Issue with Find Window & Emulate Keystrokes in Same Macro

[noesis]

Hi Guys,

Wondering if anyone has experienced this and knows of a way around it, or if this is a bug of some kind. I've found this effects versions 0.4.1.r1572 & 0.4.1.r1582 and maybe older versions also.

Trying to set up a configuration for Windows Photo Viewer, so I can change the image, zoom in/out and pan/scroll the image when it is larger than the window via remote. The changing of the image & zooming aspects work fine however the pan ones don't. The keys required for panning are an Alt+arrow key combo, i.e. Alt+Up for up or Alt+Down for down etc.

What I've found is that if I have a Find Window command followed by any of these emulated Alt+"arrow" key-presses, the key-presses don't work (regardless of if there is a bring to front action in between the other two actions) it simply doesn't work. If the macro is run while the window is out of focus, window is found and brought to the front but nothing happens in the window. If I use the macro when the window is already at the front still nothing happens. However If I disable the Find Window action in the macro, and then select the window manually and run the macro, it scrolls as desired ???

This only happens with the Alt+arrow key combinations, the simple + or - keys for zoom in/out work with find window action and so do things like "Actual Size" (ctrl+alt+0) or "Fit to Window" (ctrl+0). Even the Previous/Next Image emulated keystrokes work (i.e. Left or Right arrow keys) with the Find Window action but as soon as it is Alt+Left or Alt+Right etc in the macro the macro doesn't work if there is a Find Window action present before the keystroke. Any Ideas ?

[themaster1]

Have you read what i've written in the other thread about find window ? You should
Also if the keystrokes set don't work you should try to enable the alternate method (configure> use alternate to emulate)

Generally you don't have to use the "alternate method" except for example if you use total media theater inside MCE if you see what i mean

[noesis]

Thanks for the quick reply themaster1.

Yes I've read your post regarding the "Find Window appears to be broken" thread, and am using more than just the program name.

I've also tried the alternate method for emulate keystrokes but that doesn't work at all even if the Find Window action is disabled, while the normal method works as long as Find Window is disabled.

I don't think it's a matter of one or the other actions being broken, but believe there is a conflict of some kind occurring, but only for the keystrokes {Alt+Up}, {Alt+Down}, {Alt+Left} & {Alt+Right} - all other keystrokes work fine with both actions in the same macro.

I've managed an ineloquent workaround, where there is two macro's and a nested folder, first macro is "Select Window" (activated by the remote Up, Down, Left or Right button events) and containing the Find Window action and the Bring to front action (the bring to front action isn't even needed for other keystrokes btw), followed by a disable "Select Window" action and enable "Image Panning" action (which is a folder containing four macro's for panning up, down, left & right, using the 4 different emulate keystrokes of Alt+"direction key" and are activated individually by the same remote buttons of Up, Down, Left or Right). The third macro is "Reset Panning" which is activated on a "Task.Deactivated" event for the window which enables the "Select Window" Macro and Disables the "Image Panning" folder. This all works.

But the question remains, There seems to be some sort of conflict using these two actions together with the specific keystrokes I've mentioned, in the same macro - as a two step process they work, but not in the more intuitive one step process one would expect, and which also works for all other emulated keystrokes ?? - it's got me baffled.

Wondering if anyone can replicate this ? perhaps it is a Win 7 64bit thing and doesn't effect 32 bit users ?, just seems odd to me.

[Pako]

This is not a bug in EventGhost.
This is a issue in micro*soft windows.
The same key combination normally work with the rest of the programs.
You can check it when you use another viewer, such as ArtSage.
Of course you need to use different key combinations for the same functions.
However, I think it might suit your needs.
BTW - there is a plugin for controlling ArtSage.
You can download it here (use right-click and save link as...).
In the ...\EventGhost\plugins create a new folder with the name Artsage.
The downloaded file __init__.py place into this folder. Then reboot EventGhost.

Pako

[noesis]

Thanks for the reply Pako,

In retrospect, It doesn't surprise me that is a windows issue so that makes sense. When I originally searched for a solution on the forums the only other thread remotely related to the problem I was having was Alt+Up (via Send Keys) not working in File Explorer, but that was resolved.

Thanks for the info on the other program too, I'll have to give it a try, as I've since changed the default image program to MS Office Picture viewer (which I'm not that fond of), but works for my purposes also, (my previous workaround didn't work for my specific usage - i.e. a full-screen (non-windowed and traps mouse to that screen) program on one monitor and a png image displayed on the second monitor) - so changed the viewer which works, just like you suggested it would.

Anyway thanks to both you and themaster1 for your replies, and I consider this issue resolved.

Noesis.

[themaster1]

stupid question maybe: have you ever tried xbmc to view your pictures ? It would be a lot easier / entertaining to use than your current program imo

[noesis]

I haven't used XBMC, I use MediaPortal for my media centre but that's only because when I got fed up with Windows Media Centre, (more than several years ago now) XBMC apparently didn't have a very good TV card module while MediaPortal did. Have been tempted to try XBMC though just haven't got around to it yet.

Also for this particular purpose, I'm essentially running a game on my main monitor but want to be able to view maps for it on the second monitor so I don't have to use the great big paper one that came with it, but needed to be able to scroll/zoom the map on the second monitor, using a remote as the mouse & keyboard are locked to the main monitor and game application. I figured a low footprint image viewer would be better than a full blown media centre type app for this purpose, but thanks for the suggestion.

Noesis