Using XBMC and MediaMonkey

[mclough6]

I am pretty much convinced that the solution to my audio switching problem lies in using Media Monkey as well as XBMC.  However, although Vox allows scanning (updating) both Media Monkey and XBMC in the same program, I can only control XBMC.  My question is this.  In order to jump from XBMC to MM, do I have to import MM commands and use the focus command to switch to MM commands?  I don't have to have two versions of Vox to do that do I?  What I thought I could do, but apparently don't know how, is have the ability to call both XBMC and MM from the command line, then use the focus command within either program to exceute those commands attached to the indivudual program.  Forgive me if I am overlooking something obvious... . 

[jitterjames]

Yes you need to combine the groups from the two standard configurations, and you need to remove the overlap between the two groups (i.e. the commands to listen etc.)

You can create commands to launch both / either program
You can create commands to focus both / either program

You can control mediaMonkey entirely without it needing to have focus or even be visible.  Some things in XBMC require focus, but some do not.

The tricky bit is that if you have commands that use the same language for both programs, then VC won't know which one you want.  For example if you say "play" it may not know which program you want to play.

There are two basic approaches to this problem.

1) use different phrases for each program, or use a prefix.  Each group of commands can be given it's own prefix that overrides the standard prefix.  So you could use Monkey as the prefix for all your MediaMonkey Commands if you like.

2) turn groups of commands on and off depending on which program you want to use.  Vox won't listen for commands in a group that has been disabled.  There are now a number of different ways to accomplish this:

A) Using actions: Using a command that can be triggered by focus events, or by voice commands, you can call some of these comands to turn various groups on and off:
http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Actions#EnableGroup

B) Using group properties: Edit group properties and where it says "active only for program" you can enter the process name.  The commands will automatically switch on and off depending on which program has focus.  You can set your XBMC groups to only run when xbmc has focus by entering xbmc in this group property field.

Note that "active only for program" can be inverted.  If you want a group to be active only when XBMC does NOT have focus you can enter !xbmc  (the ! means 'not')

I can put something together for you but if I need to know more about the details of how you want to do it because there is a lot of flexibility in how this can be accomplished, so that you can get it exactly how you want it...

Another consideration is that if you have a very large music library, you might want to remove all the commands for requesting music by name from XBMC to save memory and reduce load times.  At the very least you will probably want to remove the "play song" commands since they are usually the biggest in terms of PayloadXML files.

Sorry if this is a bit more complicated than you expected.  With power and flexibility we usually also end up with things being a bit more complicated.  Of course once you set it up the way you want it, it should still be easy to use.

[Kalle]

I am pretty much convinced that the solution to my audio switching problem lies in using Media Monkey as well as XBMC.  However, although Vox allows scanning (updating) both Media Monkey and XBMC in the same program, I can only control XBMC.  My question is this.  In order to jump from XBMC to MM, do I have to import MM commands and use the focus command to switch to MM commands?  I don't have to have two versions of Vox to do that do I?  What I thought I could do, but apparently don't know how, is have the ability to call both XBMC and MM from the command line, then use the focus command within either program to exceute those commands attached to the indivudual program.  Forgive me if I am overlooking something obvious... .  

Hi mclough6,

here a example for disable/enable groups, have a look on pictures. With this event commands you can activate commands for XBMC and disable commands for MM when XBMC focused and the other way around with next event.
The whole thing is, that you named your command groups like XBMC Basics, XBMC Infos, MM Basics and so on. See the pictures below.

Greetings Kalle

PS: I have uploaded my event Group you can use it with import the xml-file

[mclough6]

Just got back in town from a day trip and found the responses.  Thank you both.  You have given me a lot to digest, so I will go through it this weekend.  I think I already have a better idea of how the focus command works.  On thing though, there used to be a vox commando for media monkey for download, but  I am not seeing it now.  Unless I am missing something, the latest version has xbmc commands included but not media monkey.  Is the MM version still available?

[jitterjames]

Actually the latest version available on the website includes both configurations, and others.  Look in your VC folder and then in the subfolder

.\Resources\configs

there are zips that contain options.xml and voicecommands.xml files

when you install the new version from scratch, if you don't already have a configuration it will ask you to choose one, but you can go into the zips and grab them yourself.

You can import command trees into the editor by just dragging the xml file onto the editor tree.  Don't try to drag the zip file though it won't know what to do with that.

[mclough6]

Ok I guess I will have to admit my ignorance.  It looks like I need to extract the zip files to the export folder.  Then import them as a bin file, whatever that is.  When I try to do that, I have to import one file at a time and it arrived in the editor, or something does, as unknown and everything else disappears.  I know I am doing something (multiple things) wrong.   It should not be so difficult to import the files.  Especially since you have the base configuration automated.  It seems I should be able to import a second configuration on top of the first and then edit out the ones I don't want or need.  Then I probably could figure out how to use event and focus to turn on the correct commands as I move from one program to another.  That was covered in your latest video, and to start all I want to do it have your configuration xbmc files turn on when I open xbmc and your configuration media monkey files turn on when I open media monkey.   It would be nice to be able to launch media monkey or xbmc, depending upon the modifier (MM or XBMC) to the launch command.  I can do that with two versions of vox, but I know now that operating two vox to run two programs is not necessary.  So it looks like I am stuck at the starting gate.    

[Wanilton]

James, I suggest you add the options of installing a version combining the use of XBMC and MediaMonkey and their respective commands, as this is becoming quite usual users of the forum.

[Kalle]

Ok I guess I will have to admit my ignorance.  It looks like I need to extract the zip files to the export folder.  Then import them as a bin file, whatever that is.  When I try to do that, I have to import one file at a time and it arrived in the editor, or something does, as unknown and everything else disappears.  I know I am doing something (multiple things) wrong.   It should not be so difficult to import the files.  Especially since you have the base configuration automated.  It seems I should be able to import a second configuration on top of the first and then edit out the ones I don't want or need.  Then I probably could figure out how to use event and focus to turn on the correct commands as I move from one program to another.  That was covered in your latest video, and to start all I want to do it have your configuration xbmc files turn on when I open xbmc and your configuration media monkey files turn on when I open media monkey.   It would be nice to be able to launch media monkey or xbmc, depending upon the modifier (MM or XBMC) to the launch command.  I can do that with two versions of vox, but I know now that operating two vox to run two programs is not necessary.  So it looks like I am stuck at the starting gate.    

Hi Mclough6,
I will try to help you. Unpacking in resources / configs the xbmc.zip. Jump in VC to command tree. Klick top right to "open a new bin file " and locate the folder in which you have unpacked the files. Select from them the voicecommands.xml and click Open. Now are some xbmc commands that you can drag and drop to move to the command tree. Then you can import the next xml file, etc. I hope this is helpful  

Kalle

[jitterjames]

You can use the bin as Kalle suggests.  You can also just drag the second configuration file onto the the regular tree (on the left) and it will add everything, then you can remove the stuff you don't want.

Also I think you can drag an xml file onto the right tree to open it there.

@Wanilton, you are right I will create a combination of XBMC and MM configuration soon.

[mclough6]

I am going to try and do it myself because I refuse to believe I am so d**n stupid.  I am sure it is pretty straightforward now that you and Kalle have given me some pointers.  I would like to learn the basics so perhaps I can help somebody else someday.

[mclough6]

It took about 5 seconds.  I didn't know it was voice commands that needed to be moved.  I thought all of the files had to be transferred.  After I unzipped XBMC and dragged voice commands to the command tree, presto, all of the files appeared.  Easy. 

[Kalle]

It took about 5 seconds.  I didn't know it was voice commands that needed to be moved.  I thought all of the files had to be transferred.  After I unzipped XBMC and dragged voice commands to the command tree, presto, all of the files appeared.  Easy. 

no problem, feel free to ask