Topic: Exit J River when in Theater View (Read 5597 times)

greynolds · « **on:** October 07, 2012, 11:17:27 pm »

Other than hitting ALT-F4 twice, is there a way to exit the MC application while in Theater View with a single keyboard command? I'm trying to setup Girder to close some other applications, including MC, when I start certain applications (BeyondTV, TheaterTek, etc.) so I'd like to come up with a clean way to exit that can be easily automated.

rick.ca · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2012, 12:28:12 am »

Use MC17.exe /Close.

greynolds · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:52:08 pm »

Quote from: rick.ca on October 08, 2012, 12:28:12 am

Use MC17.exe /Close.

Thanks - I just tried that from Girder and all it seems to do is bring the current MC window into focus. It doesn't exit Theater View and/or close the main MC window.

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:55:27 pm »

You might need quotes around the command.

greynolds · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2012, 02:23:52 pm »

Quote from: JimH on October 08, 2012, 01:55:27 pm

You might need quotes around the command.

Thanks. I tried it with and without quotes. I also tried putting /Close in the command line parameter (in Girder) and on the main executable parameter both inside and outside the double quotes. I also tried it from a command shell to rule out Girder as the culprit. I also tried /close, /Close, and /CLOSE just in case the case matters. Here's the command from a command shell:

C:\>"c:\Program Files (x86)\J River\Media Center 17\Media Center 17.exe" /Close

If Media Center isn't running, the above command launches it. If it is running, the above command brings the MC window into focus. Basically, the "/Close" parameter is getting ignored.

I also tried:

C:\>"c:\Program Files (x86)\J River\Media Center 17\Media Center 17.exe" "/Close"

JimH · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2012, 02:31:07 pm »

Quote from: greynolds on October 08, 2012, 02:23:52 pm

C:\>"c:\Program Files (x86)\J River\Media Center 17\Media Center 17.exe" "/Close"

At a DOS prompt, try "MC17.exe /Close"

MrC · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2012, 02:32:27 pm »

Try also:

mc17.exe /mcc 20007,2

rick.ca · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2012, 05:06:42 pm »

You may need someone familiar with Girder to advise you. MC17.exe /Close works fine, but I only suggested it because a quick search of the Girder manual found no 'application close' command. I find it difficult to believe such a basic command is missing, so maybe it isn't. Or maybe it is, and it can't handle simple DOS commands either... $:-\$

greynolds · « **Reply #8 on:** October 08, 2012, 05:14:36 pm »

Thanks guys - I was assuming that mc17.exe was shorthand for "Media Center 17.exe" since I didn't see a mc17.exe in the application's folder. Changing the command to use mc17.exe works fine. Now, mostly out of curiosity, what's the difference / purpose of mc17.exe which is installed in Windows\System32 compared to "Media Center 17.exe" that gets installed in the application folder?

Quote from: rick.ca on October 08, 2012, 05:06:42 pm

You may need someone familiar with Girder to advise you. MC17.exe /Close works fine, but I only suggested it because a quick search of the Girder manual found no 'application close' command. I find it difficult to believe such a basic command is missing, so maybe it isn't. Or maybe it is, and it can't handle simple DOS commands either... $:-\$

I'm pretty familiar with Girder and it definitely has an application close command and can readily handle simple (and complex DOS commands), but the way MC closes when you're in Theater View mode is unusual as you essentially have to exit the app twice - once gets you back to the non-Theater View view and then another exits the main app.

rick.ca · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2012, 05:34:49 pm »

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Now, mostly out of curiosity, what's the difference / purpose of mc17.exe which is installed in Windows\System32 compared to "Media Center 17.exe" that gets installed in the application folder?

It's a command launcher. See this wiki article.

Quote

I'm pretty familiar with Girder and it definitely has an application close command...

Are you sure you don't mean a 'window close' command? An 'application close' command should produce the same result as MC17.exe /Close. In any case, using the MC command is probably safer. An 'application close' might just kill the process, rather than requesting the program to close.

greynolds · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2012, 07:21:32 pm »

Quote from: rick.ca on October 08, 2012, 05:34:49 pm

It's a command launcher. See this wiki article.

Thanks - there's a lot of good stuff in there that I might find useful.

Quote

Are you sure you don't mean a 'window close' command? An 'application close' command should produce the same result as MC17.exe /Close. In any case, using the MC command is probably safer. An 'application close' might just kill the process, rather than requesting the program to close.

Girder has a specific Windows Close command, a generic SendMessage command, and all sorts of other commands / functionality. There's almost always a way to accomplish what one wants to do. In this case, since a simple Window Close command wasn't working, and it's possible I was targeting the wrong window, I figured I'd ask here and see if there was a simpler way than to check if the Theater View window exists, close it, and then check if the main window exists and close that - it's possible to do, but kind of a PITA when there's a better and easier option. So the mc17.exe /Close command is the perfect solution.

Thanks for the help.

pcstockton · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2012, 11:11:40 pm »

OK.... i am interested. It is my least favorite (short list) deal in MC. How does someone without an IT Degree get out of MC within Theater View without a bunch of mouse clicks (i dont use a keyboard)??

Thanks!
Patrick

rick.ca · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2012, 11:41:52 pm »

I don't understand the question. You can put the MC17.exe /Close command (as an 'external program') wherever you like in the menu system. If a mouse is your only input device, it will always take some clicks to get to it. Using a programmable remote, you could assign it to any key. Or just put it at the beginning of the main menu so pressing and holding {Left} will take you to it from anywhere.

pcstockton · « **Reply #13 on:** October 09, 2012, 10:46:49 pm »

Thanks Rick!

I have a keyboard of course but it is only out and powered up when needed. I grab my mouse, when needed as it is always nearby. I use JRemote for control 90% of the time. 80% of the time I am in theater view.

When using a mouse I have to click, Back>Back>Back>Exit>then choose what kind of exit, e.g. Shutdown etc...

If the keyboard is handy I can always hit Esc (i think), then close the program with the mouse.

You answered my question and seemingly understood. The problem, and maybe the source of your confusion, is that I dont know how to "put a command in a menu".

Also I do use a Harmony One remote. I have it set-up to control the ASRock. It works in MC for play, pause, FF etc.... but I am not sure how to map specific MC commands to it. This would be great to learn.

Thanks again!
Patrick

rick.ca · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2012, 01:48:51 am »

Quote

The problem, and maybe the source of your confusion, is that I dont know how to "put a command in a menu".

In case it's still unclear...To add such a menu item, select Options > Theater View > (Items to Show) Add > External Program. The default is MC17.exe, so just add the /Close. Or any other available command—see The Command Line and MC Core Commands.

Quote

Also I do use a Harmony One remote. I have it set-up to control the ASRock. It works in MC for play, pause, FF etc.... but I am not sure how to map specific MC commands to it. This would be great to learn.

I don't know much about the Harmony One or IR remotes in general. I use a Firefly RF remote and LM Remote KeyMap software. I guess your Harmony One mimics a standard MCE remote to provide those basic commands. If so, you should be able to use the same software. Try the free version, just to see if it works, and if you might prefer using a remote over JRemote or a mouse. The Harmony One doesn't have many (any?) extra buttons, but you could use the number keys for commands and (with the 'donator' version) full nested menus (using an OSD) of any number of commands. (It doesn't appear to be possible, but it would be very cool if a 'one touch' item could be mapped to a command defined in the software.) And a 'command' can be any combination of keystrokes, include simple conditional logic, etc. So, even if the only way to do something in Theatre View is with a bunch of key presses or clicks, those can still be programmed and executed in an instant with one button press.

pcstockton · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2012, 10:31:48 am »

Aha. Thanks for the first suggestion. I will work it in tonight. I am assuming I can also make a "Leave Theater View" button there as well.

The Harmony One is the same as all Logitech remotes in that you set it up to control specific devices (and therefore "Activities") via their online database of codes. You simply enter the mfr and model of the device. Then you set-up activities with said devices. Activities could be "Music", "TV", "DVD", "HTPC" etc... You tell it what to turn on/off and what inputs need to set to.

I will check to see if JRiver is in the Harmony database tonight.

Currently I have set-up my ASrock so I think the remote is using the default Windows commands that would be also found on the little remote that came with my computer.

Thanks again for the help.

Cheers!

Patrick

greynolds · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2012, 12:28:01 pm »

Quote from: pcstockton on October 10, 2012, 10:31:48 am

I will check to see if JRiver is in the Harmony database tonight.

That's extremely unlikely. What you'll want to do is tell the Harmony you're using a Microsoft MCE remote (which is definitely in their database) and then setup JRiver to respond as you wish to the commands.

rick.ca · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2012, 03:21:35 pm »

Quote

That's extremely unlikely. What you'll want to do is tell the Harmony you're using a Microsoft MCE remote (which is definitely in their database)...

Yes, this is what I assumed.

Quote

...and then setup JRiver to respond as you wish to the commands.

But this also means there's a possibility of using remote software rather than mapping buttons directly to MC commands. That would be much more effective, especially for a remote not having extra buttons for computer and programmed actions.

Patrick says the basic remote functions work, so I assume he's already done this or that much works by default. I'm not sure what else the MC setup will do, other than perhaps assigning a few more commands.

greynolds · « **Reply #18 on:** October 10, 2012, 05:29:33 pm »

Quote from: rick.ca on October 10, 2012, 03:21:35 pm

But this also means there's a possibility of using remote software rather than mapping buttons directly to MC commands. That would be much more effective, especially for a remote not having extra buttons for computer and programmed actions.

Patrick says the basic remote functions work, so I assume he's already done this or that much works by default. I'm not sure what else the MC setup will do, other than perhaps assigning a few more commands.

It depends on just how much customization he wants to do. If he just wants to setup a few buttons that aren't currently doing what he wants, it would seem silly to me to get something like the paid version of LM Remote KeyMap. If he wants to fully customize things, then it might make sense. I haven't found it all that difficult to setup custom commands within MC.

rick.ca · « **Reply #19 on:** October 10, 2012, 07:35:33 pm »

Quote

It depends on just how much customization he wants to do.

Of course, and I'm sure he's quite capable of making that choice for himself. But Patrick and others may like to know what the options are, and I'm curious if it will work. Harmony remotes seem very popular, so a means for expanding their capability may be of interest to many. It seems very silly to me to spend $200 on a fancy remote, and then be unwilling to spend another $20 on easy-to-use software that will allow it to control any computer application.

As I indicated, even for those who don't feel the need for much customization, the biggest limitation in this situation may be the number of buttons available for additional commands. If there are only a few, the fact many additional commands are available doesn't help much.

greynolds · « **Reply #20 on:** October 10, 2012, 08:47:50 pm »

Quote from: rick.ca on October 10, 2012, 07:35:33 pm

Of course, and I'm sure he's quite capable of making that choice for himself. But Patrick and others may like to know what the options are, and I'm curious if it will work. Harmony remotes seem very popular, so a means for expanding their capability may be of interest to many. It seems very silly to me to spend $200 on a fancy remote, and then be unwilling to spend another $20 on easy-to-use software that will allow it to control any computer application.

As I indicated, even for those who don't feel the need for much customization, the biggest limitation in this situation may be the number of buttons available for additional commands. If there are only a few, the fact many additional commands are available doesn't help much.

I had set my parents up with a Logitech Harmony and it definitely is capable of emulating a WMC remote. Like you are concerned about though, there aren't too many buttons on a WMC remote beyond the standard transport buttons (play, stop, pause, fast forward, rewind, etc.) and number keys, so unless there's a desire to remap those basic buttons, there's not a ton of customization to be done. After using it for a while, my parents were getting frustrated with the Harmony as it kept locking up on them requiring pulling the battery to reboot the remote. I replaced it with some spare Crestron gear I had around as a result of upgrades to my own system and they've been MUCH happier with the result as the Crestron equipment has been absolutely rock solid for them.

If more capability is desired to use the Harmony to control a PC, a good option would be to get a USB-UIRT and use it in conjunction with the Harmony and Girder or the LM Remote Keymap software you mentioned. As you suggested, it would then be possible to use all the buttons on the Harmony and have well configured control over JRiver AND all the other software one might use on the PC.

kensn · « **Reply #21 on:** October 10, 2012, 10:03:26 pm »

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=64443.0

Some info here

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: Exit J River when in Theater View (Read 5597 times)