Just wanted to show off some modifications i made

mcborzu Wrote:Starting page 2 of this thread explains Boxee and Launcher.

Cool, It works! - well at least Boxee started from XBMC with no errors. It left the CMD window for Boxeelauncher running in the background - until I exited Boxee? Not a huge deal, but the screen flashes several times, switches windows, XBMC goes to a small window and finally Boxee starts - so a bit rough on the edges from an aesthetic point of view.

In this thread http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=55776 (Post #4) it notes bringing up a black screen during the transitions. The ZIP file isn't out there anymore - and I don't know how to compile or create this...but it sounds like a smooth way to go?

Any thoughts or recomendations on how to polish the transition?

Also - Boxee and XBMC don't do well when both running...I forget which but one of them keeps responding to the remote when the other is the focus.

@mcborzu - how are you using XBMC & Boxee? I'm not sure how much resources the 2 will hog if both running also.

puulima Wrote:Hey - I found AutoHotKey here: http://www.autohotkey.com/download/ - downloaded the first item (installer) and McAfee reports it's infected with a TROJAN: "Artemis!E42B81B96361" ?? I downloaded the ZIP file and it scans clean but do I only need to run the autohotkey.exe file then? The zip is choked full of lots of files ;-)

i just used this one
http://www.autohotkey.net/~Lexikos/AutoH...nstall.exe

windows security essentials didnt find any viruses. might just be mcafee being dumb? its a legit program, so im not sure why it pops up like that.

puulima Wrote:Also - Boxee and XBMC don't do well when both running...I forget which but one of them keeps responding to the remote when the other is the focus.

@mcborzu - how are you using XBMC & Boxee? I'm not sure how much resources the 2 will hog if both running also.

if you use the autohotkey script and modify it to kill xbmc when boxee starts it should fix up those issues.

thesuffering Wrote:if you use the autohotkey script and modify it to kill xbmc when boxee starts it should fix up those issues.

So I get how this script will work with 2 programs - but sketchy on how to structure it with all 3?

Simple scenario which is your scenario with Boxee thrown into the mix:
- What I have setup already:
* Autologon to Windows when HTPC starts
* XBMC starts up automatically as well
- Plan to do
* XBMC to get menu options to start (switch to) both Hulu & Boxee (killing XBMC to do so)
* To get back to XBMC - exit Hulu or Boxee - XBMC restarts

Can one script handle that? (ignoring the first 2 points of course which I have covered)

The trick is that this BoxeeLauncher works but as noted above - is a bit rough as it's transitioning - perhaps the AHK script will help since it will be killing XBMC - but not sure if that will take place after all the window switching noise?

Other question - besides scrolling down to the EXIT option in Hulu Desktop - is there a way to exit it via programming a button on the remote? (perhaps using EventGhost?)

If you can assist with how the script would read for the 3 app "simple scenario" - that would be great.

Much thanks!

thesuffering Wrote:as far as the second part, the script runs in the background watching xbmc and hulu desktop. as soon as it sees hulu launching, it kills xbmc. when it sees hulu exiting, it kills hulu. its a great way to handle it. you can use the same script and concept to make boxee work in the way you are wanting.

Been playing with some different ways to do this and finally tried your method tonight...both with the AHK script and AHK running in the background and with a compiled version. Results were the same - stuck in an endless loop! It works as you noted, but there is no way to get out of XBMC - if I close XBMC, the script starts it again, if I <alt><tab> to the dektop or any other program, the script sends me back to XBMC. I had to start task manager to kill it...and fortunately have 2 monitors going otherwise, it doesn't give you enough time to kill it before it shifts back to XBMC.

Do you leave XBMC running all the time? How do you get out of the loop when you shut down XBMC?

puulima Wrote:Been playing with some different ways to do this and finally tried your method tonight...both with the AHK script and AHK running in the background and with a compiled version. Results were the same - stuck in an endless loop! It works as you noted, but there is no way to get out of XBMC - if I close XBMC, the script starts it again, if I <alt><tab> to the dektop or any other program, the script sends me back to XBMC. I had to start task manager to kill it...and fortunately have 2 monitors going otherwise, it doesn't give you enough time to kill it before it shifts back to XBMC.

Do you leave XBMC running all the time? How do you get out of the loop when you shut down XBMC?

yes, that is a minor annoyance to the script. im going to be messing around to see if i can resolve that. not sure if its possible. that said if you hit the \ button it will put xbmc in a window. go to your taskbar by the clock and you should be able to right click on the H icon, and either pause or exit the script, which will allow you to get out of xbmc and do something else. my htpc has one job, and thats to act as a media center, so i dont do anything besides xbmc/hulu on it, so the way its acting by restarting xbmc doesnt really bother me.

puulima Wrote:So I get how this script will work with 2 programs - but sketchy on how to structure it with all 3?

Simple scenario which is your scenario with Boxee thrown into the mix:
- What I have setup already:
* Autologon to Windows when HTPC starts
* XBMC starts up automatically as well
- Plan to do
* XBMC to get menu options to start (switch to) both Hulu & Boxee (killing XBMC to do so)
* To get back to XBMC - exit Hulu or Boxee - XBMC restarts

Can one script handle that? (ignoring the first 2 points of course which I have covered)

The trick is that this BoxeeLauncher works but as noted above - is a bit rough as it's transitioning - perhaps the AHK script will help since it will be killing XBMC - but not sure if that will take place after all the window switching noise?

Other question - besides scrolling down to the EXIT option in Hulu Desktop - is there a way to exit it via programming a button on the remote? (perhaps using EventGhost?)

If you can assist with how the script would read for the 3 app "simple scenario" - that would be great.

Much thanks!

im still working on the 3 app (or more) scenario. Im working on building netflix support into mine next (by jumping from xbmc to windows media center netflix app directly) i can get it to open the netflix app, but it doesnt want to play nice yet. im sure enough messing with the code and ill have it

Would you be willing to share the Pandora background image that you're using, or where I can find a copy? If you'd like it hosted, I can put it up on my site--i've got unlimited bandwidth.

ThWACkD Wrote:Would you be willing to share the Pandora background image that you're using, or where I can find a copy? If you'd like it hosted, I can put it up on my site--i've got unlimited bandwidth.

here you go
http://otonly.com/Oct/pandora2.png

thesuffering Wrote:yes, that is a minor annoyance to the script. im going to be messing around to see if i can resolve that. not sure if its possible. that said if you hit the \ button it will put xbmc in a window. go to your taskbar by the clock and you should be able to right click on the H icon, and either pause or exit the script, which will allow you to get out of xbmc and do something else. my htpc has one job, and thats to act as a media center, so i dont do anything besides xbmc/hulu on it, so the way its acting by restarting xbmc doesnt really bother me.

I found a solution that allows you to do everything in your setup plus quit xbmc and do things on the desktop without having XBMC load again.


I didn't want to hijack this thread so please go here for the steps.