Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Swordsman74]

Hi JRiver,
 I was wondering if you could provide an option toggle somewhere to allow MJ to continue drawing the visualizations even when the playing now window is not visible?
 I have my Track Info page being displayed separately from MJ.  Unless I leave MJ on the Playing Now pane, it does not update the Track Info page.  Especially since your software seems destined to take on additional duties (photo manager, web browser plugin)...  Without this toggle enhancement, I would be much less inclined to use those additional features, knowing that I would be losing the functionality of the trackinfo page each time.....

Please let me know what you think, either yay or nay.

 Thanks!
    Matt L.

[JimH]

Matt,
Try putting the display in "windowed" mode.  Then try "always on top", available by a right click on screen, then display something.

[Swordsman74]

Hi Jim,
  Thanks for the quick reply!  You are quite correct - I tried what you described and it works just like you said.  I thought it was going to be "the" solution, but unfortunately, the way Microsoft handles its windows, it won't let me keep the trackinfo window "on-top" where I need it to stay.  MS thinks the window is off the screen so it bumps it back into view - thereby covering up what I wanted to see unobstructed.
 Now, of course, I don't expect you to make significant changes to fit one person's use of MJ.  But, if you could keep this in mind when making the "to-do" list for future MJ development, I would appreciate it!  :-)

 Thanks!
   Matt L.

[JimH]

Did you check the option for "always on top"?

[JaredH]

heres an option that may help you out, download TweakUI for windows and there is an option available in that utility that makes the activation of windows follow the mouse, hence you dont have to click on any windows, just maximize them in the sequence you want them stacked on the screen, and then you dont have to click any of them, they will all be on top. At least it works for me.

[Swordsman74]

Hi Jim,
  Yes, I did set it to "on top".  If you want to see what I am trying to do, here is a link to a screenshot:



  Here is my overall issue: I want to be able to view my trackinfo page (artist, title, cover art, etc) but I still want to retain the functionality of the rest of MJ.  There are three options that I have:

1.  Display my trackinfo page in the windows taskbar (special JavaScript code).  See it here: Old Desktop.  The problem is that if I go anywhere else in MJ besides "Playing Now", my external track info page won't update when the song changes.  This will be a bigger problem when version 9 adds other media management - I won't be on "Playing Now" if I'm looking at pictures, etc.

2.  Make the Track Info page display in "Windowed" mode.  I do keep the rest of MJ functionality, and would be able to work with other media without losing my real-time track information.  The problem is that since you use normal Windows window controls for this mode, I cannot keep the window displayed where I need it to be.  Is there a possibility of this becoming an application window instead of using MS window controls?  Here's a screenshot of what I'm trying to do:  My New Desktop.  

3.  Mini-skin.  This would let me keep the display where I need it, but I lose all other MJ functionality - I would have to go from mini-to-mega skin to view other media (version 9) or do other media library work.  One solution that would work great for this mode - if you could allow both a mini-skin and a mega-skin to be running at the same time!  I could keep one small corner mini-skin and be using the mega-skin to do the other stuff.  Any possibility of this?

I bet it must be interesting to see how many different and unique ways people find to use your product!!!

Thanks!
 Matt L.

[Swordsman74]

Whoops - my first line says "link to a screenshot" that is not there - but it's same one I refer to in #2.

Sorry, Jim!

Thanks!
  Matt L.

[KingSparta]

where can i get the old picture so i can use it?

[Swordsman74]

Hehehe - that's the second time I've posted that picture in this forum, and you're the second person to ask where to get that photo!  :-)  I get all my background pics through Webshots - here's the link to that one:

http://www.webshots.com/g/33/613-sh/23959.html

Enjoy!

[gkerber]

What do you use to get the calendar on the desktop?

[shelly]

My compliments for a stunning desktop.  Would you be kind enough to provide some more information on what applications you are using to achieve those effects?  Thanks.

Shelly

Listening to: 'The Lady Is A Tramp' from 'On 52nd Street' by 'Marian McPartland' on Media Jukebox

[Swordsman74]

Hi all,
 gkerber - I use Webshots to handle my desktop backgrounds, and it has a calendar feature (with a few options).  You can use their software with your own photos, if you're not interested in downloading any of theirs.

 Shelly - thanks - I'm glad you like it!  I'm not sure which layout you were referring to, but it's a short list in either case, so here's both:

OLD DESKTOP:

Standard Windows taskbar docked on left with various toolbars
   - Taskbar is transparent using Glass2K (only works in Win2k/XP)
   - The time/date and MediaJukebox window are HTML pages being displayed as toolbars in the taskbar, using a javascript command I found here.

Red bar on top is Trillian instant messenger with Solaris Red skin.

Calendar and background are using Webshots Desktop software and pictures.

NEW DESKTOP:

Standard Windows taskbar on top with same Glass2k transparency, and same time/date webpage.

Same Webshots for the background (no calendar)  I probably have downloaded over 1000 photos from their site...

Toolbar on left is Enable Toolbox - nifty program, but it is shareware and I think the company may be out of business (website hasn't been updated since 2000).  I love the program, though...You can set up CPU/RAM/HD monitors, POP3 mail checks, volume controls, shortcuts, folders, and two different sizes of icons - all in the same toolbar.  I've been using it with mjextman.exe commands to help control Media Jukebox.

Trillian messenger with Solaris skin is in the middle/left.

Media Jukebox customized TrackInfo page in "Windowed" mode is on the bottom/left.

Let me know if you need any more details about anything I did here...  I did say it was a short list, but I'm constantly being accused of being "long-winded"...   :-)

 - Matt L.