SqueezeIR Support Thread

[indifference_engine]

SqueezeIR (pronounced squeezier) is an applet for the Squeezebox Controller that allows you to use its infra-red emitter to control other devices. It is fully customisable via an xml file and allows any button on the Controller to send any ir codes that you want. You can also build your own menus to trigger ir commands.

As of v1.13, SqueezeIR is installed via the Applet Installer applet on the controller using my repository <http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/repo.xml>.

Full documentation can be found on the website http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/squeezeir.

The previous 'Announce' thread http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=66795 is now retired but still contains some relevent information towards the end of the thread. Please post all comments in this thread.

[Pokersut]

As of v0.7, SqueezeIR is installed via the Applet Installer applet on the controller using my repository <http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/repo.xml>.

That's really cool - this is getting better and better!

But: I must admit that I have been neglecting SqueezeIR for a long time, and I'm afraid I need some very basic assistance in getting the xml file right.

I am using a LIRC file for a NAD remote. The file is placed in the same folder as the xml file, and I have this in SqueezeIR.xml

<remotes>
	<remote ID="NAD SR6"> <!-- NAD-remote using LIRC-protocol -->
		<protocol>LIRC</protocol>

		<parameters>
			<parameter ID="filename">sr6.lirc.txt</parameter>
			<parameter ID="name">NAD_SR6</parameter>
		</parameters>

	</remote>
</remotes>

According to your documentation, there are no <command> elements needed in the <remotes> section when I use a LIRC file - but what, then, do I put as the value of my <command> elements in the <actions> section?

I have used the sample xml file and put in the above <remotes>-code, and then I have changed all the <remote>-values in the profiles section to match the ID of my remote, but that gives me "Result: 4 (warn)" in the About screen.

I'm probably missing something very obvious, but I have never really gotten used to working with xml. I'm attaching my xml and LIRC files - if anyone could take a look at them, I would be glad.

[indifference_engine]

According to your documentation, there are no <command> elements needed in the <remotes> section when I use a LIRC file - but what, then, do I put as the value of my <command> elements in the <actions> section?

If you use LIRC files then you are quite right, you do not need a <commands> section in <remote>. The <command> elements inside each <action> reference the command names inside the LIRC file itself (case sensitive). So for your file you'd use "on", "off", "video-1", "spk-a" etc. I'm sure the info is on the website but I may need to make it more explicit.

You are getting the 'WARN' status because you are trying to use commands that haven't been defined either in a <commands> section or in a LIRC file.

Also, this line:

<parameter ID="name">NAD_SR6</parameter>

should be:

<parameter ID="remote">NAD_SR6</parameter>

[sbellon]

On Wed, 09 Jun, indifference_engine wrote:

> As of v0.7, SqueezeIR is installed via the Applet Installer applet on
> the controller using my repository
> <http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/repo.xml>.
>
> Full documentation can be found on the website
> <http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/squeezeir>.

The move from 0.61 to 0.7 via the automated applet installer went
straight forward and exactly like described by you. My old
configuration file (controlling a NAD C355BEE via the NAD SR6 lirc
file) worked without having to change it (apart from appending .txt to
the lirc file).

Nice work!

I found a few typos on your newly set up website however, especially
on this page: http://www.woodbine.me.uk/squeezebox/squeezeir/install

2. On your Squeezebox Server computer, find the Squeezebox Server
skins folder. TIP: On a default Windows installation this is
C:\Program Files\Squeezebox\server\HTML\

I'm not sure whether the backslash between Squeezebox and server
belongs there, because on GNU/Linux the location to use
is /usr/share/squeezeboxserver/HTML (note: "squeezeboxserver" in one
word).

6. Each of the folders created in step (4) must have a SqueezeIR.xml
configuration file in it.

Should read "step (5)" and not "step (4)".

TIP: Existing users can use their current files but check the
configuration page for any important changes.

The link "configuration page" points to the install page instead of the
configuration page.

In step 7 you could mention that after clicking Apply, SqueezeIR does
NOT appear in the list of plugins on that page, but carrying on with
the following steps 1 to 4 on the controller works just fine.

I'm not in any way criticising your work, just trying to give feedback
to make a few things more clear!

Regarding the functionality of SqueezeIR ... looking at how the XML
file is structure, it should be possible to use several remote
configurations from within one profile, so that one can control an amp
and a subwoofer from within the same menu without having to switch
profiles, right?

Again, nice work and thanks for making such a useful plugin even more
usable!

--
Stefan Bellon

[Pokersut]

Also, this line:

<parameter ID="name">NAD_SR6</parameter>

should be:

<parameter ID="remote">NAD_SR6</parameter>

Thanks - that helped. But I'm having a problem with this code:

<key ID="384">
	<events>
		<event ID="press">
		<override>true</override>
			<actions>
				<action order="1">
				<remote>NAD SR6</remote>
				<command>on</command>
				</action>
				
				<action order="2">
				<remote>NAD SR6</remote>
				<command>aux</command>
				<pause>20</pause>
				</action>
			</actions>

			<playeractions>
				<playeraction order="1">go_now_playing</playeraction>
				<playeraction order="2">play</playeraction>
			</playeractions>
		</event>
	</events>
</key>

It's supposed to 1) switch on the receiver, 2) switch to AUX 3) go to the Now Playing screen and 4) start playing when I press Add and Play together.

The first problem is that step 3 is not carried out (and I have tried putting in a longer pause), but a second, more serious problem is that it seems to wreck SueezeIR altogether - once the command has been executed, none of my other commands work anymore, and I have to reboot the controller to get them working again.

Is there a way I can debug, so I can see what's going on?

[indifference_engine]

Nice work!

Thanks!

I found a few typos on your newly set up website

Not surprised!

2. On your Squeezebox Server computer, find the Squeezebox Server
skins folder. TIP: On a default Windows installation this is
C:\Program Files\Squeezebox\server\HTML\

I'm not sure whether the backslash between Squeezebox and server
belongs there, because on GNU/Linux the location to use
is /usr/share/squeezeboxserver/HTML (note: "squeezeboxserver" in one
word).

The Windows path is correct (at least on my system) but I have added your Linux path as well.

6. Each of the folders created in step (4) must have a SqueezeIR.xml
configuration file in it.

Should read "step (5)" and not "step (4)"

TIP: Existing users can use their current files but check the
configuration page for any important changes.

The link "configuration page" points to the install page instead of the
configuration page.

oops! Fixed

In step 7 you could mention that after clicking Apply, SqueezeIR does
NOT appear in the list of plugins on that page

That's because SqueezeIR is an applet, not a plugin but I have added your suggestion for clarity.

I'm not in any way criticising your work, just trying to give feedback to make a few things more clear!

Hey, that's what forums are for! Glad of any suggestions.

Regarding the functionality of SqueezeIR ... looking at how the XML
file is structure, it should be possible to use several remote
configurations from within one profile, so that one can control an amp
and a subwoofer from within the same menu without having to switch
profiles, right?

Right. A profile can contain any number of commands from any number of remotes. That was part of the design philosophy to have task-based rather than device-based profiles. The same is, of course, true of menus.

[indifference_engine]

a second, more serious problem is that it seems to wreck SueezeIR altogether - once the command has been executed, none of my other commands work anymore, and I have to reboot the controller to get them working again.

I think you've uncovered a bug that's got something to do with releasing a key before all the ir codes have been fired. It didn't show up in my testing as I didn't use such long pauses. It should be fixed sometime tomorrow.

UPDATE:
Bug has been fixed. SqueezeIR v0.71 is available via Applet Installer. Users of v0.7 only need to upgrade via the Controller's Applet Installer, no other work is necessary. Users of v0.61 or earlier need to follow the full install procedure on the SqueezeIR websute (url at the top of this thread).

There is one question that I was toying with while fixing the bug:
Currently, playeractions and menu changing (using the <target> element) happen when the button is released but I was wondering if it should be after all the ir codes have been sent? Generally, the two are (almost) the same but if you have a lot of actions or a long pause (like pokersut) then they could be very different and the playeractions could fire before all the ir codes have been processed. Maybe I could make the behaviour user-definable? Any thoughts?

[Pokersut]

Bug has been fixed. SqueezeIR v0.71 is available via Applet Installer.

Got it - and everything is running smoothly now. Thanks!

There is one question that I was toying with while fixing the bug:
Currently, playeractions and menu changing (using the <target> element) happen when the button is released but I was wondering if it should be after all the ir codes have been sent? Generally, the two are (almost) the same but if you have a lot of actions or a long pause (like pokersut) then they could be very different and the playeractions could fire before all the ir codes have been processed. Maybe I could make the behaviour user-definable? Any thoughts?

I think they should be executed after all the codes, including any pauses, have been sent - it seems the most logical.

This idea might be overkill, but would it be possible to add some kind of marker on the Controller that signals that there is a pause? Maybe a pop-up like "Next IR code will be sent in X seconds"?

Speaking of pop-ups, didn't the original SqueezeIR show pop-ups on the screen when you issued commands? Is that feature still there somewhere - I think it could be useful to have a little configurable text pop up that tells you what is happening (e.g. "Powering on NAD").

Finally a word of warning about the playeraction "stop". I tried adding this to my power-off command, and while it seemed to work well, it somehow messed up the Squeezebox Receiver, because afterwards it wouldn't output any sound! The Controller could find the Receiver, and everything looked to be working - music was playing - but there was no sound. The only solution was to reset the Receiver.

I now use the playeraction "pause" instead, and that works (though it seems to be a toggle command: If playback is already paused, it will start playback!).

[sbellon]

BTW: What is the protocol to use in order to emulate the original Logitech Squeezebox IR remote? Why I would want this? When controlling the Touch, it always switches into the "touch skin" instead of the "remote skin". Therefore I'd like to issue a "dummy" remote command in order to trigger the Touch to go into "remote skin" mode. Not sure which command to use (thinking of "vol+" because I'm operating the Touch with 100 % volume anyway, so this would be a nop), but first of all I have to figure out how to configure SqueezeIR to emulate the original Logitech Squeezebox remote. Is this possible?

Update: Found the solution myself using the "Slim Devices Squeezebox3" LIRC file.

[indifference_engine]

BTW: What is the protocol to use in order to emulate the original Logitech Squeezebox IR remote?
Update: Found the solution myself using the "Slim Devices Squeezebox3" LIRC file.

It's NEC protocol, device=110, subdevice=145. The sample SqueezeIR.xml file on the website (courtesy of Sunnysekot) is for an SB3/boom/touch.