[el_cabong]

Control Center is a web wrapper that simplifies and organizes access to many control pages such as SickBeard, CouchPotato, XBMC webserver, etc.

I started this project toward the end of development of MediaFrontPage, and want to thank those guys for putting a lot of the leg work and thought together to give me a base to start this project with. As projects like maraschino and HTPC-manager evolve, we need a better way to manage and easily utilize these tools, thats where ControlCenter fits in.


Required Pics

watch gallery

Downloads
GitHub page
Newest Direct Download


Features

• easy web based configuration
  
• User based access
  
• create access groups to easily assign permissions to many users
  
• control ip based machines such as XBMC that can be controlled from a webpage (assigned to users individually or in permission groups)
  
• can control as many XMBC/ip addressable devices as you want and has built in function to WOL if the device supports it
  
• create groups of links to easily access content such as server control pages, downloaders, forums, etc (each group can be assigned to users individually)
  
• can set links to keep webpage in a persistent/loaded state when viewing other links. The links can be reset by clicking the link while active, or unloaded by long press on the link while loaded.
  
• drag and drop images for user icons and links
  
• Mobile compatible and auto detection for phones
  
• included android webview app (if server is one of a few specified IP addresses)
  
• iOS script to prompt to save as homescreen shortcut for webview app
  

Setup and Requirements
Basic setup requires a webserver which supports PHP, Curl,SQLite, and has php "short_open_tag=On". Then just git clone or unzip ControlCenter within its web directory.
The webserver need to be assigned or listening on IP 192.168.0.250 or 192.168.1.250 for the android app to connect. Let me know if you need me to add additional IP options

Installation using apache on linux:

1. install prerequisites: sudo apt-get install git
   sudo apt-get install apache2
   sudo apt-get install php5 libapache2-mod-php5 php5-curl
   sudo mkdir /var/www/ControlCenter
   
   
2. Download: git clone git://github.com/elcabong/ControlCenter.git /var/www/ControlCenter/
   
   
3. Permissions: sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/ControlCenter/sessions
   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/ControlCenter/media
   
   
4. browse to your http://[webserver]/ControlCenter/
   
5. If everything is setup properly, you will be directed to the settings page to configure your new Control Center
   

Feature Details

1. Navigation Links:
   
   • These are links to various webpages such as SickBeard, CouchPotato, etc. These are setup in groups, but if only 1 group is available to the user, they will just see the links, no group title.
     
   • You can set these links to persistent, which will keep their state when switching between links, or turn persistent off which will unload the page when another link is selected.
     
   • These links will not load when the page initially loads. They will load when you select them. A selected link has 2 additional features, if you click a selected link, it will reload the current page; if you long hold the selected link, it will unload the current page.
     
2. Rooms/devices:
   
   • These are XBMC or other devices that can be controlled from a webpage. You can configure up to 2 specific pages per device.
     
   • When switching rooms/devices, only the 1 or 2 specified links for the room will update leaving your persistent pages in their current state (loaded/unloaded)
     
   • I am using my XMBC Remote webinterface in the pics above, linked HERE
     

Future Updates
XBMC profile support (auto switching profile based on user logged into ControlCenter)
Display now playing on device dropdown to show what is being watched on XBMC devices
better support for reverse proxy
any requests


Want to contribute?
Contact me, Im always looking for people to bounce ideas off of and help implement features i cannot or do not have time for currently.

Im looking for an android app developer who can help me expand my webview app. will be basic, please pm me if you want to discuss future plans.

[Livin]

I don't get your statement that your app is needed because of maraschino and HTPC-manager ... those apps seem to do what you are talking about doing with your Control Center - especially Maraschino.
Te only thing I don't see in existing apps is what you seem to be describing as Rooms/Devices (commonly known as 'Profiles') but the other apps are mature, with well over a year head start on yours. Why would you not just help development on one of those? I think you might find it difficult to recruit people to your app unless you are a coding maniac and can catch up to those in a very short time... or have a much better product - but the others are very good already. As far as smartphone/tablet use, those are already covered with native apps very well too.

[el_cabong]

i should rephrase that statement but i never stated my app is needed or replaces those apps. because those web apps exist, i dont need to build in what they already do into my project, exactly as you have pointed out. my original statement "we need a better way to navigate and easily utilize these tools" shows my intent to manage and access these tools easier, not recreate them.. this may not be useful to anyone except me, but i figured id at least give something that is useful to me back to the community.

my project is essentially a portal that allows easy access to web control systems, such as maraschino and HTPC-manager. and gives you the ability to control multiple xbmc devices around the house without having to download an app and configure it. you just point a web browser to the control center, login, and any devices or pages that are allowed for that account will be easily accessed via 1 tab in your browser. it keeps me from having 10 tabs open to different things in my home; see screen pic #5 & 6 in the first post.

and my need for help is only required if there are requests i dont have time for. il continue on my own schedule

if i find time soon il put together a screencast that shows the functionality better.

[Livin]

Ok, it seems you are building a wrapper. While I see what you are doing, and maybe why, I still think it would be better for the community, and less work for you too, if you simply chose a dashboard that already has a following and just contributed code to it. Imo you are adding layers and complexity for minimal returns.

[el_cabong]

yes, i guess a wrapper is the more proper term, updated in title and first post above.

I usually agree, contribution to current projects is the best use of resources, unfortunately HTPC-manager and maraschino are coded mostly in python and i havnt used python since my Counter-Strike scripting days. My current work deals with php/mysql so im more versed in helping with those projects.

ControlCenter is essentially a replacement for MediaHomePage with the dashboard taken out (as you can use maraschino or HTPC-manager as the dashboard feature) and ive added multiple XBMC machine control, which has not only been requested in various ways but I feel is lacking in the current options.. I prefer the web-interface for controlling xbmc when not using the IR remote, and dont like the way control is incorporated in the alternatives. Like I stated above, this has been useful for me, so im releasing it in case someone else finds use for it.

As far as adding additional complexity layers, maybe true, but if this is an unnecessary layer to you, then you dont have to use it.. before i started on this project, i had 4 copies of maraschino installed, 1 that had full permissions for all my xbmc machines and all my downloading content, 1 with no access except 2 xbmc machines, and 2 installs with in between permissions. I did this so i could let everyone in my household control devices from their phones without giving them too much control over my infrastructure. ControlCenter made it easier to deal with permissions for users, while keeping it easy for non-tech people.