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Triggering with Remote Wonder?
#1
Hey Gintaras, is it possible for QM to use raw input from my ATI Remote Wonder as a trigger? The software allows me to map a few of the buttons to keys, and I can trigger QM with them, but it would be nice if it were possible to trigger QM directly, allowing me to overwrite the other buttons with QM.
#2
Recently I experimented with Windows raw input functions. QM can receive raw input, but cannot "Eat" raw input events. I will experiment with it more and maybe include raw input trigger in QM 2.1.8.
#3
Okay, I did a little more digging on this. I thought I might share what I've learned to help anyone else hoping to use their remote with QuickMacros.

For Remote Wonder users, we should be able to get most of the functionality through one of 3 ways:

• Use the RW Key Factory and/or the RW Key Master plugins to map to keyboard commands that trigger QM

• Use x10 Commander instead of the ATI Remote software

• Use x10RC instead of the ATI Remote software

I haven't tested these much yet, so I'm not sure which is the best yet. My first guess is that x10 Commander will be the best way.

The last two options are actually open to anyone with an x10 remote control. The ATI Remote Wonder and Remote Wonder Plus controllers were developed by x10. I don't know much about their other controllers, but you can try finding information from their website, which I must say is among the most annoying websites I've ever visited.

It is also worth mentioning that the Remote Wonder's Ammo SDK is available.

For Remote Wonder II owners...
The ATI Remote Wonder II was made by Philips, so I doubt it will work with the x10 software. According to the author of Key Factory and Key Master, Key Factory (and maybe Key Master too) will work for the Remote Wonder II, but only for the buttons used by Remote Wonder and Remote Wonder Plus. There may be other options open to people with RWII that I am not aware of, but I focused on the Remote Wonder, because that is what I own. Also, apparently the Mac version of the driver also provides a lot of added functionality, for those of you using an Apple computer.

While all this can help RW owners, it doesn't do much for those with other remotes.



Gintaras, if you're interested in giving QM a "built-in" way to trigger macros using many types of remotes, perhaps you could do this by adding support for WinLIRC?

This is getting a bit beyond my current level of experience, but it seems like that would work...?

Also, even though Remote Wonder controllers use RF not IR, the WinLIRC plugin makes them compatible.

Edit: I also just found a 3rd party API and toolset for WinLIRC in java, called jLIRC. I'm not sure if it can be of any use, but I thought I'd mention it.
#4
Don't these remotes' recievers plug in to serial ports. If so, I have figured out how to get serial data in to and out of a constantly running QM fucntion. I use my HP48 calculator to trigger some macros (like media keys, etc). I could figure out the remote codes pretty quickly. I use the mscomm activex control for the dirty work. I think it is included in the VB runtime files. If it is done this way, we can rid ourselves of having to run another program in the background.

Matt B.
Matt B
#5
The mscomm.ocx is available here http://www.yes-tele.com/mscomm.html, but not in the VB runtime files. I have it installed via VB6. I haven't tried installing it alone yet.
Matt B.
Matt B
#6
Most remotes use USB, though there are a few that still use serial. Serial remotes are fading away though (serial everything for that matter). This is especially true since many people like to use remotes for giving presentations with their laptops. I own 3 PC Remotes (ATI, Creative, and Hauppauge), and none of them use Serial. In fact, they all use a different method: The Hauppauge IR reciever plugs into the pci card, the Creative IR reciever is built into the LiveDrive, and the Remote Wonder uses a USB RF reciever. USB is definitely where everything is going, though.

I once thought about doing something similar with my TI-89, I even found schematics for making an IR transmitter for it.

But I figure if I have remotes, I might as well let the remote controls do the remote controlling, and let the calculator calculate. Smile


Anyway, like I said before, I've never programmed this sort of thing before (I mostly do CGI in Perl and such), so this is unfamiliar ground to me. I've never done anything with serial ports, let alone USB, so I don't know if your technique is easily transferrable to reading USB ports. Even if it is, having a continuously running QM macro would add a lot of unnecessary overhead. That, and last time I tried (couple of versions ago, so this may have changed), it would mean no other macros could be run.


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