Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[bspachman]

I love MJ. I love Girder. The marriage of the two, however, has been giving me some problems. I can't seem to find any reference to my specific problem either here or at the Girder forums, so here goes:

System Info: Windows 2kPro, Girder 3.2.4, MJ 8.0.336, MJ Girder Plugin 1.0.3, StreamZap Remote Control w/Girder plug-in.

The Girder config file (gml?) is the one downloaded from the Girder website for MJ8. I was able to get some degree of control with the system by finding WeeHappyPixie's instructions for MJ7, but...

Here's a rundown on my issues:

1) I have fairly reliable control of MJ with the StreamZap remote using Girder. The power button on the remote is mapped to the power functions in the GML file, however, I'd like to launch MJ in full-screen mode & it always launches in windowed mode. Is there any way to change this behavior?

2) I'm using the ASIO plugin in MJ, and the play button on the remote (mapped to the play function in Girder) works except for the ASIO acknowledgement box that appears. Is there a way to have the play function start playback and dismiss the dialog box? How about an option for the ASIO plugin to not display the info dialog unless requested?

3) Most importantly, when using the remote/Girder combination to navigate in MJ, the display stops updating. Frequently, the "Playing Now" window becomes blank. More often, when using Girder to switch between MJ areas (like Playlists, Media Library, & Playing Now), the display will get stuck on showing only the full Media Library view. Subsequent navigation with the keyboard doesn't help. I have to relaunch MJ to get accurate views back. Any ideas of what's wrong here?

4) While investigating the MJ GML file, it looks like it is controlling Girder without keystrokes, but by some kind of behind-the-scenes mechanism. How do I go about finding out about this mechanism and (more importantly) how do I learn to alter it? (However, some functions--like Mini-Me--are keyboard controlled).

5) Why is the MJ Girder plugin neccessary? I thought the point of Girder was that it could control applications directly behind the scenes. I did find out that if the MJ Girder plugin is disabled, nothing works, but this is contrary to my expectations.

6) Along the lines of #4 above, is it better to use the secret messaging mechanism to control applications or by using keyboard shortcuts? How do I discover the messaging parameters of other applications?

7) Does anyone have more pointers to info on how to control things via IR & Girder?

Thanks,
Brad

[cjdshaw]

I did start using Girder with the plugin, but improved keyboard support in MJ made it mostly unnecessary. I now do most of the work with keyboard commands and command line options. For example, rather than using the Girder states to start and close MJ, I just have Girder execute
mjextman.exe /Power

1) When you say "full-screen mode", do you mean MJ full screen (mjextman.exe /Mode Fullscreen) or maximised (which can be done from Girder)

There's a full rundown of command line options here:
http://www.musicex.com/mediajukebox/DevZone/CommandLine.html

As I understand it, the way the 'behind the scenes messaging' works is this. MJ has a plugin architecture which allows plugins to control it's GUI and playback controls. Windows has a messaging system which, for example, makes windows redraw if they are covered then revealed. It's very flexible and allows you to send user-defined messages. The plugin takes these user-defined messages from Girder and converts them into SDK calls for MJ. It's a little out of date now though, so it might be a bit wobbly.
Most applications aren't expecting Windows messages other than the standard ones, so won't respond to them. Fortunately Girder gives you lots of ways of controlling them including keystrokes, mouse commands and specific menu commands.

Hope some of this is helpful

[bspachman]

Thanks for the command line pointers! Just one question...what's mjextman.exe? I can see a shortcut for it in the program group created by the default MJ install & I see the executable exists in the MJ install directory, but what's the difference between that and "Media Jukebox.exe"?

Also, I realized after my initial post that I was misleading about full-screen/maximized. I'm looking to have Girder launch MJ as a maximized window--not in MJ's full-screen mode.

Thanks!
Brad

[gkerber]

Not sure if it will help, but StreamZap HAS a version which will control Media Jukebox.  I've been using it for about 2 weeks now.  I don't think they've released it yet.  I'll bet if you send their support an email, they will give you the secret key to download the "beta" version.

[PhatPhreddy]

I will try some of these...

1) Was that solved below ?

2) Can you dsmiss the function with a keypress ?? If so then make a Girder multigroup that launches 'play' and has a wait state then presses 'enter' if this does it... If not then use the mouse emulation to place a button click directly over the button...

3) Sounds like it may be outside Girder...

4 & 5) Not sure i guess the commands are documented somewhere (what is passed and how etc) the API may be available... The API is probably necessary to get a command passing structure.. It is highly likely that Girder was having hassle targetting the various windows of MJ and so a system of message passing (the listening side is the plug in I am guessing) was required...

6) A well executed API is better as it becomes more reliable due to having no targetting or focus issues...

7) the Girder forums and AVS are about the best Girder related places...

[bspachman]

Phreddy,

Thanks for the tips.

1) Yes, I solved my maximization problem by finding I can launch MJ "maximized" from Girder.

2) The ASIO info dialog that pops up can be dismissed with an "Enter" keypress as long as the dialog hasn't lost focus. I'll try working up a multigroup w/delay in Girder. I hadn't yet realized that a single IR signal could trigger multiple commands/keypresses.

3) This is the sticker! Does anyone have guesses or info as to why the windows don't update properly when navigating or playing? Is anyone else who uses Girder seeing these problems w/MJ?

4-7) I'll keep my eyes open on the relevant forums. I guess I'll have to delve a little deeper into the Girder information to find out how to discover those inter-application communication codes. (An example from my current GML file for MJ is that the "Play" command is mapped to WParam=0 and LParam=30000. I guess that means that the MJ Girder plugin uses those codes to tell MJ to Play, right?)

Thanks,
Brad