Controlling MediaPortal

[CollinR]

If you have a plugin for your application you should REMOVE all of the "Find Window" commands in it's macros. The plugin knows the window without having to look. I'm pretty sure if they are still there it will steal focus as you discribe.

[druid9]

Thanks for all of your help, all now seems well.

The new plugin works perfectly once I did as you suggested and removed the find window commands. (I think it probably worked before this)

The "focus" issue appeared to only be an issue when starting media files, and this was solved by unchecking "enable VMR9 exclusive mode" in the DirectShow filter control area of MP configuration.

All now seems to work perfectly, thanks. Would you like me to publicise over at the MediaPortal forums?

[druid9]

So thanks for the reply, I did it anyway.

[mrivers34]

Hello Everyone. Question regarding control of MediaPortal that launches a separate video player.

I use EventGhost and an ATI Remote Wonder Plus with EventGhost. I have MediaPortal configured to use Zoom Player to play video (dvd, etc) files instead of the video player provided with MediaPortal. I am having a problem getting the remote to work with Zoom Player when it is launched from MediaPortal. When Zoom Player is playing a file, the remote still controls MediaPortal - even when Zoom Player is in full screen mode. Is there a way to have EventGhost figure out when Zoom Player is launched by MediaPortal and transfer remote commands to Zoom Player in lieu of MediaPortal - and then back to MediaPortal when Zoom Player exits. I think that I could configure a button on the remote to enable and make Zoom Player exclusive (after it is launched by MediaPortal), but that causes a problem when I exit Zoom Player and want control returned to MediaPortal (I suppose I could make another button press to enable and make MediaPortal exclusive again). But, those extra button presses seem annoying. Does anyone have any thoughts on how the commands could be directed to the appropriate application (MediaPortal or Zoom Player) automatically - without having to tell Eventghost which one should be enabled and exclusive?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks.

[CollinR]

You will need to create exclusive modes for Mediaportal as well as ZoomPlayer. Optionally instead of having MediaPortal launch ZoomPlayer you could have it send a command to the EG command line interface to enable the ZoomPlayer exclusive and then launch ZoomPlayer. Then you would only need a button to enable Mediaportal once ZoomPlayer has closed.

[Bitmonster]

Take a look at the "Task" plugin. It should generate events on start and exit of Zoom Player, that you can use to enable an exclusive.

[mrivers34]

Thank you both, CollinR and Bitmonster. The task plugin appears to be the answer. It does generate an error on startup (also an error when I activated the plug-in, see below). Otherwise, it appears to be monitoring/logging different task events.

7:26:35 PM Error starting plugin: Task Create/Switch Events
7:26:35 PM Traceback (most recent call last) (1108):
7:26:35 PM File "C:\Program Files\EventGhost\eg\TreeItems\PluginItem.py", line 130, in StartPlugin
7:26:35 PM File "C:\Program Files\EventGhost\plugins\Task\__init__.py", line 126, in __start__
7:26:35 PM File "ctypes\__init__.pyc", line 395, in LoadLibrary
7:26:35 PM File "ctypes\__init__.pyc", line 312, in __init__
7:26:35 PM WindowsError: [Error 22] The specified module could not be found

Regardless of the above error messages, it still appears to work.

Thanks for you help. If there is a way to fix the above, let me know. Thanks again. I am using version 0.3.6.1108

[Bitmonster]

Looks like you have missed to install the proper setup.exe first. Please follow exactly the instructions to install the beta versions.

[mmesh]

Hello!

I found this thread while googling for the solution of the problem that I have which is exactly the same as Yours druid9.

That is: I have a computer that has two screens (dual view). I have set MediaPortal to run on the TV (second screen), while primary screen is used for other stuff.
I need to be able to use remote send commands to MP without it taking focus from programs runnig on the first screen.

Then I found this thread and I tried the combination of EventGhost and MessagePlugin but haven't been able to make it work thus far.

This is what I have done:

• 1. Installed MCE replacement driver from this page - http://www.team-mediaportal.com/files/D ... entDriver/

• 2. Installed MessagePlugin for MP from this url - http://www.team-mediaportal.com/compone ... fo/id,238/

• 3. Installed latest EventGhost Beta - EventGhost_0.3.6_build_1327_Setup.exe

• 4. Added MediaPortal plugin in EventGhost

• 5. Added MCE Remote plugin in EventGhost

• 6. Enabled MessagePlugin in MP

After this procedure I see that EventGhost is reciveng remote key presses but nothing happens in MediaPortal.

Can someone please look at this list and tell me what am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance

[CollinR]

Have you mated the IR events coming in to the sendmessage actions going out?

You can drag/drop the events from the left to the action you desire on the right.

[mmesh]

Hi!

Sorry CollinR I was away from home for some time and I had no chance of trying what You suggested.

I'll try it this weekend.

But to clarify - I need to remap in messages with out actions in EventGhost, right?

[mmesh]

OK.
I now have almost working configuration...
I reinstalled windows in the meantime I redone steps I numbered earlier but with the excpetion of installing today's SVN build of EventGhost.

I made mapping of MCE remote key presses on the Mediaportal actions tree and now it almost works.

I have only two small issues with this setup:
1. MP is getting remote presses even if it isn't in focus (great!) but is steals focus when I press "start" button on remote. Is there any solution to this?
2. When I wan't to move through the lists with "up", "down", "left", "right" keys I have to keep pushing them. I cann't just push and keep it down (MP reacts only to the first state change) and does not receive repeated signals. Same is with volume up, down keys etc. Does this can be solved in any way.


Thanks on the answers in advance!

P.S. There is also one strange sideeffect to all this - My keyboard repeat rate (in windows in general) seems to be somehow slowed down. What gives?

[Prinz]

Hi,

1. MP is getting remote presses even if it isn't in focus (great!) but is steals focus when I press "start" button on remote. Is there any solution to this?

Which program is stealing the focus? I think this problem can be solved using the EventGhost comands of the Window group.

2. When I wan't to move through the lists with "up", "down", "left", "right" keys I have to keep pushing them. I cann't just push and keep it down (MP reacts only to the first state change) and does not receive repeated signals. Same is with volume up, down keys etc. Does this can be solved in any way.

The Autorepeat current macro comand should be added to all macros, which should repeat, if a key of the remote control is pushed and kept down.


Best regards
Prinz

[mmesh]

Hi,

Which program is stealing the focus? I think this problem can be solved using the EventGhost comands of the Window group.

Acctualy I found the culprit for this behaviour - It was MP's Message plugin - setting for "start" message was set so that MP gains focus when sent.

The Autorepeat current macro comand should be added to all macros, which should repeat, if a key of the remote control is pushed and kept down.

Where can I find that macro? I'm not beside my HTPC at the moment.

Best regards
Prinz

Thanks for the help and best regards to You too!

[mmesh]

I found the autorepeater macro attached it to the appropriate functions in MP plugin's action list and it works like a charm.

Thanks Prinz and collinR!

For now it is all I need from EventGhost.