[Partially in v2.2] Mouse support

[lovehtpc]

Hi there,

I *was* a long time MyMovies user until i upgraded to win10... for the past ~2-3 years, i have been patiently waiting for an alternative to arrive and am so glad you guys are building this new front end!

For our HTPC setup, we use a combination of Gyration air mouse and Logitech K400r pad/keyboard to control the HTPC instead of using the remote. Without mouse support, our two primary methods of controlling MM browser are almost useless. Using the arrows on the keyboard is one way to have the wife say no thank you

For those of us who don't use a remote control but rather use HTPC aligned keyboards/mice, i strongly implore you to include mouse control in a future update.

Thanks again for a great product!

[Pauven]

Sorry, I couldn't help but laugh when I read this. Modern visual programming languages are designed for mouse-based point and click GUI's, and creating a GUI that is usable by a remote control has been a painful process. I have thousands of lines of code just to track where the cursor is and to control what happens next when you hit a key or button. I truly dread making GUI changes. I took the hard way, and you want the easy way!!! Figures...

While I am willing to explore adding mouse functionality, let me clearly state that the current remote control functionality is critical to the design of MM Browser, and I am not willing to break that functionality to add a mouse based interface. I'm not saying it will break, only that if it does break, then the current remote control functionality will be the winner takes all.

With that said, for me to explore using a mouse, I need some insight into how you would navigate with a mouse. How would you scroll through the covers? How would you select a movie to see details or to play it. What parts of the GUI need to be mouse-ified to meet your wife's acceptance? Are there some aspects of the MM Browser GUI that are particularly painful to use without a mouse?

Is there a current GUI that works well with a mouse that illustrates good solutions to these navigation challenges?

Paul

[Jamie]

A windows MCE remote is easy to use once you try it. I have a rosewill and it will even turn on and off my HTPC. Give it a try.

https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-RHRC-11 ... ill+remote

[Gilles2]

Though it is not a priority for me, I must admit that being able to use a mouse would be helpful sometimes. I have MM Browser installed on 2 machines, one being the main Media Center with large screen, where the remote control is the major tool, but the other install is on another computer with no remote control attached (secondary use). In this one, using the mouse would make it easier.
I would suggest that scrolling with the mouse wheel should navigate on the title covers, while clicking on any menu items should launch this menu…


I would not push this to go before some other features though, such as a better handling of TV series for instance, which is too complex I think a that stage to be really helpful for a standard user.


Thanks again for the hard work Paul.

[Jamie]

On the keyboard just click on a letter key and it will goto that letter in MMBrowser. example "S" goes to that start of the titles beginning with "S" then move through the "S" titles with the arrow keys. You can program the keys on the remote to do the same thing. Also with the remote press fast forward and it should scroll over titles. Same thing for rewind except backward. If you have an MCE remote and the other PC is not in the same room you can install that remote on the other PC.

[Pauven]

On the keyboard just click on a letter key and it will goto that letter in MMBrowser. example "S" goes to that start of the titles beginning with "S"

Just a note, this alpha-jump feature only works when the titles are sorted alphabetically ascending.

Chapter Forward/Back and Fast Forward/Rewind always work, though.

[lovehtpc]

Hi guys,

Thanks for your replies! Alpha jump is nice, but using the scroll wheel on the mouse would be helpful. I believe the old WMC had a left and right arrow on each side of the movie catalog to help scroll through as well. From what i recall, the closer you got to either side, it would auto scroll one or two columns to help with looking through the catalog.

Aside from the movie catalog, being able to click the menus with a pointer instead of the arrow keys would be a time saver for us without remotes. A mouse, IMO, is much more intuitive than using the arrow keys to jump around and select options. IT and tech savvy folks probably have no problem with keyboard usage, but the everyday user not so much.

I don't think it needs to be complex. Just some basic access with a mouse pointer would really enhance the MMBrowser!

Thanks again for the great product! Really happy with all of the work you have and continue to put into it!

[Pauven]

Though it is not a priority for me, I must admit that being able to use a mouse would be helpful sometimes.

I don't think it needs to be complex. Just some basic access with a mouse pointer would really enhance the MMBrowser!

I'm happy to report that I've taken the first step towards adding mouse support. In v2.1 (now in Release Candidate) I completely redid the settings menu, and while I was programming it I added mouse support to the menu.

I know it's not the main GUI, that's going to be a bit harder, but I'm looking into it.
Paul

[joephein]

Thanks a lot. I noticed some UI can be controlled by a mouse. I also have a setup with wireless mouse and wireless Logitech k400 keyboard. I do not have a MCE remote. My thoughts were going as well in the direction of using a wireless gamepad to control CMC. Possibly with JoyToKey where you can assign any keyboard stroke and/or mouse movement to a gamepad button.

[Pauven]

I enjoy gaming on my HTPC, and I have a couple Xbox controllers connected up for gaming. Works great in Steam. It's on my own internal wish list to add some type of integration with Steam (probably just a icon to launch Steam).

I hadn't really thought about controlling CMC with the Xbox controllers. That's an interesting idea.

JoyToKey, is that an app that you can configure, or is that a feature you are asking me to add?

Paul