Ten Foot Product Forums

[thekitehunter]

I use a 'Speedlink SL-6399' remote which sends keystrokes and I'm trying to change the settings in the TenFootSettings.xml file to match. I already know what keystrokes are sent for each button.

In the Manual it says that button codes and raw commands are numeric - where do I find these numeric codes for the keystrokes that my remote sends? What is the difference between remoteCommandButtons and remoteCommandRaw? Some remoteCommandBuutons are linked to an actionToTake, but some are not - what is the purpose of naming them if they don't have an actionToTake?
Finally, if I use a key code instead, should I delete the relevant 'remoteCommandButton' definition?

[Andy Henderson]

The way Media Centre remotes appear to developers inside Windows is via an interface that is complicated by the way 'Human Interface Devices' have changed over time. Media Centre remotes generate a mix of 'Raw' input codes and keyboard codes. If you're interested, you can read a bit more here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms996387.aspx .

The User Manual describes they keyboard shortcuts I've defined for certain functions (such as Shift-F2 for the Red button). See page 16 for the keyboard shortcuts used by the browser, for example. I've tried to use these consistently across all the programs, so you might be able to program the functions you need into your remote without touching the parameterisation files.

You say your remote generates keystrokes. If that's all it does, you should ignore the raw input codes. Instead, you intercept keystrokes using <RControlKey> as described in the Tailoring and Regionalisation Guide. Note that the key names are defined by Microsoft here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.keys.aspx
. You're probably best using high number function keys, because those you define will be acted on if they are received from any source (including a real keyboard).

On the other hand, looking at the Speedlink web site, I think your remote generates the usual mix of different codes. The easiest way to find out what's happening is to use the Launcher's <launcherLogFileName> parameter. This instructs the Launcher to log what it sees when you press a key on your remote. Having set up the log and restarted the Launcher, key a sequence you will recognise later (such as 999) then press each key you are interested in, carefully noting the sequence. When you look in the log you will see what the Launcher sees. The log differentiates the different types of code presented by the Microsoft interface. That should help you set up any changes you want to make.

Note the keys listed at the foot of page 6 of the Tailoring and Regionalisation Guide. It is tempting to try to redine these keys for use in the TF products but MCE will continue to react to them even though the TF products say they have processed them.

BTW, the purpose of naming keys that don't have an action is to make it easier for you to assign keys if they're in the list. I define all the common ones in all the programs in case people find them helpful.

I hope that helps,

Andy

[thekitehunter]

Thanks for the reply - and the challenge. The remote control is not reprogrammable, so I'm stuck with getting the browser to reinterpret the keystrokes sent by the remote. I wonder if there is some part of the Manual that I'm missing? I eventually worked out that what you meant by "use the Launcher's <LauncherLogFileName> parameter." was to put a line <LauncherLogFileName>LauncherLog.txt</LauncherLogFileName> in the launcher's XML file and that the resulting file would appear in 'My Documents'.

Your example in the Guide is <RControlKey>Help</RControlKey> results in that the Right Control Key being pressed would send 'Help' to the Browser.
This is ok if its a single key pressed, but my remote sends sequences eg Ctrl-Alt-T. Could you explain how to make this the Red button for example?
By the way, the Regionalisation Guide pdf is 77 pages long - and starts with a 38 page manual, then follows with a 'duplicate' 37 page Manual. Thanks again.

[Andy Henderson]

I did a bit of research and I think I understand the problem.

It looks like the Speed-Link is not a standard Media Centre remote. These generate a mix of keyboard and raw codes as described in one of the articles linked above.

Instead, it seems the Speed-Link is - in effect - a cut-down keyboard. It generates shortcut keystrokes as described here: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-us/help/e69eb36f-de61-4e80-8fe3-f3835b8e3e261033.mspx Does that match what you are seeing?

Unfortunately, the colour buttons aren't used in the US so there are no shortcut keystrokes for them. Presumably that's why the remote doesn't do the colour keys even though the colours on the buttons suggest it does. Very frustrating.

As things stand, I detect specific keys rather than alt- ctrl- shift- combinations. I've checked the code and that doesn't look too hard to do. If you've got the patience to wait a few weeks, I'm planning a major new release (the BitTorrent client I have under soak test is a much improved version, for instance). I can include the enhancement then.

[thekitehunter]

That's exactly what the Speedlink does. And so this enhancement would be great. All I need now is to convince Joost to accept assignable keystrokes and BBC iPlayer 'bigscreen' to do the same (to navigate around the tabs) and I'll be there.

[Andy Henderson]

OK, I'll see what I can do.

You might consider changing your remote, though. Most programs that run alongside Media Player/Media Centre will expect the remote to generate the standard Microsoft codes, not the shortcut keys.

FWIW, I use the Gyration Remote (http://www.gyration.co.uk/proddata.php?partno=E3199). It uses RF for the Media Centre so you can hide the dongle and it has all the common Media Centre buttons (although US versions don't have the colour ones). It's also a learning InfraRed remote for three additional devices. The killer is a motion-sensitive mouse that you move around the screen just by waving the remote.

I use it to run iPlayer, for example, without any special coding. When necessary, I also use it to run apps outside Media Centre like TotalMedia Theatre, AnyDVD, Media Player, VLC, etc. It's good for getting around web pages, too (works well with the TF Browser).

I haven't been to Joost for ages. And it didn't take me long to remember why. I'm watching a program full screen right now, but it was a frustrating exercise! I suspect the best solution for it is a remote keyboard and mose - but it's not good even then.

[Andy Henderson]

I've put together a release of the TF products that allows you to specify combinations of key strokes in the <actionToTake> section of the settings files.

Specify combinations in the following order:
Ctrl
Alt
Shift

So CtrlAltR is valid and will match Ctrl-Alt-R but AltCtrlR will never be matched.

Matching is case sensitive. ctrlaltr will never be matched.

Previously, a definition like <F1>Help</F1> was matched by any occurence of F1 regardless of Ctrl, Alt or Shift settings. To maintain backwards compatibility, I allow a definition like: <PlainF1>Help</PlainF1> if you want to match just the F1 key and not, say, Shift-F1.

You can add keys in the <actionToTake> section of the TF Launcher settings file and refer to the resultant action in the <hotButtons> section to convert them to Launcher hot buttons.

I also took the opportunity to remove a significant amount of hard coding from the TF programs. For example, instead of hard coding the F1 key to show the help pages, I've added <F1>Help</F1> to the <actionToTake> section instead.

Note that if you have created Personal versions of the settings file containing an <actionToTake> section, you'll need to update them to take account of the new keys defined in the updated settings files included with the update. If you don't do that then some of the keys that previously worked as standard will no longer work (because they are no longer hard coded).

I've started you off by defining the 'teletext' keys as:
CtrlAltR - Red
CtrlAltG - Green
CtrlAltY - Yellow
CtrlAltB - Blue
CtrlAltT - Teletext

I've also mapped the following standard shortcuts
CtrlShiftB - Rewind
CtrlShiftF - Fast forward
CtrlB - Skip back
CtrlF - Skip forward
CtrlShiftS - Stop

I'd be interested to know the mappings used by your remote if they are different.

To install the update

1. Shut down all running TF programs
2. Download http://www.SeeITA.com/TF/Version33Beta3.zip
3. Unzip the contents and use them to overwrite the versions in your TF programs folder (by default C:/Program Files/CITA/Ten Foot Products)

This new version also includes some other enhancements. Notably, the TF BitTorrent Client has some major performance improvements.

Note that you will see a notification that there's a new version available when you start the TF Browser. You should ignore it - it's a by-product of the beta numbering.

Please let me know how you get on.