Show button mappings?

[globalist]

So in the Flirc config program where it's showing the layout of your virtual controller, it's the most logical thing to expect to see which buttons of your virtual controller are already mapped (and possibly, also to what, using maybe IR codes from your physical remote for idtentification). Why doesn't the software actually show this important info?

Edited May 19, 2017 by globalist

[Budwyzer]

It does.   With your Flirc plugged in, and the app running, point your remote at the sensor and press a button that is already bound.  The keyboard button, that the remote button is bound to, will light up on screen.

[globalist]

It does indeed. But why not save us the hassle and highlight all the mapped buttons from the get go (or keep them highlighted as you add new ones)?

[yawor]

Highlighting would be nice but it's not universally representative. For example it would not work very well for full keyboard controller. If you have few buttons recorded with modifiers (shift, ctrl etc) and all assigned button were to be highlighted, then how would you recognise which buttons had been assigned with modifiers and which not?

Don't thing I'm against such functionality. It would be really helpful, but I think it would need to be more universal. Maybe a dialog containing a table with assigned keys. It would then highlight keys when hovered or clicked on specific line. Also Flirc itself doesn't store an information on which controller you've recorded a key (whether it was on Kodi, FireTV or Full Keyboard). It only stores a HID keycode with optional modifier and a hash code derived from an IR signal. So the table would rather display letter X for example instead a Kodi's  Stop function in such table.

Also you can already display such a list of assigned keys but not in GUI. When you've installed Flirc software, besides the GUI app you've also installed a command line util called flirc_util. If you're using Windows then you need to open command line windows (Win + R, enter cmd.exe and press enter, for example), then change the directory to where you've installed Flirc and then you can execute:

flirc_util.exe keys

 

[Park City Ken]

I made the same suggestion today, before finding this forum.  Sorry for the duplication.

I like the idea of highlighting buttons that have codes.  Even though you can't display the user-sensible key easily, the hex code would be helpful.  I'd use a right-click to retrieve or store the HEX code for any given button in the GUI.   Sometimes I don't have the remote, or I'm copying codes obtained from elsewhere, like Global Cache's Control Tower.

As long as I'm at it ... it would be handy if the Flirc menu had an option to "Save Configuration in Display Mode" (or some such).  It would produce a user-readable file, with the name of the controller, the name of each button that had a code (since it knows both while in the GUI, I assume), and the associated hex code.

 

By the way, I tried to run flirc_util on Mac Sierra, and never figured out how to do so.   It runs, and automatically shows the help, but I can't find a way to submit command-line (Terminal) commands to the utility.

Thanks for a VERY cool little tool.

 

[yawor]

@Park City Ken Flirc doesn't keep the information about the controller used when recording a button. Most controllers are just layers on top of the full keyboard controller - keys on them are just predefined keyboard shortcuts. For example, on Kodi controller, the Info key is just the "i" key on the keyboard. So most of the time, only information that can be displayed is a keyboard key combination assigned, not a specific controller function.

The hex codes which are used by Flirc won't tell you anything useful. They are generated from IR signal using a proprietary hashing algorithm and are Flirc specific. You wouldn't be able to copy IR hex codes from some remote control related forums or websites and enter them into Flirc without having actual remote. Also at this moment there's no option to add a key with IR hash manually at all. You need the remote to do it.

Regarding the flirc_util, to run specific command you call it like this:

flirc_util keys

[Park City Ken]

Thanks for the explanation.  I guess I understand now.

as to Flirc_util, I did a Show Package Contents and successfully opened the Flirc_util executable from Finder.  And when I do it shows the Help info.  But I can't seem to figure out how to actually run the utility itself from the command line.

Thanks again!

 

[yawor]

You need to first open the terminal window and change the directory to the one where flirc_util is installed. When you are in that directory, then you can execute it by calling:

./flirc_util keys

You could also modify your PATH so that you wouldn't need to change directory but call it in the terminal from any location (without ./ like above). Here's an example how to do it: https://coolestguidesontheplanet.com/add-shell-path-osx/. Of course you need to replace mysql path with the Flirc one.

[Park City Ken]

I feel so dumb.  Sorry to trouble you with this stuff.  I *used to be* a programmer, but the older I get the more I forget!

I got the program to run, but this is what I see ...

Kens-2015-iMac:Applications kenjacobs2$ ./flirc_util -version
device disconnected, can't run command

????

[yawor]

Now I'm sorry, I'm not that familiar with Mac to help you with that issue. Maybe @jason will be able to provide some support.

[Park City Ken]

Interesting ... if I just do ./flirc_util, I see the help.    But any other option gets the "device disconnected" error.  Thanks in advance for your help, @jason!

[jason]

https://flirc.gitbooks.io/flirc-instructions/content/command-line-interface-guide/location.html

This will put it in your path so you don't need to go into the applications directory.

cd /Applications/Flirc.app/Contents/Resources/flirc_util

 cp flirc_util /usr/local/bin/

flirc_util settings 

Also, make sure the GUI is closed. Can't open it with the cli and the gui at the same time.