Possible to do that ?

[Mark F]

I'm not a hardware guy but I have opinions. :)

1 - There are not 8 handshaking lines entering the serial port. This means you need to get the data into the PC some other way OR you need a micro-controller to watch the buttons and report the state through the TX/RX line of the serial port.

2 - Check out the ParaLCD plugin on the developer's page. It uses the parallel port to control an LCD. Or check this (http://de.geocities.com/s_rinke/lcd.html) site.

As an aside, have you considered producing a USB solution instead? There are integrated USB engines/micro-controllers that would allow you to attach and control everything through one device. Oh well, just an idea.

[Mark F]

Of copurse you are right. However, the ParaLCD does talk through the parallel port and could be used as a starting point for YOUR plugin. :)

[Mark F]

Bummer. I was hoping you WOULD use a microcontroller. Otherwise you will need to poll the port to which you attach the buttons. On Windows (any version), polling a device is normally not a good way to gaurentee reliability.

Oh well, best of luck and ask questions if you get stuck. Many have gone through the learning curve to build a plugin.

[Mark F]

There is no navigation interface built into Girder. If I remember right, the OSD menu plugin allows navigation, though.

[slowly]

Hi !

I have a graphical display on order (it was very cheap and I don't like alpha-numeric displays in my living room ;) )
I am planning to build a HTPC and I would like to use girder to control it with a remote. Additionally I want to be able to use several buttons to controll the PC directly. Those should work as "softbuttons". I want the display to show the function each button has at any given state (e.g. a "Play" and a "Stop" Button should be placed underneath the display and I want the display to show "Play" and "Stop" right over the buttons, when they have that function. In a different state they might have different functions. (I think it's clear what I want to do)

I will have to solve 2 main problems:

1) I need a way to connect at least 8 buttons with my PC and I need a plugin for Girder to accept commands from those buttons.
Is something like that already implemented, or is anyone here experinced in writing a Plugin and/or programming the COM port ? Does anyone have a link or idea how to design the hardware part, since I would like to use a COM port for the button panel (i need the LPT for my Display) ?

2) Does anyone have an idea or is experinced in programming a display ? The controller is a SED 1330 and the display has a resolution of 240x128. I think I can handle the display, once I find out how to programm the LPT port from Win2k, but maybe someone has some useful links or suggestions.

I know this will be a big project (at least for me), but I really hope this can be accomplished.

I am very thankful for any help ! :)
slowly

[slowly]

Hi ! Thanx for the reply ! :)

I want to build a serial Device, since I guess it is fairly cheap. I think I can build an RS232 interface, which can send the button status as a single byte. I didn't take a closer look at the COM interface, but I guess it can accept raw data. I hope that I can split the project into 2. 1 would be the button panel sending data to a serial port. I think I can use the Serial Port plugin from the download page to fetch the data.
The second project would be writing a driver for the display and controlling states and button functions. I think this can be done with 1 plugin. I am not too familiar with girder, and so I am not yet sure, what parts of the softbutton functionality will have to be programmed and which girder can handle. I guess you can send multiple commands from girder, right ?
I hope something like this is possible:

- button pressed
- serial plugin recieves data
- girder sends data to my display plugin
display plugin recieves data and according to the state it sends command to girder
- display plugin changes display accordingly

thanx for your thoughts ! :)
slowly

[slowly]

Oh, btw, the ParaLCD plugin doesn't work with my display, since it is not a HD44780 compatible one. It is a grafics display (240x128)

slowly

[slowly]

Hehehe, thank you for the hint ! ;)

I didn't realise that the source code ist included ! :roll:
Thats a great point to start !

For the button part:
I think I will have some unused input lines on the parallel port. That makes live way easier. I realised, that I wont be able to send anything to the serial port without an appropriate serial interface and that would require at least a small microcontroller. That is DEFINITELY overkill for a couple of buttons.
Guess I am back at one project, since I don't think I could seperate those 2 tasks using the same port. ;)

I will have a closer look at the ParaLCD code in the next days. I hope I can handle it.

thanx again ! :)
slowly

[slowly]

:lol:
I really hope i can combine the 2 tasks. I want to leave out microcontrollers, because of their costs (and work). I hope I can do it with a polling solution, but I am very unexperienced in Windows programming. I think I'll have a tough job ...

But if I get the display to work I think I can handle the input as well. Both tasks seem to require some time sensitive programming.

BTW: there is a girder Plugin in MediaJukebox. Unfortunately it doesn't sem to support navigation through the music database. Do you have an idea how I could implement a 'standalone mode' for playing music ? This would require to get data from MJ (Album Info) to my display somehow. Did I miss something within Girder, or is there no interface for navigation ?

Thanx again ...
slowly

p.s.: this project is getting bigger any time I think about it. :(

[slowly]

I just found the specs of the COM interface of MJ ! :)
I think it'l be possible to send Messages from a plugin in MJ to my app.

I am changing my idea of implementation anytime I find something new, sory for that ! ;)
Thats because I am a rookie in windows programming and I learn something new whenever I take a look at the interfaces of the programs I want to use.
I am now at this point:

1) a standalone app, that handles display state and recieves data and messages from other programs (plugins) as well as from the buttons.

2) This app will organise the navigation within my Music Collection and it will send data and commands (context dependend button commands) to Girder, so I can use it for my remote and get the benefits of using Girder plugins like DVD Spy.

3) Girder will have to send messages to my app, whenever the remote triggers an event. (I am not quite shure yet of how to interact with girder. ...gotta read faster)

This is still a first draft. I am sure I am going to change it in a minute or two ... ;)
slowly

[slowly]

Just an update:
I just recieved the displays and there is some delphi source code, a wireing diagramm and a direct port access software included. I'll check the details later, but I found several direct port access libraries for C++. I think I'll try "WinIO". I didn't verify it (couldn't find the time yet), but I think I got at least 4 INs left on the port and that should be sufficient to add some buttons. :)

slowly