Re: Status for LIRC (remote support)

[Jeff S. <jef...@gm...>]

I would like on the fly adding remotes and their keys

On 6/14/07, Lo=EFc Dardant <loi...@gm...> wrote:
> Hi dear members of UMC, Elisa and Lirc !
>
> ---  This mail is more for UMC members, but if you want to improve Lirc,
> join us !
>
> As told in a previous mail, I want to give a 'picture' of the work done o=
n
> Lirc part, the remote control support for ours media center (
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuMediaCenterTeam)
> (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RemoteControls). I worked on some
> points to improve Lirc with Arnaud (and the Lirc team) :
>
> - Write some specifications of the remote control for UMC
> - Think about new functionality to add
> - Improve Lirc
>
> For those tasks, I did some works :
>
> 1) Lirc signal naming. As told in the wiki page, Lirc works with two file=
s :
>
> - lircd.conf : the binding of the IR signal and the key that you would. F=
or
> example, a press on "button power" on your remote is generating the signa=
l
> 0x0000EF12. So you can name this signal in lircd.conf , three examples be=
low
> :
>
> button_power    0x0000EF12
> power                0x0000EF12
> KEY_POWER      0x0000EF12
>
> Maybe you understand the problem. Everyone can write a lircd.conf. The
> applications that used Lirc can't provide a Lirc file, because it can't
> match every file (every lircd.conf). So the applications use the lircrc
> file,
>
> - lircrc : the binding of the keys described on the lircd.conf and the ke=
ys
> used in some programs. The user must write this file. Example with the
> precedent name "KEY_POWER" for Elisa :
>
> begin
>     prog =3D elisa
>     button =3D KEY_POWER
>     config =3D close_key
> end
>
> But it the same problem, everyone writes his lircrc file. So a propositio=
n
> was to create a common key naming scheme. To do this, I wrote a script in
> perl  that analyze the directory of lircd.conf ang give some stats of the
> current naming scheme. You can see that at
> http://d.gardon.free.fr/vase/lirc/ . It's divide in two
> part, the light and full analyze. For the moment, we want to close the li=
ght
> part (only remotes support by Lirc I guess). The different files (html1,
> html2) show the stats and html3 show the new name space, based on the fil=
e
> input.h (include in the kernel). Now we have about 120 keys, and before
> about 1127 for 110 definitions of remotes.
>
> I also add a function to the script (./lirc-cns -help for more informatio=
ns)
> to convert remote definition with the new name space. We wait for a feedb=
ack
> of the Lirc team. But every name are not traduced, and some work can be d=
one
> here. We hope that this new naming scheme allow applications to distribut=
e
> lircrc_app file, so the user must not write this file (with a standard na=
me
> space, every app can match lircd.conf).
>
>
> 2) Parseable compatibility list
>
> LIRC doesn't provide a parseable compatibility list. This would help in:
>
> - creating configuration wizard, for selecting easily the right remote fr=
om
> a graphical list
> - feeding Ubuntu Hardware Database
>
> An other script in bash is used to generate this list. Work done. It's th=
e
> first step for a graphical tool for Lirc.
>
>
> 3) Lirc Applet
>
> It is very hard to configure Lirc. For those who have try, run a shell, r=
e
> build lirc, run the lircd deamon... isn't very easy for a end user. The i=
dea
> is to provide a applet to run easily Lirc :
> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RemoteControlApplet
> Some work is done, but it's really the beginning. I try to contact the
> leader of kdelirc (it's something like an applet that allow you to config=
ure
> lirc), but no reply for the moment :(. Here I need some guys (or girls ;)=
)
> to help me.
>
>
> There are lot of other interesting things with Lirc, like the Drivers
> recompilation.
>
> So I think it's team to create a team especially for Lirc/Remote support,
> because it's a base of the UMC (imagine a media center without remote.. ;=
)).
> I wait for your application for this, everyone is welcome, especially if
> you're bored with the spec of the project ;) ! "Close" quickly the part o=
f
> remote support will be very nice !!!
>
> See you soon and excuse my perfect english !
>
> --
> Lo=EFc Dardant
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