[Solved] RemoteControl Matrix

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

Hi folks,

I am using the Android App for years - I think since I started using OH1
Now with OH3 I’m still using an oldschool Sitemap to do so and I don’t plan to change this in near future…

It’s a very nice app overall, but there’s one thing I’m missing:

a way to fill a screen of the app with a matrix of rows and columns like on a tv-remote or similar
I tried to use a workaround like this in my sitemap:

                Switch item=Smartplug06Switch label="Power"
                Default item=HQ_CDPlayer_Player label=" " 
                Switch item=HQ_CDPlayer_ButtonPress label="" mappings=["Eject"="Eject"] icon="none"
                Switch item=HQ_CDPlayer_ButtonPress label="" mappings=["Play"="Play","Pause"="II","Stop"="Stop","Random"="Random","Repeat"="Repeat"] icon="none"
                Switch item=HQ_CDPlayer_ButtonPress label="" mappings=["SkipBackward"="I<","Rewind"="<<","FastForward"=">>","SkipForward"=">I"] icon="none"

but this looks really crappy…

another idea was to load an image with areas (image map) with the webview like this:

                Webview url="http://192.168.xxx.xxx:xxxx/static/vinyl/vinyl.html"

but the webview is not capable to deal with “mapped images” - I tried to with .svg images in an iframe…
and so I made no progression.

what I would like to have is the ability to use mapped .svg images in a webview
or a new type for viewing mapped .svg images

or change the sitemaps-mappings to display in equal sized columns which spread to the whole page width

does someone think this would be possible to implement any of these approaches to the app??
I would give a helping hand but can’t code java and I think the android app is written in java, right?

thanks for your thoughts on this…

[rpwong (Russ)]

Why not just make a HabPanel? The Android app can display HabPanels, and you now have the ability to set it as the default for when the app opens. I think that’s a recent feature.

I don’t think you’ll find much support for further development on sitemaps (which are meant to be basic and are now a legacy UI) or custom coding that overlaps with what can be done in HabPanel or MainUI. However, I’m not a developer.

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

hi rpwong,

yes certainly its possible to create a Habpanel… but I fear it takes tons of time to recreate something that’s like what I’m familar with from my old fashioned sitemap and port this into habpanel… never looked deeper into habpanel - maybe I should give it a try… but I’m afraid it will be hard to copy the logic of my sitemap to a new system…

and you’re right it’s probably hard to find any support for sitemap features…

thanks for your thoughts!

any other ideas on that issue are still welcome…

[rpwong (Russ)]

Yeah, I won’t claim that HabPanel is easy, but you might find a layout that someone has already set up. It’s going to come down to how particular you are. And really, if you’re going to figure that out then it probably makes more sense to set up a single MainUI page for this specific purpose.

Unfortunately, I can’t help you with a remote-style layout. I prefer physical remotes and voice control over touchscreen controls.

[ubeaut (Greg)]

Have a mainui page and put something like this on it:

Remote Control Widget

Hello, I created a Remote Control Widget that I use with OH3 to control my TV and Satellite receiver via the Broadlink Binding I don’t know if it can be also used in other scenarios, but I thought I’ll share it anyways [Remote] So to use the widget, you need to have an item that receives the commands and you need to set the commands to send with the buttons. You can also set a label that will be displayed on top of the remote, e.g. TV, Sat, Amp etc. In my scenario, I have all codes…

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

ok, thanks for the link ubeaut!

I’ll see what this widget offers - maybe a good workaround…

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

this remote widget isn’t compatible with the android app it seems to me… so not working for me I think
thanks anyway for your idea!

[Bernd_Ritter]

I use this widget on the Android App. Why shouldn’t it be compatible?

[ubeaut (Greg)]

I use android and it works fine.
I have just made a simple remote for my RF controlled ceiling fan and it works on my android phone.

I have migrated from OH2.5 and I used the sitemap all the time but since being on OH3 I rarely use the sitemap any more. It is still there though.
It wasn’t that hard to create the site map as a model and you can do it slowly and still use the sitemap at the same time. The main UI does more than the sitemap can do.

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

Ok Guys,

I think you have to explain this a little more…

what I don’t understand is how mainUI is displayed in the android app, that’s why I thought it’s not compatible, I thought the android app is only able to display sitemaps or habpanel?? so what am I getting wrong?

thanks in advance…

edit: sorry, my fault …i just realized there’s a new link in the app to use mainUI - this was new to me…
Ok, i think I have to dig a bit deeper - never played with mainUI so far…

[mueller-ma]

@Dan

I think the android app is written in java, right?

It had been, but it was migrated to Kotlin.

@Dan

what I don’t understand is how mainUI is displayed in the android app, that’s why I thought it’s not compatible, I thought the android app is only able to display sitemaps or habpanel??

The app uses the rest api to query sitemaps and display them with native widgets. Other UIs, e.g. HABPanel or Main UI, are just displayed by a WebView. It’s like a lightweight browser with hardcoded URLs.
You may have to enable the sitemenu entries in the settings of the app.

[Dan (Dan Demento)]

@mueller-ma

It had been, but it was migrated to Kotlin.

@mueller-ma

Other UIs, e.g. HABPanel or Main UI, are just displayed by a WebView.

thanks for the additional info…