How to use event.exe (newbie)

[sandun]

Hello,
I am new to the world of Girder. I went over the gettting started tutorial as well as read most of the help documentation. I am in the middle of developing a gui front-end (for htpc) based on Java2D. One of the functions I want to add is to send an event trigger to girder when a user selects an item from the htpc menu (eg: play or stop cd). Initially I plan to use a command line option (event.exe) and later (when I am more familiar with girder) I'll add event triggering via TCP/IP.

The Girder FAQ describes on using event.exe as

event.exe <eventstring> [device] [pld1] [pld2] [pld3] [-silent]

My question is what are event strings, devices and payload in this context. For example, how would I go about "Opening Notepad" (in the Getting Started gml) via an event string?

I tried 'event.exe "Open Notepad"' (via Windows command prompt). The girder event client responded with "Open Notepad" sent to device 18 successfully. Notepad did not open. Assuming I have not done it correctly, next I added an EventString to the "open notepad" command and renamed the string as "open". Then sending "event.exe open" did not work either. (Btw, Test Command via Girder comfirmed that the command is properly targeted).

I would greatly appreciate it if someone from this forum help me get started on using event.exe. I am using Girder 3.2.7 on Win2K Pro.

Thanks.
-pj

[Mark F]

...how would I go about "Opening Notepad" (in the Getting Started gml) via an event string?
This depends on how you chose to trigger it; but, let me back up a bit. It sounds like you are confusing the eventstring NAME with the eventstring VALUE.

In Girder, when you highlight the eventstring NAME in the command tree, there will be some text that shows up on the right side in the LED area. This is the eventstring VALUE. You have to send the eventstring value to Girder via the event.exe file.

Above the eventstring value will be the name of the plugin that generated the eventstring. You must find the device ID for this plugin and use it when sending the event value.

If the device is "Girder Event" the ID is 18. If it is a plugin, open the file/settings/plugins dialog and select the plugin from the list. The device ID (device number) should be shown on that dialog.

You also asked what payload meant. Payload data is extra information sent with the eventstring to each command that is triggered by the eventstring. The exact usage is eventstring specific. An example is if a plugin is generating mouse movement type events, it could include the size of the mouse movement as part of the event by including the delta-x and delta-y as payload data.

I hope this helps.

[sandun]

Mark,
Your response was very helpful and I beggining to get the hang of things. I was successfully able to set up a trigger via event.exe. Thank you so much.

-pj