H10 5/6GB Custom Build

[AsusFreak!]

I don't know if anybody had the same problems:
in Mono's build 08.11.2007 I just couldn't play MPC files. They started for some seconds and then jumped to the next MPC file. Sometimes it was played a whole file and then skipping again.

With the new file MPC's working the normal way again.
Seemed to be a codec problem...

[PaulPosition]

Kind of..

Most probably something to do with the many commits regarding "Metadata on Buffer" whereby the (heck!) Metadata (id3, path, etc.) and the album_art bmp are allocated parts of the playing buffer. Many little bugs were introduced and resolved in that week.

Regarding what MoB does, here's part of what Nicolas P. had to say when he introduced the idea for the 'google summer of code' event.. (in bold is the part that relates to your MPC problems and other..) :

The basic idea is to change how metadata for audio tracks is stored. Here metadata means information tags, but also other kinds of information: more generally, everything related to a track. Currently, metadata is stored in a predefined area of the memory, as a fixed number (32) of fixed size structures, and the file buffer is only used to store compressed audio data and codecs. This limits the number of tracks in the buffer to 32 and prevents any kind of special features (those that use more memory than mere short text tags) from being supported, because allowing them would require reserving 32 times the amount of memory required. The idea behind "metadata on buffer" is to move metadata storage to the file buffer, allowing a virtually unlimited amount of metadata for a given track, without having to allocate the same amount for each track. This would make adding certain new features like lyrics display or, in particular, album art much easier than currently and allow existing features like cuesheet support to be implemented in a more elegant way. It would also improve memory management and allow more flexibility.
The main difficulty in this project is that large parts of the playback engine will probably need to be redesigned in order to make this possible.

Okay, now I stop spamming Mono's thread. Sorry.

[TheMono]

Originally Posted by PaulPosition

Okay, now I stop spamming Mono's thread. Sorry.

If you're answering the question, you're not spamming my thread - please, be my guest!

[AsusFreak!]

Hey Mono,

just my first question again.
Could the problem with the plugin backgrounds be solved?
(See a few posts back)

[Angryman_H10]

hmm, as far as i know theres a command for that

rb->lcd_set_background( BLACK);

It should be reset to your original backdrop as soon as you leave the plugin.

But thinking about a way of implemantating that for all plugins as an option should be discussed in the rockbox forums.
Just adding that code to every plugin code wouldnt be the nice way. It must be placed somewhere more in depth and
if it would it surely should be added as a menu option. But yes i think its somehow possible.

[PaulPosition]

Hmm..

Judging by the discussions about the backlight-in-plugins patch I'd expect it to be quite the contrary : changing the plugins that need it might go okay (I did it, once, with sudoku) with people but anything that adds into the core (like settings!) won't be welcomed warmly.

All in my opinion of course.

[TheMono]

Originally Posted by Angryman_H10

rb->lcd_set_background( BLACK);

The hard part would be getting it to change back again after the plugin completes though...?

[iwantanimac]

Doesn't it automatically do that on plugin exit?

[PaulPosition]

Here's a small bit of how the Sudoku initializes the screen colours :

#if LCD_DEPTH > 1
rb->lcd_set_backdrop(NU LL);
rb->lcd_set_foreground( LCD_BLACK);
rb->lcd_set_background( LCD_WHITE);
#endif

Angryman (and IWAiM) is right, of course, that it reverts those change on exiting the plugin, by default. So there's no need to code the revert).

The changing foreground and background colours would be unnecessary if the WPS maker choose a good colour for under the backdrop (it won't show anyway except in plugins[*]). And the plugins that still show backdrop could be amended not to show it anymore. That's the sort of solution that would fly with the 'commits guys' because that doesn't touch the core.

I'll have a look at which plugins do or do not show the backdrops and prepare a small patch soon.

[*] Of course, the few plugins that use bitmap tiles, like Sudoku, might need "sane" colours to be forced so that it shows alright no matter the background colour.
[*] 2 - That means explicitely stating a foreground AND contrasting background in the theme, too.. HardRain is a bit unreadable in that department.

[AsusFreak!]

2 - That means explicitely stating a foreground AND contrasting background in the theme, too.. HardRain is a bit unreadable in that department

Hey - that's the art of design !

Ok ok - you are right: contrast is a little weak.
But it's no problem changing the brightness and contrast of the used bitmaps. Just give me a hint.

[druidfire217]

Now that it has been successfully tested, you might want to update the links on the first post. Just so people know that a new build is out there.

[TheMono]

Links updated. I just wanted to get a fair few testers first since it is a fairly extensive change over the previous version.

[djdafreund]

I'm confused. You mentioned the new links were updated, and also some changes were made on 11/21/07, but the build is 111807 (11/1, is the build itself actually updated, and just disreguard the filenaming? Just wanted to make sure.

[TheMono]

No, the build isn't updated - I just updated the links on the first post and on the thread on the official rockbox forums.

With this build being such a substantial change over the last one, I didn't want to put it straight into the first post, where hopefully a new user will be downloading from. Instead, I wanted it tested a little here first. So the 18th's build is still current.

[TheKind_H10]

Is someone planning create a build with Radio WPS ?

Thanks !

[TheMono]

Couldn't find a link to the patch on flyspray sorry, otherwise yes, I would have.

[Dimension Sibi]

The Radio WPS patches are out of sync so the tasks have been closed!

[TheMono]

My problem is, even factoring in my notorious, possibly superhuman ability to fail to find something directly in front of me, I still couldn't find the closed radio WPS patch on flyspray.

[Dimension Sibi]

Radio WPS:
FS#3024: radio wps
FS#3014: minor radio code editing.. and prep for customising radio

[TheMono]

Still haven't got the radio WPS patch to sync nicely, in the meantime there is a new interim build up which supports custom splash screens.

A splash screen has been blatantly stolen for this from Julius who does the jbuild for Ipods (and resized a little for the H10). No splash screen is included for the 20gb.

For theme designers - simply place a file "splash.bmp" in the root of the player (ie, not in the .rockbox directory, the very root) to use this as the splash. It is not resized, and must be the native size of the screen. It is also not settable via any means other than replacing that file. By removing that file, the normal rockbox splash will be displayed.

5gb:
rockbox5gb20071203.z ip

20gb:
rockbox20gb20071203. zip

Master Patch:
master.patchdec03.zi p

EDIT: I'm also going to have, as standard, a couple of days before I update the original post and the thread on the rockbox forums in case I miss godawful bugs.

[iwantanimac]

Thanks for the update. Downloading now.

I didn't think the Radio WPS patch would apply cleanly. It'll need a lot of work, as there's been a lot of work done in the WPS code since it was last updated. Hope you can figure it out, though! Maybe Angryman can help =P

[AsusFreak!]

Hi Mono,

now I have a problem with the line marker again.
Take my theme and go to the setting screen.
The line marker now ends on the right end of the screen.
The text ends at the configured end position while the marker does not.
Is it a bug with the custom line position patch?

Anyway: thanks for updating so often.
I really enjoy your work.

[iwantanimac]

Originally Posted by AsusFreak!

Hi Mono,

now I have a problem with the line marker again.
Take my theme and go to the setting screen.
The line marker now ends on the right end of the screen.
The text ends at the configured end position while the marker does not.
Is it a bug with the custom line position patch?

Anyway: thanks for updating so often.
I really enjoy your work.

The customline patch seems to just work like that with the new menu system (Meaning it basically has since TheMono's builds started)