I've looked into it and this definately is a new bug in Plex 0.5.14 in 
the way it handles keyboard input. It appears to expect a minimum 
length for the press of the return or escape keys (the keys whose 
press/release RB emulates for the "Select" and "Previous menu" action 
of the Plex Behaviour).

Plex will definately show reaction to the short key presses as well 
(by unfading previously faded out menu points ate the main menu 
level), so, yes, it is really receiving them. Yet, it doesn't show the 
expected reactions for the keypress event it just got.

Here's some AppleScript code exposing the bug in Plex:

-- code -- 
tell application "Remote Buddy" 
-- Make sure Plex is front-most 
tell application "Plex" to activate 
delay 1

-- Show that Plex 0.5.14 has problems with the same events for the return key - depending on how fast your box is, you'll see no effects. (In fact, I can see Plex fade in the other options at the main menu level as if I had pressed a key like "j" that it does not have any functionality attached to - so it definately got the events. Yet, it does not react to these events)

keypress keycode 36 with pressed -- press return key 
keypress keycode 36 without pressed -- release return key

delay 5 -- wait 5 seconds, so that the different effect of above and below code can be perceived by the user

-- Workaround: Send the same events, but add a short delay of 1/10th of a second between press and release events 
keypress keycode 36 with pressed -- press return key 
delay 0.1 
keypress keycode 36 without pressed -- release return key 
end tell 
-- / code --

You'll also be able to expose the problem with any regular keyboard as 
long as you press and release the key fast enough. In the Plex forums, 
at least one Plex user also reports this:

-- quote from http://forums.plexapp.com/index.php?showtopic=904 -- 
"I've also noticed the problem with the keyboard (also bluetooth 
device for whatever it may be worth mentioning that). I've noticed 
that hitting the space will pause a running DVD, but i'll have to hit 
it a few times to get it to restart the movie." 
-- / quote --

Until the Plex team fixes the bug, you can either downgrade to an 
older version - or - use the workaround from above AS code to ensure 
that the press and release events for the return and escape keys that 
are sent to Plex are at least 0.1 seconds from one another.

-- SOLUTION -- 
For your convenience, I've created an UNSUPPORTED special version of 
the regular Plex Behaviour that employs this workaround. To install:

1) Download it from 
http://static.iospirit.com/static/objectfiles/file/138/Plex.rbscriptedbehaviour.zip

2) Extract it and double click the Plex.rbscriptedbehaviour.

3) If you haven't changed the mapping for Plex, you're done at this point. If you have changed the mapping for Plex at RB Preferences > Mapping > Plex, make sure you replace your current actions for "Select" and "Previous menu" with "Select (workaround for bug in Plex 0.5.14)" and "Previous menu (workaround for bug in Plex 0.5.14)" respectively.

Q: Why are you not pushing this out via the Online Updater? 
A: Because really it's a workaround and just that. If you have a quick 
repeat rate set in your System Preferences, this workaround may not 
lead to the desired effect. This problem needs to be fixed at the 
source - in Plex - and not where its effects are showing (real 
keyboards and software using OS X Remote Desktop APIs to emulate key 
presses - like Remote Buddy).

Q: How can I remove this special version after the Plex team released 
a bugfixed version? 
A: Remove it from ~/Library/Application Support/Remote Buddy/Behaviours using Finder and restart Remote Buddy. 
-- / SOLUTION --

Best regards, 
Felix Schwarz

Last edited: 31.08.2008 19:48:06