Bluemote v2.0

Anyone interested in porting this to Mac OS X or Windows? Willing to help. Shouldn't be too difficult. I don't have a Mac and I don't know anything about the function calls used to access the bluetooth serial port in Windows.

What's new?

• v2.0 - Added support for sending messages from PC to phone. "You have got mail!" ;-)
• v2.0 - Added support for Events.
• v2.0 - Added support for keyboard emulation.
• v2.0 - Added "Status" command to the Output command list.
• v2.0 - Improved the config file to be more user friendly.
• v1.1 - Added a status text "Bluemote" which is displayed on the phone when Bluemote is connected to the phone.

Errata/FAQ/Tips/Whatever:

• This is how I configured my PC for bluetooth.


• Documentation error: The comment symbol is ";" not "%"


• Documentation error: Bluemote 2.0 checks for config file in ~/.bluemote (not ~/bluemote), and if not found, it checks the current directory. But ~/.bluemote IS NEEDED for bluemote to store other files. This documentation mistake is what caused people to get the error message "Another instance of Bluemote already running!" or "Unable to open config file or invalid content in config file.".


• If rfcomm works for other programs but not for bluemote, then make sure that the device file uses rfcomm channel 4. You can check this by running "rfcomm" and see the output for something like

  rfcomm0: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx channel 4 closed

  The important thing in the line is "channel 4". If it's not channel 4 try to make it channel 4 in what ever way suits your Linux distribution.


• I don't have any other config file for Bluemote. The example bluemote config file provided is what I use (with some irrelevant ones removed).


• Gentoo users should be able to install Bluemote 2.0 by using the command "emerge bluemote ". I don't know when bluemote will be inserted in to the Gentoo Portage, so if this works for someone please let me know, if it doesn't work, don't ask me. I don't have any control over it. Thanks to Philip Walls for including bluemote into the Gentoo portage.

Known bugs

• Mouse up doesn't work with joystick. Temporary fix: Remove the CharSet option if it's not important for you. I will fix this in the next minor release, and when fixed CharSet 8859-1 will be mandatory for it to work.

TODO ...

• Submenu support. Will need to change to XML format for config file. Something I don't like.
• Multiple Keymappings - not sure I will do this one.

General:

    I had initially chosen the name Blueremote but just before releasing the program I realised that there is another program by the same name. Due to lack of time and sleep, I just removed the "re" and made it Bluemote.

    Use your bluetooth enabled T610 (or compatible Sony Ericsson phones) as a remote for your Linux PC. The remote's menu can be found in the T610 phone under "Connectivity->Accessories". I added it as the first one in the shortcut list and I can go to it directly by moving the joystick to the left! This program was inspired by bluexmms and the act of owning a T610. Many thanks to the author of bluexmms for providing a link to the Sony Ericsson manual he used for writing bluexmms. With out the manual I would have never started on this project.

    Bluemote differs from bluexmms in several ways. Bluexmms is a XMMS "plugin" but Bluemote is a complete remote. You can virtually execute any command on your PC from your phone. If you use the built in scripting commands, you can even manage a micro shell (sh) on your phone, complete with login password.

Key features:

• Emulate mouse and keyboard
• Control Volume
• Events support
• Built-in micro scripting language for menus
• Menu displayed on phone is highly customisable
• You got to try it out and play around with the scripting to understand the real potential

Report any bugs or comments to saravkrish@uky.edu

Join the Bluemote announcement list to receive mails when a new version of Bluemote is released. Join by sending a mail to bluemote-news-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Download Bluemote v2.0 for Linux - Source and precompiled binary

The scripts that I use at home can be downloaded here. You might need to install some programs like zenity, xmms-shell, etc. Please DO NOT contact me regarding these scripts. Use them if they work, else write your own.

READ AND AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE MAKING A DONATION.