Feature requests for EmpegFace?

When I get time to work on the next version, what would folks like to see? I'm only looking for simple features here... Things that would be quick and easy to add. Right now, on my list of possible things to do I have:

- Support password protected empegs based on Mark's new authentication scheme, using the information he provided in this thread.

- Implement a broadcast packet to discover the empeg on the network instead of you needing to enter its address yourself.

- Add a pulsing Standby light, by grabing /proc/empeg_power.

- Add a panel for special http commands, perhaps as a submenu of the rightclick menu, perhaps configurable. Things that you can't do easily with the control panel buttons. Such as: Set RO/Set RW, reboot, etc. Anyone have any ideas of stuff that they'd like to see on this panel?

- Add a Taxi feature. Right now I taxi files between work and home with a complex batchfile. I could do this inside of EmpegFace instead. I've got some ideas about how it might work...

Anyway, aside from the taxi feature, which I'm willing to put some time into because I use one every day already, I'd ideally want changes to be small and easy to drop in. Anyone got suggestions?

I seem to recall asking this question once before, and I implemented a few things from that thread. Anyone got a link to it so I can revisit the past requests?

Better Linux support, please.

good luck...it's written in VB...have you tried it in wine?

I seem to recall that others have said it works fine in Wine.

I know, it sucks to have to use an emulator.

Oh, wait, Wine Is Not an Emulator. Hm. Then what is it? You just gotta love products like Wine and Lame that deny their own existence in their very names.

WINE isn't an emulator. It's a compatibility layer which converts the Win32 API to native Unix & X calls.
The reason for the name LAME is that originally it was a patch to the ISO reference encoder but now it's totally standalone and is an encoder...

I'm aware of the reasons for the names, I just think it's funny.

Wine isn't what I had in mind when I said "better", but I know you were just retaliating in kind.

I must have a play with Wine when it's less alpha and more beta (not that I particularly like the Windows apps I've been subjected to - I guess it takes a certain way of thinking).

I wanted to request the ability to have a "Double Sized" empegface w. "Regular Sized" remote, but that's more of a skin request than a feature request.

I wanted to request the ability to have a "Double Sized" empegface w. "Regular Sized" remote, but that's more of a skin request than a feature request.

Seconded, that would certainly be something I'd like to see too.

Other than some of the features you have listed above Tony, I can't think of anything else that would be useful - it already does everything I personally need!

And thanks again for adding a pulldown menu for the skins.

I'm not sure if this is a skin type request or not.. but is it possible to have the empeg display with no empeg surrounding it? That way, I could use the remote to control it (or right click the display) and the display would take up very little space.

I wanted to request the ability to have a "Double Sized" empegface w. "Regular Sized" remote, but that's more of a skin request than a feature request.

Simply creating a folder and copying the appropriate files from the included skins would be enough to do that. They're loose files, simply looking at them will give you enough information for you to figure this one out on your own.

I'm not sure if this is a skin type request or not.. but is it possible to have the empeg display with no empeg surrounding it? That way, I could use the remote to control it (or right click the display) and the display would take up very little space.

Yes, this would be a very simple skin to make. Again, you can copy the appropriate files from an existing skin to make the remote, and then take two seconds to create a couple of bitmaps for the face itself at size 128x32. The ini file should place the screen at 0,0 and you're all set.

Creating a skin is not hard at all and complete instructions are included with EmpegFace.

Simply creating a folder and copying the appropriate files from the included skins would be enough to do that. They're loose files, simply looking at them will give you enough information for you to figure this one out on your own.

/me slaps forehead

Much better, thanks Tony

A pocket pc edition?

Would it be possible to have the current song title/artist in the caption that comes up when you hover over the Icon on the systray?

I usually have the visuals on display so if I wanted to see the song info I have to maximize then hold down the down button.

Just thought it would be convenient.

thanks

That's a good suggestion, and do-able with only a little bit of work.

Although I'm not sure the systray icon is the best place for it. I'm considering adding a "specials" panel which would include extra commands you can issue to the player, and that would probably be the correct place for it.

Sweet!
Can't wait.

Thanks Tony.

I would like to see support for multiple units, I would like to switch between my unit at home and the one in the car easily.

I too would also like a Pocket PC version. The PPC embedded VB environment is free from Microsoft and my guess is that it shouldn't take a lot of converting. I was planning to have a go at this type of app for the PPC as soon as I get my iPAQ which is hopefully later this week. But as yours is nearly perfect and a lot more flexible than I would have written (with skins etc),it seems silly.

I do that currently by installing empegface into 2 different directories. Works great for me and wouldn't want to lose that, as I can run both up at once with difference faces (which the empegs actually have as well).

Good Point... Well Made.. This will be my chosen solution too. Thanks.

I would like to see support for multiple units

Right, like Skibum said, just make two different folders and then you'll have two different programs with independent configurations.

I was planning to have a go at this type of app for the PPC as soon as I get my iPAQ

I don't have any plans to port it to any other environment, let alone pocketPC, so you should probably have a look at doing it yourself when you get the iPaq in.

my guess is that it shouldn't take a lot of converting

You'd be surprised. It's quite likely that you'd spend less time writing it from scratch than I would trying to shoehorn my convoluted design into PPC.

how about releasing the source, so people such as him wouldnt have to re-invent the wheel, so to speak?

There's nothing unique or even special in those sources. It just downloads the URL of the Hijack screen capture over and over again in a fast loop. You don't need my sources to duplicate that.

You don't need my sources to duplicate that.

He's not kidding: 20-25 minutes (including posting it to my website) over lunch results in this:



And the interesting bit?

private void MainForm_Tick(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
DateTime now = DateTime.Now;
timeLabel.Text = now.ToLongTimeString();

WebRequest req = WebRequest.Create(@"http://crowley/proc/empeg_screen.png");
WebResponse rsp = req.GetResponse();

Stream stream = rsp.GetResponseStream();
Image img = Image.FromStream(stream);
picture.Image = img;

rsp.Close();
}

Hey Tony, I can't connect to my player via empegface when I force the player into DC mode but I'm still able to connect to the player via emplode (the IP and Subnet seems to be working).

Any ideas? I wanted to get some screen grabs that only appear In-Car.

FAQ

Wow, you beat the FAQmaster to FAQing someone!

The world *is* ending.

tfabris must be rebooting right now!

-jk

hehe, thanks guys.

Is this what I'm looking for? dc_servers=1

Quote:
I can't connect to my player via empegface when I force the player into DC mode

Because Hijack disables the web server in DC mode. That FAQ entry shows how to set DC_Servers to 1.

I wasn't rebooting, I was watching the Tivo'd debate.

Gonna go reboot in a few minutes though...