Help me help you. Dare I say it, another frontend?

**noodles** · 08-02-2005, 03:48 PM

So I started working on a frontend that is NOT based on iTunes. And I started jotting down features that I could implement and ones that I could not.

Audio Player
Browse Albums, no databases or libraries, just flat files.
Play/Pause
Fast-Forward/Rewind
Next/Back
Progress Bar
Elapsed Time/Remaining Time
Duration
Date/Time
id3 tags
Audio CD Support
Line input
Repeat
Shuffle

Video Player
Fancy pop-up or slider interface
Browse
Play/Pause
Fast-Forward/Rewind
Next/Back
Elapsed Time/Remaining Time
Duration
Date/Time
Line input

Options
Resume playback on open

Future
Rear Camera Support - Security Spy implementation, USB/Firewire camera
Touch-Screen

Not Under Consideration (for now)
GPS
ODB II
Phone Control
Radar
Radio
Skinning
Visualization
Voice Commands

There are several reasons why there's so many things in the "not under consideration" category. First off, I'm starting college in a couple weeks so I have zero money. Also, I have no hardware to test or work with besides my laptop. So for now, all I can do is play audio and video (which isn't a problem at all for me, because that's the only two things I use my current car PC for). I can't do anything under Future until I get some hardware. And the things not under consideration I have little knowledge of, or as of now, there is no Mac OS X support yet.

I'm all over the place in this post, so I'll go back and clarify things. But I just wanted to see if there was any interest first.

**Qbancash** · 08-02-2005, 05:31 PM

LOOK IF IT WORKS AND IT IS FINISHED! Go for it.. But we have seen so many start a frontend and just leave it halfway.... I can guarantee ONE THING! First frontend to come out, that works, and it is completed will definitely get high recognition and I would even PAY FOR IT!!! But it's gotta work nice....

::JP

**The Don** · 08-02-2005, 06:31 PM

I second that exactly.

don

**jdkarr01** · 08-02-2005, 09:08 PM

I agree with Qbancash. My bro and I are working on ours(iKarr) because no one else seems to finish. No doubt we aren't the fatest and probably not the best programmers but we need something we can use. If anyone has input or if you want to work together Don then we are more than open. Also if either of us can help you we are more than willing. The goal is just to get a product out there that gets the job done. I don't really care who is first or how it gets done. My install will be done my Thanksgiving and I can't finish til I have software.

**OtherKarr** · 08-02-2005, 09:32 PM

As we are all discovering, a frontend based on applescript it not an easy task. Mac designed applesscript to help create "shortcuts" not so that their programs could interact totally with a frontend. I have not found good documentation that goes beyond the basics of applescript. Alot of what I have been doin turns out to be guessing and checking but though many wrong turns I think we are getting somewhere. Anyone who wants to start a new front end I urge you to start with something no one else has done. Itunes is by far the easiest becuase of the mass amount of examples but if you want the Itunes code we will give it to you if you can produce something such as a DVD player or the new INK touchscreen capabilities. Good Luck.
Joel Karr

**noodles** · 08-02-2005, 11:06 PM

About the "starting a frontend and leaving it unfinished" comments:
The thing is, to me, it IS finished. All I use is audio and video playing. It doesn't look so great at the moment, but I've figured out how to code it and I'm just taking my time putting things together how I want it. It will have nowhere near the functionality of these Windows frontends done by more experienced coders such as frodo and guino. I've thought about getting more developers involved, but that's not an option as of now.

The reason I'm not using iTunes:
iHate iTunes. iDon't like the iDea of one giant playlist or the "fake" playlists or party mixes you can make. My frontend will be folder based. Want to add a new cd? No need to import it... just drop it into the Music folder. And operation will be just like a cd player. Want to listen to a cd? Just select the folder to load it up, easy as that. iJust don't like the iDea of iTunes. iAlways liked Winamp.

iHave (alright, I gotta stop that) no idea what my schedule will be like when I start school, but my media player will be done as soon as I make a default skin. I plan on incorporating more stuff as I acquire equipment, but that could take months. With that said... I've got some really nifty stuff up my sleeves.