Blinkit | Logitech RGB Keyboard preparation

<p dir="auto">Last week I made a post about the connection between the Logitech LCD and<br /> the Steemit blockchain. <a href="https://steemit.com/programming/@flash4yard/python-programming-project-control-logitech-g510-lcd-and-show-steemit-stats" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Here <p dir="auto"><span>A few days ago <a href="/@techtek">@techtek presented me his project 'Blinkit' on discord, and he asked me to make it possible to use Logitech Keyboards with RGB Backlight too. <h2>The plan <p dir="auto">We talked about how the idea of a flashing keyboard can be integrated into his existing project.<br /> Blinkit itself is written in VB.NET/VBScript. So I had to find a way to get this working.<br /> Here are the things I have used to solve this task: <ul> <li>Logitech LED SDK Wrapper.dll <a href="https://www.logitechg.com/de-de/developers" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">You can get it here <li>VB.net as the programming language to create a new .dll<br /> (I will tell you later why we need another .dll file) <li>VBScript as the final project language <li>Visual Studio Community Edition 2017 <a href="https://www.visualstudio.com/de/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Download <li>Notepad ++ <a href="https://notepad-plus-plus.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Download <h3>The program I created runs by itself, but it is designed to be integrated into the BlinkIt project. <h2>The resulted problem <p dir="auto">The problem is that the LogitechLedEnginesWrapper.dll is not coded in a vb.net<br /> compatible format. So if I want to load this DLL in vbs it does not run and gives an error. <pre><code>dim dll set dll = CreateObject("LogitechLedEnginesWrapper.dll") <h1>The solution <p dir="auto">I created ,in VB.NET, a DLL that imports the functions needed from the Original .dll so VBScript can read the new dll. <p dir="auto">To accomplish that follow these steps: <h1>Step 1 <ul> <li>open Visual Studio 2017 with administrator privileges <li>file -> new Project<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/Fb0N4bA.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/Fb0N4bA.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/Fb0N4bA.png 2x" /> <li>choose Class Library(.net framework) and give it a name as you like<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/BsR0p4n.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/BsR0p4n.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/BsR0p4n.png 2x" /> <li>This should now pop up <li>rightclick Class1.vb and delete it <li>Now go to project -> add new item<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/aP64c59.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/aP64c59.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/aP64c59.png 2x" /> <li>There should pop up a new window:<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/NGtypK9.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/NGtypK9.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/NGtypK9.png 2x" /> <li>There you choose COM Class and press Add <li>Visual studio created some lines of code for us:<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/IOg1joC.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/IOg1joC.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/IOg1joC.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">(You can rename the ComClass1 if you like) <p dir="auto"><em>At first there is a warning saying: <pre><code>'Microsoft.VisualBasic.ComClassAttribute' is specified for class 'ComClass1' but 'ComClass1' has no public members that can be exposed to COM; therefore, no COM interfaces are generated. <p dir="auto">Don't get confused by that. We will fix it later. <h3>We have set everything up to start coding :D <h2>Step 2 <p dir="auto">To import native dll files we need to use the System.Runtime.InteropServices library. <ul> <li>Import this library in the top of the project<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/2MWaDa3.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/2MWaDa3.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/2MWaDa3.png 2x" /> <li>Include the attribute as shown in the red box<br /><br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/4BS8aRU.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/4BS8aRU.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/4BS8aRU.png 2x" /><br /> The ClassID, InterfaceID and EventsID variable is set by the IDE. Don't change these values.<br /> We will need the ClassID later.<span> After renaming the class and opening the <a href="/trending/region"> #Region it should look like this: <h2>Step 3 <ul> <li>Include the code that imports the functions from the Logitech DLL<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/acvIUH6.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/acvIUH6.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/acvIUH6.png 2x" /><br /> We have to specify the correct name of the function in that specific dll like LogiLedInit()<br /> and the right return value and also the right parameters have to be set. You can get these informations in the<br /> documentary of the original dll. <h2>Step 4 <ul> <li>Create a function that make the keyboard flashing in different colors<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/Gsp6hGv.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/Gsp6hGv.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/Gsp6hGv.png 2x" /><br /> The function is called LogiLed and it takes two parameters. The color as a string and the time how long the effect should be played.<br /> The return value is an integer. See now the error described above is gone :D <h3>Explanation of the function <ul> <li>To start the connection with the keyboard we have to initialise the keyboard (line 39) <li>This takes a little while so we put a Sleep function after that (line 40) <li>The Select function chooses which color we want to be shown (line 42) <li>If one case gets executed the LogiLedFlashLighting function gets called (lines 44,47,50) <h4>The function takes 5 parameters: <ul> <li>red - percentage of the color red 0-100 <li>green - percentage of the color green 0-100 <li>blue - percentage of the color blue 0-100 <li>time - how long the effect should show up in ms <li>interval - the time between each on/off cycle in ms <p dir="auto">If this function gets called the keyboard starts flashing but the programm goes on and does not wait<br /> until the keyboard stopped. So we have to wait as long as we want the effect to go on.<br /> After the effect is gone we disconnect our application from the keyboard with the<br /> LogiLedShutdown function (line 54) <h3>Thats the hole program! <h2>Step 5 <p dir="auto">Now we have to add a "Strong name" to our dll. This is done by rightclicking the project. <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/J5XEmqX.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/J5XEmqX.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/J5XEmqX.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">and go to properties. <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/m5cbKRe.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/m5cbKRe.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/m5cbKRe.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">This should pop up. <p dir="auto">On the left go to "Signing" and tick the box "Sign the assembly"<br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/1zPQ6wh.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/1zPQ6wh.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/1zPQ6wh.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">In the drop down menu choose <new..><br /> <img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/LnALkz4.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/LnALkz4.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/LnALkz4.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">Choose a name and disable the "protect my keyfile with a password".<br /> Now you can close the window in the tab menu. <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/K8izD3e.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/K8izD3e.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/K8izD3e.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">If not done yet save the project. Go to file -> save all. <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/xh2Mjuu.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/xh2Mjuu.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/xh2Mjuu.png 2x" /><br /> Make sure that the marked tick box is ticked^^ <p dir="auto">After that being done. We can build our dll file by rightclicking the project like we did last time<br /> and hit build. You will get an error if Visual Studio is not opened with administrator privileges! <h2>Here is a picture of the complete code: <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/zpPzdTJ.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/zpPzdTJ.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/zpPzdTJ.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">Now we can close Visual Studio.<br /> Next go to the directory where you saved your project.<br /> (pathtoproject\bin\Debug) There you can find your .dll file. <p dir="auto">As the next step we have to register this dll to windows.<br /> This is done by the use of the RegAsm.exe found in: <pre><code>C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319 <p dir="auto">Open a command prompt and go to this directory.<br /> After that type: <pre><code>RegAsm.exe pathtoproject\bin\Debug\name.dll /codebase <p dir="auto">This registers the dll in windows. If you want to remove the registration type: <pre><code>RegAsm.exe pathtoproject\bin\Debug\name.dll /u <p dir="auto">To check everthing worked open regedit.exe.<br /> There you press Ctrl+f to start a search. Put in there the ClassID from the beginning. <p dir="auto">It should show something like this: <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/acj6WAc.png" srcset="https://images.hive.blog/768x0/https://i.imgur.com/acj6WAc.png 1x, https://images.hive.blog/1536x0/https://i.imgur.com/acj6WAc.png 2x" /> <p dir="auto">There you can see the path where the dll is located. <h2>Starting with VBScript <p dir="auto">Create a new file and add .vbs as the format.<br /> Open that file with an editor like Notepad++<br /> and write in there: <pre><code>dim logi set logi = CreateObject(LogitechDll.LogitechDll) 'or parameter that is shown in the registry under Class logi.LogiLed "blue",3000 <p dir="auto">First we create a new variable called logi. After that we set it as a new object from the dll.<br /> At this point we can access the functions inside the dll.<br /> Then we call the function LogiLed and pass the string that defines the color and the time how<br /> long the effect should be shown.<br /> Make sure the LogitechLedEnginesWrapper.dll is in the same directory as the .vbs file! <p dir="auto">If you run this file it should look like this: <p dir="auto"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/0x0/https://i.imgur.com/utsx8S3.gif" /> <h3>And thats it! <p dir="auto">You created your own "bridge" between a native dll and VBScript, if you dont want to make everything by yourself you can use the files i build and uploaded! <p dir="auto">You can download the project files <a href="https://github.com/flash4yard/blinkitLogitechLED" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">here. <p dir="auto">Blinkit can be downloaded <a href="https://github.com/techtek/Blinkit/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">here. <p dir="auto">I hope everything is easy to follow, and if anything is unclear please let me know in the comments or on the github project page. <p dir="auto"><br /><hr /><em>Posted on <a href="https://utopian.io/utopian-io/@flash4yard/blinkit-or-logitech-rgb-keyboard-preparation" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" title="This link will take you away from hive.blog" class="external_link">Utopian.io - Rewarding Open Source Contributors<hr /><p>