IrScrutinizer: capturing, generating, analyzing, import, exp

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 1:29 am

Is it possible to use this with WinLIRC?

Lirc is a strange animal, and WinLirc even more (Is it still supported?) Using WinLirc should work. But be sure to check what it is supposed to do; it basically is a graphical irsend command; not that useful. It does not allow you to receive, because Lirc was not designed that way.

When I try using LIRC as transmitter, I get a dialog, "No remotes present" which returns in an infinite loop when I press OK to dismiss it and end up having to kill process javaw.exe.

Is it possible that there are no remotes possible? In all cases, going into an infinite loop is of course not acceptable. Can you give me more details, so that I can try to reproduce? Please turn on Options -> Verbose.

When I try LIRC as receiver, I get "No capture device, aborting."

There is no such thing as "using Lirc as receiver". There is "Lirc mode2" which may be somewhat trickier. It is described in the manual. I do not know if WinLirc comes with a mode2 program.

I'm guessing this must only work with LIRC on Linux, but is there a workaround to make it work on Windows? Reason being WinLIRC is compatible with my MCE receiver/blaster and IRScrutinizer doesn't have native support for this hardware.

On Linux, there is the /dev/lirc interface, but it is hidden for Windows users (because it is supported on Linux only).

* What hardware do you have?, exactly
* What is your goal?

GnatGoSplat · Post by **GnatGoSplat** » Mon Jul 10, 2017 10:58 pm

Barf wrote:Is it possible that there are no remotes possible? In all cases, going into an infinite loop is of course not acceptable. Can you give me more details, so that I can try to reproduce? Please turn on Options -> Verbose.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure, where should the remotes be? In WinLIRC, I have a .cf file in the remote dropdown. I can select codes in the code dropdown and click "Send Code" button to transmit them.

To get the infinite loop, I just have to click the "Sending hw" tab, then Lirc tab. I then get "No remotes present" over and over. I didn't have the logging window big enough to see it all, so I tried again with the window expanded and this time it said "No remotes present" just once and no loop, but this is what it logged:

Code: Select all

Sending command `VERSION' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Sockettimeout Lirc: Read timed out
Lirc command failed.
Sending command `LIST' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Sockettimeout Lirc: Read timed out
Lirc command failed.

Another time, it actually did something. I didn't change anything, just killed javaw.exe process and restarted the program.

Code: Select all

Sending command `VERSION' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Received `BEGIN'
Received `VERSION'
Received `SUCCESS'
Received `DATA'
Received `1'
Received `WinLIRC 0.9.0i by <jim@jtan.com>, <baily@uiuc.edu> and <i.curtis@gmail.com>'
Received `END'
Lirc command succeded.
Sending command `VERSION' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Received `BEGIN'
Received `VERSION'
Received `SUCCESS'
Received `DATA'
Received `1'
Received `WinLIRC 0.9.0i by <jim@jtan.com>, <baily@uiuc.edu> and <i.curtis@gmail.com>'
Received `END'
Lirc command succeded.
Sending command `LIST' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Received `BEGIN'
Received `LIST'
Received `SUCCESS'
Received `DATA'
Received `1'
Received `..\config.cf'
Received `END'
Lirc command succeded.
Sending command `LIST ..\config.cf' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Received `BEGIN'
Received `LIST ..\config.cf'
Received `SUCCESS'
Received `DATA'
Received `45'
Received `Up'
Received `Down'
Received `Right'
Received `Left'
Received `OK'
Received `1'
Received `2'
Received `3'
Received `4'
Received `5'
Received `6'
Received `7'
Received `8'
Received `9'
Received `0'
Received `Settings'
Received `Back'
Received `Exit'
Received `Home'
Received `Power'
Received `CC'
Received `Red'
Received `Green'
Received `Yellow'
Received `Blue'
Received `Apps'
Received `LiveTV'
Received `Mute'
Received `Sleep'
Received `Play'
Received `Pause'
Received `Stop'
Received `Rewind'
Received `FFwd'
Received `Sleep'
Received `Input'
Received `Netflix'
Received `Amazon'
Received `Vudu'
Received `YouTube'
Received `Vol+'
Received `Vol-'
Received `Ch+'
Received `Ch-'
Received `-'
Received `END'
Lirc command succeded.
Sending command `LIST' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Sockettimeout Lirc: Read timed out
Lirc command failed.

Looking better there, but that hasn't happened more than once.

There is no such thing as "using Lirc as receiver". There is "Lirc mode2" which may be somewhat trickier. It is described in the manual. I do not know if WinLirc comes with a mode2 program.

I see, I don't see a mode2 program in the WinLIRC folder.

* What hardware do you have?, exactly
* What is your goal?

It's the Microsoft eHome MCE receiver with IR blaster capability. Same as this one.
https://plone.lucidsolutions.co.nz/linu ... model-1040
PC is a Core i3 7100 16GB RAM running Win10 build 15063.

My end goal is in hopes to find discrete on/off for a Sharp LC-43N6100U (Hisense) TV. Most basic codes are identical to Vizio, but Vizio discrete on/off doesn't work so I have to somehow scan for other codes and Google doesn't seem to find that anyone has ever found the discrete codes for Hisense. Once I've found those codes, I would like to be able to use Windows Task Scheduler to send the appropriate on or off when the computer starts, shuts down, sleeps, or resumes because I'm using the TV as a PC monitor and it doesn't support DPMS power on/off.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Tue Jul 11, 2017 4:25 am

What happens is that WinLirc does not answer.

Code: Select all

	
Sending command `VERSION' to Lirc@127.0.0.1
Connecting socket to 127.0.0.1:8765
Sockettimeout Lirc: Read timed out

except for sometimes:

Another time, it actually did something. I didn't change anything, just killed javaw.exe process and restarted the program.

I downloaded WinLirc 0.9.0i, and it did not answer either. I also tried this with the firewall off (Also Windows 10.)

This is a (serious) bug in WinLirc. Please report it, here?. (I have no idea if anyone cares...)

I will have a look at how IrScrutinizer handles silly Lirc servers. I could not reproduce the infinite loops.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:19 pm

I started getting a Parse Exception Current Protocol Not defined error.

So I tried to download IRScrutinizer to reinstall and my anti virus is flagging this as not safe.

Is there a way to get past Norton?

Post by **The Robman** » Tue Aug 01, 2017 6:37 pm

vickyg2003 wrote:Is there a way to get past Norton?

I think you have to save an exception for the program in Norton.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 2:02 am

vickyg2003 wrote:I started getting a Parse Exception Current Protocol Not defined error.

If a signal is identified (presently by DecodeIR) as for example "NEC" (DecodeIR doc says: "If you get a decode whose protocol name is simply "NEC" that indicates the learned signal is not complete ...") (or anything not renderable) you will get the said error if you try to render it. This is the way things work...

vickyg2003 wrote: So I tried to download IRScrutinizer to reinstall and my anti virus is flagging this as not safe.

Is there a way to get past Norton?

There is of course a ("theoretical") possibility that the downloaded file has been infected. (I will publish SHA/MD5 checksums) Assuming that this is not the case:

Make sure you are using the current version of IrScrutinizer (presently 1.4.1) and Java. (It is possible that Norton barfs on older Java installations.) If so, it is really a problem with Norton, and should preferably be reported to them. I politely ask you to do this (I am not a customer or user of Norton myself). As a workaround, there should be a "private whitelist" in your Norton installation -- as Rob says.

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:23 am

Barf wrote:It is possible that Norton barfs on older Java installations.

No pun intended, lol!!!

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 6:49 am

Barf wrote:
vickyg2003 wrote:I started getting a Parse Exception Current Protocol Not defined error.
If a signal is identified (presently by DecodeIR) as for example "NEC" (DecodeIR doc says: "If you get a decode whose protocol name is simply "NEC" that indicates the learned signal is not complete ...") (or anything not renderable) you will get the said error if you try to render it. This is the way things work...

But it could not initialize the program. It set some properties to null but it just would not start. The only way to get out of the error was to reinstall IRScrutinizer.

Barf wrote:
vickyg2003 wrote:So I tried to download IRScrutinizer to reinstall and my anti virus is flagging this as not safe.

Is there a way to get past Norton?
There is of course a ("theoretical") possibility that the downloaded file has been infected. (I will publish SHA/MD5 checksums) Assuming that this is not the case:

I sure hope it is only theoretical, as I turned off Norton to get it to download. Norton usually complains about the lack of reputation, which I assume is normal. This time it flagged it as dangerous and kept removing it. So if I'm infected I have no one to blame but myself.

I googled SHA/MD5 but couldn't find out what to do with an SHA/MD5 if I had one.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:13 am

vickyg2003 wrote:But it could not initialize the program. It set some properties to null but it just would not start.

Possibly this helps/would have helped?

I have uploaded checksums.md5 and checksums.sha1, containing checksums in md5 and sha1 formats. (Strictly speaking, it is silly to put the checksums on the same server as the files, since an attacker who changes the files can of course change the checksum file too. But I am not solving all problems today...)

SHA1 and MD5 are two "competing" methods for computing cryptographic hashes (checksums) for binary files. They can be used to verify the integrity of a downloaded file. There exists programs, for all operating systems, that can be used to check the checksum.

vickyg2003 wrote:I googled SHA/MD5 but couldn't find out what to do with an SHA/MD5 if I had one.

For Windows I found HashTab, which is free for "non-commercial" use. It is an explorer extension, triggered as by right-clicking a file and selecting "properties", and then selecting the "Hashvalues" tab. See the screen shot (showing a German Windows 10)

So you either compare these value (checking either one is OK) manually, or you select the checksums file using the button, above as "Mit Datei vergleichen" ("Compare with file").

I am sure there are other alternatives, also for Windows; just Google.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 10:01 am

thanks for the information on how to use those checksums. That was so confusing.

The IRScrutinizer error messages suggested that IRScrutinizer was removing the properties by itself. When it wouldn't start even after a clean boot, I went to the first post and tried to download. It was about 2 in the morning here, so I was beyond tired.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Wed Aug 02, 2017 1:51 pm

vickyg2003 wrote:thanks for the information on how to use those checksums. That was so confusing.

You asked, I explained. It is that simple.

This page lists a lot of alternative programs for checksums.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Sun Jun 17, 2018 12:53 pm

The issue of Java 10/9 and RemoteMaster was recently discussed here.

I have recently checked, and IrScrutinizer 1.4.1 runs fine with Java 10. Java 9 appears to hard to find; I assume that it should be no problem either.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Sun Aug 05, 2018 6:02 am

It has been over a year since the current version, 1.4.1, was released. So I thought I would explain a bit of my roadmap.

There has been a number of small improvements and bugfixes. The current snapshot version is always available here.

The biggest problem with the present program is that the rendering (IrpMaster) and the decoding engine (DecodeIR) are not "synchronized". This will be addressed in a major new version, probably called 2.0, which will use IrpTransmogrifier instead of IrpMaster, DecodeIR as well as Graham's Analyzer. See this issue.

I plan to, hopefully within a few months, release the last IrpMaster/DecodeIR version of IrScrutinizer. It will be called 1.4.2. (Notwithstanding the fact that the snapshots are called 1.5.0-SNAPSHOT...)

Then I hope to release the "first" version of IrpTransmogrifier. This is an amazingly capable program, but with no GUI -- to be integrated into IrScrutinizer for the GUI usability.

Finally, hopefully still this year, I hope to be able to release version 2.0 of IrScrutinizer.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Sun Sep 02, 2018 2:27 am

So, following the road map of the previous message,

IrScrutinizer 1.4.2 has been released, and is available here.

There are a few new protocols and export formats, and a lot of small improvements and bug fixes. Release notes:

The notation #n refers to issues number n at
https://github.com/bengtmartensson/harc ... dle/issues

==============================================================================
Version 1.4.2, issued on 2018-09-01.

This release is the final 1.*.* release; based on IrpMaster as rendering engine
and DecodeIR (as decoding engine). Further releases will be based on IrpTransmogrifier
instead, and will be numbered 2.*.*. (see #212).

Operation with Java 10 has been verified, #232.

Old MacOSes (<= 10.7 "Lion") appear not to be compatible with Java 8u162
and later (see https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/issues/7945).
(This is strictly speaking not an IrScrutinizer issue.)

Documentation has not been updated .

Open issues in this release:
* MacOS 10.11.*: Crash in RXTX when closing serial USB device, #64.
* RXTX on Windows has problems with Arduino's LLC driver, #229.

User visible changes:

Core:
* New protocols: RTI_Relay, Aiwa2, Digivision, Dysan, Epson, GuangZhou,
InterVideo RC-201, Nova Pace, Ortek, RC6-M-28, Roku, Whynter. (IrpMaster #4)

Export:
* New export format: Unified Remote.
* New export format Home Remote (requested by mdavej). (#242)
* Lirc export: Much more capable (makes cooked form of most protocols)
Lirc export, generated by IrpTransmogrifier, #216.
fixed syntactically erroneous comment. #227, IrpTransmogrifier #74.
* Bugs fixed: #223, #222

Import/Remote editor:
* Implement import of XCF files adhering to version 5, #219.
* Handle unparsable IrTrans rem files better.
* New function for adding dummy names for nameless commands in the remote table. (#238).
* Add name manipulation functions to parametric remote editor, #244. (From discussion with mdavej.)
* Misc bug fixes, e.g. #235, #230, #241

Gui:
* Force-close capuring thread by exit of the program. #225.
* If a capture thread is running, disable change of panes.
* minor tweaks and bug fixes.

Hardware:
* GlobalCache: Number of ports in GlobalCache modules now read dynamically. (#245)
* Check if a Girs server supports capture; if not, turn on "Use receive for capture". #202.

Packaging:
* Generate checksums (MD5 and SHA1) during builds #221. Available in the releases.
* Source Bundle reorganized: IrpMaster, Girr, HarcHardware(Bundle), and Jirc
now GitHub top level projects, #215.
* Non-poratbility issue fixed: #226.

Barf · Post by **Barf** » Sun Nov 04, 2018 6:49 am

If anyone is using IrScrutinizer with Fedora 29 (which was released just a few days ago), see this.