Technical Notes

The xPLMCE package installs four components -

xPLMCE.dll - a C# .NET assembly that provides the core functionality of the add-in. It receives Media Center events from xPLMSAS and turns them into xPL messages that are broadcast over the network. xPLMCE receives remote control events from xPLMCEInput, sending xPL messages or displaying a popup menu as appropriate. xPLMCE also listens for xPL commands, and triggers Media Center activity in response to them.

xPLMSAS.dll - a C++ COM component that uses Media Center's "Media State Aggregation Service" to track and report the status of Media Center. Messages are passed to xPLMCE using a modified form of the xPL protocol, which are sent only to the local machine, rather than broadcast to the whole network as is usual with xPL. This is to prevent excess network traffic. Note that if you are running xPLHal on the Media Center PC, xPLMSAS will show up as MCESTAT in its list of xPL applications.

xPLMCEInput.exe - a C++ Windows application that monitors the Media Center remote control, setting global events when any of the buttons that trigger xPL activities have been pressed. This application is spawned by the xPLMCE addin and runs hidden, with no visible window or taskbar entry.

Configure.exe - An MFC application used to configure xPLMCE. Most xPL applications can be configured via xPLHal. Since xPLMCE contains some non-xPL components, this is not possible, so instead the entire configuration is managed through this stand-alone application.