Open for feature requests for the next LCDSmartie version!

Post by **caesar** » September 4th, 2008, 10:52 pm

Maybe some of you have noticed that I am working on supporting a new display from Matrix Orbital in LCDSmartie. LK204-7T-1U.

As this display brings quite some new and interesting features, I have to change quite a few things in Smartie as well, not just the display driver.
Thats why I want to hear from you, LCDSmartie users what new features you want to see in the next version of Smartie.

Please post your ideas here and I will do my best to include them in the next version!

Post by **mattcro** » September 5th, 2008, 10:47 am

I'd like to see support for actions with 2 or maybe more conditions ANDed together. This comes up occasionally on the forum, and one use I can think of is making menus. That also means we need a way to check which screen/theme is currently active. eg: IF $MObutton(D) AND CurrentScreen=1 THEN GotoScreen(3). There are occasional other uses for multi-condition actions too.

Another thing that might be useful is to have a generic action style condition instead of the "skip this screen if..." dropdown box. This is currently limited to Winamp, MBM (now defunct) and email. With an action-like condition, you could say: Skip this screen if $dll(wmp,6,,)=0 to skip if Media Player is not running. This sort of thing can often be done with actions though.

And something that might be useful for the experimenters: more flexibility for screen sizes, not just the standard 2x16, 4x20 etc HD44780 sizes. This would make it easier to use non-standard size screens like my 8x24 and rfryar's 8x20 DX160. I'm not sure how this could be implemented in the Smartie setup window though...

Post by **caesar** » September 5th, 2008, 8:32 pm

Good ideas!

1. The actions are a good idea. From what i have seen in the source, it will take a while to figure them out but should be doable.

2. If actions can solve it then let it be. We'll see about this.

3. I already built a 16x40 version prior to this venture but unfortunately I lost the source. It's doable!

From what you have proposed I think that more than 20 screens should also come in handy.

Custom characters need a proper way, no more over Chr(128) translation, also the number of characters should be freely available to customize, the display dll should report the number it supports.

Post by **caesar** » September 10th, 2008, 5:58 pm

I just realised that the actions tab needs a way to edit existing actions...

Post by **mattcro** » September 10th, 2008, 7:35 pm

Ah, yes - I've had fun with that! You currently need to click on whichever action you want to edit, edit the action boxes, add it as a new action, then delete the old action.

How about adding a "replace" button (next to delete and add) which edits/replaces an existing action. Keep the current behaviour of the "add" button so that you can create new actions based on existing ones.

Post by **caesar** » September 10th, 2008, 10:07 pm

Indeed, i also like that feature, a replace button sounds good.
Tomorrow i'll dissect Smartie again.

Post by **caesar** » September 11th, 2008, 3:34 pm

Didn't have all the time I hoped for, so for now just the Replace button is implemented, the new build is available.

Post by **mattcro** » September 11th, 2008, 8:28 pm

Just had a quick play with your new build - the replace action feature looks good! Unfortunately, I can't try the cool colour backlight since I don't have one of those cool new LCDs...

Post by **caesar** » September 11th, 2008, 10:08 pm

No problem, just put your usual display driver in that folder and please test it.
The modifications are small at a time but the final version will get quicker out!

Just had a true d'oh moment, the actions also need an insert button. After that i think i will be familiarized with actions and put in a more complex compare system.

Post by **mattcro** » September 12th, 2008, 10:01 am

It works fine with the matrix.dll from your new build (I'm using my homemade PIC matrix compatible 4x20 display). I just unzipped your ZIP to a new folder and copied my config and plugins from my existing Smartie installation.

The only problem I can find is that a couple of plugins - sandr and bigtext - fail to load, with error #126. They both work with Smartie 5.4.1, and other plugins work fine with your new build.

As for the actions, I think it works OK with the Add, Delete and Replace buttons. With these, you can make new actions (Add), change existing ones (Replace) and remove actions you don't want (Delete). The Add button does the same thing (I guess) as an Insert button would do.

Post by **caesar** » September 12th, 2008, 10:29 am

Maybe those plugins need something that isn't in the same folder?
some configuration files?
I cant think of anything that i changed to cause such a behavior... will investigate further.

EDIT: you are missing DNBridge.dll!!!

If you are following a logic path with the actions then you may need an insert option.
For instance that display has three bicolor leds as GPO's
Led1 red - gpo 1
Led1 green - gpo2
led2 red - gpo3
led2 green - gpo4
led3 red - gpo5
led3 green - gpo6
i want the cpu temp state to be green < 40C, yellow(red+green) at >40 and <45 and red >45.
then the actions need to be in a certain order.
If one needs to put an action in 3 row then he must delete all previous and add a new logic path.

Post by **mattcro** » September 12th, 2008, 2:52 pm

Aha! DNBridge was indeed the problem - I copied it to the new folder and everything works.

I see what you mean about the order of actions - I've never had to worry about that, but if you have multiple similar actions then you might need to be able to change the order of actions. Maybe "move up" and "move down" buttons to change the order, and make it obvious (table numbering?) that the actions are executed in order.

You could do the temperature warning LED actions in any order if you have 2 conditions per action: IF temp>=40 AND temp<45 THEN...

EDIT: just looked at the changelog and see you are working on up/down buttons...

Post by **limbo** » September 13th, 2008, 1:14 pm

Something like an external database for the rss feeds (under the internet tab) and also a manage tool to add custom maded rss feeds.

Ability to go directly to the currently displayed screen setup ( no need for selection when I have to modify the 19 screen [if this screen was displayed when I clicked on the "setup"])

The program must remember the last used tab (on the left). It's a real pain to make test and click the same tab each time you entering the setup.

A version history pane will be useful to inform end users about the program development.

Selectable icon for the tray (useful in multiinstance mode)

Autoscan option for the installed plugins (an extra tab which will filled with the plugins found on the plugins directory). This will be an extra help to add plugin actions.

Post by **caesar** » September 13th, 2008, 4:26 pm

Taken into consideration!

About the plugins, will have to investigate how to do it without the need to change the plugins.
A good thing could be exporting a function in the dll that displays the plugin info and display that text to the user in a box or a hoovering box, will have to look into it.

PS: I think I need some help with saving the settins in the config.ini file. It looks very complicated. That will take me some time to figure out if nobody can help, but it's doable.

Post by **caesar** » September 15th, 2008, 12:21 am

I have tried to get setup to start at the current screen but there are big problems.
It starts with screen 1 due to some complicated screen loading mechanism.
I will have to completely rewrite all of that to make it work, so it's more like an option for the next big step version -> 6.

I am trying to do all small changes quick and do the major updates till end of the year.

Post by **caesar** » October 2nd, 2008, 10:58 am

Just letting you know that work has not stopped!

I am working hard on changing the configuration file handling.
It needs a change so that new values can be stored and also to allow more lines to be displayed (up to 16 lines - I think those should be enough - at least for now). The current configuration file can't handle more than 4 lines - it gets scrambled in a very ugly way.
This is close to completion but my job will take me away for 2 weeks so the deadline for a pretty new test release will be in 3 weeks.

The topic is still open for new ideas!

ironmask55 · Post by **ironmask55** » March 26th, 2009, 5:56 am

Is the next release still in the works? REALLY wanting my 8 lines to be used....

Post by **caesar** » March 26th, 2009, 6:22 am

Yes it is, but somewhat slower as I have a very busy schedule and going to be a dad in a couple months.

8 lines? can you give more detaila about it?

ironmask55 · Post by **ironmask55** » March 26th, 2009, 2:12 pm

I am using the the same 8x24 LCD with the pjrc firmware as Mattcro, His drivers work, but it would be awesome if it could get full use out of the screen!

bobb · Post by **bobb** » May 25th, 2009, 6:25 pm

My 44780 is wired to permanent standby power (yeah, weird me) and would like to display STANDBY when my machine goes to sleep.

TIA

Post by **mattcro** » May 25th, 2009, 8:43 pm

You should be able to display any fixed text message on shutdown/standby using the Startup/Shutdown tab in the Smartie setup window.

usling · Post by **usling** » May 26th, 2009, 2:55 am

I would like different refresh interval and scroll interval for different screens. I use 12ms for winamp spectrum analyzer, but there is no need for such frequent refreshing on other screens as it just draws cpu power.

Maybe add an option to delay actions.
IF $WinampStat = stopped THEN GotoScreen(3) after X seconds
or, just add a timer function among the functions to the right, so i can make lines like this (if seconds, maybe ms would be better):
IF $WinampStat = stopped THEN DelayTimer(3),GotoScreen(3)

Perhaps add a way to delay loading of plugins when windows start up. I had to stop using some plugins (winamp scroll plugin scroll.dll) because they cause LCDSmartie to hang up when windows starts. Maybe it's just a bug in the plugin and not LCDSmartie, but i don't know

congratulations and good luck with your baby!

Post by **mattcro** » May 26th, 2009, 10:12 am

I like the idea of delaying an action for X seconds/milliseconds, for the same purpose as usling has used in his example.

As for the scroll.dll plugin, could it be that Windows has to load .NET framework stuff when this plugin is launched (it's a .NET based plugin IIRC). Does the hang-up happen with any other plugins?

usling · Post by **usling** » May 26th, 2009, 1:58 pm

I don't think any other plugin hangs up at start, but i'm not sure, maybe i forgot when i removed them.

If i find any more errors i will post on this forum to give the authors a chance to fix them if they want. Sorry for that

bobb · Post by **bobb** » May 27th, 2009, 6:15 pm

mattcro wrote:You should be able to display any fixed text message on shutdown/standby using the Startup/Shutdown tab in the Smartie setup window.

THIS THREAD says the shutdown msg doesn't work for parallel displays.

LCD Smartie

Open for feature requests for the next LCDSmartie version!

Open for feature requests for the next LCDSmartie version!

Still in the works?

Let me output a Shutdown Msg to 44780