XBMC with MCE remote - programming remote for a keypress

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JBNZ

25 posts

Geek

#115609 1-Apr-2013 19:05

Hi everyone, I've searched high and low for an answer to this but have failed ....

I'm running XBMC on a Windows machine using a MS remote to control it.

What I would like to do is use the remote control to mimic the 'c' keypress to bring up the menu where I can update the library rather than restarting XBMC to do this.

So I guess I am asking two questions ...

1) How can I reprogram a button on the MS remote to be a keypress ....

or

2) Is there a way to get XBMC to automatically add new files to my library?

I've found a plugin that triggers a library update but it is based on a timer, my ideal solution is a manual update but by using the MS remote.

Cheers JB

skewt

750 posts

Ultimate Geek

#790272 1-Apr-2013 19:29

This is one of the reasons i preferred MediaPortal since it updated automatically

You could try editing the keyboard.xml file
to add: contextmenu as an option
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Keyboard.xml#Remote_Section

Disrespective

1925 posts

Uber Geek

#792066 3-Apr-2013 08:37

You could try HIP: http://byremote.com.au/hip/

I have used it in the past for a very similar purpose and it worked fine.

sidefx

3711 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#792076 3-Apr-2013 08:56

Have you looked at keyboard.xml as an option?

I think I did something like this when doing something similar with mine:

1) Turn on debug logging in XBMC
2) Push the button you want to use to update library a number of times
3) Look in the XBMC log file to find out what XBMC detected the button as
4) Add an entry in keyboard.xml to map it to XBMC.UpdateLibrary.

EDIT: Doh, missed the fact that skewt already posted this.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

ushare

483 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#803145 21-Apr-2013 17:09

http://xbmccustomregis.sourceforge.net/remote.html

Did wonders for me :D

JBNZ

25 posts

Geek

#804041 23-Apr-2013 07:23

Thanks for all the replies.

I went with the option from ushare in the end. Works like a treat.

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#804749 24-Apr-2013 10:10

I've got a generic MCE remote that works but I believe it identifies itself as an HID device as opposed to a USB/IR interface as such, most of the keys work as expected except for the directional keys which move the mouse pointer around. Given that they're the keys that are the most required, this is less than ideal.

I'm looking at the Hauppauge UPC0335 instead in the hope that the directional keys will actually work as up/down/left right keypresses - any experience here with one?

The remote itself is irrelevant as I'll be programming a Logitech Harmony 650 with it anyway, but it still needs to have the appropriate command translations. If there's a reliable cheaper solution then I'm all ears :)

@KnightNZ

sidefx

3711 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#804753 24-Apr-2013 10:20

@stevenz: I'm using a harmony with the receiver from a cheap remote that sounds similar where the "arrow" keys move the mouse. I just mapped the arrows on the harmony to unused keys from the cheap remote, then use keyboard.xml in xbmc to map them back to movement\arrows, if that makes sense. Seems to work well, I haven't missed the original keys in xbmc and WAF has been good with it.

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." | Octopus Energy | Sharesies
- Richard Feynman

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ubergeeknz

3344 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Vocus

#804758 24-Apr-2013 10:29

Just use an MCE device profile, eg. an Asus laptop. No need for a remote to program from.

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#804762 24-Apr-2013 10:42

The IR commands don't seem to be MCE compliant as the receiver doesn't recognise them. I might try the remapping idea, I don't recall ever needing to use the numeric keys for anything so sacrificing some of those would probably be no big loss.

@KnightNZ

ubergeeknz

3344 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Vocus

#804763 24-Apr-2013 10:44

stevenz: The IR commands don't seem to be MCE compliant as the receiver doesn't recognise them. I might try the remapping idea, I don't recall ever needing to use the numeric keys for anything so sacrificing some of those would probably be no big loss.

Odd, it worked for me, XBMCbuntu (running on an Asus laptop, but I wouldn't think that mattered)

OR use one of the excellent remote apps for iDevice / Android

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#804769 24-Apr-2013 10:49

I'd be perfectly happy to use an extra app, or the existing wireless keyboard that's being used to control it, but I need to make it as simple as possible for management.

@KnightNZ