Usb Key?

**Jebus** · 06-10-2008, 11:03 PM

Wondering if anyone has any interest in a USB KEY app that uses a cheap U3 usb flash drive to provide security and profile/preferences in RR. I have one 90% finished and I am wanting some input from all as to features wanted.
The initial setup of the system involves reflashing the U3 USB Thumb drives "CD" or read only portion with your custom ISO that is created with a little app that I have made called MakeKey. The "removable media" or read/write portion stays intact for your media or files. Then you use an app called Universal_Customizer that writes to the read only portion. All this is provided with my package.
After you make your ISO and flash the key you have RR run UsbKey on startup. It sits in the system tray. When you insert the U3 USB Flash Drive, UsbKey detects the drive, checks the volume label you flashed to the drive, sets an indicator in RR, and retrieves the contents of the ini file that that was flashed to it and communicates this to RR.
When you remove the drive UsbKey sets the indicator to off, clears the labels, and handles the annoying "Unsafe Removal of Device" window that pops up on Win2k. This part needs testing on XP.
This provides a way to have simple security and different user preferences, playlists, or whatever you can dream up.
If anyone is interested please post your thoughts. I need motivation to post this, as there will be many with questions if I do.
...JJG

**2k1Toaster** · 06-10-2008, 11:14 PM

Not really interested since I am the only one that touches my CarPC.

Anyways, you said by reflashing the U3 part of the drive right? I have a flash drive that I dont even use because that friggin U3 part destroys the usefullness. If I can get rid of that permanently, I would be very very happy.

Any ideas?

**Jebus** · 06-10-2008, 11:29 PM

OK, this is used in my Home Automation setup also. Works great for security and preferences, lights on, heat on, ect...

As for flashing the U3 part to blank with an empty ISO, Ya, it can do that.
...JJG

**Sonicxtacy02** · 06-11-2008, 08:47 AM

how do you overcome the fact that u cannot load settings in rr in runtime? any changes to the rr.ini require a reload of RR to make use of.

**Enforcer** · 06-11-2008, 09:11 AM

I have now added USB authentication to AccessControl.

To be released with the next version.

**Jebus** · 06-11-2008, 09:19 AM

Good, This is why I posted before I posted the app.

Hmm.., any preferences that you wanted that require a RR restart could be accomplished by comparing last user with current user and issuing a restart if different. I will probably add this to the app.
...JJG

**JohnWPB** · 06-11-2008, 09:54 AM

I started working on something like this a month or so ago myself

I have all the user settings and such saving, and was just having reliability problems when plugging in the USB, as it would not catch it consistently.

All of the core settings I am loading are in the skin.ini so I am just able to do a skin reload. When it triggers it fires a command in the exectbl that simply overlays an AutoIt full screen splash, that tells you to stand by, user xxxx settings are loading. Then RR does a reload skin command, and when it responds to a label being set that I have in onskinstart, I know RR is done reloading the skin, and the splash fades out.

I would love to know more on how you are using an ISO or such on the flash drive, as this is unfamiliar territory for me for sure