Roku Developer Program

Join our online forum to talk to Roku developers and fellow channel creators. Ask questions, share tips with the community, and find helpful resources.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
renojim
Community Streaming Expert

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

I would think the ECP could be extended to add things like this. I don't see why it's necessary for it to only be able to send key presses that can be sent by the remote. For example, add a "jumpFirst" and "jumpLast" command. While they're at it, they could add a "jumpN" where N specifies a number to jump from the current location.

-JT
Roku Community Streaming Expert

Help others find this answer and click "Accept as Solution."
If you appreciate my answer, maybe give me a Kudo.

I am not a Roku employee.
0 Kudos
WillEV
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

Having both launch parameters for the channels and also extra commands that could be sent to the channels themselves would be extremely useful.

I might be missing something, but I don't see any way to get feedback about what the Roku is currently doing - which channel it's in, whether it's on the nav screen, playing a movie/song (and which one?), etc.

Is this possible?
0 Kudos
TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

"WillEV" wrote:
Having both launch parameters for the channels and also extra commands that could be sent to the channels themselves would be extremely useful.
I might be missing something, but I don't see any way to get feedback about what the Roku is currently doing - which channel it's in, whether it's on the nav screen, playing a movie/song (and which one?), etc.
Is this possible?

Not currently. At the moment, you're limited to sending keys, querying for installed apps and icons, and launching apps.
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
0 Kudos
WillEV
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

Is there any update on whether these channels (Netflix in particular) are going to have external control and launch added to them?
0 Kudos
RokuKevin
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

The Netflix channel does not yet recognize any ECP launch parameters. No update yet on when we will publish a version that does.

--Kevin
0 Kudos
gonzotek
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

"RokuKevin" wrote:
The Netflix channel does not yet recognize any ECP launch parameters. No update yet on when we will publish a version that does.

--Kevin
Thanks for the update Kevin. For what it's worth, I know there are a bunch of developers who are very much looking forward to this.
Remoku.tv - A free web app for Roku Remote Control!
Want to control your Roku from nearly any phone, computer or tablet? Get started at http://help.remoku.tv
by Apps4TV - Applications for television and beyond: http://www.apps4tv.com
0 Kudos
WillEV
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

Still hoping for this - I've got about 20,000 customers for this system that would buy a Roku straight away if this were possible.
0 Kudos
WillEV
Visitor

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

I see that the v3 of the SDK has now included support for passing parameters directly to a running BrightScript app.

Is this something that could be used to control Pandora, Netflix etc with the capabilities described earlier?

Still looking for the ability to launch Netflix/Hulu/Pandora with a target playback movie/show/station; ideally would then be able to query for currently playing data as well.

Thanks

Will
0 Kudos
TheEndless
Channel Surfer

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

"WillEV" wrote:
I see that the v3 of the SDK has now included support for passing parameters directly to a running BrightScript app.

Where'd you see that? There are the new socket components, but an app would have to explicitly implement a listener in order to accept parameters that way. I'm not aware of any other way to talk to a running app..?
My Channels: http://roku.permanence.com - Twitter: @TheEndlessDev
Instant Watch Browser (NetflixIWB), Aquarium Screensaver (AQUARIUM), Clever Clocks Screensaver (CLEVERCLOCKS), iTunes Podcasts (ITPC), My Channels (MYCHANNELS)
0 Kudos
EnTerr
Roku Guru

Re: Roku channels with parameters on launch?

"TheEndless" wrote:
"WillEV" wrote:
I see that the v3 of the SDK has now included support for passing parameters directly to a running BrightScript app.

Where'd you see that? There are the new socket components, but an app would have to explicitly implement a listener in order to accept parameters that way. I'm not aware of any other way to talk to a running app..?


Building completely proprietary protocol via sockets for each channel is brain-dead. There is (alas only partial) solution in SDK 3:

Since Firmware version 3.0:
• input enables a developer to send custom events to their Brightscript application. It takes a user defined list of name-value pairs sent as query string uri parameters. The external control server places these name-value pairs into a BrightScript associative array and passes them directly through to the currently executing channel script via a Message Port attached to a created roInput object. Please refer to Section 3.1 below for more detailed recommendations on how to pass your data. Messages of type roInputEvent have a GetInfo() method that will obtain the associative array. The arguments must be URL-encoded. This command is sent via a POST with no body.
Example: POST /input?acceleration.x=0.0&acceleration.y=0.0&acceleration.z=9.8


This ensures only one-way communication, injecting data from outside to running app. But there is no way to query status - this being the kind of synchronous invocation (http request - needs to pause and wait for result while message is passed to queue and wait to be handled and reply returned - then retuen that back) it seems against messaging implementation in brightscript (from the little i have seen). Which is a dirty shame, because i have been looking recently at the external control protocol of DirecTV DVRs - it reports status very nicely, what program is playing now, what's next on which channel etc
0 Kudos
Need Assistance?
Welcome to the Roku Community! Feel free to search our Community for answers or post your question to get help.

Become a Roku Streaming Expert!

Share your expertise, help fellow streamers, and unlock exclusive rewards as part of the Roku Community. Learn more.