Instructions for extending irremote.ini

[Opus4]

Want to extend the Hauppauge remote to be able to control more applications?

Want to switch to a new programmable remote and be able to make use of additional buttons?

Both can be done without having to buy a new IR receiver, such as the usb-uirt, or new control software, such as Girder. While those 2 items have their benefits (the usb-uirt is able to send IR codes to your cable box; Girder has much more application control than irremote.ini has), continuing to use the Hauppauge receiver/software combo has the benefit of no extra cost.

I've attached 2 files, one containing descriptions of the changes that irremote.ini needs in order to add:

- new IR codes
- new applications to control
- new commands for an existing application, such as SageTV

Obviously, the silver Hauppauge remote can't be used to add new IR codes, but you can use it to control more programs. The real power, however, is in using a programmable remote that can have new IR codes added to it -- you'll be able to control every possible SageTV function on one remote and still be able to control other programs too.

The 2nd file contains much more complete documentation of the entire irremote.ini file. Thanks to a contact at Hauppauge, I was finally able to get more information regarding everything in the ini file. The documentation covers the latest version of Hauppauge's remote control software, available in this thread, below. Last update: 06-29-04, version 2.42.22180

Note: For further information, see another post on this subject: How to use another remote with the Hauppauge IR receiver. That one deals mostly with reprogramming the MX-700 and how to get started programming a JP1 capable remote.

Note: There is also a 3rd thread regarding enabling control of SageTV with the Hauppauge remote software, even when SageTV doesn't have focus: How to control SageTV w/o focus (Hauppauge or other remotes)

- Andy

After 357 downloads, the attachment has been updated on 06-29-04 for version 2.42.22180

[falchulk]

Thanks Opus4! Great stuff.

[Opus4]

For ease of future reference, I am posting the instructions for using the Hauppauge remote to sleep/wake SageTV, along with a sample basic irremote.ini file that has the default commands assigned to the remote's buttons when SageTV is installed.

To use the Hauppauge remote to sleep & wake SageTV, edit your irremote.ini file (in your Windows directory).

In the [Default] section, set:
GRNPOWER={run(C:\Progra~1\FreyTe~1\SageTV\SageTV.exe)}{mode(SageTV)}

In the [SageTV] section, set:
GRNPOWER={ctrl}z{mode(Default)}

* Don't forget to modify the path to your SageTV directory if it is different. Be sure to use the short file/folder names in the path to SageTV.exe; irremote.ini doesn't seem to like spaces in its lines.

* There is more than one Sage-related section in the ini file; make sure to edit the correct one.

* Remember to restart the IR control program.

* Be sure to use the remote to put SageTV to sleep, instead of the main menu's Sleep command, or else the remote will be thrown out of sync.

You will now be able to use the green power button at the top of the remote to put SageTV to sleep & wake it up again.

- Andy

Edit: I put this in the first post, above, but I suppose it really belongs here... There is now another thread regarding enabling control of SageTV with the Hauppauge remote software, even when SageTV doesn't have focus: How to control SageTV w/o focus (mostly Hauppauge remote). That thread has the same basic ini file as the attachment in this post, except that it controls SageTV via Windows messages instead of keystrokes. So, check them both out to see which you prefer. (Post #15 of that thread contains the latest ini versions.)

Edit: If you have a problem using the number keys on your remote, you may wish to edit irremote.ini and change all the "{numpad#}" style commands to just "#", changing "{numpad1}" to just "1" for example. (w/o the quotes, of course!)

Oct-28-2004 Update: A basic configuration file for the new 45-button Hauppuage remote has been attached. The new zip file contains a custom irremote.ini file for that remote, a readme file, and an Excel file listing all commands, their event codes, and the button layouts for the old and new remotes. This is not an official layout from Frey, so if they release a different command layout, I'll update these files. Also attached is an image ofthe new remote showing the command assignments.

Aug-8-2005 Update: A new attachment, SageCommandsv3.zip, contains the commands that SageTV v3 adds to irremote.ini during installation. To add these commands manually, edit irremote.ini in your Windows directory and copy the lines from SageCommnds.ini to the end of irremote.ini. Restart ir.exe and select your Hauppauge remote in Detailed Setup -> Commands -> Remote Control Config. In addition, if it isn't there already, you will have to add the line "sagetv=" (w/o quotes) in the [applications] section of the ini file.

[ezeitler]

After you download this file, rename it "basic.zip" so it can be unzipped.

[Opus4]

Originally posted by ezeitler
After you download this file, rename it "basic.zip" so it can be unzipped.

What are you trying to unzip it with? I can see a possible problem with a command line unzip program, but in Windows XP, you can easily double click it to open the zip file, or right click on it & choose "Extract All..."

I'll remember not to use spaces in zip filenames in the future, though.

- Andy

[BJBigler]

Opus4:

Any idea how I can "sleep" SageTV and return focus to myHTPC? I've tried ...

GRNPOWER={ctrl}z{mode(myHTPC)}

...but that doesn't work, so there must be something wrong with my understanding of the irremote.ini file language.

When I close the myHD app, by contract, focus goes right back to myHTPC, no problem...

Thanks for any tips.

--Brent

[Opus4]

The ini mode() command just tells the IR software which section of the ini file to look at for command interpretation; it doesn't change Windows focus.

I thought that when you closed a Windows app, the previous app would regain the focus. There are some task switching commands that the ini file can use, but I don't think you can tell it which specific program to switch to. The best I think it will do is bring up the task list (like Alt-tab) so you can choose the one to switch to. I'll look into that some time, but for now, check out this line in the default section:

MENU={switch(*task*)}{shift}{tab}

If you assign this to a button, it will bring up the task list & you can then arrow over to the app you want & hit OK. See the [*task*] section too.

- Andy

[Opus4]

I forgot: One good use of the {run(SomeProgram.exe)} command, as I sort-of mention in the "How to extend irremote-ini" instructions, is that it can be used to switch focus to a program. If you can run the exe & have it return focus to the already-running version of itself, this works great. If running the exe causes another instance of the application to run, then this tip won't work.

- Andy

[rrussell]

I'll second Andy's comment about the {run} command.

I've got a button set up to sleep Sage, run WinDVD4, then set the mode to the WinDVD section. In that section, the same button closes WinDVD, awakens Sage and sets the mode back to SageTV.

Works great, and I don't have to futz around with SageTV's SPDIF DVD audio output problems anymore!

[kny3twalker]

just wanted to post this in case anyone was interested
WinDVD added support
PowerDVD added support
For hauppauge silver remote
of course has Sage

[rrussell]

Originally posted by rrussell
Works great, and I don't have to futz around with SageTV's SPDIF DVD audio output problems anymore!

Ugh. Worked great until WinDVD couldn't deal with "Matchstick Men" for whatever reason, bombed, and left the system locked up. ARGH!

(this, of course, is not a Sage problem. I just needed to vent.)

[Opus4]

I have updated the documentation for irremote.ini in the first post of this thread. After speaking with a contact at Hauppauge, the docs now cover practically everything you can do with irremote.ini, including some extended functionality that was not included in previous versions of their remote software. (Hauppauge: thanks for the info and additions!)

To make full use of the new capabilities, the latest version of the software has been attached to this post: IR version 2.42.22180.

Please note that this is not the current "official" verison of that software, but it is what I am using and it has worked so far. However, I suggest that you keep your previous install file for the IR software, in case you have problems with this one.

Note: reinstalling the IR software will overwrite your current irremote.ini file, found in your Windows directory. Be sure to save a copy of your ini file before installing this update & then use that saved copy to replace the default ini file that will be installed.

Note 2: This probably isn't the latest version of the driver any more. Check your driver version before downloading & installing this file.

- Andy

[mls]

Opus4 -

This is probibly the wrong place to put this, so delete, edit, or move this to wherever you think best. Anyway...

In the post about using the Hauppauge Remote to wake SageTV, my solution to it not working if you select Sleep from the menu was to simply remove the "{mode(Default)}" from the end of the GRNPOWER button line in the SageTV section of the irremote.in file.

Since I do not use the remote for anything else other than SageTV this works nicely for me.

From a fresh boot, I just hit the GRNPOWER button and it starts up SageTV. After that, can use it the power button or the menu to sleep Sage, and then any button on the remote will wake it again.

Of course, this only works if you do not want to use the remote for anything else, but then again if you are running SageTV why would you

Oh, and thanks again for all your work in that area Opus4. I've made extensive use of the info you have provided

[Opus4]

Originally posted by mls
In the post about using the Hauppauge Remote to wake SageTV, my solution to it not working if you select Sleep from the menu was to simply remove the "{mode(Default)}" from the end of the GRNPOWER button line in the SageTV section of the irremote.in file.

Since I do not use the remote for anything else other than SageTV this works nicely for me.

If you do that, also remove the mode command in the [Default] section. The original ini from Frey does not include the mode switch, nor does it add the command in [Default] to run SageTV.

So... yes, removing the mode command can work, but there is a reason it is there. Hauppauge's IR software determines what program mode it is in by checking the program with focus. If some program has focus that also has an [application] section, the IR software will switch to it & if GRNPOWER is defined there, you will be unable to start SageTV with that button, causing more confusion. If you remove every other program [] section from the ini, you probably won't have this problem, but I prefer to keep the mode switch & ignore the Sleep button.

GRNPOWER works w/no program having focus because it defaults to the [Default] section. (Imagine that.) The mode commands simply forces it into that mode so it can't get lost when something else gets focus.

Oh, and thanks again for all your work in that area Opus4. I've made extensive use of the info you have provided

You're welcome. It was a real $%^%$ trying to find all the info. I figured I might as well let other people know how to use it too.

Oh -- and I didn't come up with the use of the mode command or some of the other stuff; I simply documented it all. So, I certainly am not taking credit for all that info. Some of it, maybe... but not all.

- Andy

Edit: I took this opportunity to try out some mod abilities to move these 2 posts to this thread.

[mls]

Opus4 -

I see you found a place to move my other post to

One thing I forgot to mention in that one is that I had also modified my irremote.ini to use sendmsg.exe to solve the focus issue. Might try changing that though now that Hauppauge has a different option built into their newer IR software that might do the same thing (then again, it works great the way it is so why bother).

Glad you did point out the possible focus issue though. Sorry, I forgot to mention it.

[Opus4]

Originally posted by mls
One thing I forgot to mention in that one is that I had also modified my irremote.ini to use sendmsg.exe to solve the focus issue. Might try changing that though now that Hauppauge has a different option built into their newer IR software that might do the same thing (then again, it works great the way it is so why bother).

One reason to change would be that it is faster to use a command internal to IR.exe rather than run my external utility. On the other hand... you've got a point about not fixing what ain't broke.

- Andy

[mls]

Just as a side note... You're solution for focus has always worked great for me until a couple days ago.

I have things set up here so I can use my desktop on the monitor while SageTV is running on the other output of my vid card to a TV. So, I'm often surfing the web or doing other things and could use the remote to pause, rewind, whatever without switching focus back and forth all the time.

The other day, for some odd reason, while surfing the web, all the lower buttons on the Hauppauge remote quit working (FF, RW, Pause, Skip) until I switched focus back to SageTV on the desktop.

The strange part is that it seemed to be only the lower remote buttons that were effected. The upper ones (volume, menu, etc.) all still seemed to work.

I normally use Mozilla's FireFox browser to avoid all the ActiveX issues, so I'm not sure what sneaky stuff I hit on a web page that was interfering (maybe some JAVA or JavaScript?).

Anyway, after I got done and closed the web browser, then everything worked ok again even without SageTV being in focus. Just to make sure everything got straightend out though I did a re-boot.

I've only had this happen that one time. If it happens again I'll try to pay more attention to what web pages I was on and see if I can find a reason for what happened and post it here.

[sboire]

Hi Opus,

Nice thread, I (almost) made SageTV to work with my Hauppauge remote in a satisfactory fashion.

I'm using a 350 and SageTV v2.

1. I had the latest IR software drop so no need for the .dll update or the SendMessage. Great explanation from your post.

2. I modified the irremote.ini file (based on your post) and made it more to the point! I would recommend it to anyone using the remote for SageTV ONLY. It will prevent the remote to work with all other appliclations (like WinTV). In my case, I only use SageTV so it is perfect to me (no switching app IR Control hassle). Basically, I replaced the [Default] section of the irremote.ini with the [SageTV] one and remove all unnecessary stuff... hehe. MAKE BACKUP OF YOUR CURRENT IRREMOTE.INI IF YOU USE THE ONE ATTACHED IN THIS POST, lots of information/data was remove from it. Works great for me and is more clear.

3. I was bugged by the fact that SageTV (v2) seems to require the SageTV Application window to be visible (minimized or maximized) in order to work (i.e. I have a 350, so I don't want to see SageTV on my computer screen). So I downloaded a freeware to hide windows. (
Quick Hide Windows ). I can use it to hide/unhide SageTV and make my Desktop a better place... (the windows messages from the IR controller still go through even if the window is hidden, that was expected since the hidden property don't interfere with the window message loop (how the window would you get the message to unhide... hehe). (maybe I missed something and it is possible to ALWAYS run SageTV from the system tray (hidden), Let me know!)

By the way, for everybody info, I tried to run SageTV as a service (using firedaemon) and it worked, but it was clear that without the "interact with desktop" option enabled, IR controller windows messages were not going through to SageTV (i.e. the window didn't existed), this is an expected since I think that services don't run Windows message loops like windows applications do. (unless it is specifically spawned by the service, hidden, in a separate thread.). Since the "interact with Desktop"options shows the SageTV Windows in the current logged session, that defeats the purpose (for me) to run it as a service: I see SageTV when I'm logged!.

I haven't tried to open a terminal server session to run SageTV and the IR in another session, but my guess is it could be a way to make it work. (or use the switch user of Windows XP) I may try that to resolve my next and last problem...

GAMES! I tried a few games and it seems they may prevent the IR controller windows messages from reaching SageTV. I'm not sure why, but games may trap all windows message to interfere with normal keystroke behavior (apps usually do that by hooking into the Windows system message loop) and the game may also use the User defined Windows messages (like sage). Bottom line is that when I play a game, I can't control SageTV with the Remote (well, my girlfriend can't, to be more exact, since I would be playing ) . When I close the game the messages sent while in the game (stacked somehow) reach the SageTV Window. Any idea to solve the issue? Maybe not all games interfere with the windows messaging delivery, I will test further...

Cheer
Sebastien

[Opus4]

Re: 3) You may not need to have SageTV awake & have its window in the way at all. Others have reported being able to use SageTV while it is sleeping when using a 350 for TV out. I can do it with my Xcard too, but it is kind of pointless since I can't see the UI through the Xcard's TV out. (Messages still control SageTV while it is sleeping.)

- Andy

[chrysek]

Thanks for help.

Chris