Greetings,
(I couldn't find the answer to this in the forum of the product in question.)
First an explanation and then the question.
Explanation: A lighting software (Martin Light Jockey) has two parts in respect to my question, the core and a plugin (called Light Jockey Manager). The latter plugin enhances the features of the former. The latter - the plugin, overrides the former - the core software program, but not the other way around. For example, Cues, Sequences, etc.. of the core software (Light Jockey) can be triggered by the latter plugin. For example, the latter, the plugin, can export an .html web page whereby clicking on the links can trigger the loading of a lighting cue in the core software program as well as it's own enhanced effects. While there is no direct method, there is a way to launch executive files from the core software and a parameters form area associated with it. Though I found that I can use a desktop browser shortcut with the Target parameter pointed at a web page, the Target parameter is stripped from the desktop shortcut when the file is attached to the core software. But it does have a Parameter form space in which to type or paste a Target Parameter, which is what I have done. And that works fine. Loading the local .html page by that method has the intended effect. Yet with a few caveats, that there is a character limit in the Parameter form space and I can't paste the whole url. And also that an endless supply of web pages would be generated by this method.
The question is, how to trigger the plugin effects via the .html web pages from the core software executive file launch feature found in the cue list?
I asked the generous software programmer this question and he replied:
"It might be easier to use the RS-232 commands using a RS232 Loopback application. I don't have any example, but I'm sure you can find something that route."
The original post is here:
http://martinpro.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18987
I imagine that the software uses RS-232 to communicate back and forth, but I don't know much about it. I have tried the RS-232 port monitoring freeware without much results. I'm not sure what the programmer had in mind but I appreciate the response.
Since I don't know where to begin with RS-2332 commands via a loopback, other than the links I posted in the original forum post, I am reverting back to trying to refine a method that worked. Perhaps someone knows the best way to do this.
I would like something like an invisible /or browser-less browser so that the commands which take affect when a link in a local .html page is clicked are generated without interfering with the windows of the lighting software that is being run. The browser must be launched from a file. That file is loaded on cue by the core lighting software. In effect, that .html page launched by the loaded file controls the plugin software.
All options I have found so far are in the original post I linked above. I also tried .url text file. And am looking at .lnk files and a desktop app launcher,
http://mozillalabs.com/prism/[
^]
When looking for a way to get around the browser I found similar question but for a different purpose, to print to .pdf without launching the browser.
The reason for all this is that the core software has an audio analyzer feature and I would like to use to trigger the effects in the plugin from the audio analyzer. Since communication only goes one way, from the plugin to the core software this currently isn't possible.
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