Neon Boombox users guide

NeonDev · 03-26-2008, 04:02 PM

this thread is intended to be a dumping ground for information regarding how to use Neon Boombox. Any questions regarding how to do something in Neon Boombox should be posted here for anybody to answer.

As a start Im going to attempt to list all the key bindings for the application as they stand in this yet to be released build. (they are largely the same as the current release 6)

understand that when I say focus it means what has the neon blue "ring" around it. focus starts on the dial and it there is a module at the bottom position that button is given focus.

Main application:

up/down - rotates the main screen dial left and right. (for those of you that don't know this can also be dragged around by dragging anywhere between the clock and the outer edge of the trench containing the buttons AS OF RELEASE 6B).

if the color change slider in the options is focused this will scrub that. in the future if the volume control is focused it will turn the volume up/down

tab - switches focus between controls. from the dial to the options button to the power button and back to the dial

spacebar - triggers the focused control. on power and options button this will open bezels with different options in them which can also be focused using the tab key. if the dial is in focus the module at its 6oclock position is launched.

x - triggers a bezel close if any are open. otherwise triggers the power button.

o - triggers the options bezel if no other bezels are open

Music Module:

up/down - if a list is focused will move the highlight indicator up/down scrolling the list if necessary.

if the track position scrubber is focused will scrub back/forward

if the volume control is focused will adjust the volume up/down

any-other time will jump the focus to the controls at the bottom (either the playlist/artist/song/whatever filters or the play/pause back forward visualizer etc) and cycle through them

tab - switches focus to the next control group. from home to the bottom controls to options and back to the home button (throw the track scrubber in there for the now playing screen)

if in the options will cycle through the different options.

spacebar - will trigger the focused control. if a list is in focus it will drill to the next level (sorry no binding for a "double click" for playing an entire artist/album/playlist yet)

x - triggers a bezel close if in one. otherwise triggers the home button.

o - triggers the options bezel

whew i think thats everything...

NeonDev · 05-14-2008, 10:28 PM

now that release 9 has support for 3rd party visualizers it is time to teach the interested how to craft them.

NBB visualizers are nothing more that a quartz composition. you will need apples free Quartz Composer application found on you leopard install DVD.

the only criteria are some specific published inputs, as follow:
"name" - this is the name of the playing song. it is a string type
"artist" - this is the artist of the playing song. it is a string type
"album" - this is the album of the playing song. it is a string type

"albumArt" - this is the album art of the playing song. it is an image type
"trackNumber" - this is the track # of #. it is a string type

"eq_spectrum" - this is a 16 band eq. it is a structure type filled with decimal types
this is required for movements/other changes based on sound

you don't actually have to do anything with the input data. just publish a blank input if you don't want to use it.

If you are new to Quartz Composer i suggest downloading "iVisualize" and making a simple port or two of those visualizers. If you create any visualizers and want me to bundle them I sure can do that, but I will only include them if they utilize the "eq_spectrum" I only want to include real visualizers in the application

you may install your visualizers in:
"Neon Boombox.app/Contents/Resources/Modules/PXMusicModule.module/Visualizers/"

here is my port from iVisualize for an example

NeonDev · 05-17-2008, 06:12 PM

Main Application:

these bindings only apply to the main screen at this time. options/power bezel are uncontrollable with the apple remote. will be addressed in a future release

up/down - equivalent to tab. cycle between the dial the options button, the power, button, and of course the dial. only unidirectional at this time.

left/right - rotate the dial left/right. user can hold for continual rotation

play - toggle focused control. equivalent to the space bar.

menu - toggles the power bezel tho the apple remote does not currently control the bezel.

Music/Video Modules

the following apply only while on the library browser screen

up/down - equivalent to the up/down keys. scrolls tables and adjusts "scrollable" controls when they are in focus. user can hold for continuous action. the volume controller is now scrollable

right/left - equivalent to tab. change focus to the next control. unidirectional at this time.

play - toggle selected control. equivalent to space bar.

hold play - launch the visualizer (music module only).

menu - exit the module.

the following apply to the "now playing" screen as well as the visualizer/full screen movie views

up/down - controls the volume.

right/left - forward/back.

play/pause - play/pause

menu - back to previous scree.

hold menu - exits the module.

NeonDev · 06-21-2008, 01:20 PM

Here are some helpful tips and tricks:

1.using Apples "Property List Editor" available on your Leopard install disc, you can edit the ~/Library/Prefrences/com.Project-X.NeonBoombox.plist file to edit some preferences that aren't editable any other way.

the only "hidden" preference as of right no is called "dateFormat" which controls the date formatting for the main clock. here is a guide to help you all customize it how you see fit.

More "hidden" prefs will likely come to pass in the future.

2. (this tip is for 1.0 and later) you may hold down on the dial for 2 seconds (without dragging) to toggle button arrangeability.

BTW I have updated the above documentation as well.