[Windows] UDPLauncher

Hey everyone

I just finished my UDPLauncher, a little project I designed in order to start applications on my machine such as XBMC with a network-package.

The Application can be configured (the .config-file is a XML-File, just edit it):
*Update*
I released a new version with way more functionality. New settings may apply (check below).
*Update*

ProgramToLaunch: Full path to the program you want to launch (default: C:\Program Files\XBMC\XBMC.exe)

PortToListenTo: The port the program will listen to (default: 9)

Added in v2:
ExitIfOpen: Defines wether the application "ProgramToLaunch" should be closed if it is already running when the packet arrives (default: True, possibilities: "True" and "False")

UseXBMCEvent*: Define wether the application should fire an event to XBMC or not (default: False, possibilities: "True" and "False")

XBMCEvent*: The event XBMC should receive if above setting is "True" (default: ExecBuiltIn(ActivateWindow(VideoLibrary,TvShowTitles)) ), see a list here: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Web..._Reference)

XBMC_Server: The fqdn, "localhost" or IP of your XBMC (default: localhost)

XBMC_Port: The port your XBMC listens to (default: 8181, HTTP-Webserver-Port not Eventserver!)

XBMC_Username: The username required to access your XBMC (default: empty, if you do not require this, just leave it empty)

XBMC_Password: The password required to access your XBMC (default: empty, if you do not require this, just leave it empty)


* In order for this to work you have to set the subsequent configurations (server, port (, username, password))

The program will listen to the "PortToListenTo" and will start the ProgramToLaunch as soon as it receives a UDP-Packet on that port (magic-packet a.k.a. WOL for example). If the program you specified is already running, there are now four possible combinations of what will happen:
- Nothing (UseXBMCEvent = false && ExitIfOpen = false)
- Close the current instance of "ProgramToLaunch" (UseXBMCEvent = false && ExitIfOpen = true)
- Close the current instance of "ProgramToLaunch" and fire an XBMC-Event (UseXBMCEvent = true && ExitIfOpen = true)*²
- Fire an XBMC-Event (UseXBMCEvent = true && ExitIfOpen = false)


*²= This of course will not work if your "ProgramToLaunch" is actually the XBMC itself...

You can send any type of UDP-Message to the port you specified, the application will trigger in any case. This gives you the possibility to launch XBMC through a WOL-Sender for example.

It is possible to use two or more different instances of this program, just create a copy of the folder. Anyhow: Obviously you have to change the port if you want to run two or more instances, they cannot be the same!

Download here:
http://tbueter.com/tools/UDPLauncher.rar

Silent Version (no window pops up, you have to close via task manager):
http://www.tbueter.com/tools/UDPLauncher_Silent.rar

Mirror:
v2:
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-05008f92.html

v2_Silent:
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-2a4d07a5.html

Nothing special, just thought I'd share it.

This seems like it would be useful for automating XBMC library updates for those people that aren't using MySQL databases. Good work!

Thanks

I will add some features this week, you'll be able to also fire XBMC-HTTP-Events with the Launcher at that point (such as "UpdateLibrary").

Added a new version of my app with more functionality, enjoy!

I thought of a question for you. Is it possible to make it only launch XBMC, and not shut it down if already running?

that is possible now Look at the first post, if you set "ExitIfOpen" to "False", XBMC will not be closed if it is running...

henry hi,
thanks for a great tool.

is there anyway to make it run silently?
i wish to run it on startup

thanks

I created a silent version for you...

No Window will show upon start of the prog.
But keep in mind that you - if you want to close it - have to close it via taskmanager.

Edit: Just checked... doesn't work for me. I'll try find another solution.

Edit2: Found the solution. Here you go:
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-2a4d07a5.html

HenryFord Wrote:I created a silent version for you...

No Window will show upon start of the prog.
But keep in mind that you - if you want to close it - have to close it via taskmanager.

Edit: Just checked... doesn't work for me. I'll try find another solution.

Edit2: Found the solution. Here you go:
http://www.henryford.tk/UDPLauncher_Silent.rar
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-2a4d07a5.html

WOW
Thank you so much.

edit: i just checked it, works great, i'm gonna try to run it as a service.

Winserv should do the trick:
http://www.sw4me.com/wiki/Winserv

I found it's very easy to use, never got it quite working with sc.exe from MS.