Media-Detect

Minor feature and bugfix release - See changelog for details. As usual, please report bugs and strange behavior to d a m o n k at e f n dot o r g

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The "Manifesto"

Media-Detect is a script designed to make your multimedia shortcuts more powerful and easier to configure. It is intended for use with LinEAK, but can be called by any shortcuts or applications you like - such as khotkeys - or executed from the command line.

LinEAK is a program that enables the multimedia keys on specialty keyboards, such as the Logitech iTouch (my particular model). I use LinEAK, but have been frustrated by its lack of flexibility. Each button can only be configured to do one thing. If you configure the fast-forward button to skip to the next song in XMMS, that's all it will do. It won't skip to the next DVD chapter in xine if you happen to have that program open instead.

I wanted my keys to do more. I decided to scratch this itch and write myself a handy script that decides what each key does based on which app is currently open. Specifically, it takes parameters that have been passed to it and converts them into commands that your multimedia applications can use.

Now, instead of calling the app directly, LinEAK calls the script. Media-Detect then decides which multimedia application is open and provides the correct command. XMMS fast-forwards and rewinds, as does xine, KsCD, and any other application that can accept DCOP or command line calls. My buttons work the way I want them to, no matter what I happen to be doing. Life is good again.

0.55 - Minor feature and bugfix release
FEATURES
* Enhanced Feature: Added mute/unmute to Volume control. Now you can mute just the channel used by the open application.
* Menu system: Added ability to exit the menu from anywhere in it.

BUGFIXES
* Media-Detect: Locking files for alternate commands weren't application-specific. Fixed.
* Menu system: Every time you canceled from one menu to the previous menu, it would generate a new instance of the previous menu instead of gracefully exiting from the current menu loop. This could slow the menu down if you were editing or adding multiple applications. Fixed by implementing a proper canceling mechanism from each menu.

0.54 - Feature and bugfix release
FEATURES
* New Feature: Volume control module. You can now use Media-Detect to control the mixer and channel number of your choice. For instance, if your television tuner card and program use the AUX channel on your second mixer, you can configure Media-Detect to adjust the volume up and down on *that* channel and mixer while your television program is running. If no configured applications are running, you can set a default mixer and channel to adjust (usually the master volume on your first mixer). This feature requires aumix.
* New Feature: DCOP Applications. Some multimedia applications can use DCOP, the built-in KDE interface that allows programs like Media-Detect to control them via scripted commands. Media-Detect can now use this interface. While this was possible before by including the entire DCOP command in the configuration for each command, now Media-Detect can search DCOP, which is useful for programs which register a different name with DCOP every time they start, such as KMplayer.

BUGFIXES
* Menu system: I knew a logic bug would be found with the previous release, and one was. If you edited two applications in a row without restarting the menu, it would garble the view under certain circumstances. Fixed.
* Menu system: A bug prevented new applications from accepting Alternates when they were first created. Fixed.
* Command line menu: Sometimes cancel options wouldn't display properly. Fixed.