Welcome to Neon Boombox

NeonBoomBox · 01-30-2008, 03:34 PM

Hello and welcome to the new front end for macs!

We have been kicking around the idea to make our own front end for a while now and have just now been able to get things going. And going they are! This project is being constantly updated and improved.

Bellow is a feature list and all the fixes so far.

Public Release 1-
Main Application

New Features:
•Dynamically Arrangeable interface buttons
•Dynamically Changeable interface/button color
•Music Module Added
•12 hour clock w day of week
•Rotary Dial wheel which can hold up to 12 modules

Bug Fixes: None
Changes: None
Known Issues: Mouse Events outside options bezel don't get blocked
Dial wheel is free moving (no designated "locking" points)

Music Module

New Features:
•Lists all music from your iTunes Library
•Navigate Library by Artist Album or Genre
•Play any Quicktime compatible track (that is in iTunes Library)
•Real Visualizer (visuals are an actual result of the music playing, not faked)

Bug Fixes:None
Changes:None
Known Issues: Mouse Events outside options bezel don't get blocked
Play/Pause button will revert back to their original color when clicked
Once a song is done playing the next song in the list doesn't play
back/forward buttons play the previous/next song in list instead of starting the playing track over
Navigating by artist will show a "No Album" section in each artists respective album list, however it is never populated even when it should be

Public Release 2-

Main Application

New Features:None

Bug Fixes: Mouse events outside the options Bezel are no longer sent
Dial now has locking positions and is no longer free rotating

Changes: dial button positions are more accurately calculated to be a more perfect circle
clock no longer displays a leading 0 in the hours

Known Issues: None

Music Module

New Features: None

Bug Fixes: Play/pause button no longer reverts color
When a song is done playing the next song in the list will now play
mouse events outside the options bezel are no longer sent

Changes:None
Known Issues: back/forward buttons play the previous/next song in list instead of starting the playing track over
Navigating by artist will show a "No Album" section in each artists respective album list, however it is never populated even when it should be

Head on over to www.neonboombox.com to download the app and try it out for yourself. If you download it please be sure to give us some feedback. We would love to hear any opinion you may have!

DISCLAIMER: We have been using this on many different machines and have yet to have a problem. But use at your own risk. in the very unlikely event that something happens to your system as a result of using our program IT IS NOT OUR FAULT!

also, if anyone is interested, we are looking for a few beta testers for our app. if you are interested drop us a line at info@neonboombox.com

iamgnat · 01-30-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by NeonBoomBox

•12 hour clock w day of week

Without having actually downloaded it, here is one suggestion I have.

Don't force your date preferences on others

Use one of the Date and Time formats from the International SysPrefs. That way the user can customize the format to look how ever they prefer (i'm a mm/dd/yy hh:mm:ss man myself

). Here is an example of how to do it (though I am being bad and forcing them to use a date):

Code:

- (void) updateDateTime: (id) ignore {
	NSString			*path = [@"~/Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences.plist"
                                 stringByExpandingTildeInPath];
	NSDictionary		*prefs = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithContentsOfFile:path];
	NSString			*dateFormat = [[prefs objectForKey:@"AppleICUDateFormatStrings"]
                                       objectForKey:@"3"];
	NSString			*timeFormat = [[prefs objectForKey:@"AppleICUTimeFormatStrings"]
                                       objectForKey:@"3"];
	NSString			*date, *time;
	CFLocaleRef			locale = NULL;
	CFDateFormatterRef	formatter = NULL;
	
	if (dateFormat == nil) {
		// Default if the user doesn't have anything configured.
		// 2 digit month, 2 digit day, 2 digit year.
		dateFormat = @"MM/dd/yy";
	}
	if (timeFormat == nil) {
		// Default if the user doesn't have anything configured.
		// 24 hour 2 digit hour, 2 digit minute, and 2 digit seconds.
		timeFormat = @"HH:mm:ss";
	}
	
	locale = CFLocaleCopyCurrent();
	formatter = CFDateFormatterCreate(kCFAllocatorDefault, locale,
                                      kCFDateFormatterNoStyle,
                                      kCFDateFormatterNoStyle);
	
	CFDateFormatterSetFormat(formatter, (CFStringRef) dateFormat);
	date = (NSString *) CFDateFormatterCreateStringWithAbsoluteTime(
                                                kCFAllocatorDefault, formatter,
                                                CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent());
    
	CFDateFormatterSetFormat(formatter, (CFStringRef) timeFormat);
	time = (NSString *) CFDateFormatterCreateStringWithAbsoluteTime(
                                                kCFAllocatorDefault, formatter,
                                                CFAbsoluteTimeGetCurrent());
    
	CFRelease(locale);
	CFRelease(formatter);
    
    [dateTextField setStringValue:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@ %@",
                                   date, time]];
}

Otherwise it sounds pretty good so far.

Do I recall correctly (from a previous thread) that you are not open sourcing this?

-dave

NeonBoomBox · 01-30-2008, 05:14 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by iamgnat

Don't force your date preferences on others

it is a 12 hour clock by defalt because thats how most clocks are. and as we are striving for a very user personalized front end the date/time will have plenty of options, even for the most picky of users

Cybix · 01-31-2008, 02:03 AM

doesnt launch on PPC 1.4 mac mini running leopard. bounces in dock about 15 or 20 times then just bails

NeonBoomBox · 01-31-2008, 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by iamgnat

Do I recall correctly (from a previous thread) that you are not open sourcing this?

We are not making this project open source. But we will be releasing a sdk within the coming weeks so users have the ability to create their own modules.

NeonBoomBox · 01-31-2008, 10:17 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cybix

doesnt launch on PPC 1.4 mac mini running leopard. bounces in dock about 15 or 20 times then just bails

if you can open up your console app, try and launch Neon Boombox, and post the output to the crash log thread that would be supper helpful! thanks!

Cybix · 02-03-2008, 07:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by NeonBoomBox

if you can open up your console app, try and launch Neon Boombox, and post the output to the crash log thread that would be supper helpful! thanks!

I will do that tonight for you..

James

NeonBoomBox · 02-12-2008, 11:05 PM

Mmmmmm some fresh pics!

Bugbyte · 02-13-2008, 08:08 AM

I meant to ask - what is the bar graph on the left? Will that be the volume?

NeonDev · 02-13-2008, 09:05 AM

yes it will tho I do think that the final volume control will look somewhat different as the next release will encompass some minor interface changes

HEAVY8HITTERS · 03-07-2008, 02:12 PM

wow this looks great i look forward to installing this when i get my mac mini.. keep up the good work and keep us posted on new features and ideas

NeonDev · 03-07-2008, 02:31 PM

thank you very much. Its nice to feel appreciated. there is actually a new build out now that looks a bit different and yet some more interface tweaks are coming possibly today or tomorrow.

kevincat · 03-07-2008, 03:15 PM

hey i download the neon box thingy and it looks great. i do have a problem tho.... my liliput dont wannna display 800x480 so is there an option where i can get it to display at 800x600 because the black bar on top of the app. doesnt look so appealing. let me know neondev. thanks keep up the good work.

NeonDev · 03-07-2008, 03:29 PM

yeah I just posted this in the AMP forum. 800x600 resolution will be available in release 6. just be patient for a couple of weeks

NeonDev · 03-18-2008, 03:47 PM

make sure you have the latest version available here
neonboombox.com

what you are describing sounds like a bug I introduced in release 5b has bitten you.

I am improperly trying to get the itunes location from the itunes preference file. I have fixed this in release 6 (not yet publicly available)

there are several ways to "fix" it in 5b, the easies would be to delete the itunes preference file from your library. If you need help with that I can explain it in more detail.

release 6 will be coming out this weekend FYI

EDIT: the post i was responding to seems to have vanished... it was regarding NBB failure to launch.