Application Notes - Getting Started with the Demo

Follow these basic steps to get started with the demo of IRCommand2.

I. Download IRCommand2 from our web site and install it.

II. Set up the dongle hardware on your PC

All of the supported dongles except for USB-UIRT require that a COM port number be specified. If you're not sure what port number was assigned check in Device Manager for it. A USB device will typically be assigned COM4 or higher. The image below shows the entry for a USB MyBlaster dongle. Note that it will not necessarily give the name of the dongle.

To do any setup in IRCommand2 you must first enter "Learn Mode". Click the icon in the upper left corner of the program window to get access to this mode option.

Click on the Learn Mode menu option to enable it.

When you enable Learn Mode the Setup option in the main menu will enable and the Button Kit will appear. Click the Setup menu option and select Dongle Setup.

Enter the information about the dongle you have installed. The COM port number (if applicable) is entered under the Port Name field.

III. Customize the demo button setup

You can modify the demo setup buttons in any way you like as long as the number of buttons doesn't exceed the demo limit. We'll remove the sample power state group (radio button) and replace it with a simple button. Right-click on the state group body and select Delete State Group from the menu that pops up.

The sample power state group is now gone. Now drag a simple button from the Button Kit onto the device panel area where the old button was located. The simple button is located in the upper left of the Button Kit.

Now enlarge the new button by holding down the Ctrl key and dragging the lower right corner. You can also move the button around. All dragging operations for buttons in the device panel require first holding down the Ctrl key.

Now set a button label by bringing up the button's properties. To do this right-click on the button and select Button Properties from the menu that pops up.

Click on the Set button for Appearance in the Button Properties window to access the label.

We give the button the name "Power" by typing the text into the window under the Text tab of the Appearance properties.

IV. Customize the Device Panel setup

Now we'll rename the device panel to describe how it will be used. Right-click on the device label tab and select Device Properties from the menu that pops up.

We type the name "SAT Box" into the Device Name field and click OK. Note that the bottom window should show that the dongle is selected for use by this device. If it doesn't then click on the dongle to select it.

V. Train a button to send a command

Now let's train the new button to actually send the power on/off command signal. Bring up button properties again for the new button (right-click on the button) and click on Set for the Button Action property in the Button Properties window.

Get your remote control handy and then click the Train button in the Set Command window to begin training the button.

Now aim the remote control at the dongle and press and release the power button on the remote. For most dongle types the progress bar does NOT have to reach 100%. Click OK to keep the training.

Note: the training technique differs depending on the type of dongle being used. The message in the Set IR Command window, shown below, will tell you how to do the training. More detailed information for each dongle type can be found in the context-sensitive help (press F1).

The Button Action property in the Button Properties window  will now show that a command is defined. Note that the action option automatically changed to "Send Command". 

Whenever the Button Properties window is open you can click on any button to immediately see its properties. In this case, below, we clicked on the "1" button in the numeric pad to access its properties.

To get a button to send its command when you click it the Button Properties window needs be closed, or you can just exit Learn Mode.

We can now click on the new "Power" button to send the command that was trained into it.