New Firefly Sofware (works also for Streamzap)

[Deisama]

I really like the idea of being able to lock to a certain profile. Before I always had to put all my alternate keys in the Mouse Profile and switch back and forth.
I was worried about how I could control my reciever or TV with the remote, as there weren't enough logical buttons in the global section to make it do everything I wanted, but this solves that problem perfectly!

Thanks again, and keep up the good work!

[vogelap]

Thank you for the program. I just sent you a donation. Please keep up the good work!

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Deisama

Does the program test for an exact match, or just to see if its contained in the String?

The class name and windows title comparaison is an exact match.

If its just testing to see if its contained, and I listed "D:\Games" as the exe name, than wouldn't any exe that was in that directory return true when you checked against Process.ModuleMain.FileName?

I'll see if I choose to make partial match or not. It's just a question of speed : exact match is faster and it's kinda important here where matching is done upon each button press. I'll bench it.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

I've updated the software to version 1.3, so what's new :

* now you can match a profile with the executable name, though this is an exact match on the file name (for instance : notepad.exe) the match is case insensitive (wherea title and class name are case sensitive)

* I added a online profile database, so if you want to share your profiles go in the profile editor and click on the "Upload" button. You'll have to describe your profile a little (like what non obvious buttons are doing). For downloading a profile you have to be a donator though.

Also pay attention to two things :

* the profiles.xml in c:\document and settings\all users\lm gestion\lm remote keymap will be updated by version 1.3 and as such you'll not be able to downgrade to 1.2 (so back it up just in case)

* the x10net.dll for the Firefly is now excluded in the installer, so when you'll remove the version 1.2 it will certainly unregister this dll and installing version 1.3 will not fix this : so you may have to reinstall your Firefly drivers (use the download link for the drivers on my web site).

The online profile database may or may not work : this is my first attempt of an application consuming web services (though I don't use .Net Web Services but I'm rather doing it with my own set of classes). The authentification part may be problematic (has to be secured without using SSL)

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Deisama

I was worried about how I could control my reciever or TV with the remote, as there weren't enough logical buttons in the global section to make it do everything I wanted, but this solves that problem perfectly!

You can also use the "DisplayMenu" action if you are in a creative mood or the "Multipress" action (this one is really useful for "tree tap" text input...)

The "DisplayMenu" will display an OSD that doesn't time out and let you choose the action to fire by using the arrow keys on the remote, then selecting the action with the "Ok" button. So you can for instance turn the "A" button in a "Start Menu" replacement, it will look great if you also use some PNG file as icons in the Menu.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[awx]

I wish you could make your web page easier to navigate for users that want to download the software. For instance, link to the files by doing something like this:

Downloads:

• LM Remote KeyMap 1.3 for Firefly (Standard), 2006-11-24, MD5:AFA53438B0999F7DEDFD5BF67A901238
• LM Remote KeyMap 1.3 for Firefly (Donation edition), 2006-11-24, MD5:7095C3CB9F234C7DCF73DBF03349AA57
• Firefly drivers 1.2 (required), 2006-11-11, MD5:4038ADF3A3E26F452772C064B706039C

Setting up the web page this way would be a lot easier for me to deal with. Even if a link to the donation edition can't easily be put on the web page, at least list it separately and tell users to check their email for the link.

Also, the names for the files is not very clear. The standard edition and the donation edition have names that are almost identical. "lmremotekeymapforfirefly1%2E3.exe" and "LMRemoteKeyMapforFirefly1.3s.exe"

[gr390ry5m1t4]

v1.3 does not seem to be getting/keeping focus for me as well as 1.2 did. Maybe because I added the exe for PowerDVD or something else, but my Firefly seems to often stop working until I dig out the mouse and click the desired window to reset focus. Sometimes a key works once, then not again with no logical reason for loss of focus in between.

I'm also not liking the mouse mode function - I had hoped to 'get used' to it, but the always moving pointer seems a step backward from the native Firefly mouse mode. I've also found that I cannot exit mouse mode any way BUT via the 'right mouse/exit' button...which I'd much prefer was usable as a right-click option. Possible to make the 'mouse' button a toggle, as it is with Firefly standard? Maybe then I could get used to the pointer motion oddity.

[StephaneM]

Hello,

Originally Posted by gr390ry5m1t4

Sometimes a key works once, then not again with no logical reason for loss of focus in between.

I suppose that you never saw this with version 1.2? Can you send me your profiles.xml file (C:\Document and Settings\All Users\LM Gestion\LM Remote KeyMap) and let me know what is the application you are having issue with (just reply to the newsletter e-mail you received).

I have not changed much things between 1.2 and 1.3 : the "executable" and the "profile database" are the only changes. That said the "exectuable" thing does obviously change the way profiles are selected : this the first match that the application try to make now. Moreover the way profiles are stored and searched for has changed : this is only a formal change though and the detection principle is the same.

I'm also not liking the mouse mode function - I had hoped to 'get used' to it, but the always moving pointer seems a step backward from the native Firefly mouse mode. I've also found that I cannot exit mouse mode any way BUT via the 'right mouse/exit' button...which I'd much prefer was usable as a right-click option. Possible to make the 'mouse' button a toggle, as it is with Firefly standard? Maybe then I could get used to the pointer motion oddity.

Ok for the "Mouse" toggle : you'll be able in the next version to switch on / off mouse mode with the same button.

If you really are not a fan of the moving pointer you can design your own mouse mode with the "Mouse" action. Create a profile with a dummy class name / title and assign a "Mouse" action for the Up / Left / Right / Down buttons for moving the mouse pointer and another "Mouse" actions for two buttons of your choice for right click and left click.

Then in the default profile, assign the "Mouse" button to a "ChangeProfile" action and select your Mouse profile (and don't forget to assign a "ChangeProfile" action to the "Mouse" button in your mouse profile to change the profile back to the default profile). This way you'll have a similar Firefly default Mouse mode (minus acceleration).

Note: the Mouse mode was designed more for the Streamzap remote. As it is an IR remote, you can use it with an universal remote. But sometimes universal remotes are introducing a small delay when sending IR command and as such the default mouse mode of the remote is unusable. That's why I designed a always moving mouse pointer to reduce the needed button press to move the mouse pointer.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by awx

I wish you could make your web page easier to navigate for users that want to download the software.

Ok, I'll try to improve the presentation.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by gr390ry5m1t4

v1.3 does not seem to be getting/keeping focus for me as well as 1.2 did.

I've just uploaded version 1.4, that fixes one bug regarding profile selection (for the "ChangeProfile" action), let me know if this helps.

Also, you'll now be able to exit "MouseMode" with the same button that activate it.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Deisama]

awesome! I just got back from thanksgiving vacation and can't wait to play with the new version

[gr390ry5m1t4]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Can you send me your profiles.xml file

Will do.

Originally Posted by StephaneM

Ok for the "Mouse" toggle : you'll be able in the next version to switch on / off mouse mode with the same button.

Nice.

Originally Posted by StephaneM

you can design your own mouse mode

Thanks. For some reason I was having trouble with the logic of doing that...mostly the 'exit' part, until I saw your message...then it was all pretty clear.

[vogelap]

Stéphane... Would you consider adding a version number display somewhere in the program so we can keep track of what version we're running?

Thank you -- I have replaced the BMB/Firefly installation with yours.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by vogelap

Stéphane... Would you consider adding a version number display somewhere in the program so we can keep track of what version we're running?

You'll find the version number :

* in the "Version" property page of the executable
* in the "Add / Remove software" applet in the Windows control panel: click on the "LM Remote KeyMap" entry and click on the "click here for support information" link and it will display the version.

But, whenever you receive an e-mail from me, you know it is time to upgrade

I have replaced the BMB/Firefly installation with yours.

Great! I hope you'll be happy with it (I'm using it with my Streamzap remote for two weeks now without issues).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Deisama]

hmm, I've run into a strange bug. Sometimes certains keys just don't work at all in various programs. For example, I tried to program %{left} in explorer so I could have a back button, but explorer just ignores it. In ACDSee, {left},{up},{right},{down} don't work. And in some of the other programs I've tried, none of the keys work at all!

I installed the Firefly software and the keys work properly there. Volume up and down works fine, as well as "SendMessage", it just seems to be the keypress command that doesn't work. I get the same result if its in the default profile or in the specific profile. Oh, and MouseMode doesn't work at all for me. (although I have not tried manually doing specific mouse commands in a different profile)