Support for XBMC2 plugin (formerly XBMCRepeat)

[jonib]

This is the support thread for EventGhost plugin XBMC2, it's used to control XBMC from EventGhost.

Current version is 0.6.3c and current test version with Frodo support for JSON-RPC here (and preliminary events support). Latest test ver 0.6.35.

Latest update:
Outdated info moved.

Old updates history last in this post.

FAQ:
Q: How to configure Kodi/XBMC to be controlled by the XBMC2 plugin?

"Settings->Services->Control" both "Allow remote control from applications..." settings need to be enabled.
"Settings->Services->UPnP/DLNA" Enable "Enable UPnP support" and one of the other settings need to be enabled for example "Allow remote control via UPnP".

On older XBMC/Kodi versions:
"Settings->Services->Remote control" both "Allow remote control by programs..." settings need to be enabled.
"Settings->Services->UPnP/DLNA" One of the settings need to be enabled for example "Allow remote control via UPnP".
"Settings->Services->Web server" You might need to change the port as it might be in use by another service/program.

Q: How to activate notifications/events?

To get events from Kodi/XBMC you need to activate "JSON-RPC notifications" in the XBMC2 plugins settings.

You also need to activate some stuff in Kodi settings, "Services->UPnP->Allow control of Kodi via UPnP" needs to be activated so the XBMC2 plugin detects when Kodi is starting.
You might need to activate "Services->Remote control->Allow programs on other systems to control Kodi".

I am planning to add more functionality, both to send and receive information from XBMC, but I have no idea when.

This plugin needs EventGhost 0.3.7 or later. If you use a different XBMC plugin it is best to put this in another directory as it has a different name and commands.

I have added all Remote and gamepad buttons, most actions and windows, organized in subfolders based on these categories from XBMCs site.

EG_XBMC1.PNG (8.18 KiB) Viewed 94332 times

The idea is to use buttons from the "Remote" or "Gamepad" folders to get the same functionality that is on the XBMC on the XBOX when using a remote or a gamepad, as "Remote" and "Gamepad" buttons are defined in XBMCs "Keymap.xml" and thus are context sensitive and then to complement any missing functions from the different action groups that are not context sensitive.

I'll update this post with new version and any information that is useful.

The plugin uses a unmodified xbmcclient.py the same as the original XBMC plugin.

Old updates:
2012-01-21: I have released ver 0.6.3d. Just a small update, I have added one keyboard key action Tab almost the same as Buttons\Remote\Display, it is under XBMC2\Buttons\Keyboard. I'm not sure if I will add in all keyboard keys XBMC supports, but if I add them I will need to do more changes so it won't happen right away.
2012-01-20: I have released ver 0.6.3c. Just a small update, I have added two keyboard key actions Enter and Backspace, they are under XBMC2\Buttons\Keyboard.
2011-11-10: I have released ver 0.6.3b. Apparently Pako had changed the guid of my plugin, but I did not know this so I had uploaded my plugin with the wrong guid, this ver has the new guid again. More info here.
2011-09-01: I have released ver 0.6.3. I have added some new actions and changed some descriptions for actions to match XBMCs documentation. Go here for more info.
2011-06-18: I have released ver 0.6.2. I have added some new actions and changed a lot of descriptions for actions to match XBMCs documentation. Go here for more info.
2011-05-27: I have released ver 0.6.1. Small fixes read here for more info.
2011-04-04: I have released ver 0.6. It fixes Windows 7(Vista?) problem by saving the JSONRPC and HTTPAPI command information in the "Application data" EventGhost dir. More info in this post.
2011-Mar 8: I have renamed this XBMCRepeat plugin to XBMC2, and it is now included in the EventGhost installer (build 1486). the version included in EventGhost is basically the test version posted 1 Oct 2010. I'll try to make a bigger update soon.
Old update: I have attached 0.5 of the plugin, I have added support to control one or more XBMC's over the network including configuring the IP address, and I have added a new category of actions "Uncategorized actions" where I have put hopefully the last missing actions I'll put them in proper folders when I have a chance to go over them and to see which ones are actually useful.

jonib

[mfsav2]

How can I install this in EG ?
sorry I got confused

can I have both the "official" XBMC plugin and yours? how can I do it ?

[edit] where can I get the XML with the EG configuration you show in the picture?

Mf

[mfsav2]

Sorry... stupid me... able to do everything

now the question is:
how can I change the meaning of the "i" button of the remote?

if I associate it to two action EV will execute both of them independently of the state of the XBMC.

so even if you grouped correctly the action (thanks for that) I cannot put the OK button in all the select under Remote - Playlist etc as, otherwise, XBMC will receive a lot of events...

correct?

Mf

[JustGav]

Thanks for this, I've been playing with this plugin as of late, with multiple XBMC systems and it does seem to work rather nicely.

Is there any real way of getting feedback through this plugin such as what is playing, that sort of thing.

I might be asking a bit too much of eventghost, but I plan on using it between multiple systems to effectively transfer running media. eg. Sat in the living room and want to head up to bed, I can simply get it to shutdown the main HTPC and then turn on the bedroom one and resume playing whatever it is I was watching downstairs.

[jonib]

now the question is:
how can I change the meaning of the "i" button of the remote?

if I associate it to two action EV will execute both of them independently of the state of the XBMC.

so even if you grouped correctly the action (thanks for that) I cannot put the OK button in all the select under Remote - Playlist etc as, otherwise, XBMC will receive a lot of events...

correct?

Any button you use in "Remote" or "Gamepad" folders are context sensitive so they have possibly different action in different places in XBMC, specified in XBMCs "Keymap.xml" file. If you want to use different actions that are not included in "Remote" or "gamepad" on the same button you need to use EventGhosts ability to activate different action groups.

jonib

[jonib]

Is there any real way of getting feedback through this plugin such as what is playing, that sort of thing.

Not from this plugin, and the xbmcclient.py file I'm using to access XBMC don't have any functions to receive feedback from XBMC only to send, put I wouldn't be surprised if that is possible, but I don't know how yet.

Edit: I just remembered that XBMC supports receiving commands via HTTP that can be used to get information HTTP API, this can be used to get the current playing file and other stuff.

I might be asking a bit too much of eventghost, but I plan on using it between multiple systems to effectively transfer running media. eg. Sat in the living room and want to head up to bed, I can simply get it to shutdown the main HTPC and then turn on the bedroom one and resume playing whatever it is I was watching downstairs.

Nice dream , I don't know how possible it is with XBMC+EventGhost, but I know of one free Media center that has that feature but it's not based on XBMC it's Linux MCE.

Edit2: Looking at XBMCs HTTP-API functions it looks possible to retrieve information about the currently playing file and position and then to send that information to a second XBMC and start playback at the same position.
Example commands to use:

Code: Select all

GetCurrentlyPlaying: information about the current file that is playing on the XBMC.
PlayFile(filename;[playlist]): to start playback of a media file.
SeekPercentage(): To put the playback to the correct position.

jonib

[JustGav]

Is there any real way of getting feedback through this plugin such as what is playing, that sort of thing.

Not from this plugin, and the xbmcclient.py file I'm using to access XBMC don't have any functions to receive feedback from XBMC only to send, put I wouldn't be surprised if that is possible, but I don't know how yet.

Edit: I just remembered that XBMC supports receiving commands via HTTP that can be used to get information HTTP API, this can be used to get the current playing file and other stuff.

I might be asking a bit too much of eventghost, but I plan on using it between multiple systems to effectively transfer running media. eg. Sat in the living room and want to head up to bed, I can simply get it to shutdown the main HTPC and then turn on the bedroom one and resume playing whatever it is I was watching downstairs.

Nice dream , I don't know how possible it is with XBMC+EventGhost, but I know of one free Media center that has that feature but it's not based on XBMC it's Linux MCE.

Edit2: Looking at XBMCs HTTP-API functions it looks possible to retrieve information about the currently playing file and position and then to send that information to a second XBMC and start playback at the same position.
Example commands to use:

Code: Select all

GetCurrentlyPlaying: information about the current file that is playing on the XBMC.
PlayFile(filename;[playlist]): to start playback of a media file.
SeekPercentage(): To put the playback to the correct position.

jonib

I've been using the urllib stuff to pull it down into a file, and the running some greps and cuts which is then pushed to a php server, bit clunky but it does sort of work. Just would like to do it a bit more cleanly and keep it within EG. simplified the system.

[jonib]

I've been using the urllib stuff to pull it down into a file, and the running some greps and cuts which is then pushed to a php server, bit clunky but it does sort of work. Just would like to do it a bit more cleanly and keep it within EG. simplified the system.

When the current features works properly, I'll see what else to add.

jonib

[jonib]

OK, I have found the problem with the directional(and some others) buttons in the "Remote" folder, some of the buttons and actions had the same internal name, so when a "Left" button ware pressed the "Left" action was triggered.

I'll soon put up a fixed plugin, I have some tweaks I want to do before, so hopefully tomorrow.

jonib

[byronl]

OK, I have found the problem with the directional(and some others) buttons in the "Remote" folder, some of the buttons and actions had the same internal name, so when a "Left" button ware pressed the "Left" action was triggered.

I'll soon but up a fixed plugin, I have some tweaks I want to do before, so hopefully tomorrow.

jonib

Fantastic work. I was about to do the gamepad workaround, but might wait for this, and therefore test it!

Cheers and thanks for the hard work.

Byron

[jonib]

Cheers and thanks for the hard work.

Thanks, and hopefully the work works this time

I have updated the first post with an updated plugin, please report anything that is not working correctly.

jonib

[byronl]

Cheers and thanks for the hard work.

Thanks, and hopefully the work works this time

I have updated the first post with an updated plugin, please report anything that is not working correctly.

jonib

I went and updated to the new plugin last night and remapped my buttons. I'll test the behaviour tonight and let you know how it goes.

Thank again.

Byron

[byronl]

Tested, and it all works perfectly!

Fantastic work.

Thanks

Byron

[jonib]

Tested, and it all works perfectly!

Great.

jonib

[byronl]

One odd issue.

I've remapped by up/down keys (all in the remote section) to be emulated keystrokes instead of the actual plugin command. This speeds up scrolling in file lists signficantly as discussed in the eventghost topic on the xbmc forums.

ie. for up I have
MceRemote.Up
Emulate Keystrok:{Up}
Autorepeat Current macro:0.5

The odd part is that now up/down in the on screen keyboard won't work. Up/down works everywhere else. Not sure now if it worked with the original plugin or not.

I wonder if there is a mapping missing or it's an xbmc issue. I'll ask on the XBMC forum as well.

This doesn't affect me much since I rarely use the keyboard anyway (and I have an IR keyboard). It's just wierd.

Thanks

Byron