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Author Topic: Album View: A test version is available  (Read 2794 times)

RhinoBanga

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Album View: A test version is available
« on: August 29, 2002, 12:38:57 pm »

Friends,

You can pick up the new AV here:

http://www.zippy.eclipse.co.uk/mjav/av2.exe


This version is almost-but-not-quite alpha and has the following issues:

1)  Horizontal splitter does not always align properly
2)  Cannot exclude albums
3)  Graphics glitches when MJ skinning is enabled
4)  No detailed track information shown in the bottom right of the screen
5)  Sometimes the ballon tips truncate the text
6)  Sometimes when you exit MJ crashes ... I think this is an MJ issue as the stack trace does not show any AV2 code at all ... but I have to confirm this with J River.
7)  The README.TXT file is out of date


The first thing you'll want to to is create an AV2 database ... do this by clickin on the 2nd toolbar icon.   Then follow the on-screen instructions.


To play an album you have to double-click on it in the listview where the images are shown.   Note that if you have MJ skinning enabled your screen will probably go white ... just minimize MJ and maximize it.   I believe this to be one of the MJ skinning issues I mentioned earlier.

Also note that by default I move the word "The" to the end of an artist, so "The Beatles" becomes "Beatles, The".   I'll make this an option later.


Things I am planning for later versions:

1)  Fix the issues above
2)  Add overview screen
3)  Add an options screen.
4)  Add tooltips to the toolbar
5)  Sort out the rebar ... I hate rebars :((



Have fun and let me know of any issues I haven't mentioned above.

Also I would like to hear how fast/slow you think it is.
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nila

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2002, 12:59:28 pm »

it aint working for me :(
crashing MJ instantly.



http://www.fantasyfuzion.com/err.jpg

:(

Off to bed now.
g'night
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DocLotus

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2002, 01:48:20 pm »

Hi Rhino;

I'm have many problems also.

Some bugs for you...
* Opening & closing the left yellow folder icon crashes MJ.
* Opening & closing the 3rd icon fro the leaft also crashes MJ.
* Database Wizard... I enter a file name & MJ crashes.

But... Keep up the good work!!
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Ilmar

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2002, 01:56:42 pm »

Hi

* Database Wizard... I enter a file name & MJ crashes.

Me too...

Ilmar
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2002, 10:36:46 pm »

Nila:

You probably have an old AV2 database kicking around which is incompatible.   Delete it and restart MJ.


DocLotus/Ilmar:

I'm really surprised that filling in the edit box is killing MJ.   I tried this version on 3 computers befpre I posted it.   I am wondering if it's to do with the fact that I statically linked the MFC library and not used the DLL.


I've pulled the .EXE from the website until I can get this sorted out.


Nila/Ilmar I'll send you a test version later today to see if we can isolate this issue.


Thanks for the feedback guys.
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nila

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2002, 12:10:13 am »

Now I'm getting a runtime error when I start MJ.
I uninstalled it and reinstalled it.

Wait - now it's gone back to that other error message too.

Hmm, not good.
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2002, 01:16:47 am »

I'll run it thru my copy of your database later to see what happens here.

I am just adding the code to specify rank/favourite/new albums.
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2002, 06:22:31 am »

I have uploaded a new version.

This version dynamically links to the MFC libraries instead of statically including them in the DLL.

From what I have heard it fixes the crashes.

Also I have implemented the right-mouse menu which supports setting an album's rank, etc.


Try it and let me know people.


P.S.  If you experience "blank" screens it's probably because you have skinning enabled in MJ which has a few issues.   Try switching it off to see if the plugin works.
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Quisp411

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2002, 07:23:34 am »

Still crashes after putting in file name. Doesn't get past step2.
Using Windows XP Pro MJ 8.0.356
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2002, 07:26:05 am »

What happens if you click next without entering a filename?

It should come up with an error saying "The database name cannot be blank!".

Also does it crash if you click on the browse (...) button?
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drosoph

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #10 on: August 30, 2002, 09:24:42 am »

It will crash even when going through the BROWSE button .. but only once you've selected a file and hit OK
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #12 on: August 30, 2002, 09:37:44 am »

I have uploaded a newer version if you want to try it.
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drosoph

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #13 on: August 30, 2002, 11:24:53 am »

Quick check of the new software ... I can create a database ...

From the first database creation screen, I cannot CANCEL ...

There are no TOOLTIPS showing up ... is this because they havent been created, or is this an issue ?
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drosoph

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #14 on: August 30, 2002, 11:29:23 am »

One quick question .. what is the bottom right empty white pane for ? A larger view of the Album Cover Art ?
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Matthew Flook

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #15 on: August 30, 2002, 12:13:12 pm »

I was having the crashing problems until this latest version you uploaded. I created a database and everything seems to be working beautifully now. I can't wait for the rest of the features!
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DocLotus

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #16 on: August 30, 2002, 12:14:05 pm »

Hay Rhino;

Wonderful... I can now create a database w/o locking up.

However; I did not add the extension ".av2" to the name & AV did not find the database the next time I loaded MJ8.  The file extension needs to be added by defualt like all other Windows apps.

Also it seems that 6 steps are about 3 too many when crating a database with the wizard.  Can this eventually be simplified?

I am still getting a MJ crash when I right click on an album cover.

What is the four colored icon (8 from the left) for? It seems to do nothing.

Would it be possible to add a 'variable' Large Image Size similar to the old AV?  That was very nice as I could 'tweak' the size just so, to fill in the space avaliable.

Looks like it is slowly getting there.
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #17 on: August 30, 2002, 02:19:48 pm »

drosoph:

> From the first database creation screen, I cannot CANCEL ...

It will be there in the proper alpha version in the next week or so.

> There are no TOOLTIPS showing up ... is this because they havent been created, or is this an issue ?

Tooltips will only shop up when you keep the mouse over an album for abour 3 seconds.   If they still don't show up then something is wrong.


> One quick question .. what is the bottom right empty white pane for ? A larger view of the Album Cover Art ?

That and other things like track lyrics ... see the original AV for details on what it will contain.



DocLotus:

> However; I did not add the extension ".av2" to the name & AV did not find the database the next time I loaded MJ8. The file extension needs to be added by defualt like all other Windows apps.

I'm way ahead of you and already put that in :D

> Also it seems that 6 steps are about 3 too many when crating a database with the wizard. Can this eventually be simplified?

No, otherwise the screens will be too cramped.   A wizard is supposed to be friendly.

> I am still getting a MJ crash when I right click on an album cover.

Fixed in the next version.

> What is the four colored icon (8 from the left) for? It seems to do nothing.

It's the application icon and on a toolbar it's used to show the about box which I haven't done yet.   Notice it's the same icon that appears in the wizard.

> Would it be possible to add a 'variable' Large Image Size similar to the old AV? That was very nice as I could 'tweak' the size just so, to fill in the space avaliable.

I'll add a custom option in the options screen in the next version.
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DocLotus

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #18 on: August 30, 2002, 04:14:39 pm »

Thanks Rhino.
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Nila

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #19 on: August 30, 2002, 05:53:42 pm »

Hey Rhino,

Just a small petty idea. The tooltips - 3 seconds seems pretty long.
I think 2 would be more than enough.
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #20 on: August 30, 2002, 09:48:31 pm »

Nila,

It will be configurable form 0 thru 5 where 0 is disable.
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RhinoBanga

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #21 on: September 01, 2002, 12:13:04 pm »

Friends,

I have uploaded a new version which contains:

1)  Backgound image loading ... makes AV seem instant
2)  Caption bar showing what you have selected
3)  Fixed right-mouse menu crash
4)  You can exclude albums
5)  An options screen where you can:

Specify the delay for balloon tips (or disable them)
Switch off MJ skinning support
Sort tracks via location (usefull for multi-cd albums)
Specify the default image to use for an album if no artwork exists
Specify a custom image size
Specify the image size shown in balloon tips (or disable them if you want)
Toggle the "The" handling.
Order your artists via surname, e.g. Mike Oldfield will become Oldfield, Mike.


Note that the wizard and options screen mention that the samples are in the "Documents" installation folder.   They are in fact in the installation folder.


Have fun.
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Nila

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RE:Album View: A test version is available
« Reply #22 on: September 01, 2002, 04:33:51 pm »

Hey Rhino,

Coming along nicely. It's nice to be able to rate albums but we're also going to need some usefulness to the rating we give them.
Possibly a tree view that is something like: Rating/Artist/Album
or something like that :)

Also, setting an album as favourite, new etc is only coming into effect the next time the database is loaded, it seems to be writing the info to the db but not updating the tree info.
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