Custom commands / Command editor tree help

[jmizzle]

Hi I am new to vox..
I want to know if there is a guide for dummies that shows you how to edit voice commands and play around with that command editor tree...
I use xbmc and want vox to show me a list of movies when i say "show me movies with {actor}"
I have followed another post and edited the xsql option and created the 'xbmcmovieactors.xml' file in payloads folder...
But now how do I get it to create/recognize the command?
This is likely to not be my only reason to create commands etc. so i would like to learn how to do it for the future. The wiki confused me and none of the commands I created worked.
Also I want my HTPC to talk to me (tell me the weather, time, ask me questions etc) so I assume I will need to edit the command tree for this as well?
I see on other posts people writing code but where do I input this code into?
Thanks in advance

[Kalle]

Hi jmizzle and welcome in VoxCommando forum. First what we need is some information of your configuration, basically which Version of Windows, XBMC (Frodo/Eden) and your version of VoxCommando.
You can take also a look in the youtube-voxcommando-channel, there are some helpful video tutorial available. http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5bR_Jcv6lk3ubiNzdgOIGQ
The basic function of the command builder is explained in our Wiki, please read this first - http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Logical_Command_Builder and if you have VC installed with the XBMC commands, take a look in the command tree editor and open the commands to have examples.

Kalle

PS: to put code from the forum in your VC is very easy: select the complete code and drag'n drop it in the VC command tree

[jmizzle]

Thanks for the welcome
I am running windows 7 64
Latest xbmc Frodo...
Vox commando 1.1 (Or should I revert back to the previous release until this one is stable?)
Amulet remote
OKay I am going through some of the tutorials on the youtube now.
Yes I have it working fine with XBMC... I can play music, movies etc.
I will let you know once I finish with the tutorials.
Thanks.

[Dave]

I want to know if there is a guide for dummies that shows you how to edit voice commands and play around with that command editor tree.

i recommend starting with the tutorials you find on youtube.

I see on other posts people writing code but where do I input this code into?

just copy the code, open your command tree and paste it. this will create a new command.

p.s. welcome 

[jmizzle]

Ok well i have spent the last few days going through every tutorial I can find.
I have made a bit of progress. I can ask the weather, time, focus webpages or applications, however I am stuck with a few issues.

1. I want to be able to list movies with a particular actor in XBMC. I have created the command, phrase, and payload from XML file, however my Logical Command Builder is blank as I do not know what to put in here. Can someone please help me with this?

2. I want to set a desired volume when I lift the amulet remote and restore volume when I put it down. At the moment it does nothing to the volume when I lift it up and down. It doesnt even register on the history tab on vox. I assume I use the softmute action but what is the command for it?

3. Lastly, I would like to create a command to play a random movie.

Let me know if you want me to create a separate thread for each of my questions and I will.
Thanks for your help

[jitterjames]

Hi jmizzle. I don't mind a single post for these three.

For amulet, you must run a special program amulet usb which comes as part of the VoxCommando extras that you can download from the downloads page.

http://voxcommando.com/downloads.asp

The other questions I will look at when the sun stops shining or I run out of beer.

[nime5ter]

2. I want to set a desired volume when I lift the amulet remote and restore volume when I put it down. At the moment it does nothing to the volume when I lift it up and down. It doesnt even register on the history tab on vox. I assume I use the softmute action but what is the command for it?

To expand slightly on James's message about the Amulet USB tool, see here for some guidance on how that works: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=803.msg6443#msg6443 and http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=70.msg2947#msg2947

[Kalle]

You don't need to download the "VcGrp_amulet events.xml". The events is a part of the "Voxcommando Command Group" which is include in Version 1.1.0. You need to download only the Voxcommando Extras(it contain the "amuletUSB.exe") 

[jitterjames]

1. I want to be able to list movies with a particular actor in XBMC. I have created the command, phrase, and payload from XML file, however my Logical Command Builder is blank as I do not know what to put in here. Can someone please help me with this?

http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=1054.msg8883#msg8883

See the link for viewing movies by actor

if you already have the xml then you should just be able to use this command:

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<command id="817" name="Find Actor" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <action>
    <cmdType>XJson.Raw</cmdType>
    <cmdString>GUI.ActivateWindow&amp;&amp;"window": "video", "parameters": [ "videodb://1/4/{1}" ]</cmdString>
    <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <phrase>Find, Search, Show</phrase>
  <phrase>film, films, movie, movies</phrase>
  <phrase>with</phrase>
  <payloadFromXML phraseOnly="False" use2partPhrase="False" phraseConnector="by" Phrase2wildcard="anyone">XbmcPayloads\xbmcMovieActors.xml</payloadFromXML>
</command>


[jitterjames]

3. Lastly, I would like to create a command to play a random movie.

For this you should really just create a smart playlist in XBMC and then use VC to open it.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<command id="816" name="Play Five Star Songs" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <action>
    <cmdType>XJson.Raw</cmdType>
    <cmdString>Player.Open&amp;&amp;"item": {"file": "special://profile/playlists/video/playlistname.xsp"}</cmdString>
    <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
  </action>
  <phrase>Play a random movie</phrase>
</command>
You'll need to change the playlistname.xsp in the action parameter to match the xsp filename that XBMC creates for your smart playlist.  the filename will be the name that you originally assign to the smart playlist when you create it in XBMC, but as one user recently discovered, if you change the name of the smart playlist, the filename will remain the same as when you first created it.

Here's a reference: http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=1102.msg9269#msg9269

You can verify which files are there and what they are called by looking in the folder: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\playlists\video

Here's more info on how to create your smart playlist: http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Smart_playlists#Random_movie

[jitterjames]

You don't need to download the "VcGrp_amulet events.xml". The events is a part of the "Voxcommando Command Group" which is include in Version 1.1.0. You need to download only the Voxcommando Extras(it contain the "amuletUSB.exe") 

You are right Kalle.  That is a good point.  Although, it may not be in all of the standard configs.  I think it snuck into the default XBMC configurations, but it is not present in the others, such as iTunes, MediaMonkey, MediaPortal, etc.

[Kalle]

You are right Kalle.  That is a good point.  Although, it may not be in all of the standard configs.  I think it snuck into the default XBMC configurations, but it is not present in the others, such as iTunes, MediaMonkey, MediaPortal, etc.

Yes I've checked only the xbmc install 

[jmizzle]

Great thanks so much for all your help guys!
So i basically got everything working now.
I wasnt able to get the xbmc.softmute command working. But the system volume partial mute command worked instead. I entered them in exactly the same. Any idea why the xbmc.softmute command didnt work?
The play movies with actors command worked great (however it does get a little confused with nearly 14000 actors in the payload lol)
I created the random movie playlist command. However I was looking for it to automatically play a movie as soon as I say the command rather than bring up a playlist. Perhaps a command to choose a random value in the xbmcmovieIDs.xml payload??

Oh yeah and is it possible to minimise the Amulet USB app to the tray automatically on computer startup?

[Kalle]

Oh yeah and is it possible to minimise the Amulet USB app to the tray automatically on computer startup?

You can start the "amuletUSB.exe" when VC is launching, there is a command action "Launch.Hidden" available which you can trigger with an event. If you take a look in the history window of VC after it is starting, you will see some events that VC has created (calendar icons).
You can drag'n drop one of them on you created launch.hidden command.
A "how to use events" video is on our youtube channel.
I'm not sure, but it is possible xbmc must run in front to use the softmute function, test it with xbmc in fullscreen.

[jmizzle]

You can start the "amuletUSB.exe" when VC is launching, there is a command action "Launch.Hidden" available which you can trigger with an event. If you take a look in the history window of VC after it is starting, you will see some events that VC has created (calendar icons).
You can drag'n drop one of them on you created launch.hidden command.
A "how to use events" video is on our youtube channel.

Ok so I have set the launch.hidden command to the VC.Loaded event. When I start vox it comes up in the history as being exectuted but there is an orange box around it and the Amuletusb app doesnt open at all.
I think it might be the format of the path to the amuletusb.exe? In the path parameter for the launch.hidden action I simply put "I:\HTPC\Vox Commando 1.1\AmuletUSB.exe".
Is this correct?

[Kalle]

Ok so I have set the launch.hidden command to the VC.Loaded event. When I start vox it comes up in the history as being exectuted but there is an orange box around it and the Amuletusb app doesnt open at all.
I think it might be the format of the path to the amuletusb.exe? In the path parameter for the launch.hidden action I simply put "I:\HTPC\Vox Commando 1.1\AmuletUSB.exe".
Is this correct?

use the icon with the 3 squares right in the command builder, this open a extra window where you can pick the file.
let me know if it works 

[jmizzle]

Yes well it opened Amuletusb.exe on startup that way however it is not minimized but rather focused on top of vox?

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<commandGroup open="True" name="Amulet Hidden" enabled="True" prefix="" priority="0" requiredProcess="" description="">
  <command id="436" name="Hide Amulet on Launch" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
    <action>
      <cmdType>Launch.Hidden</cmdType>
      <cmdString>I:\HTPC\voxcommando 1.1\AmuletUSB.exe</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <event>VC.Loaded</event>
  </command>
</commandGroup>
This is my command ^

[Kalle]

Yes well it opened Amuletusb.exe on startup that way however it is not minimized but rather focused on top of vox?

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<commandGroup open="True" name="Amulet Hidden" enabled="True" prefix="" priority="0" requiredProcess="" description="">
  <command id="436" name="Hide Amulet on Launch" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
    <action>
      <cmdType>Launch.Hidden</cmdType>
      <cmdString>I:\HTPC\voxcommando 1.1\AmuletUSB.exe</cmdString>
      <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
    </action>
    <event>VC.Loaded</event>
  </command>
</commandGroup>
This is my command ^

mmhh, ok let us try a other way  
1. create a shortcut for the amuletusb on desktop
2. right click on the link and open properties
3. on "link tab" is a option for open minimized
I'm not sure this will work, but I have also a other option
create a action with keyboard emulation, you need follow keys to minimize a window: [ALT]+[SPACE]+ n

A third option: use the attached amuletMINstart.bat (open it before using and check the correct path of the amulet)

Have fun 

[jmizzle]

mmhh, ok let us try a other way 
1. create a shortcut for the amuletusb on desktop
2. right click on the link and open properties
3. on "link tab" is a option for open minimized
I'm not sure this will work, but I have also a other option
create a action with keyboard emulation, you need follow keys to minimize a window: [ALT]+[SPACE]+ n

Hehe yeah that was of the first things I tried lol didnt work.
I know there are 3rd party apps out there that will do this for me but was hoping to do it in vox. I mean it isnt really a big deal if we can't.
But I will try your last option.
So do i need to create an xml file for the keyboard emu? Can u walk me through this if it isnt too complicated? Thanks

[Kalle]

Hehe yeah that was of the first things I tried lol didnt work.
I know there are 3rd party apps out there that will do this for me but was hoping to do it in vox. I mean it isnt really a big deal if we can't.
But I will try your last option.
So do i need to create an xml file for the keyboard emu? Can u walk me through this if it isnt too complicated? Thanks

test first my third option with the batchfile.
To create keyboard emulation search the sendkey action in the command builder - it is easy, I'm sure you figured out.

[jitterjames]

Let me look into this amulet minimise situation. If I can't find an easy fix, I will update the AmuletUSB program itself.  Actually I was thinking of putting it into a plugin anyway.

XBMC.softmute won't work on Frodo, none of the XBMC.* commands will. Try xJSON.softmute

[jitterjames]

But if the system softmute works, it is preferable I think.  Depends on your scenario.

[jitterjames]

I don't see a good way to automatically hide it. I will need to modify the program.  The reason I never considered this a priority, is that I almost never restart my computer. I see no reason to do that.

I will fix.

[nime5ter]

If you're looking for a solution until James modifies the program, you can try the code below. Just tested it on my machine and it seems to work here. It launches AmuletUSB and uses keyboard emulation to hide it when you launch VC, so if you automatically launch VC on startup this should also launch and minimize automatically. You'll need to change the file path for AmuletUSB, of course.

... You might need to add a VC.Pause action between the Launch and Focus actions.

Code: [Select]

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<command id="427" name="DoIt" enabled="true" alwaysOn="False" confirm="False" requiredConfidence="0" loop="False" loopDelay="0" loopMax="0" description="">
  <if ifBlockDisabled="False" ifNot="False">
    <ifType>ProcessRunning</ifType>
    <ifParams>AmuletUSB&amp;&amp;</ifParams>
    <then>
      <action>
        <cmdType>OSD.ShowText</cmdType>
        <cmdString>AmuletUSB is already running.</cmdString>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
    </then>
    <else>
      <action>
        <cmdType>Launch</cmdType>
        <cmdString>C:\Users\naomi\Desktop\VC XBMC\VoxCommandoExtras\AmuletUSB.exe</cmdString>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
      <action>
        <cmdType>Window.Focus</cmdType>
        <cmdString>AmuletUSB</cmdString>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
      <action>
        <cmdType>SendKeys</cmdType>
        <cmdString>{tab}</cmdString>
        <cmdRepeat>4</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
      <action>
        <cmdType>SendKeys</cmdType>
        <cmdString>{enter}</cmdString>
        <cmdRepeat>1</cmdRepeat>
      </action>
    </else>
  </if>
  <event>VC.Loaded</event>
</command>

[jmizzle]

test first my third option with the batchfile.

Tried creating a batch file with the minimize command but didnt work.

If you're looking for a solution until James modifies the program, you can try the code below. Just tested it on my machine and it seems to work here. It launches AmuletUSB and uses keyboard emulation to hide it when you launch VC, so if you automatically launch VC on startup this should also launch and minimize automatically. You'll need to change the file path for AmuletUSB, of course.

... You might need to add a VC.Pause action between the Launch and Focus actions.

^ Thanks that worked perfectly. Its all starting to make sense to me now

I got the Random movie working as well. I think it was conflicting with another command i had created when I was messing around trying to get it working.

My last question for now (I promise lol) is being able to talk to my PC and it understands what i'm saying. Like at the start of james' new video.
For example if I get the PC to ask me if I would like to hear some music and then dependant on what I reply (yes/no) it will either play a song (yes) or ask 'ok then how about a movie?'
Is it just as simple as creating a bunch of commands to respond to a phrase. Or does it use the IF and THEN logic (which i am not too familiar with)?
I mean I can create a command that whenever the word 'yes' is said at any stage then it will play a song. But then this command would conflict if I say 'yes' to 'ok then how about a movie'

[jitterjames]

In the demo scenario that I posted to youtube, I am using some tricks to make this happen.  Mostly I am using the confirmation commands.

Let's say I have a command (A) that is triggered when I get home.  You could do this by saying "honey I'm home" or if you have the equipment, you could trigger this command using a motion sensor that sends an event to VC (which is what I have done).

This command (A) will use TTS.Speak to ask you if you would like to listen to music.  Then it will use VC.TellVox to call another command (B) which will play the music.

Command B is a command that requires confirmation.  So when it is started by the tellvox action, it will wait for confirmation.  If it gets a confirmation, then it will play music.

I will try to put together a sample for you that makes it easy to set up what you want.  First it will offer music, then if you say "no" it will offer a movie.  I assume that you want all this to happen in XBMC.  For the sake of this demo I will assume that XBMC is already running and ready to accept actions that will play music, or video. 

Does that sound OK?

[jmizzle]

Yes please sounds good James,
Thanks

[jitterjames]

I added this sample with an explanation of how it works to the XML exchange:

http://voxcommando.com/forum/index.php?topic=1117.0

[jmizzle]

Wow exactly what I was looking for. Thanks James and everyone else for your help. Much appreciated.

[jitterjames]

I have updated the amuletUSB program.  Now it will autohide on startup, as long as it has connected properly.

The new version is in the extra tools: http://voxcommando.com/downloads.asp