irkick & default configuration

[Michael Zanetti]

Hi Risto! 

Am Dienstag 25 August 2009 00:20:06 schrieb Risto H. Kurppa:
> Hi!
>
> I finally succeeded to config lirc run with my remote, I then found
> kdelirck & irkick, using KDE4.3 on Kubuntu Jaunty.
>

Great! IMHO configuring lirc is the hardest thing. KDElirc should be only a 
few clicks to make it work.

> Shor version: what's the easiest way to bind the remote buttons to
> actions? The Auto-populate doesn't work.
>

The auto-populate button works only if you have a remote known by kdelirc. 
Have a look in the "Extension Overview" tab. There you'll find a set of known 
remotes. If you have one of them, make sure the remotes ID in lircd.conf 
matches the "Remote Control Identifier" there. If you do not have one of this 
remotes you could create such a remote control and contribute it or live 
without the "Auto-Populate" button. kdelirc will work nevertheless. You just 
have to add button after button separately.

> Longer version:
> 1) Where can I find the configuration file for the remote. I found
> .kde/share/config/irkickrc, didn't look like the correct one.
Well, this is the correct one. Have a look at it after you added some actions 
through the config dialog. You will understand it better...

> 2) How do I use the existing configs: the extension overview shows
> that there are configs for Amarok, Dragon etc available but how do I
> activate these.

If you click on "add..." you will see that you have two diferent choices of 
adding actions (beside to the "change mode"). One is to browse all the D-Bus 
apps and the other one is by selecting an action from these pre defined 
applications. The result is exactly the same. These pre defined applications 
should just make it easier for users who don't want to know about D-Bus and 
are used for auto-population.

> 3) Is the plan to include as many default remote configs in KDE as
> possible (like http://websvn.kde.org/trunk/KDE/kdeutils/kdelirc/remotes/
> )

We always welcome new extensions. Just send us your remote control profile and 
we'll add it to the next release. Let me know if you need more information or 
help creating the extension. Basically it is just an xml-file listing all the 
buttons and assigning a class to each button. The classes are used only for 
the auto-populate.

> 4) Is it possible to bind one remote key button to multiple apps and
> only the app currently active would receive it?
>

Yes it is! Instead of just adding actions, add some modes first (on the left 
side in the config module). You can then specify a button to switch to a 
specific mode and change all buttons behaviour. E.g. you have a button called 
"TV" and one called "Musik" on your remote. Create 2 new modes: TV and Musik. 
In the main Mode add two actions that do not execute an action but switch the 
remote controls mode. You can then add different actions for the same button 
depending on the mode your currently in.

This might seem a little bit complicated at first. But gives you the ability 
to control an infinite number of applications with a minimal set of buttons. 
For example I use the Apple remote that has 6 buttons. With those 6 Buttons I 
can control Amarok, Okular, Kwin+Plasma, Dragonplayer and Suspend or shutdown 
the machine.

>
> Thanks for great KDE4.3!!! Looking forward to remote-control it :)
>

You're welcome. I hope this helps you to get kdelirc up and running.

Cheers,
Michael