[WINDOWS] HOW-TO use a Logitech Harmony Remote with XBMC

The file name is keyboard.xml. And there should be more code in the file than what you're showing. See this post:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...#pid735331

For those who are interested in setting up profiles and switching between the 2 profile using a single key press on Harmony:
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...#pid795360

ignore this post because i didn't have a problem after all. i was just being stupid. ****although, if anyone is interested in getting the harmony to manipulate music playlists easily then read the non-bold bit at the bottom of this post


I'm trying to setup my Harmony One remote control to be able to easily manipulate music playlists on xbmc.

Pressing "q" on the actual keyboard whilst on a song will send that song to the current playlist. This is what I'm trying to do from my remote. so i put a button on the remotes screen that sends the letter "q".

My problem is that when i press that new button on my remote it is sending every track in the album to the playlist.

Really don't know where to start with this one. Anyone able to help me figure out what's going on?


(oh, in case anyone is interested in using playlists with ease from your remote i've added line into the "global" section of keyboard.xml [<a>playlist</a>] that means i now have a button that shows me the current playlist no matter where i am in xbmc when i press it; all i have to do is add a button on the remotes screen that sends "a". also, the ch+ and ch- buttons will move songs up and down the playlist which is handy)

im having some problems on bootcamp with a mac mini.

I had no problems on osx side of things, working beautifully but here nothing works. No matter what button i press the only thing that happens is the volume going up/down on the os side of things.

tried adding mce kebyoard and media center, dont work, is the reciever in the mac mini good? i mean since it works on osx, i ahve to assume so. Just seems so weird.

Ever since i built my htpc with xbmc and had my harmony one remote i've always put the htpc to sleep when not in use. What i really wanted was for it to power down but i could never figure out how to do this. I'm using a ehome ir transceiver but have not got a remote with it, anyway i managed to get the htpc to power down by pinning a shortcut to my taskbar with (shutdown.exe -s -t 00) code. and mapped the power to my device Microsoft Windows Media Center SE as the following.

(1) Adjust power settings

(2) I want to turn off this device when it's not in use

(3) A button on the remote for On, and a different button for Off

(4) Which command will Power On your device? - I don't have the original remote, but I know the command that is used: POWER TOGGLE.

(5) Which command will Power Off your device? - I don't have the original remote, but I know the command that is used: WIN+2 (2nd icon on my taskbar)

LIke i say the htpc shuts down via the shutdown shorcut but won't power up when i click my htpc activity even if i click the help button and go through the settings. Anyone know what i may need to do or if its possible.

I've got my reciever set up as

Microsoft MCE Keyboard

Microsoft Windows Media Center SE

You can't completely power down and power up again with the remote. The remote receiver only responds when the HTPC is in sleep mode. The sleep mode is controlled in your HTPC through power management. The Harmony remote can only send a power ON/OFF. And it's up to the HTPC to behave according to your power management settings. So yes, the remote can power down, if you set the HTPC to normal Power ON/OFF. But to power up, you will have to manually push the button. That's why usually we put it to sleep so it can be woken up by the Harmony.

Thanks for that bodhi, one of the reasons why i wanted it to shut down was for some reason my htpc keeps waking up out of sleep for reasons i don't know. I've unticked the lan wake thingy. Anymore ideas.

(2012-05-12 09:59)voyagerxp Wrote:  Thanks for that bodhi, one of the reasons why i wanted it to shut down was for some reason my htpc keeps waking up out of sleep for reasons i don't know. I've unticked the lan wake thingy. Anymore ideas.

First, check your HTPC power management again to make sure that it can only be woken up by the power button.

If you have checked all possible causes with the HTPC, e.g Wake-On-Lan, and the HTPC still wakes up randomly, then it might be some interference to your IR receiver. Try to remember which was the last device you used with the Harmony before the HTPC wakes up, it might be the IR signal for that device. Also, some HDTV LDC/Plasma screen are known to cause stray signals that could cause your IR receiver to accept the signals and interprets as the power ON/OFF.

I'll check, think it may be my Logitech DiNovo Mini Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard. I think number 3 is sticking for some reason.

Now and again i get this in bar on my screen in xbmc that won't go unless i restart my system.



And when i shut xbmc and go back to desktop and i get a constant ting sound like i'm holding a button down constantly and when i click start i get a constant supply of 33333333333333 or ££££££££££££££.



Would that be the problem you think.


Also i've been trying to do a keymap that will allow me to click a shortcut button in my harmony's additional buttons screen. On my main menu i have disabled the my videos and my movies buttons and done my own via playlists, one called Cartoons and the other movies. I did this because i wanted to separate my movies from the kids, right I've done the following.

<keymap>
<global>
<keyboard>
<k>UpdateLibrary(video)</k> ( i like to manually update)
<f1>ActivateWindow(videolibrary,tvshowtitles)</f1> (This takes me straight into my tv show titles list)
<f2>XBMC.ActivateWindow(MyMusic,Artists)</f2> (and i always cycle through to artists so this suits me to go staight to artists)
</keyboard>
</global>
</keymap>

But how do i set a button to take me to custom buttons.

(2012-05-13 19:24)voyagerxp Wrote:  I'll check, think it may be my Logitech DiNovo Mini Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard. I think number 3 is sticking for some reason.

Now and again i get this in bar on my screen in xbmc that won't go unless i restart my system.



And when i shut xbmc and go back to desktop and i get a constant ting sound like i'm holding a button down constantly and when i click start i get a constant supply of 33333333333333 or ££££££££££££££.



Would that be the problem you think.


Also i've been trying to do a keymap that will allow me to click a shortcut button in my harmony's additional buttons screen. On my main menu i have disabled the my videos and my movies buttons and done my own via playlists, one called Cartoons and the other movies. I did this because i wanted to separate my movies from the kids, right I've done the following.

<keymap>
<global>
<keyboard>
<k>UpdateLibrary(video)</k> ( i like to manually update)
<f1>ActivateWindow(videolibrary,tvshowtitles)</f1> (This takes me straight into my tv show titles list)
<f2>XBMC.ActivateWindow(MyMusic,Artists)</f2> (and i always cycle through to artists so this suits me to go staight to artists)
</keyboard>
</global>
</keymap>

But how do i set a button to take me to custom buttons.

I think that's likely your problem. EIther the number 3 key on the Harmony or the DiNovo is stuck or some interference that causes it. I would connect the Harmony to the SW and reload the settings. Sometime it helps just to reload it from the database. You can force it by playing with a setting of some key, but not changing any thing. I would also turn off the DiNovo for a while to see if it was the cultprit.

Regarding the customed keys. You can program the Harmony to put the k, f1, f2 keys on the LCD page for the Harmony XBMC activity. Go to the Actvity page and Customize Buttons. It should obvious, it is the same procedure as setting the hard buttons. The idea is for each XBMC keyboard command that you define in the keymap, you would have one defined on an LCD page in XBMC activity.