JP1 Remotes

The Robman · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:46 am Post subject:

Fingers crossed! Smile

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Rob
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The Robman · Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject:

I've split my feature request and Vicky's to a new thread...
http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10799
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Rob
www.hifi-remote.com
Please don't PM me with remote questions, post them in the forums so all the experts can help!

mathdon · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:34 am Post subject:

IR 8.00 Beta 8 posted

I have now posted IR 8.00 Beta 8 here.

This adds to IR.exe the ability to check device setup codes for validity. This new feature requires a new section in the RDF and a new entry in the [General] section to support it. The [SetupCodes] section lists all the valid device codes for each device type. The SetupValidation entry in the [General] section takes one of the three values Off, Warn and Enforce. If set Off, there is no validation even if the [SetupCodes] section is present. If set either to Warn or to Enforce, invalid codes are shown in red in the Device Buttons panel. If set to Warn then a warning message is given and confirmation is required to save, upload or export setup data that includes any invalid codes. If set to Enforce then uploading or exporting such a setup is prevented but saving is permitted upon confirmation. This is to allow an incomplete setup to be saved while the user seeks corrections to the data.

The driver for this new facility was the discovery that the URC-7780 (but not the similar URC-7781) has a problem if a setup is uploaded that includes any invalid codes. It enters a state in which it does not respond to button presses and leaves the LED flashing continuously. This state can only be exited by uploading a setup in which all installed devices have valid codes. To prevent this happening, an RDF for this remote and its Extender A1 is included in the package that have the necessary [SetupCodes] section and SetupValidation set to Enforce. RDFs for the URC-7781 and URC-8550 Topline 8 containing this section are also included, but with SetupValidation set to Warn. The URC-8550 is provided as an illustration of the facility on an older remote.

Beta 8 also has a new tool on the Tools menu that is enabled when SetupValidation is set to Warn or Enforce, and when it is enabled there is also a button on the toolbar to open it. This is the Code Selector. It enables the user to view the valid codes for any device type and to assign a selected code to the device button currently selected in the Device Buttons panel of the General page of IR.exe.
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Graham

Capn Trips · Expert Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3990

xnappo · Expert Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 861

mathdon · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:52 am Post subject:

The new feature is entirely optional in the RDF. If an existing RDF is used, the only visible sign of its existence is the disabled (grey) entry "Code Selector" on the Tools menu. So the new [SetupCodes] section and the associated SetupValidation entry in the [General] section are needed only when the remote has problems with invalid codes. But it may be seen as useful with other remotes, as it also provides the Code Selector tool for viewing and selecting valid codes.
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Graham

Barf

With all recent versions of IR (definitely 8..beta7, have not tried beta8 yet) I have had the following problem on my Vista computer (Service pack 1). When starting, I get an error popup saying

mdavej · Expert Joined: 08 Oct 2003 Posts: 4501

Setup code validation and code selector are fantastic. If it's not too difficult, can code selector be added to the R-click of a device button?
HERE are the 15-13x RDFs with codes. I made this list from Rob's devices.xls which matches the codes in the manual.

mathdon · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:48 pm Post subject:

Barf, I'll look into this and see what if anything I can do. I'm developing this on Vista (haven't dared install SP1 in case it kills anything) but I'm set up as an administrator so I haven't encountered this yet.

Mdavej, glad you like it. I was rather pleased with the code selector myself. I wasn't even aware of a right-click capability in IR till you mentioned it. I'll look into this too, but have you realised there is a button on the toolbar to open code selector? That too takes just one click.
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Graham

mathdon · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:46 am Post subject:

Mdavej, I've now put Code Selector on an R-click menu for device buttons. This will be on the next posting of IR8. It is the only item on that menu. Is that correct? I found that R-click was not set up for the Device Buttons panel, though it was for most others, and depending on which column you were in on that panel, right clicking either gave nothing or gave what I presume was a long default menu that seemed irrelevant. It now gives my one-item menu wherever you are in the panel.

[Edit]
I've also made double-click in Code Selector do both select and assign.
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Graham

mdavej · Expert Joined: 08 Oct 2003 Posts: 4501

Yes, there was no R-click menu there before, only some editing related ones elsewhere. And the double-click is a nice addition too. That's exactly what I had in mind.

I also saw the warning on upload if you have bad codes. You really thought this through. Nice work.

greenough1 · Joined: 30 Jan 2005 Posts: 659

That would be really help to automate going from device.xls to comma delimited block format for the rdf's. I stated the Atlas 3033/3333 and ran out of steam after the first device block.
Best,
jeff

Capn Trips · Expert Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3990

Haven't had much time lately, but took a few minutes to look at the new IR. Significant upgrade in usability! Congratulations and thanks for the hard work.

So to take advantage of some of the new capabilities, the RDFs should be updated to RDF spec 4, correct? I'm just trying to wrap my brain around this. Please correct me if my summary below is flawed.

We must add [General] section entries for:
SoftDev (conditional)
SoftHT (conditional)
MacroCodingType
StartReadOnlySettings
PauseParams
RDFVersionAddr
ExtenderVersionAddr
SetupValidation

Additionally the [SpecialProtocols] and [DeviceButtons] sections should be changed to take advantage of the new syntax.

And one has to add the [SetupCodes] section to take advantage of setup code validation and the Code Selector tool.

Seems like a lot of work - but IIUC the backwards compaitbility with RDF 3 spec RDFs will allow this RDF updating process to be an ongoing one, is that correct?

Can us simpletons help with updating RDFs, or must experts extract the [Setup Codes] data and so forth?
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Beginners - Read this thread first
READ BEFORE POSTING or your post will be DELETED!

Remotes: OFA XSight Touch, AR XSight Touch
TVs: LG 65" Smart LED TV; Samsung QN850BF Series - 8K UHD Neo QLED LCD TV
RCVR: Onkyo TX-SR875; Integra DTR 40.3
DVD/VCR: Pioneer DV-400VK (multi-region DVD), Sony BDP-S350 (Blu-ray), Toshiba HD-A3 (HD-DVD), Panasonic AG-W1 (Multi-system VCR);
Laserdisc: Pioneer CLD-D704.
Amazon Firestick
tape deck: Pioneer CT 1380WR (double cassette deck)
(But I still have to get up for my beer)

Capn Trips · Expert Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 3990

A thought crossed my mind about the snazzy new setup code validation capability of this version of IR. I presume that it only cheks the validity of setup codes entered on the General tab in IR, correct?

What about an alternate setup code that may be invoked by the Device Multiplexer or Device Toggler protocol? The alternate setup codes invoked by these Special Protocols do not appear on the General Tab. Will those get validity checked as well? (I suspect not yet)

Can IR be made to somehow identify an alternate code called in a Multiplexor keymove and perform the same check for any setup codes called therein?

Or is that a bridge too far?
_________________
Beginners - Read this thread first
READ BEFORE POSTING or your post will be DELETED!

Remotes: OFA XSight Touch, AR XSight Touch
TVs: LG 65" Smart LED TV; Samsung QN850BF Series - 8K UHD Neo QLED LCD TV
RCVR: Onkyo TX-SR875; Integra DTR 40.3
DVD/VCR: Pioneer DV-400VK (multi-region DVD), Sony BDP-S350 (Blu-ray), Toshiba HD-A3 (HD-DVD), Panasonic AG-W1 (Multi-system VCR);
Laserdisc: Pioneer CLD-D704.
Amazon Firestick
tape deck: Pioneer CT 1380WR (double cassette deck)
(But I still have to get up for my beer)

mdavej · Expert Joined: 08 Oct 2003 Posts: 4501

HERE is a macro that gets pretty close to a formatted setup codes list from the latest devices.xls. You still have to edit out some extra commas at the end of each section. To use it, paste the code into Module1 and assign it a keyboard shortcut if you want. Then filter the remote you want and run the macro. It will spit out a SetupCodes.txt file in the same folder as devices.xls.

Section should be named [SetupCodes], and SetupValidation=Warn (or Enforce) needs to be added to [General].