Is it possible to pass keyboard shortcuts via a URL? [fixed in v1.274]

edited March 2019 in Problems Now Fixed
I can't seem to find this addressed, which doesn't mean it's not there, I just can't find it.
I really like the configuration options that are available by passing arguments in the URL. I tend to bookmark configurations of interest this way. It makes comparing and sharing receivers, antennas and systems easy. Because I often use the Kiwi as a measurement device more than as a communications receiver I often set a bookmark that brings up a receiver, mutes audio, turns on the spectrum display and possibly brings up an an extension such as antenna_switch. At that point I may still be left with some setting which isn't quite 'standard', that is I find I have to use keyboard shortcuts, e.g. 'shift-ctrl-Z', 'S' 'yyy' and 'x' to clear away the DX labels and console so that I can see an autoranged full span spectrogram and waterfall without other stuff in the way. Perhaps I'm too used to spectrum analyzers but I find this useful. At the moment, however, I don't know how to pass keyboard shortcuts via the URL so I have to do this manually every time. Am I missing a method of passing keystrokes via URL or is it not possible?

Comments

  • Not an answer but another question, has anyone used something like iMacros to automate log on?
    I was going to test it then remembered I dislike add-ons that have that much access.
  • From the v1.274 CHANGE_LOG file:
    v1.274  March 17, 2019
        Added URL parameter "keys=" to apply specified keyboard shortcut keys upon connection.
            Example: "keys=xyyys" would cause the control panel to be hidden ('x' key),
            top and label bars to be hidden ('yyy' keys) and spectrum display to appear ('s' key).
            The shift key can obviously be used (e.g. capital 'S' for waterfall auto-scale) but the
            control and option keys cannot. But this should not be a significant limitation as it only
            effects parameters which can be set in other ways (see below).
    
            The keys used to enter values and options into the frequency box cannot be entered using
            this new parameter. Use the existing "f=" URL parameter instead. Remember that you can
            directly set the zoom value using the f= parameter since the other components are optional
            e.g. f=usbz7 f=/750cwz12 f=z4
            
        Added URL parameter "wfm=min{,max}" to directly set waterfall colormap control values.
            Example: wfm=-90 (WF max value is unchanged) wfm=-120,-60 (changes both values)
    
    n6gnPowernumpty
  • edited March 2019
    That's awesome John! You read my mind WRT the min/max values since that then allows two receivers to be set identically for comparison - a really useful arrangement that I use a lot when examining antennas and noise floors.
    I'm still figuring out what I want but something like:
    http://n6gn.no-ip.org:8073/?mute&sp&f=14100/1000z0usb&wfm=-120,-20&keys=yyyx
    gets one a fully visible full spectrum display with a 14.1 MHz USB 1 kHz BW noise measurement included (subtract 30 dB from S-meter reading to get noise floor referenced to a 1 Hertz bandwidth) while
    http://n6gn.no-ip.org:8075/?mute&sp&f=28000/1000z0usb&ext=ant_switch&keys=yyy&wfm=-120,-20
    brings up a similar measurement but has you ready to switch among antennas for comparisons. ( I haven't figured out how to pass the particular antenna choice in yet, ext=ant_switch,1 or ant_switch,antenna1 don't seem to do it)

    This is great and very useful, thanks so much!
    Glenn n6gn
  • edited March 2019
    :)
  • The antenna switch extension would have to be modified to parse URL parameters like some of the other extensions provide. I don't believe it does this presently.
  • Excellent extra options, really useful for the test side, have always struggled to set the waterfall to exact values on various screen resolutions and most of the time run with the spectrum on.
    Also good for phone use if bookmarked to common test states.
  • edited March 2019
    "The antenna switch extension would have to be modified to parse URL parameters like some of the other extensions provide. I don't believe it does this presently."

    I emailed Kari in August last year to ask about this as a possible enhancement, and also maybe allowing up to ten antennas to be switched, but unfortunately I didn't hear anything back.

    Regards,

    Martin - G8JNJ
  • I have sent a pull request to Kari that allows selection of the antenna from the URL parameter, e.g. my kiwi:8073/?ext=ant,3 to select antenna #3. Hopefully he'll release it soon.

    Remember that the extension name in the "ext=" only has to be unique and is not case sensitive. So you can get away with typing just "ant" instead of the full extension name "ant_switch".
  • Thanks much for doing that John. Perhaps he'll find time for an upgrade. I did remember about the extension name and have had no trouble with a couple of variation I've used (when I couldn't remember what it was called). Also, I was able to guess correctly on the IQ extension in order to configure it for comparing KiwiSDR timebase with NIST. The URL system seems to work well and I'm enjoying having the keys available. It's really helped.
    Thanks,
    Glenn n6gn
  • Looks like he merged the changes a few hours ago. So pull the changes to your clone (or re-download if that's how you got it) and re-install.
  • Thanks. I'll do that.
  • Kari has merged another change I made to the antenna switch extension. If antenna mixing is allowed you can specify multiple antennas in the URL parameter e.g. ext=ant,2,5,1 Also, you can now specify an antenna using case-insensitive substring matching on the antenna description. So if you have an antenna described as "E-W Attic Loop" then ext=ant,loop will select it (the first match wins).
  • Hi John,

    Is it possible to add any defined url switches / extensions that were present if the browser session was opened with them, to the green 'copy to clipboard' button in addition to the standard frequency and mode etc. ?

    Or maybe all the current parameters need to be added, so that the config can be fully replicated from the url string ?

    Otherwise they have to be manually added if you wish to send a pre-configured URL or store it as a browser bookmark.

    Thanks,

    Martin - G8JNJ
  • I'd like an "Opt" button (or drop down) where I can apply a user-defined Option keystring in one hit.
    Not as exact as a green shortcut with everything but a quick way to alter the interface, bandwidth etc. to a prefered mode/layout (or five?).
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