Using keyboard commands to send IR codes via USBUIRT, Can a frontend app send multiple IR codes to control HT equipment? Options

[Guest_wysocki_*]

Most of the posts about HIP involve using an IR remote to control the PC. I'm looking for the opposite - I want to use my PC to send IR to control my home theater components. I have a USBUIRT and I've used Girder and Mainlobby in other installations to do similar things.

I have a variety of frontend programs that I can use to design a graphical "control panel" with buttons like "Play DVD" or "Background Music" etc. When I click on one of those, I want to have it send appropriate IR commands out the USBUIRT to all the necessary components to accomplish the request. I thought I could just have the frontend program pass the required commands to HipWsend which would tell HIP to send the IR commands to the components in the proper sequence.

Firstly, I have Pronto CCF files available for all my components but I have a dozen components each with dozens of IR codes that need to be learned. Is there any way to import them more than one code at a time? I've tried importing them to User_Def01 etc. but this is a tedious process.

Secondly, I tried to add a command that would make the keyboard "a" key power on my amplifier. From the main window, I did a "Add Value" then clicked on the tool for "Primary Command". I clicked on "Send IR" but nothing happened (even though I had a couple of IR commands imported from the CCF file). Is this the wrong way to do it?

Lastly, I've searched this forum for quite some time, and relevant posts are few and, at best, dated for an older version of HIP/USBUIRT. Is there any tutorial or help file that can guide me on implementing this function? I was under the impression that HIP was much easier than Girder but I've not seen evidence of this in this kind of function. Or is Hip the wrong tool for what I'm trying to do?

[btmi]

Unfortunately there is no way to bulk import codes IR Codes and with the problems associated with the process (with bad IR commands), I am afraid that one at a time is the only way to proceed.

Your method seems OK but the main window is application specific, and so whatever commands you program here are related to the currently selected application, and the key will only be sent if that application is in focus. If you check out the Alternate Input tab of the preferences menu, there is a section where you can enter System-wide keys, but be warned, reassigning a key like a will send this IR whenever the A key is pressed and so you may be better using more obscure keyboard commands.

As far as help files and tutorials are concerned, I would start here:http://www.gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Tips/HipGuide

Also if your equipment has the possibility of direct control via a RS232 (serial) plug, I would recommend you use this in preferences to IR as it is much more reliable and you have greater control. Hip can control serial devices with the Com Controller program available here: http://www.byremote.com.au/downloads/defau...CLASS=UTILITIES

[Guest_wysocki_*]

the main window is application specific, and so whatever commands you program here are related to the currently selected application, and the key will only be sent if that application is in focus.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not at all interested in sending keys, just IR blasts. For example let's say my frontend GUI program is named XYZ.EXE and it can either send windows messages to Hip or run HipWsend to trigger a series of actions in Hip. It will be operated via mouse clicks (not even using keyboard). Since the main window is app specific, I'll refer it to xyz.exe even though xyz.exe won't be listening - all I care about is the IR blast. XYZ will have focus since it's the program I'm clicking the buttons on.

The tutorial you cite is about sending keys to an app from received IR signals. Whereas, I'm trying to do the opposite. I figure I must be able to trigger Hip actions by sending it a keystroke (or pseudo-keystroke) from my frontend app. The problem is now figuring out how to send the IR blast. As I said, in the keyboard editor, the "Send IR" button does nothing (although it's not dimmed). And I've tested the IR commands that I've learned and they work fine (turning the amp on/off). I got notepad to play a wav file when I press "a" in it, but I need it to turn on my amplifier instead.

[Guest_cafe.racer_*]

Hi, you're not really trying to do the opposite of what HIP does, because HIP will do what you want natively. But I guess that's just semantics.

You don't actually need XYZ.exe as you can definte system wide keys in HIP - so whatever application is running pressing "K" on the keyboard will blast the corresponding IR signal through your blaster to your amp. I've done this using the MCE Blaster in MCE2005.

If you want to use "XYZ.exe", one thing that I did was to create *.bat files (which I had to convert to *.exe, but that's another thing) to run from the Media Center menu. One example was a "SetWii" command, where I had to change the av receiver over to a different source AND change the TV's source over.

The command in the batch file was something like HIPWsend "SetWii" and I had got HIP to recognise the "SetWii" buttonpresses and run a particular set of predefined IR (for the TV) and RS232 (for the amp) commands.

I'm guessing that this is something like what you want to do. I think I still have the bits and bobs of batch files etc, I could post them up if you're interested.

[Guest_wysocki_*]

Thanks, Cafe. But my real problem at this point is understanding how to get Hip to fire the IR blast when it receives the "keystroke" from the app. I can get it to play a wav, open a file, etc. I just don't see where to define the IR blast that I want sent. When I'm in the keyboard editor, clicking on the "Send IR" button does nothing. I have two IR codes setup for testing in "Add/Edit IR Commands" and they test ok. I set them up as User_Def01 and User_Def02 but I'm not sure that's even right (I can only define 99 IR codes?). Anyway, how do I send these codes?

[Guest_cafe.racer_*]

Right, I getcha.

Click on HIP in the sys tray, click on Configure - this will allow you to create app specific "keys", like Peter said, these will be used only when that app is running, in your case, your XYZ program, I think.

Sitting down in front of my PC right now has reminded me how I did it with HIPWSend - start a command prompt and get to the right folder, then ready by typing HIPWSend "Command1" (This is where I had "SetWii" that I mentioned before).

In the HIP Config window, your want the name of your XYZ program in the Program 1 slot. Then, click Add Value button and you'll get the Get User Input dialog and when it says "Press a Key to Continue", press enter in the command window to execute the HIPWSend "Command1" command.

HIP should respond the same way as if you'd press Add Value and then pressed button on your remote control.

The Add Value window pops up - enter a description, click the keyboard button to the right of primary command (looking at it now, I bet this is the bit you've missed?) and click "Send IR".

The IR Command window opens with all the defined IR commands (the ones you want to blast). A good idea to Select the one you want,and use the Test button. I would remember here to select which IR Output to use, as it's a pain to redefine them later.

I'm not sure which IR Bugs you have, but mine "blink" when they are sneding an IR Command. If your kit doesn't respond, try sending the command twice.

I think I managed to import CCF commands (individually, though), I can't remember how, but I remember that it was a PITA to figure out, especailly as I got the commands off the internet and wasn't sure they worked with my kit.

HTH.

[Guest_wysocki_*]

Right, I getcha.

Click on HIP in the sys tray, click on Configure - this will allow you to create app specific "keys", like Peter said, these will be used only when that app is running, in your case, your XYZ program, I think.

Sitting down in front of my PC right now has reminded me how I did it with HIPWSend - start a command prompt and get to the right folder, then ready by typing HIPWSend "Command1" (This is where I had "SetWii" that I mentioned before).

In the HIP Config window, your want the name of your XYZ program in the Program 1 slot. Then, click Add Value button and you'll get the Get User Input dialog and when it says "Press a Key to Continue", press enter in the command window to execute the HIPWSend "Command1" command.

HIP should respond the same way as if you'd press Add Value and then pressed button on your remote control.

The Add Value window pops up - enter a description, click the keyboard button to the right of primary command (looking at it now, I bet this is the bit you've missed?) and click "Send IR".

The IR Command window opens with all the defined IR commands (the ones you want to blast)....

No it doesn't.

That's the point I'm at. When I click "Send IR", NOTHING happens!
Also, when you say

press enter in the command window to execute the HIPWSend "Command1" command

, I press my ENTER key on the keyboard and it just entered a 13 as if I hadn't even run the hipwsend command. Where does the literal "Command1" come from, or was I supposed to put something from my own setup in its place?

[Guest_cafe.racer_*]

No it doesn't.

What doesn't do what?

That's the point I'm at. When I click "Send IR", NOTHING happens!
Also, when you say , I press my ENTER key on the keyboard and it just entered a 13 as if I hadn't even run the hipwsend command. Where does the literal "Command1" come from, or was I supposed to put something from my own setup in its place?

From what I remember (I've rebuilt my PC since I did this, so I was "playing") it doesn't matter, all you're trying to do is pass some command to HIP for it then to associate a command to. You did press enter in the command window, didn't you.

If you've set up IR commands, does using "Test" work?

It sounds to me like the USBUIRT drivers you're using don't support blasting? Like I said, I did it on MCE2005 with the replacement MCE Driver.

[btmi]

As cafe.racer says, you should be able to make sure that the IR command is sound by using the TEST button. I am sure the USBUIRT drivers are OK, and so I think the problem is more likely to be either

1) The source IR Codes are no good - (try learning and testing a different IR Code from a different source - can you transmit ANY IR?)

2) Hip has not been setup correctly - (Make sure the IR Output device is configured for the USBUIRT and that the settings are correct). Try also increasing the IR Send Count and repositioning the IR Sender so that it is directly facing the component you are trying to control.

Be aware also that IR is susceptible to interference from a variety of sources the most common ones being:
1) A Plasma Screen
2) Fluorescent Lighting
3) An IrDA port on a computer or printer

[Guest_wysocki_*]

Cafe:
When I said "it doesn't" I was referring to your statement about "The IR Command window opens with all the defined IR commands". I get no IR Command window when I click on Send IR. When I go to the IR commands, using "TEST" works fine. I have two set up to power off/on my amplifier so the IR section and drivers are fine.

BTMI:
The output device shows as USB-UIRT. Also it must be ok because the "TEST" function works fine for the two commands I setup.

When I click "Add Value", I get a dialog that says "Get User Input - Press a Key to Continue" and it has a cancel button on it. I press the ENTER key on my keyboard and get a dialog labeled "Add Value - myprog.exe". It shows "{ENTER} (13.9999)" in the top box. I enter a description then click on the icon to the right of "Primary Command", which brings up the Keyboard Editor.

There is a "Send IR" button there, which does nothing when I click it (I would expect a box to come up that asks which IR commands I'd like to send). I can click on the Wait buttons or enter some keystrokes, but I don't know how to connect the IR command to the key that I'm defining.

[btmi]

.9999 commands are keyboard commands. If you press the Send IR button and nothing happens, then this is the problem because this is the button you need. Can you check that you have set up the USB UIRT as the IR Output device in the Preferences menu (Ctrl-P from the main screen and the last tab), and can you select the Edit IR Codes button from here?