Kodi Community Forum
Win XBMCLauncher / Launcher4Kodi - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - Printable Version

+- Kodi Community Forum (https://forum.kodi.tv)
+-- Forum: Support (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=33)
+--- Forum: Supplementary Tools for Kodi (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=116)
+--- Thread: Win XBMCLauncher / Launcher4Kodi - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more (/showthread.php?tid=136798)



RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-08-28

You may have installed the launcher as shell. In this mode explorer is not loaded unless you specify the option 'Start Windows Explorer when xbmc is closed'. The launcher can be installed as shell if it is a dedicated htpc and you want xbmc to start directly without booting to desktop. If you want to view the desktop just keep explorer as shell.


(2014-08-28, 04:44)alexp4re Wrote:
(2014-08-27, 16:40)baijuxavior Wrote:
(2014-08-27, 08:50)alexp4re Wrote: thank you baijuxavior. omg. i just discovered this great app. i've been lookin for solution or something like this for awhile. will name my first born after you. Smile

i have just 1 question. i have mine set to delay at 30 seconds. why is that while i'm scrolling down on chrome browser or typing this message to replay to you & i know it hasn't hit 30 seconds(maybe at 5 seconds), but it focus back to xbmc. the delay should start after the last key press right? but its not. its kinda annoying. what am i doing wrong? please advise. thanks.

win 7 x64, xbmc 13.2, aeon mq5

Thanks.

The delay is checked constantly, so when you had opened chrome the delay count may have reached 25 seconds and it will focus after 5 seconds. If xbmc focuses constantly then definitely there is some problem with the delay time handling. Check with another value. Are you using the GUI to set values? You can add chrome to external apps list and enable the option to disable focus when it is running.

baijuxavior - after a restart of my computer, i lost all desktop functions. just blank black screens. my only option was to open task manager. i even kill xbmclauncher process and nothing happen. even with a restart of windows in safe mode to try to do a system restore. a popped up window error of xbmc GUI; still no desktop functions, but just black blank screens. at this point i was getting very worried that i had to reformat my computer. good news, i was able to pop in a windows disk to do a computer repair & do a system restore this way. can you give me some insights of what happen. i would like to use your app. thanks.

win 7 x64, xbmc 13.2 gotham, aeon MQ5



RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - alexp4re - 2014-08-29

[quote='baijuxavior' pid='1782834' dateline='1409225887']
You may have installed the launcher as shell. In this mode explorer is not loaded unless you specify the option 'Start Windows Explorer when xbmc is closed'. The launcher can be installed as shell if it is a dedicated htpc and you want xbmc to start directly without booting to desktop. If you want to view the desktop just keep explorer as shell.

i'm kinda confused. i want to be able like how i have it setup. on turning on my computer...tv screen to load up xbmc & computer monitor to what you call windows explorer where i can browse thge internet, etc.

when i install your app again, would should i select? thank you for your help.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-08-29

Install xbmclauncher as shell. Then select the options 'Start XBMC when Windows starts', 'Start Windows Explorer when xbmc is closed'. When you start the pc, xbmc will load without showing the desktop. When you close xbmc, the desktop is loaded.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - alexp4re - 2014-08-29

(2014-08-29, 05:09)baijuxavior Wrote: Install xbmclauncher as shell. Then select the options 'Start XBMC when Windows starts', 'Start Windows Explorer when xbmc is closed'. When you start the pc, xbmc will load without showing the desktop. When you close xbmc, the desktop is loaded.

i don't want the way you are suggesting above. i want xbmc(tv screen) always loaded & desktop(computer monitor) too, bcuz i use dual monitors. i want the desktop loaded too. i'm mainly using this app for the 'focus' feature for my remote. please advise. thanks.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-08-29

In that case, do not set xbmclauncher as shell. Windows will boot normally to desktop and xbmclaunhcer will run at startup. If you select the option 'Start XBMC when Windows starts' xbmc will start.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - alexp4re - 2014-08-29

hi baijuxavior - i'm havin a problem w/ delay time handling. this happens when i'm typing this message in the reply box to you that it keeps re-focusing to xbmc after a few seconds. causing hotkey presses in xbmc. i tried diff. increments of 30, 60 seconds, etc. i prefer not disable focus on chrome per ur suggestions, bcuz i use it quite often. i just want to bring this to ur attention. please advise. thanks.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - Pissa - 2014-08-29

(2014-08-27, 05:11)baijuxavior Wrote: Can you see mouse cursor if windows starts normally without setting the launcher as shell?

ok it was the software buggy, at least on my system.
simply starting windows with remote control server on startup gave me hidden mouse.
after different apps tested (strange behaviuor anyway), I found one that works perfecly (WiFi Mouse).

sorry for the loss of time! Tongue


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-08-29

(2014-08-29, 08:05)alexp4re Wrote: hi baijuxavior - i'm havin a problem w/ delay time handling. this happens when i'm typing this message in the reply box to you that it keeps re-focusing to xbmc after a few seconds. causing hotkey presses in xbmc. i tried diff. increments of 30, 60 seconds, etc. i prefer not disable focus on chrome per ur suggestions, bcuz i use it quite often. i just want to bring this to ur attention. please advise. thanks.

I don't have this problem. Please check the time delay in the xbmclauncher context menu (Win+F10) instead of the settings gui.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - richardb70 - 2014-09-05

Hi, many thanks to the OP for the excellent work, and also for getting me into AHK scripting which has been a massive saviour. I'm running loads of emulators and PC games and AHK has been a real life saver with key remaps and using a 360 controller to terminate programs etc.

Anyway, I posted earlier about running out of the 4 slots for external players. Ran through the code (very nice job, BTW) and made a few changes for ease of accommodating additional .exes. Thought I'd share if anyone else is interested.

Code:
global ExternalPlayerRunning = 0
global ExternalPlayer1 := GetSettings("ExternalPlayer1_Path", "")
global ExternalPlayer2 := GetSettings("ExternalPlayer2_Path", "")
global ExternalPlayer3 := GetSettings("ExternalPlayer3_Path", "")
global ExternalPlayer4 := GetSettings("ExternalPlayer4_Path", "")
global ExternalPlayerName = ""
global FocusExternalPlayer := GetSettings("FocusExternalPlayer", 0)

global OtherExternalPlayers := "Hello4.exe,Hello5.exe"                ; EDIT HERE TO ADD NEW .EXE FILES
global ExternalPlayerArray := LoadUpArray()

The last two lines are mine. If you run out of slots, you want the OtherExternalPlayers variable to hold a comma-separated list of the .exes - not the full file paths, this is important.

Add the LoadUpArray function down below in the function area:

Code:
LoadUpArray()
{
    global ExternalPlayer1
    global ExternalPlayer2
    global ExternalPlayer3
    global ExternalPlayer4
    global OtherExternalPlayers
    
    ExternalPlayerArray := Object()
    
    Loop, 4
    {
        if (ExternalPlayer%A_Index% != "")
        {
            SplitPath, ExternalPlayer%A_Index%, filnam
;            MsgBox Load: The filename is %filnam%
            
            ExternalPlayerArray.Insert(filnam)
        }
    }
    
    StringSplit, tempArray, OtherExternalPlayers, `,
    Loop, %tempArray0%
    {
        filnam := tempArray%A_index%
;        MsgBox Load: The filename is %filnam%
        
        ExternalPlayerArray.Insert(filnam)
    }
    
    return ExternalPlayerArray
}

This takes values from the GUI slots as well as the comma-separated variable and puts all of them into an array.

Now tweak DisableFocusOnExternalPlayer so that you have:

Code:
DisableFocusOnExternalPlayer()
{
    global ExternalPlayerRunning
    global ExternalPlayerArray
    global ExternalPlayerName

    ExternalPlayerRunning = 0
    
    for index, playername in ExternalPlayerArray
    {
;        MsgBox Use: the playername is %playername%
        Process, exist, %playername%
        If (ErrorLevel >= 1)
        {
            ExternalPlayerRunning = 1
            ExternalPlayerName = %playername%
            break
        }
    }
}

Up to you if you do like me and surgically remove the rest of it. I'm only using the External Players and not the Prevent Focus Apps, so this will do me. At the very least you want to comment out (or remove) the blocks with ExternalPlayer1 - 4 in them as these are already taken care of.

It's slightly more efficient in that the paths are already stripped out so no need to call SplitPath every iteration of the timer, and also it will terminate after a running process is found rather than continuing to check other processes.

Anyway, there you go, feedback welcome and many thanks again to baijuxavior.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-09-06

Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking of modifying the code to support more external apps and to fix some minor bugs, but my work didn't allow to mess with the coding. With your permission I may include your code in a future release.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - richardb70 - 2014-09-07

(2014-09-06, 04:07)baijuxavior Wrote: Thanks for the suggestion. I was thinking of modifying the code to support more external apps and to fix some minor bugs, but my work didn't allow to mess with the coding. With your permission I may include your code in a future release.

Sure thing, no worries Smile


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - princeolivier78 - 2014-09-10

Hi i don't know if this is the right place to post but i just thinking of making a post about putting all this effort into a xbmc standalone OS with windows like xbmcbuntu but with windows using the launcher as home launcher with windows so when you turn your box you don't see no windows stuff just loads straight to xbmc no exit only turn off and sleep and turn on from button Smile that will be a killer


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - baijuxavior - 2014-09-10

(2014-09-10, 09:57)princeolivier78 Wrote: Hi i don't know if this is the right place to post but i just thinking of making a post about putting all this effort into a xbmc standalone OS with windows like xbmcbuntu but with windows using the launcher as home launcher with windows so when you turn your box you don't see no windows stuff just loads straight to xbmc no exit only turn off and sleep and turn on from button Smile that will be a killer

You can do this using the launcher. Set xbmclauncher as shell and enable the option to start xbmc at windows logon. You wont see the desktop. In xbmc, you can modify the shutdown menu to show only turn off and sleep.


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - princeolivier78 - 2014-09-10

Thanks for your help I'll have a look now :-)


RE: XBMCLauncher - All in One Tool for Change Shell, Set Focus and more - demoncamber - 2014-09-16

Hey guys, curious how you get to this screen or enable this screen? Image