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Old 10-10-2005, 11:54 AM   #1
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Front end chooser ? anyone ?

Hi

I am not sure if this has been an idea before

but what about a front end chooser ?
an exe that replaces explorer.exe as the shell
this app then has a few customisable buttons on it

frodo nmc
rr phonecontrol
winamp explorer.exe
centrafuse car amp
media engine obd

so that you can then choose the front end you want, of course if there is no selection, then perhaps a default is done automatically, there may be some times you want to use the pc but not through the front end, and to wiat for the front end to open up and then close
what about it ?
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Old 10-10-2005, 11:55 AM   #2
Well, He asked for it.
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I would use that if someone made it...
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Old 10-10-2005, 12:12 PM   #3
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I wrote an app that does something similiar to this. Basically because I/we all enable our front ends as the shell sometimes this can limit our abilities to access certian features of our PC's. In my hardware design my front end is stored on an external 2.5" drive. Forseeing myself forgetting to put in the 2.5" drive ocasionally, causing the system to boot with no front end, I devised a plan.

My plan was to have a CF card (in the MII's CF slot) with my frontend on it. The OS on a CF card connected to IDE and a 2.5" External drive capable of mass storage, with my front end on it.

The shell I designed is actually the new windows shell. When loaded it figures out if the primary front end is available (on the 2.5" drive) If its not then looks for the secondary front end (located on the CF card) If thats not available, then is loads explorer.exe... If thats not available it will try to load a "launch file window" (for diagnostics)

The app has an editable XML file where you can chose (Primary,Secondary,Emergency) applications. Also one addition, is that it watches the primary and secondary applications for termination (a crash) if the app crashed, it relaunches it within 5 seconds. Like windows will do to its shell.

I can post some base code OR possibly re-design the app to how you guys want it... Of course I'll do this only if there's enough interest. But when I get home I will at least post the basecode.
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Software: Still, re-Writing my existing front end in .Net

Last edited by IntellaWorks : 10-10-2005 at 12:14 PM.
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Old 10-10-2005, 12:16 PM   #4
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Yip, this is getting on to the right track
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Old 10-10-2005, 12:23 PM   #5
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Someone could easily edit the code to do what you guys wanted. Its all based of XML for one thing so that would really make it easier.
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Via EPIA MII
512MB RAM
OEM GPS (embedded)
nLite WinXP pro on
1GB Extreme III CF card
Carnetix 1260 startup/ DC-DC regulator
Software: Still, re-Writing my existing front end in .Net
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Old 10-10-2005, 03:27 PM   #6
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what about this? http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...light=carshell

altho intellas idea is purdy cool!
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Any ideas for putting a PC in this? :)
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Old 10-11-2005, 06:53 AM   #7
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Code:
Private primary_directory As String Private secondary_directory As String Private emergency_directory As String Public Enum ENUM_ShellState primary secondary cleared emergency End Enum Private ShellState As ENUM_ShellState Private Sub frm_main_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load Dim node_data As String Dim settings As New XmlDocument Dim node As XmlNode If File.Exists("settings.xml") Then settings.Load("settings.xml") Dim primary_app As XmlNodeList primary_app = settings.GetElementsByTagName("application") Dim p_nodes As XmlNode For Each p_nodes In primary_app node_data = p_nodes.ChildNodes(0).ChildNodes(0).Value Select Case (p_nodes.ChildNodes(1).ChildNodes(0).Value) Case "1" primary_directory = node_data Case "2" secondary_directory = node_data Case "3" emergency_directory = node_data End Select Next Call launch_something() Else lbl_status.Text = "settings.XML missing" End If End Sub Private Sub launch_something() Dim filename As String Try Shell(primary_directory) ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.primary Catch ex As Exception ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.cleared Try Shell(secondary_directory) ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.secondary Catch ex2 As Exception ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.cleared Try Shell(emergency_directory) ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.emergency lbl_status.Text = "Emergency mode!" process.Enabled = False Catch ex3 As Exception 'diag_emergency.ShowDialog() FileExp.Filter = "Exec (*.exe)|*.exe|" & "All files|*.*" If FileExp.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then 'showDialog method makes the dialog box visible at run time FileName = FileExp.FileName End If If Not filename = "" Then Try Shell(filename) Catch ex4 As Exception launch_something() End Try Else launch_something() End If lbl_status.Text = "Catastrophic Failure!" End Try End Try End Try End Sub Private Sub process_Tick(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles process.Tick Dim Proc As Process If Not ShellState = ENUM_ShellState.cleared Then Try Proc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("Carinterface")(0) Catch ex As Exception launch_something() End Try End If End Sub

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File Type: zip explorer.zip (6.2 KB, 95 views)
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Progress [I will seriously never be done!]
Via EPIA MII
512MB RAM
OEM GPS (embedded)
nLite WinXP pro on
1GB Extreme III CF card
Carnetix 1260 startup/ DC-DC regulator
Software: Still, re-Writing my existing front end in .Net
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Old 10-11-2005, 06:57 AM   #8
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How to use it:

Below is the XML file. In directory tag you put the applications shell path
The priority is self explanitory.
The name tag is for the process name, so launch your app press ctrl + alt + delete and look for the exe of your front end and put that here.

Oh and don't try Explorer.exe if its already as your windows shell, it freaks the machine out... not sure why...

Code:
<settings> <application> <directory>C:\carinterface.exe</directory> <priority>1</priority> <name>CarInterface</name> </application> <application> <directory>E:\</directory> <priority>2</priority> <name>CarInterface</name> </application> <application> <directory>C:\</directory> <priority>3</priority> <name>Emercency</name> </application> </settings>

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Progress [I will seriously never be done!]
Via EPIA MII
512MB RAM
OEM GPS (embedded)
nLite WinXP pro on
1GB Extreme III CF card
Carnetix 1260 startup/ DC-DC regulator
Software: Still, re-Writing my existing front end in .Net
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Old 09-23-2006, 09:35 PM   #9
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So does this work? Anyone else tried it?
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