same command that runs the Boxee app. What I did was create a *.bat file that launches Boxee and also changes the remote settings in EventGhost.

Boxee.bat Includes:
start "" "C:\Program Files\Boxee\BOXEE.exe" -p
start "" "C:\Program Files\EventGhost\EventGhost.exe" -e MceRemote.Red

This works to launch Boxee and change the Remote in EventGhost but does leave a command line window open in the background that has to be closed before it will return to Sage.

I have a button assigned in the remote for closing apps and the action in EventGhost that close Boxee will enter “S” then {enter} to close Boxee: Find the Command window and type “EXIT” then {enter} which reruns me to SageTV and finally change the remote setup back to SageTV.

Truthfully the whole thing works perfectly and except for the seeing the command window for a second before Boxee starts up the user would not know how complicated it is.

My question is is there an easier more elegant way to to this. It just seems complicated even if it does work.

Is there a way in SageMC to send a message to EventGhost to do something when I launch and close another application from Sage?

Is there a whole new approach that will do the same thing?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

Is there a whole new approach that will do the same thing?

Doesn't EventGhost capable of switching your remote mapping based on which application have the focus?

This is how my software (LM Remote KeyMap) is doing: you create one application profile (remote mapping) for each of your software and it switch to that profile when the application is in focus...

If you can do this with LM Remote KeyMap, you can certainly do it with EventGhost...

Regards,
Stéphane.

[mickp]

There are some instructions here on how to do this in Girder (an older version, not sure if it's changed these days).


Mick.

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Doesn't EventGhost capable of switching your remote mapping based on which application have the focus?

This is how my software (LM Remote KeyMap) is doing: you create one application profile (remote mapping) for each of your software and it switch to that profile when the application is in focus...

If you can do this with LM Remote KeyMap, you can certainly do it with EventGhost...

Regards,
Stéphane.

I have been looking at this some and it appears that EventGhost will by default just use the current Window but the SageTV plugin does not use Keyboard emulation. It seems to go after the Sage Window regardless of where it is. I have been looking at creating my on Key shortcut based solution but I still seem to run into a problem when there are different keys for the same function. I can assign one remote input to hit both {space} (Boxxee) and {Ctrl}S (SageTV) but I can see problems with this approach in the future. I can not seem to find a way to set it to only execute on a certain window only if it is in the front. I can make it execute on a certain window but when I do that is seems to do it every time not just when it is in the front.

Any advice would be appreciated.

With "LM Remote KeyMap" can I select a different function for the same key depending on what is the current window?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

With "LM Remote KeyMap" can I select a different function for the same key depending on what is the current window?

Yes, this is the default mode of operation. You create one profile for each application (a profile = collection of actions for each remote button). LM Remote KeyMap then select the right profile for whatever application is currently in focus (default profile being used when no application with a profile is in focus, there is also inheritance: if a remote button is not customized in a profile, LM RKM use the actions of the default profile instead)

The actions can be anything LM RKM support: keyboard shortcuts, or for SageTV the "Send Message" action.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Skirge01]

This is actually much easier than you're making it out to be. Explaining it here in text is going to seem somewhat confusing, but it's quite easy. EG can launch programs, so you just need to trigger (via an IR code) a command from your remote to tell EG to do so. This command would be inside an EG folder such as "Launch Boxee". Then you need a "Boxee" folder with all the Boxee macro commands, just like you have a SageTV folder with macros. The first thing listed in the "Launch Boxee" folder would be the IR code from your remote, followed by an action item which disables the SageTV folder (all the macros), followed by an action item which enables the "Boxee" folder, and then followed by the action to launch the Boxee program, possibly maximize it and bring it into focus. When you end Boxee, your last 2 commands in the "Launch Boxee" folder would be to re-enable the SageTV folder and disable the Boxee folder, possibly followed by maximizing SageTV and bringing it into focus.

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

This is actually much easier than you're making it out to be. Explaining it here in text is going to seem somewhat confusing, but it's quite easy. EG can launch programs, so you just need to trigger (via an IR code) a command from your remote to tell EG to do so. This command would be inside an EG folder such as "Launch Boxee". Then you need a "Boxee" folder with all the Boxee macro commands, just like you have a SageTV folder with macros. The first thing listed in the "Launch Boxee" folder would be the IR code from your remote, followed by an action item which disables the SageTV folder (all the macros), followed by an action item which enables the "Boxee" folder, and then followed by the action to launch the Boxee program, possibly maximize it and bring it into focus. When you end Boxee, your last 2 commands in the "Launch Boxee" folder would be to re-enable the SageTV folder and disable the Boxee folder, possibly followed by maximizing SageTV and bringing it into focus.

That is essentially how I have done it until now. I have one button assigned that will toggle through all the apps I have setup opening and closing the associated folder. The problem is that when I launch it from the Sage Menu instead of the Remote the remote is still set to use SageTV. In Boxee it is doing nothing until I manually change it to the Boxee setup. I want the change from Boxee setup to Sage setup to happen automatically. I have figured out how to do it but I have to jump through hoops to make it happen so I am looking for something more elegant.

This is all from a WAF perspective. Before now I have been the only one using other programs with the remote and I knew how it worked but the Wife and kids want to use Boxee for the online content, so it needs to be a seemless Transition.

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Yes, this is the default mode of operation. You create one profile for each application (a profile = collection of actions for each remote button). LM Remote KeyMap then select the right profile for whatever application is currently in focus (default profile being used when no application with a profile is in focus, there is also inheritance: if a remote button is not customized in a profile, LM RKM use the actions of the default profile instead)

The actions can be anything LM RKM support: keyboard shortcuts, or for SageTV the "Send Message" action.

Regards,
Stéphane.

I downloaded you program last night and played with it a little. It looks like a well polished product compared to Girder or EventGhost. Very different approach on how to configure it.

I am starting with a Firefly remote on my main desktop. I see where I can setup different profiles for each app but am having problem using them. The Default for the Firefly seems to be setup to use MCE. I went to the Default setup and removed everything I could but it still seems to want to use MCE commands. Every time I hit the Menu key it launches MCE even if I am in Boxee. Looking a the Default profile there is nothing assigned to the Menu button. Quick search of your forum didn't lend any insight on what I am doing wrong.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

The Default for the Firefly seems to be setup to use MCE.../...Quick search of your forum didn't lend any insight on what I am doing wrong.

This is because of the Firefly drivers (X10 drivers infact) you have installed: they do have default mappings and you want to disable them; this way only LM RKM will handle the remote.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

This is because of the Firefly drivers (X10 drivers infact) you have installed: they do have default mappings and you want to disable them; this way only LM RKM will handle the remote.

Regards,
Stéphane.

Thanks, That Worked.

I needed the Detonators version to do everything I wanted to do but it is working great. Took me a little while to get used to how it works but it is probably easier to use for a beginner than either Girder or EventGhost.

LM Remote is definitely the best remote software I have used to date.

One more Question:
Boxee uses: "Windows Start Key"+"f" to toggle Minimize\Maximize the Window. I could not find a reference for the Widows Start Key anywhere. Is it supported?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

Boxee uses: "Windows Start Key"+"f" to toggle Minimize\Maximize the Window. I could not find a reference for the Widows Start Key anywhere. Is it supported?

The "Windows" key is not available with the "Keystroke" action, you have to use the "Key Down" and "Key Up" actions to create a keyboard shortcut with the "Windows" key.