[plugin] PIN Support for ALL Modules... (Feb 2 Update)

[SSDNAdmin]

THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO PIN PROTECT YOUR SETTINGS SCREEN

Author: Brett. Also thanks to Draven, creator of the awesome Dark Blue Skin for BTV and BM, for the lock image.
Short Description: Adds a simple PIN screen to any desired module you setup.
Version Number: 1.1
Status: Stable.
Last Updated: 2/2/04
Homepage:

This module is intended to be used with modified Beyond Media XMLs or other plugins. As an example, I have included a file below that will automatically do it for Beyond Media settings, it sets the password by default to 1234. Please NOTE you must replace the sample file with Beyond Media closed!

The following are instructions on how I modified the XML. You can use these instructions within plugins you create or modify the XML yourself to protect various other modules.

To kick things off you must first install the module by clicking on the download below. Alone, it will do nothing. You must either pair it up with another plugin, copy the sample xml, or modify your own xml for the PIN screen to work.

CUSTOM IMPLEMENTATION OF PIN PROTECTION

The next reading is optional, but explains what I did to make the attached sample menues.xml file...

CLOSE BEYOND MEDIA and open up the file:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Beyond Media\Menus.xml

You should see stuff like for example photos:

    <MenuItem Label="Settings" Image="SSBM_MainMenu_Settings">
      <MenuItem.Action>
        <ShowScreen Screen="SettingsScreen"/>
      </MenuItem.Action>
    </MenuItem>

Now change it to startup PINScreen. For the arguments you want to have the original screenname (ie: SettingsScreen) followed by a comma with a NUMERIC PIN code. Optionally, you can add another ',' with text to display in place of "The Module is PIN Protected", as I did below.

    <MenuItem Label="Settings" Image="SSBM_MainMenu_Settings">
      <MenuItem.Action>
        <ShowScreen Screen="PINScreen" ScreenArgs="SettingsScreen,1234,Settings are Locked" />
      </MenuItem.Action>
    </MenuItem>

The REST is for FIREFLY USERS ONLY
This only applies for the DVD/Photos/Video/Music modules

First you will need to close FireFly (using the taskbar) and place this updated profile in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Firefly\Profiles\

You also need to close Beyond Media and place this new input mapping in:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SnapStream\Beyond Media\

Make SURE to backup your other files!

You can now edit InputBindings.xml to insert passwords similar to how you did it for Menues.xml

Modify the code in the same way as above, such as:

<FireflyBinding Button="Photos">
<FireflyBinding.Action>
        <ShowScreen Screen="PINScreen" ScreenArgs="PhotoScreen,1234"/>
</FireflyBinding.Action>
</FireflyBinding>

Hope this all makes sense! Its a very basic PIN module. Just type in the PIN when the screen appears, if you get it wrong just hit enter, it will blank it out and you can try again, escape will take you back. There is atleast one known workaround already, if the user completely exits BeyondMedia and hits Photo/DVD/etc on FireFly it will go directly to that module, its the only loop I know of though. So if you disable the red button on your remote, and hide "Exit" you should be fine.

DOWNLOAD NOW

SAMPLE MENUES.XML THAT PROTECTS THE SETTINGS SCREEN (YOU MUST EXIT BEYOND MEDIA FIRST!)

[Kilrsat]

A quick idea to prevent reading the PINs from the XML files by people that shouldn't be allowed to do that.

Create a user account such as BeyondMediaAccount. Set the NTFS permissions on the necessary files to only allow reading/writing from the BeyondMediaAccount.

Login to the system under a normal user account.

Hold down shift, right click on the BeyondMedia icon.
Select the "Run As" option to start BeyondMedia under the BeyondMediaAccount.

Tada, now Beyond Media can read those files but a regular user can't.

I think "Run As" may only be available on XP systems. Its been awhile since I've played with a 2k machine to be sure though.

[Brett]

I have updated this module. It has an additional "optional" field that lets you define the text on the screen. It has a cool lock image (thanks Draven!). And it no longer requires you to press 'esc' twice once you entered the module.

-Brett

[k_kirk]

Brett, would it be possible for you to echo a mask character to the sceen when a PIN character is entered? I keep the UI sounds off so I can't determine whether the keypress is picked up or not. An idea for future. Thanks a lot.

[mickwall]

Brett

I have some code in my EMAIL module that does this if you want to share it.

Mick

[draven]

Originally Posted by Brett

It has a cool lock image (thanks Draven!)

-Brett

Just a small contribution to a really cool set of plugins, but glad I could help.

[minn]

I don't know if this is relavent but:

will this plug work to deny people access to certain folders? for example in my videos folder in BM i have some that I want locked so only i can view them. is this possible? Anyway to create a wizard for dummies like me to do this if it is possible? me and computer code don't go well togeter.....

[Brett]

Unfortunately no this will only work to block entire screens (ie: modules). So you could block the "browse" option but not individual folders.

That said, a crafty developer could integrate it into his screen and do stuff like you suggested. For example, Jason has integrated it into the DVD Library plugin so that it only locks certain movies.

To respond to the rest of the comments here, I would like to update this to add *'s and a little more, but right now I have a priority list a mile long, and this is more of a "functional" plugin then really a feature plugin.

-Brett

[yabsie]

Originally Posted by Brett

Unfortunately no this will only work to block entire screens (ie: modules). So you could block the "browse" option but not individual folders.

That said, a crafty developer could integrate it into his screen and do stuff like you suggested. For example, Jason has integrated it into the DVD Library plugin so that it only locks certain movies.

To respond to the rest of the comments here, I would like to update this to add *'s and a little more, but right now I have a priority list a mile long, and this is more of a "functional" plugin then really a feature plugin.

-Brett

So why not post code and let some us of have at it. This product and its plug ins would be so much better if we could convince more ppl to share. What is the downside of sharing code?