The below is applicable when you
a. Use Unattended Playback and want to use Hot Keys (like Alt-n for next track);
b. Use Unattended Playback and ticked "Stop Services" (Settings Area) -> Alt-x will bring up XXHighEnd and restores everything;
c. Want to get started with Remote Control.
WATCH OUT : From of XXHighEnd v0.9z-6 this procedure goes automatically; reading all of the below is therefore not necessary. It may be good to absorb it as background information though.
Important : While Alt-x will be your test whether AutoHotkey is properly installed (XXHighEnd should come forward), many of the other shortcuts will not work when Explorer is open. For example Alt-P (Play) will *not* work in that case. Keep this in mind at further testing !
How to install the AutoHotkey software in order to work with XXHighEnd ? (from off version 0.9x-1)
Edit August 20, 2010 : I simplified the procedure for first time users; the text has just been changed regarding that without further notice.
In the general XXHighEnd.xx.zip 2 related files are contained :
1. AutoHotkey.exe
2. XX.ahk
Steps to follow :
A. Create a folder c:\AutoHK (
you may change this later but at this moment name it exactly like this !);
B. Copy the above mentioned files in that folder;
C. Send the AutoHotkey.exe file to the Desktop, so an shortcut icon will be there; This can be done from explorer. For XP this looks like this :
On the Desktop a green icon with an "H" will have appeared; Rightclick that and head for modifying its properties :
Fill the Target line with the location of AutoHotkey.exe (but that should be readily there) but also incorporate the parameter (second part of the line)
c:\AutoHK\XX.ahk :
Remember, this assumes the c:\AutoHK folder to be used; You can use another folder, but changes the name in the shortcut accordingly.
Finish this part with also filling in the "Start in" as shown, click Apply and OK.
(do not start / doubleclick the icon anything of this yet !)
Next, prepare your new XX folder as usual after an upgrade.
(when you're new, just create a folder for XX, and stuff the contents of the zip into it, as you would have done by intuition. But also see
Installation guide for Dummies).
Start your new XXHighEnd version as usual (XXHighEnd.exe).
After the latter has been done at least once, now doubleclick the desktop icon from AutoHotkey (the green H).
This shoud show similar to below picture with emphasis on the "c:\PSPlayer5" part, which should show the path to your current XX install.
This tells me that my current XXHighEnd version is contained in the c:\PSPlayer4\XPTest folder.
The message confirms me that AutoHotkey will be using the XXHighEnd.exe (at remote commands) contained in *that* folder. Because remember, you can be having several XXHighEnd versions hanging around, but only one can be controlled by AutoHotkey. So, how do you tell AUtoHotkey to use which XXHighEnd version ?
- Start the version of XXHighEnd you want to be controlled by AutoHotkey;
- Start AutoHotkey by means of the Desktop Icon.
(and check whether the proper XXHighEnd version is shown in the message).
If the correct path is not shown (or nothing to the left of the <<== for that matter) several things can be wrong.
- You did not send the "H" destop icon to the desktop;
- You did not start XXHighEnd first;
- You started an older XXHighEnd version than 0.9x-1.
What if the message doesn't show after starting AutoHotkey ?Actually one reason applies : You didn't denote the "parameter" right. This is about the c:\AutoHK\XX.ahk part we talked about before. Or, the parameter is correct allright, but the XX.ahk file is not in the denoted folder.
But we can check that ...
In the Taskbar Tray also a green "H" Icon will have appeared after starting AutoHotkey;
If you hoover that with the mouse, it may tell you by means of a ToolTip already which "script file" is in use. The ToolTip should show "XX.ahk".
But you can also rightclick the small Iocn, and choose "Edit this script".
Now. *if* something is wrong with the script used - hence it is the wrong one which will be the default one when XX.ahk could not be found, you will NOT see this after 35 lines or so from the top :
So, there's a clear indication this is about XXHighEnd, which wouldn't be there when the default script is coincidentally run.
Do *not* change anything in there. Or at least not now. You may do that later, when you want to change your HotKeys.
For those who understand anyway : This first startup of XXHighEnd sets an Environment Variable (machine wide) and AutoHotkey picks it up.
This Environment Variable is called XXStartUpDir, and it should show with a newly started (Dos) command prompt, which again must be done after XXHighEnd was started a first time, and the SET command shows all the Environment Variables.
Assumed that everything runs fine (
and notice that AutoHotkey must be started each time again after a reboot), you can now try to start XXHighEnd by means of the Alt-X shortcut command. So, be sure XXHighEnd doesn't run, and next press Alt-X. XXHighEnd should come up now.
The available shorcuts are listed here :
AutoHotKeys listing.
Now we are this far, it is good to remember what we are doing this for : Control Playback in Unattended Playback mode. What does this mean ?
It means that XXHighEnd as the controlling user interface won't be there during playback. This way sound quality is better *and* the GUI can't interfere with the sound quality. This latter is important for the development, so the development of the GUI and all can be done without thinking about the SQ influence (which *really* is there !). Notice how to run XXHighEnd in Unattended mode :
It's the button at the mouse pointer which should be active (click it once and it will be active (see red led); click another time and it's inactive);
If you now click Play -which is the button above it- (or use Alt-P), the interface and whole program will disappear before playback starts. Notice though that this can take some time, depending on several factors, the first being the length of the Playlist Area (number of tracks in there, but also how long they are for play time).
Keep in mind : XXHighEnd is a 100% "Memory Player" which means that *all* has to go to memory first, and *all* -whatever it is- conversions need to be done ahead of that.
Important : The means provided by XXHighEnd are *not* able to perform remote control as such, which needs hardware like an infrared (IR) receiver, and software that passes through remote control button presses to the PC as were you just typing on the keyboard. In the end this comes down to the remote control e.g. passing "Play", while the remote control software will allow you to make a "p" of it, which subsequently will be captured by AutoHotkey hence the script.
More ways are possible, and for instance the script may contain a "hot key" named "Play::" which can pass through to the existing !p:: (don't try to understand this right at this moment !!).
This is all for later, or for those who can find their ways in this right now.
What has been provided is only a small subset of AutoHotkey, and for example the help file of 1MB and everything can be downloaded from
http://www.autohotkey.com/But, do NOT do this, unless yo are very confident in what to do with e.g. the install which will be over the "instal" you just performed, and all is lost.
However, you might want to look in the help file, which for your convenience is attached below.
But notice : For any normal XXHighEnd operation you don't need it at all.
How to test whether the Hot Keys work as intended ?- Quit XXHighEnd;
- Use Alt-x.
XXHighEnd should come up now.
Feel free to add remarks or questions to this topic.
