Flirc + Harmony => Keyboard, how?

[Ren]

Hi, I just unpacked my new Flirc and Harmony Companion and now I am seriously confused regarding configuration. I set up Harmony for my TV, AV receiver and Playstation easily but now I need to add Flirc-enriched PC and I somehow can't figure out how. I mean, I decided for Flirc because it behaves like keyboard which promises most usability for less typical configs. But I just can't figure out how and where do I set this up, I do not need any profiles or so. What I need most is send 'Space' for waking up, sleep button for Sleeping, all multimedia keys like play, also esc, enter etc...I do not need any predefined profiles like kodi which I am not using, I just want to emulate those keystrokes so I can customize everything. Basically, I am not even sure if I am about to set this up in Harmony or Flirc, but I guess both. I'd appreciate if someone find a minute or two for a quick explanation, thanks.

[jason]

add a random device that's not in your living room, I often recommend Samsung or Panasonic TVs

Then download and install my GUI, go to file->controllers and select the keyboard controller.

That's it, pair any button.

[Ren]

Hi Jason and thanks. I saw that somehow in docs indeed but just couldn't wrap my head around that. Now I tried to do as you say and I see the limitations are mostly on the Harmony side, because it is activity based, it's not like I could say now send power on command for this DVD player and have Flirc recording that signal, or could I?

/edit> Now now, I realized I can! I can assign that function (like power on/off) I need temporarily to a button, press it and record and revert the button to the original function. Wow, that's tricky but should work. Now let's be more Flirc focused. Could you please help me to understand the Full keyboard profile? I mean, it's not that 'full', is it. There is a wake key, never saw one, but it lacks sleep key, present on mostly any kb today. Any other way how to sleep besides cluttering desktop with shortcut with keyboard shortcut assigned? Also, multimedia keys are in standalone profile, does it mean I need to choose if using one or another? Letters or 'Play', 'Next' etc...?

/edit2> If I got it right, you're the man himself, Jason. Thanks for the nice gadget and for taking time to hang around the forum too. I understand and appreciate you made the app so easy to use, making it available for wide audience. I was looking for more precise way to configure it, like option to assign specific signal to specific key codes. Not sure about your home platform (glad to see nice Linux support btw) but on Windows Randy's SharpKeys show something similar, mapping keys and key-codes together via registry. Maybe I'm gonna find a way via CLI, checking flirc_util now...

Edited March 28, 2018 by Ren
Slow thinking

[yawor]

Controllers are interchangeable. They only group different keys together, but Flirc doesn't store information about selected controller. So you can record some keys from one controller and some keys from another. Most controllers (like Kodi for example) are just a collection of pre-configured, ready to use keyboard shortcuts and you can actually achieve the same functionality using full keyboard controller if you know those shortcuts.

Flirc doesn't deal with key codes. It works on a lower level and maps your IR signals to USB HID codes. It's up to your OS to interpret them and emit key codes to applications (which is done by the keyboard layout selection in most OSes). You can use flirc_util for more precise control as there is a "record_api" command which takes two 1-byte values (decimal) as a key definition. But you need to enter HID codes, not key codes.

I like to use this http://www.freebsddiary.org/APC/usb_hid_usages.php to get my HID codes. Scroll down to table 7 (keyboard). Bear in mind that information on that page is only true for US QWERTY and other compatible layouts. HID codes are assigned to a physical key location on the keyboard, not to a specific letter or symbol. So key "Y" on QWERTY will have the same HID code as key "Z" on QWERTZ.

[Ren]

I see, so, basically, Flirc IS a keyboard. That's incredibly awesome, I can't even think of all that endless possibilities it can be used for! Now I was already able to fully integrate it into my HT setup and I'm sure I'll even add bunch of improvements in the future, thanks for the info, yawor.

[Bob Sutton]

Yawor

How does one use the keyboard to add a function onto the remote?  It does not have functions on the keyboard.  I do not use a computer to navigate my tv.  I do not have hid codes produced by my remote and if I did how would I enter them using the keyboard?  Confused.

[jason]

16 minutes ago, Bob Sutton said:

Yawor

How does one use the keyboard to add a function onto the remote?  It does not have functions on the keyboard.  I do not use a computer to navigate my tv.  I do not have hid codes produced by my remote and if I did how would I enter them using the keyboard?  Confused.

Bob, maybe we can connect over the phone today. I can help clear this up. I have some appointments in the morning. But am otherwise free this afternoon.

 

[Bob Sutton]

Hey Jason thanks for finding the time to talk with me.  Really frustrated.

It is noon here.  How about tomorrow around 11-2 your time.  I have to go out at 3 pm today, (noon in Santa Clara).

[Bob Sutton]

Jason

Or if you can call later at 4:00 to4:30 pm your time today? 

 

[jason]

Let’s chat today. Send me a personal message with your phone number 

[RALPH BARNETT]

On 3/27/2018 at 9:54 PM, jason said:

add a random device that's not in your living room, I often recommend Samsung or Panasonic TVs

Then download and install my GUI, go to file->controllers and select the keyboard controller.

That's it, pair any button.

Flirc needs an updated keyboard with numpad and such.