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Example that shows how to leverage the XboxBigButton controller library code to control either VLC or Netflix using the Xbox 360 Big Button Controllers
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public enum Players
{
None,
VLC,
Netflix
}
/// <summary>
/// Brings the thread that created the specified window into the foreground and activates the window.
/// Keyboard input is directed to the window.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="hWnd">A handle to the window that should be activated and brought to the foreground.</param>
/// <returns>If the window was brought to the foreground, the return value is true.
/// If the window was not brought to the foreground, the return value is false.</returns>
[DllImport("user32.DLL")]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
public static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);
/// <summary>
/// Determines whether the specified window handle identifies an existing window.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="hWnd"></param>
/// <returns></returns>
[DllImport("user32.dll")]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
static extern bool IsWindow(IntPtr hWnd);
/// <summary>
/// The big button controller
/// </summary>
private readonly XboxBigButtonDevice _device;
/// <summary>
/// Time when the last keypress was received from the controller, use this to discard excessive repeating keys
/// </summary>
private DateTime _lastKeyTime = DateTime.MinValue;
/// <summary>
/// Handle to the VLC window
/// </summary>
private IntPtr _windowHandle = IntPtr.Zero;
/// <summary>
/// Which player is selected in the UI
/// </summary>
private Players _player;
/// <summary>
/// Gets or sets which video player the remote controls control
/// </summary>
public Players Player
{
get { return _player; }
set
{
// If setting to the same thing, just exit
if (_player == value)
return;
// Switch player
_player = value;
// Force a refetching of the window
_windowHandle = IntPtr.Zero;
}
}
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
_device = new XboxBigButtonDevice();
_device.ButtonStateChanged += _device_ButtonStateChanged;
_device.Connect();
}
private void _device_ButtonStateChanged(object sender, XboxBigButtonDeviceEventArgs e)
{
if (this.InvokeRequired)
this.BeginInvoke(new Action(() => this.SendKeysToWindow(e.Controller, e.ButtonState)));
else
this.SendKeysToWindow(e.Controller, e.ButtonState);
}
private void SendKeysToWindow(Controller controller, Buttons buttons)
{
// If the last key event was within tolerance then don't listen
if ((DateTime.Now - _lastKeyTime).TotalMilliseconds < 500)
return;
// The back button controls which player we're dealing with
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Back))
{
if (cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer.Checked)
cbUsingNetflix.Checked = true;
else
cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer.Checked = true;
// Save the time if we successfully sent keys
_lastKeyTime = DateTime.Now;
return;
}
string keysToSend;
// Which player are we dealing with
if (this.Player == Players.VLC)
keysToSend = ControlVLCPlayer(controller, buttons);
else if (this.Player == Players.Netflix)
keysToSend = ControlNetflix(controller, buttons);
else
return;
// If no keys then don't do anything
if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(keysToSend))
return;
// Set the window to foreground, only send keys if the window was successfully brought forward
if (SetForegroundWindow(_windowHandle))
{
// Send the keys
SendKeys.SendWait(keysToSend);
// Save the time if we successfully sent keys
_lastKeyTime = DateTime.Now;
}
}
private string ControlNetflix(Controller controller, Buttons buttons)
{
// If we don't have the VLC window yet or the window has been restarted (has a new handle)
// then let's try to find the handle
if (!IsWindowHandleValid(_windowHandle))
{
_windowHandle = FindWindowHandle("Netflix - ");
// No valid Netflix browser windowhandle could be found, exit
if (!IsWindowHandleValid(_windowHandle))
return null;
}
// Translate key mappings
return GetNetflixKeysToSend(controller, buttons);
}
private string ControlVLCPlayer(Controller controller, Buttons buttons)
{
// If we don't have the VLC window yet or the window has been restarted (has a new handle)
// then let's try to find the handle
if (!IsWindowHandleValid(_windowHandle))
{
_windowHandle = FindWindowHandle("VLC media player");
// No valid VLC windowhandle could be found, exit
if (!IsWindowHandleValid(_windowHandle))
return null;
}
// Translate key mappings
return GetVLCKeysToSend(controller, buttons);
}
private string GetNetflixKeysToSend(Controller controller, Buttons buttons)
{
string keys = "";
// For more info on SendKeys see:
// https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.sendkeys(v=vs.110).aspx
// Play/pause
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.BigButton))
keys += " ";
// Skip medium forward
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Left))
keys += "{LEFT}";
// Skip medium backward
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Right))
keys += "{RIGHT}";
// Fullscreen
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Home))
keys += "f";
// Mute
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Y))
keys += "m";
return keys;
}
/// <summary>
/// Translates the big button controller keys into VLC keys
/// </summary>
private string GetVLCKeysToSend(Controller controller, Buttons buttons)
{
string keys = "";
// For more info on SendKeys see:
// https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.sendkeys(v=vs.110).aspx
// Play/pause
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.BigButton))
keys += " ";
// Skip medium forward
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Left))
keys += "^({LEFT})";
// Skip medium backward
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Right))
keys += "^({RIGHT})";
// Volume Up
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Up))
keys += "^({UP})";
// Volume Down
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Down))
keys += "^({DOWN})";
// Subtitles
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.A))
keys += "v";
// Audio
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.B))
keys += "b";
// Fullscreen
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Home))
keys += "f";
// Mute
if (buttons.IsPressed(Buttons.Y))
keys += "m";
return keys;
}
private IntPtr FindWindowHandle(string windowTitle)
{
foreach (Process proc in Process.GetProcesses())
{
if (proc.MainWindowTitle.Contains(windowTitle))
{
return proc.MainWindowHandle;
}
}
return IntPtr.Zero;
}
private bool IsWindowHandleValid(IntPtr windowHandle)
{
return windowHandle != IntPtr.Zero && IsWindow(windowHandle);
}
private void cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer_CheckedChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer.Checked)
return;
cbUsingNetflix.Checked = false;
this.Player = Players.VLC;
}
private void cbUsingNetflix_CheckedChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (!cbUsingNetflix.Checked)
return;
cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer.Checked = false;
this.Player = Players.Netflix;
}
private void Form1_FormClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e)
{
if(_device != null )
{
_device.Disconnect();
_device.Dispose();
}
}
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Initially select the VLC button
cbUsingVLCMediaPlayer.Checked = true;
}
}
public static class ButtonsExtensions
{
/// <summary>
/// Checks if the supplied check buttons are currently pressed (note that other buttons can be pressed)
/// </summary>
/// <param name="currentState"></param>
/// <param name="check"></param>
/// <returns></returns>
public static bool IsPressed(this Buttons currentState, Buttons check)
{
return (currentState & check) == check;
}
}
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