LCD Smartie

I'm just starting work on developing a plugin and was just wondering if someone could point me in the direction of some documentation (if it exists) on how to write a plugin.

I was just wondering if there is a way for an application to trigger an event on the VFD. I know that LCDSmartie can poll a DLL every 300ms, but is it possible that when an application is started it comes up on the VFD with a message to show this ? How can that be done ?

Thanks,

Allen

Can this sort of functionality be added for a future release? It would be great if a plugin could control a few things (a bit like jaLCD). People are telling me to stick with LCDSmartie because the CPU overhead is less, so I would love to see this added.

Here's a sample of the code I use to check the status of a process. You will need to know the name of the process node as it would appear in Task Manager.

'-------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Class LCDSmartie

Public Function function2(ByVal param1 As String, ByVal param2 As String) As String
Dim p As System.Diagnostics.Process() = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcesses()
Dim result
Dim i
Dim newNode
result = 0
For i = 0 To p.GetUpperBound(0)
' Debug.WriteLine(p(i).ProcessName.ToString)
newNode = p(i).ProcessName
'
'
' Change Amp below to the process you are looking for.
If newNode = "Amp" Then
result = 1
End If
Next
Return result
End Function

Public Function GetMinRefreshInterval() As Integer
Return 300 ' 300 ms (around 3 times a second)
End Function
End Class
'-------------------------------------------------------------------

Then if the Smartie config create an action
$dll(dllname,2,,) = 0 GotoTheme(1)
$dll(dllname,2,,) = 1 GotoTheme(2)

You can replace the GotoTheme with one of the ouput options available.

Hope that helps

My first post here (been lurking for awhile)

This looks fairly simple. What are the chances of a plugin that simply confirms the existence of a process? I would try myself to implement the above code but really don't know where to start.

I love LCD smartie but really wish this functionality existed. I primarily use winamp and zoom player on this machine. Unfortunately I can't get the zoom player plugin working but I would be happy to have the ability of making a generic movie screen - i just need to know when zoom player is running.

I've added some code to LCD Smartie to check for a couple of processes, if you tell me the String the process shows up with I could add it in as an option in the "Skip this screen if..." dropdown box.

Wow, Thanks Workshed!

The process I'm interested in is zplayer.exe

But some other useful ones for people might be:
wmplayer.exe
TheaterTek DVD.exe
foobar2000.exe

For HTPCs anyway

cheers

[edit]
IMO the best overall functionality of LCD Smartie would be a function like the one above that could accept different strings and be called, for example, like $dll(process_exists,1,"example.exe",0) and then it could be used in conjunction with actions and themes.

I normally don't make suggestions to developers but this program really rocks - definitely the best one out there

I you're planning to add this functionality, could you consider making it configurable? i.e. you can "Skip this screen if X is/is not running" based on something more than just a set list. Perhaps INI file settings to define a list (much like that shown above), or better still some way for the user to enter their own string in the UI.

Better still, allow plug-in interaction like that available in Actions. i.e. "Skip this screen if X > Y". That would allow cool things like, making a series of screens to show news stories, and have only the appropriate number appear; News screen #2 would show if.. "dll(news, numstories) > 1".

I think this kind of interaction is what makes Smartie so popular. I'm working on a set of Themes / Screens that show information relevant to what I'm currently doing, and it's exactly this kind of thing that is making it hard atm. A theme for Gaming, for example, focuses more on the Temps and CPU performance, and doesn't bother with News and Weather... In this example, a "if DirectX is active" would be a handy thing to know and be able to handle.

Just my 2p.

JJ

Some cracking ideas! Will try and get those processes in as a starter and then add a GUI configurable version (when i get chance!)

I would LOVE to have this function. It is literally the _only_ thing missing from this stellar program. I wish I knew how to program so I can help, but please let me know when this is added!

Can you add mediaportal.exe to your list of executables that can be detected ?

Cheers,

Allen

i got the zoom player plugin to trigger an action by using the status of the player = playing or stopped or paused, etc. The action can make smartie go to a new theme:

when the status = playing, then goto theme(x) where theme x contains the zoom player screen.

when status = closed, goto theme(n) where theme n is the base set of screens.

That way, the zoom player screen only comes up when it is playing.

IMPORTANT: the case of the status (Playing, Paused, etc) must the same as what the plugin returns.

I am sure this method would work with any other plugin.

jonny,

after seeing your post I decided to try the zoomplayer plugin again and this time it worked

A window popped up from zoomplayer asking if I wanted to enable program access. I never saw this window last time on an older version so maybe it had to be manually enabled before.

Anyhow the idea of a plugin that simply determines the existence of a running process is still a great idea - even if I don't need it anymore