[release] Itunes Docklet

[herd 0]

Originally posted by nightcrawler1089+Sep 15 2004, 02:37 AM-->

QUOTE(nightcrawler1089 @ Sep 15 2004, 02:37 AM)

Additionally, I couldn't open the desklet properties dialog.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is under construction

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2004, 02:50 AM

... that triangle thing...

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Shall be available in a 'turnoffable' crippled version due to aforesaid ObjectDock shortcoming

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2004, 02:57 AM

*cough* y'z dock port *cough*

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Yes of course, master, it's an honour to serve you thanks to Andreas' helper libraries no problem and this time with REAL indicators.

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2004, 05:57 PM

more bugs >.<

1.

when u start a song in iTunes, then few songs pass, u pause iTunes from the docklet, and then choose play in the docklet, it won`t continue to play the song u paused, it`s going to start playing the song that was 1st played.

2.

sometimes after closing iTunes via docklet, the dock will freeze (had this happening  twice)

3.

Suggestion:

How about an .ini file where users could specify the docklet title (for example set it just to display "iTunes" instead od "iTunes 4.6 - Artist: Song"), icon and maybe an option to start iTunes on left click on the docklet instead of right click>open iTunes?

and u allready acknowledged the ratings images prob.

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1.

Needs further investigation, maybe an iTunes problem.

2.

Its the once in a second problem that AveTunes suffers too and shall be addressed with some alterations to the iTunes-SideKick plugin. (I'm in discussion with its author)

3.

Hence it shall be given a settings dialog. Entering "iTunes 4.6 - $A: $T" there should reset to my standard. Replacers shall be: $A=Artist, $C=Album, $T=Track are the first set, $P=Played min:sec, $R=Remain min:sec, $T=total min:sec could be, but need not be implemented. What do you think?

Originally posted by [email protected] 15 2004, 06:49 PM

And how about setting the icon to the album art when its running? Might not be part of the OSX version but why limit ourselves to that?

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I 'll see to it.

[localhost 0]

Originally posted by herd@Sep 15 2004, 01:31 AM

1. fixed - don't want to start iTunes on an accidental click (Takes 10 seconds at my PC), so starting equals checking first menu item.

2. fixed. now you have an ugly N/A: N/A instead.  :6

Previous: Quit and Hide do work, Show in Finder postponed. Subclassing the docklet window wasn't  really a good idea. It's now draggable again.

Maybe mPlugin renames the window class of iTunes so I should use EnumProcess() instead of FindWindow() to detect if iTunes is running. Fierce, Localhost, fierce.

I don't get the location issue. Since I use the COM API I'm doomed to use whatever iTunes has written into the registry upon install. If you want to switch from one iTunes installation to another, you'll have to call the version you want with /regserver argument.

@all:

Hand crafting the running indicator shall be a real pain in the whatnot since StarDock wasn't as coder friendly as YZ-Dock, which'd offer the task of showing & hiding the indicator in its API. If any docklet coder has solved this in a sample, please let me know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Multi-Plugin does change the window's title (if that option is checked) :/ so you have to use EnumWindows() to find the window if a song is currently playing.

but i don't think it's an issue, since almost everything can be done using the COM API without finding the window...

anyway, good luck with the docklet!

if only it had the dock-smoothing feature, i'd stop using mine...

you can add it by running "ObjectDock.exe -ah2" twice at startup.

[herd 0]

Originally posted by localhost@Sep 15 2004, 08:35 PM

1.

Multi-Plugin does change the window's title (if that option is checked) :/ so you have to use EnumWindows() to find the window if a song is currently playing.

2.

but i don't think it's an issue, since almost everything can be done using the COM API without finding the window...

3.

if only it had the dock-smoothing feature, i'd stop using mine...

you can add it by running "ObjectDock.exe -ah2" twice at startup.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1.

Since the window class name doesn't seem to change, I'll query for class name only, hence it should work with the mPlugin.

2.

Unfortunately any access to the COM API will run iTunes if it isn't already running.

Hence you can't detect iTunes' availablility with the COM API.

3.

Adding a CreateProcess(GetModuleFileName(NULL), "-ah2", ...) twice is no problem at all. Sigh - another checkbox for the dialog. Never noticed that OD's configuration settings on 'Transition Settings' had lost their function somewhere between 0.8 and 1.04...

Thanks for the info, LocalHost.

[Unbeliever 0]

Wow!

herd ur going straight into my book of Aqua Gods

[localhost 0]

Originally posted by herd+Sep 15 2004, 08:54 PM-->

QUOTE(herd @ Sep 15 2004, 08:54 PM)

1.

Since the window class name doesn't seem to change, I'll query for class name only, hence it should work with the mPlugin.

2.

Unfortunately any access to the COM API will run iTunes if it isn't already running.

Hence you can't detect iTunes' availablility with the COM API.

3.

Adding a CreateProcess(GetModuleFileName(NULL), "-ah2", ...) twice is no problem at all. Sigh - another checkbox for the dialog. Never noticed that OD's configuration settings on 'Transition Settings' had lost their function somewhere between 0.8 and 1.04...

Thanks for the info, LocalHost.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1. that doesn't work well :/ there are other windows with the "iTunes" class. Equalizer, playlist windows, etc.

you can use this function to get the iTunes window:

HWND GetiTunesWindow()
{
	HWND hWnd;
	hWnd = FindWindow(TEXT("iTunes"),TEXT("iTunes") );
	if (hWnd) return hWnd;

	hWnd= FindWindow(TEXT("Button"), TEXT("WindowFinder") );
	if (hWnd) return (HWND)GetProp(hWnd, "iTunesWindow");
	return 0;
}

3. I forgot to mention, you have to run, then wait until it closes, and only then run it again. and it should be run it in a separate thread too.

thanks for adding this option!

[herd 0]

A new version has arrived. Features:

• Album Art - as requested by Judge; uncheckable
  
• Fake running indicator - of course one pixel off
  
• more accurate Rating stars
  
• Localhost's Dock Smoothing trick; uncheckable
  
• Settings dialog
  
• Default image
  
• Label into Title wildcards
  

Unbeliever is so kind of providing a manual and then we shall go official with this on DockEx and WinCust... Unless you, you and you find a thing that needs fixing first!

Enjoy!

small edit:

rating wasn't shown correctly - thanks Andreas for finding this one!

updated zip - added feature: volume change with mousewheel when docklet has been touched.

9/16small edit:

download removed. scroll down and get it!

[Ghostwalker 0]

some of it is not working for me album art,artist/title using iTunes 4.6.0.15

[dpg777 0]

Everything works here on OD+ and AveDesk 1.1

XP Home SP2

iTunes v 4.6.0.15

Only thing I can think of is to add a wild-card to display time remaining or time played. Thanx for your work on this, as well as your other contributions.

:rock:

[herd 0]

Originally posted by Ghostwalker+Sep 18 2004, 11:52 PM-->

QUOTE(Ghostwalker @ Sep 18 2004, 11:52 PM)

some of it is not working for me album art,artist/title using iTunes  4.6.0.15

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Some of what is not working? "album art,artist/title" - do they work for some or for no tracks at all?

[nightcrawler1089 0]

Having the same problem as ghostwalker-

Album Art and Title flash for a quick second, and then everything reverts back to default: the default iTunes icon, and the title becomes what you specify, with N/A in the place of the wildcard.

Other than that, it's very nice! Working perfectly with AD 1.1.

Thanks for a great desklet,

-nightcrawler1089

[herd 0]

Funny. Do you and Ghostwalker have any 3rd party plugins running?

[Unbeliever 0]

mine is running fine even with localhost`s MPlugin

iTunes 4.6.0.15, OD+ 1.04

[Ghostwalker 0]

Same

[nightcrawler1089 0]

I've got localhosts latest plugin, and Sidekick 1.3.

Hope this helps...

-nightcrawler1089

[dpg777 0]

Originally posted by herd@Sep 18 2004, 02:31 PM

Thank you, that's a good idea. I won't add a line feed wildcard because OD doesn't handle them.

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No biggy. But for fun you can check this out. I don't know if this will help, but this docklet allows for Title/ time scrolling on the OD label.

http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=29&SkinID=4302

[herd 0]

@localhost and nightcrawler

Can you try to disable the plugins and see if it works?

Just stop iTunes, ObjectDock/AveDesk, explore program files\itunes\plugins and rename all *.dll to *.bak. Restart iTunes and ObjectDock/AveDesk and tell me if it worked.

[my left hand 0]

Originally posted by nightcrawler1089@Sep 18 2004, 10:46 PM

Having the same problem as ghostwalker-

Album Art and Title flash for a quick second, and then everything reverts back to default: the default iTunes icon, and the title becomes what you specify, with N/A in the place of the wildcard.

Other than that, it's very nice! Working perfectly with AD 1.1.

Thanks for a great desklet,

-nightcrawler1089

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup, i completely agree! it's an excellent desklet.

strangely, i've got the same exact problem;

the title art flashes for a second, along with the artist and track title before reverting back to the default icon and "n/a: n/a"

the only plugin i have with itunes is mplugin.

iTunes 4.6.0.15

Objectdock 1.04

[herd 0]

Regular update:

• Added left click launch option. (see "Docklet Settings")
  
• Added played/amount/remain wildcards for caption. (see "Docklet Settings")
  
• Blew up album art from 128x128 to 192x192 pixels. Sheesh. Judge seems to have a 1600x1200 display.
  
• Compiled against iTunes 4.6.0.15 - Shuffle and the three Repeat modes work now. This drops 4.5 compatibility for aforesaid gadgets. Blame Apple, not me.
  
• Hide also unhides now, but the menu text is still the same.
  

Enjoy!

PS: No idea if this version fixes album art flashing - I recommend trying without any plugins (see above in this thread).

edit:

removed dated download from here, look down...

[my left hand 0]

Originally posted by herd@Sep 19 2004, 02:34 PM

Regular update:

• Added left click launch option. (see "Docklet Settings")
  
  
• Added played/amount/remain wildcards for caption. (see "Docklet Settings")
  
  
• Blew up album art from 128x128 to 192x192 pixels. Sheesh. Judge seems to have a 1600x1200 display.
  
  
• Compiled against iTunes 4.6.0.15 - Shuffle and the three Repeat modes work now. This drops 4.5 compatibility for aforesaid gadgets. Blame Apple, not me.
  
  
• Hide also unhides now, but the menu text is still the same.
  

Enjoy!

PS: No idea if this version fixes album art flashing - I recommend trying without any plugins (see above in this thread).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i've found a fix for it that works for me, you guys might one to try this out if you use the mplugin.

go to plugin options,

and uncheck "Change the caption of the iTunes window to "Artist - Song - iTunes""

and it should work after you exit itunes and OD and reboot them.

excellent pluging herd!

thanks

[Unbeliever 0]

As promised here's a mini walk through for setting up iTunes docklet.

All comments/suggestions are welcome.

Once again, thanks herd

iTunes_Docklet.pdf

[Ghostwalker 0]

my left hand beat me to it ha ha ha, that was the fix I just found also great work herd works fine.

[nightcrawler1089 0]

Yep, that fix works! Great job, herd!

Thanks for a very nice plugin.

If you don't mind adding one more feature...

This might be counter-intuitive, but...

Could we have a hide/show for when iTunes is open/closed? For AveDesk users- when iTunes is not running, it would be nice of the plugin is hidden. When iTunes is open, the plugin is shown in all it's glory...

It wouldn't make sense for OD users as a dock, but for a widget engine, it would be a nice feature. Maybe a check-box feature?

[Edit: one more feature. When iTunes is closed, could you make the title just iTunes, instead of what we specify with N/A in place of the wildcards? So, instead of iTunes: N/A: N/A. just make it iTunes. It's simpler and looks better, in my opinion. And isn't that what Mac's are all about? [/Edit}]

Thanks for even considering

-nightcrawler1089

[herd 0]

@nightcrawler

1. (Auto-hide) No.

This thing is meant to be an accurate iTunes docklet. The fact that it runs under AveDesk is coincidence. I recommend using Andreas' iTunesWidget under AveDesk and a minimal config instead.

The second point is that I'm going to port this to YZ-Dock first: AveDesk awareness comes last.

2. (Title cleanup) Yes.

Why didn't I think of it? Should come with the YZ version.

[nightcrawler1089 0]

Oh, that's okay then! With a Y'Z version, everything will be great. Then, I won't need the iTunes widget for AveDesk, and the whole auto-hide problem is solved. Most of the people who don't use OD use Y'Z (or is it the other way around?). I can't wait for that version! Are you going to post it here, or link to a new thread in the Y'Z forum>

I'm glad I could help with the title suggestion .

Thanks! This is amazing.

-nightcrawler1089

[Ghostwalker 0]

Sorry herd but one question switch to mini mode was that possible? either way it's great. I cant wait for the yz port I use both tabbed dock and yz dock.