winamp gps interface - feature wish list

**LoreleiGuy** · 06-14-2001, 11:23 AM

I'm in the process of writing a java application which will control winamp based on gps information. I'd like to find out what features you guys would like to have in such a project.

Right now, it's planned to be a rule based system, where you can assign playlists to certain conditions. The conditions are fully user definable, and include: speed range, heading range, latitude and longitude range, time (of day) range, delta speed (like acceleration) range, and altitude range. Also you can combine conditions with AND, OR, and NOT.
So for example if you wanted to play "x.pls" when you're going between 0 and 40 mph, and travelling North +/- 10 degrees, you can do that.

I also plan to include optional volume auto adjust based on speed.

I'm may have an alpha version as early as this weekend. Oh, I'm also looking for a good name for the project.

**nipkick** · 06-14-2001, 11:50 AM

i don't mean to be negative, but i'm not really seeing the usefulness of this app. the only useful feature i see is the automatic volume adjustment based on speed. other than that, why would you want to play music based on the direction you're travelling?

i was thinking it may be useful if you could set it up so it plays a certain playlist based on a route you are taking. for instance, if you are picking up a friend, it would automatically start playing music that he/she likes as soon as you leave the house. i don't know if this would be possible, since i'm not familiar with how accurate a gps system can get.

btw, do you know who the impossibles are? i happened to notice you're from their home town. they kick ***

**cenwesi** · 06-14-2001, 12:14 PM

lol.

**LoreleiGuy** · 06-14-2001, 01:26 PM

Well, the use I had in mind was to choose a playlist based on what driving style you're doing.
You could have one playlist for low speeds and lots of speed changes (traffic), another for high speeds, another for lots of direction changes (cruising around), perhaps you want a playlist for a specific area of town (if you're in the club district between 10pm and 4am).

But basically, I want to write it because I think it'll be fun to write.

**cenwesi** · 06-14-2001, 03:41 PM

I just hope u are a GOOD programmer. Saying one thing and doing it is two different thing.

**LoreleiGuy** · 06-14-2001, 03:56 PM

I've already got the gps interface working, and the winamp interface working. (Both using free toolkits provided by others.)

I've written the rule classes, now I just need to write a parser (done them before), and the main prog to do the polling loop. I was serious when I said I might have an alpha version as soon as this weekend.

**cenwesi** · 06-14-2001, 05:37 PM

ok...let see. How does the GPS or code or routine know where u are in the city???
Also i take it that u have actually coded the function to read the info of that GPS app and if so, it is standard NMEA stuff or what not. Also what type of interface are u providing??? Do you have any pics?

**LoreleiGuy** · 06-14-2001, 06:55 PM

No pics yet, because there's no visual interface yet (if there ever will be).

It doesn't need to know where you are in relation to the city, that remark about the club district was saying that you can define a rule saying if the latitude is between x and y, and the longitude is between w and z, play this list.

The gps code does work, and it provides latitude, longitude, speed, altitude, and heading. I did not write the NMEA parser (but I did debug it a little to gracefully handle NMEA 2.1 as well as 2.0). It's based off of the locationUtils package available at http://www.btexact.com/projects/prognet/rcaudle

Actually, the package there is not the one I used, but they don't have a link to the standalone version I used. I had to email them to get it. Since it's open source, I'll provide it on my own page when I put something up.

The winamp control is done through a general plugin that allows java to send windows messages to winamp. I got the plugin from: http://people.ne.mediaone.net/jwilliams/winamp

All my code has to do is monitor the data provided by the gps, and evaluate the rules. I wrote a very incomplete rule-parser this afternoon while bored at work. I'll finish it up after kenpo class tonight.

If your question on the interface meant how does one control the java app (rather than the technical java sense of "interface"), for now, it's going to be commandline and textfiles. But once you've got the files like you like 'em, you can make a desktop shortcut to execute it with those parameters.

Eventually, I'll probably provide a graphical rule creation application as well. I'm not intending this to be ready for mass consumption any time soon, I just want to get something working.

In other news, I got my USB 802.11b adapters today. So I'll install those and quickly play with them.

**cenwesi** · 06-15-2001, 08:49 AM

lol....I will make it simple for u. No interface and feature, i can assure you ppl wont even bother testing it or installing it.
From experience, i have modified/added stuff on my apps. Some of the things ppl suggested i ended up using and some, i just will never use. To make a long story short, if u are really going to put this out, then u should seriously wait till u get the interface done and be prepared to change alot of stuff...

**LoreleiGuy** · 06-15-2001, 09:11 AM

This isn't for other people. This is for me, but made available in case someone really wants it.
In short, I don't give a crap if people bother downloading and testing it, but they'll be welcome to try.

Thread: winamp gps interface - feature wish list

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

winamp gps interface - feature wish list

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions