Automating MS Windows

["Dan Khan \(Work\)" <dhk@xxxxxxx>]

Found a great bit of freeware that suits my needs down to the ground -
hopefully this is useful for others too.

Check out "Girder" at http://www.girder.nl - this software allows
you to
automate MS Windows (mouse events, keypresses, generic windows messages)
using IR (!).

This means that I can program my pronto to control MusicMatch Jukebox or
any
other application thus avoiding having to put on the TV to do simple
play/stop/next/previous etc.  functions.  The program is highly
customisable, allowing you to insert generic or specific messages into the
windows processing queue, targetted at specific applications.

I can imageine that this would be perfect for automating a software DVD
player; mp3 player; showshifter(?); plus any other software that you use on
your PC and want remote control of.

Unfortunately you need quite a bit of technical knowledge to perform the
setup since the help files are still a little lacking in detail.  It should
still be enough to go on though.

I am using the keyboard driver to trigger commands - and will then attempt
to learn the keystrokes from my IR keyboard into my Pronto.  E.g. I have
setup Musicmatch on/off; pause; stop, etc; bound to particular combinations
of keys.  When Girder detects a keypress combination, it finds the
associated command and sends whatever command/mouse/keyboard event you have
specified to that particular application window.

Worth a look.

Regards,
-Dan