2016-01-04, 00:17
Getting the right keymap for a given remote can really change the Kodi experience for a user. Due to many keymaps being seen as generic "keyboards", and because Android can't tell the difference between USB vender IDs, it's nearly impossible to have a "catch-all" default. For years we've been trying to collect recommended maps for various remotes, and then have put those maps on the wiki. There's also an excellent keymapper add-on as well. However, I hope to make it even easier for users to get the right map.
Originally I thought of just having users enter an HTTP source in the file manager, and use that to load keymaps. However, that's still a lot of steps to ask someone to do, entering URLs, understanding how the file manager works, etc. The biggest issue is that it would lack any kind of description of what the keymap did.
What I would like is a simple add-on that can present a list of available maps with descriptions. Maybe even a picture or two. When selected, it gets copied over to the keymaps directory. Maybe also have a way to show the current keymaps in the keymaps directory and give an option to delete them. To make it easier on the add-on author, it would be nice if the available maps and their description could be updated independently of the add-on. Maybe read from a directory that also contains a text file for the descriptions.
It's not perfect, but the idea is to just hold us over until the new input stuff from garbear comes along (which is really awesome, I highly recommend checking it out).
Thoughts?
Originally I thought of just having users enter an HTTP source in the file manager, and use that to load keymaps. However, that's still a lot of steps to ask someone to do, entering URLs, understanding how the file manager works, etc. The biggest issue is that it would lack any kind of description of what the keymap did.
What I would like is a simple add-on that can present a list of available maps with descriptions. Maybe even a picture or two. When selected, it gets copied over to the keymaps directory. Maybe also have a way to show the current keymaps in the keymaps directory and give an option to delete them. To make it easier on the add-on author, it would be nice if the available maps and their description could be updated independently of the add-on. Maybe read from a directory that also contains a text file for the descriptions.
It's not perfect, but the idea is to just hold us over until the new input stuff from garbear comes along (which is really awesome, I highly recommend checking it out).
Thoughts?