[LSU Jonno]

The goal of this project is to create a better user experience for navigating the PVR functions of XBMC, while using a harmony programmable remote, with a hat tip towards our WMC backgrounds. We should (in my opinion) try to preserve the existing XBMC keymap, meaning our added features shouldn't break the standard XBMC controls. The caveat to this, obviously, is where we are remapping certain PVR button presses to accomplish a different task on a certain PVR menu.

So far, two files have been created. A keyboard.xml file for Windows users, and a remote.xml file for OpenELEC/XBMCbuntu users. Editing the keyboard.xml is preferable since it allows the use of more keys to be programmed enabling more customization. However, OpenELEC/XBMCbuntu doesn't recognize the MCE Keyboard as a device and therefore, keyboard commands cannot be sent to an OpenELEC/XBMCbuntu box from a Harmony remote using an RC6 IR reciever (or if it can I haven't figured it out yet). These files will need to be placed in:

%appdata%\XBMC\userdata\keymap\
for windows users (keyboard.xml is the only file that needs to be copied); and

/storage/.xbmc/userdata/keymap/
for OpenElec users (remote.xml is the only file that needs to be copied).

/.xbmc/userdata/keymap/
for XBMCbuntu users (remote.xml is the only file that needs to be copied).

If you would like to try these files for other OS's check the wiki to determine where to put your custom keymaps.
http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Keymap

If you already have custom edits to your keyboard.xml or remote.xml files...BACK THEM UP!!!!

You’ll need to restart XBMC after the file is placed in the correct directory before it will take effect.

In addition to the above files, you'll need to map certain keys to your harmony remote to enable the correct XBMC function gets sent.

What's in version 1.0 for the keyboard.xml?
• Maps XBMC "record" function to keyboard key "g". Enables one touch recording from XBMC EPG (Gotham only feature)
• Maps XBMC "fullscreen" function to keyboard key "e" within <mypvr> tag. Enables toggling of EPG while watching live TV and recorded TV only.
• Enables what I'll refer to as the "Scarecrow420 channel surfing changes" (Gotham only feature) described in this post: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1638147


What's in version 1.0 for the remote.xml?
• Maps XBMC "record" function to remote key "record". Enables one touch recording from XBMC EPG (Gotham only feature)
• Maps XBMC "context menu" function to remote key "menu".
• Maps XBMC "electronic program guide (EPG)" to remote key "guide".
• Maps XBMC "fullscreen" function to remote key "guide" within <mypvr> tag. Enables toggling of EPG while watching live TV and recorded TV only.
• Enables what I'll refer to as the "Scarecrow420 channel surfing changes" (Gotham only feature) described in this post: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1638147

Notes:
You can map these new functions to any buttons you'd like on your programmable remote. However, a recommended Harmony keymap is below.

All edits to the default keyboard.xml are commented out in the linked file. Windows users will need to remove the comment tags:

Code:

<!--
-->

for each function you'd like to implement. Because you can only use each tag in the XML file once, I had to spread out the changes in the file into 4 parts. I tried to make it fairly obvious where the changes occurred. Look for sections in the file that look like this:

Code:

***************************************
Begin SWMC community edits section #1
***************************************

Because the remote.xml file edits involved remapping default XBMC key names, all of the edits are implemented and the file is "plug-n-play". No comment tag removal is necessary.

For Windows users, to send combination keyboard presses with a Harmony remote you’ll need to make sure you've added the MCE SE Keyboard to your profile, as it provides combo keypresses (such as ctrl+x) via the regular dropdown menu when you customize your buttons. Adding a button sequence will not work unless you are running a hotkey program. This isn't needed for the current keyboard.xml file but if you have a lot of custom edits you may start to run out of single keyboard keys.

Windows
Keyboard.xml
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ppyee29dpk5879l/keyboard.xml
Recommended Harmony Keymap (buttons not listed should all be mapped to their base MCE remote function)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8s4j8mlocwdqs7k/Slide1.JPG
Keymap matrix (shows the path from Harmony button press to XBMC function)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ttnaphlv6u7dxp/Slide2.JPG


OpenELEC/XBMCbuntu
Remote.xml
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ntgza4vtkqiarlx/remote.xml
No recommended Harmony Keymap necessary. All buttons should be mapped to their base MCE remote function.
Keymap matrix (shows the path from Harmony button press to XBMC function)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kvjs2z0ffrwum6h/keymap.jpg

To request new features please post in this thread.