How goes Harmony Hub implementations?

Regular error message in logs contains the following:

I believe that is the "keepalive" or should I say "keep authenticated" action that davep added a while ago.
Note the errorstring="OK".
This should be showing up in the logs around every 30 seconds (maybe 1 min, I don't recall) and is a good sign (the OK)

It solved the initial problem of a Harmony action doing fine, then sometime later - unresponsive. Since this periodic call now occurs (very frequently) the Harmony keeps myServer authorized.

Unfortunately it causes other problems (at least in my case) now. I was testing myServer Harmony implementation and once in a while went to use my Harmony Elite to do something. At some point, it confuses the Harmony hub/system and causes really long delays or worse.
I need to change the command repeat - so, used the Harmony App on a PC, logged in and set the delay of a device.
Then, I needed to sync the Harmony hub. In doing so, it caught a window will downloading the new Hub config and caused it to hang.
I needed to shut down the Harmony driver on myServer then reboot the hub.

Now, when I want (or should I say my wife wants) to use the Harmony Elite, I need to quickly shutdown myServer...

Davep/David Li - can you guys consider a new strategy for the Harmony driver? An algorithm something like this:

On driver start up, perform the authentic and download all activities & devices (your probably doing this now)
Then set a harmonyauth timer internally for some number of minutes - lets say 3 for example.
If a Smartremote/myServer needs to send a command/action to the Harmony, the driver checks the harmonyauth timer
    if < 3 mins then
       send command
    else
       send authorize sequence
       set new harmonyauth time
       send command
     done

Not sure if it's 3 mins or 30 second, etc. But rather then constantly doing the authorize sequence, do when needed.
While this does smell like a Harmony Hub bug/issue, they are likely not keen on supporting 3rd party software.

Besides, the Harmony driver is soooo close to working quite well, I suspect once more people get Smartremote and try to replace their Harmony gear, they (like me) will likely want to go back and forth between Smartremote and Elite.


 

Today's Harmony update changes the default send command from a KeyPress to a full Key Press and Release. Let us know if this makes things more relaiable.

davep wrote:

Today's Harmony update changes the default send command from a KeyPress to a full Key Press and Release. Let us know if this makes things more relaiable.

 

Brilliant, just downloaded the new Harmoney driver and this seems to have fixed the multiple actions problem.  Having done some limited testing it now seems that one button press = one activation (I can browse Netflix without moving two selections at a time, and Plex's audible button 'click' sounds only once per press.  Great.

However.... button caching continues.  (ie a long press just stores up button activations which continue to trigger post-release of hard button).  This problem is most obvious when changing volume (long press on volume button causes slow volume change which continues post release of hard button).  Is there any way to cancel cached commands on hard button release?  Volume issue resolved for me by using IP control for volume - but the Harmony issue re this persists.

I've just tried out the new Harmony driver controlling my Sky+HD satellite box and my Kodi media PC and navigation now works perfectly on both of those where before the cursor would skip along two, three, four or more items at a time. So it's looking good.

Andrew

I just pushed an update to the Server, Harmony driver, SmartRemote template and myDesigner.

The Harmony Driver will now send commands synchronously and this should stop the overrun issues on repeats.
You also will no longer see the auth messages as there are some better auth checks.

I also uncovered an issue with the button repeat logic in the javascript for the SmartRemote. When it was in button repeat mode when you released the button the remote would also send a button long press command.  To correct this issue you should just update to the latest myDesigner and perform and Update Project on the SmartRemote project. None of the html files changed just the javascript.

You should then exit the SmartRemote apk and restart it. The extra long press at the end should be gone.

The server has some maintenance modifications to the Dashboard project in prep for some future updates.