kXd -- kX Project driver control plugin via PervTalk

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

what a password, too funny!!!

Well i already forgot the first one... so i needed to pick something i never will... and i believe my xgfs neither

[Marbles_00]

Alright, all sliders are working now, but my fade to mutes and fade to max buttons give me runtime errors and crash out. I'm now using similar variables as to what Scalt outlines. But I do have a question:

1) What do these parts of the variables mean?

Code: Select all

>1>2

and

Code: Select all

>3>6

I must have missed something along the way and I can't find where those variables are explained.

[scalt]

They're not variables!

It's what happens when you open the xml file in word. If I'm correct, ">" is the XML representation that xlobby uses to denote ">" in the XML file...because obvviously having such a caracter would kind of mess up the whole xml file

so in reality, it's ">1>2" and ">3>6" meaning you'd get something like "kX driver;Slide;FadeMute>1>2" as the Variable

Sorry for the misunderstanding...I had gotten lazy and figured I would just copy parts of the XML file!

[Marbles_00]

Thanks for the clarification Scalt. I'll have to try it out later tonight.

Now one thing I'm wondering. Has anyone tried this stuff out on a thin client? Do the bars show up? Do you have control?

I've been so busy just getting the initials to work, I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I'm hoping before the weekend, I'll be able to answer my own questions, but in the meantime, just wondering if anyone else has any results on this.

I've also breifly checked how PervTalk likes going into sleep/standby. Though it is pretty preliminary, I haven't noticed any ill effects which is good.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Two very interesting questions.

I never really pondered too much with Xnetwork yet... all i have quickly tested out was to use my tablet as remote over it... i had whole different xl install on it... so i believe it was something u call fatclient... thats how i plan to do things... but havent really tested it more yet... i would like to have different skin on it. is this possible? and could somebody give me real fast explanation of thin/fat client.

So without knowing how thin client is actually implemented i cant say will kXd work over it. If it is implemented so that server actually generates the grafic to be shown on client it might as well work. Otherwise it will not work, until i make LANned version of pervhub. One think i can say for certain though is that clicking the bars wont currently work at thinclient. It is based on global mousehook so it has really nothing to with XL.

Well your initial test with hibernation sounds promising indeed. Especially considering that i never kept that in mind while coding, or neither never run any test related to that. Im eager to know your final test results on the subject.

[Marbles_00]

could somebody give me real fast explanation of thin/fat client.

Basically a fat client is a full install that shares the server database via UNC paths. More or less, everytime you start the fat client, the databases are copied over from the server to the client. A fat client can also be considered a zone (but don't expect synced audio with the fat client).

A thin client, is nothing is copied over from the server to the client. All graphics and commands remain on the server. Only display information (if you can call it that) is transfered from the server to the client to show up on the client. This information is updated in accordance to how you setup the server.txt file.

So really in theory it should work,as all the commands are still on the server and the thin client is in essence an extension of the server. Only there will be a delay from when the bar has been adjusted to when the screen will update to show that adjustment.

I think I explained that right. Hope that helps.

[Marbles_00]

Okay, everything, including full mute/max buttons are working on server.

Buttons so far are working on thin client.

Bar graphs will show up on thin client, but I don't have any control of them. Though I think I'm doing something wrong as I don't have any control of them if accessing them direct from the server.

I've sent the server to sleep a couple of times and so far it hasn't effected PervTalk once resumed.

Other observations:
1) Pervhub will start when Xlobby starts, yet XPert still responds offline. Even though it is reporting offline, I still have full control of kXd. XPert is online if I start Pervhub prior to starting Xlobby.

2) I don't think you can have numbers in names and aliases. I had Bedroom2, and Bedroom3 and anytime I clicked on a Mute button for either zone, I'd get a kXd crash. I have since renamed them BedroomA and BedroomB respectively.

3) I, like Scalt now have PervTalk directory structure residing in Xlobby/Applications. The directory naming is all in lower case.

4) Now the strangest of all, and I have yet to be able to repeat this. For some reason, I lost total control of controlling the KX stereo volumes. Well I didn't loose control, it just seemed that adjusting them had no effect. They indicated in Xlobby that I had control. I went to the KX DSP and looked at each slider and they were adjusting to both clicks on bars and by full mute, full max buttons. But it seemed that KX had no control of the actual volume and it wasn't adjusting for any zone. To also mention that I had no control of the Master Volume it seemed.

If anyone is interested, I will show Events and everyting, otherwise you will get the jiff when I release ZoneSkin3.

**Further Update**
It seems that the lack of control of the bars via fat client also effects the the bars if trying to adjust them direct on the server. When I start, I can control the bars directly on the server no problems. After I try with the thin client (which doesn't work), and then I try again via direct, I loose that functionality until I restart Xlobby. I still have button control either way no problems.

Bars will update on thin client if I'm adjusting via full mute/max buttons.

**Final Update**
I was able to fix the problem somewhat of not being able to control the bars from the thin client. I didn't have the ID setup properly. As soon as I fixed, I was able to control the bars via ppc screen when I was doing it direct from the server, but when I tried to connect via true thin client, I still have the problem indicated in my "further update". Dissapointing but not the end of the world for me. I've indicated before that I was looking for volume capabilities at the amp level so I could mute the backyard zone if being used in a party enviroment, and if getting too late at night, to protect myself from noise bylaws. Since I still have control of full mute/max buttons via ppc, I will most likely change from bars and to display volume level via percentage (if I recall, P3rv, you gave us a command to display this). It's late, I'm tired...so I'm going to bed, and I will try this tomorrow. Have a good night.

[scottw]

Wow awesome post Marbles. I am going to try to set this up soon. I have all of the programs I have just been working on other things but this will make it much easier.

When you say you can't control it via the bars do you mean by clicking the actual bars to raise and lower the volumes. And with the buttons I guess it increases it by a small amount and reflects the increase/decrease on the bars, that part works, right?


Thanks,

[Marbles_00]

Correct. You can't make changes to the volume via by clicking the bars when a thin client is connected. I'm also a little incorrect that it took Xlobby to be restarted to gain control of the server bars again. I think what is happening is that PervTalk doesn't like multiple queries at the same time (maybe?...P3rvB3ar?), maybe something to to do with fetching and updating? As soon as I shut down the thin client, and went to my volume screen on the server, I had control of the bars again.

I also breifly tried out the percentage route as well, but I get the same results. If the client is connected, I loose the ability to control the bars on the server.

Buttons have been no problems. In fact clicking a button to go full mute or full max volume will change the state/update the position of the bar (or reflect the updated percentage value) on both the server and thin client. So what I may do is on the server/touchscreen thin clients, I will include the following buttons per zone:
Full Mute
25%
50%
75%
Full Volume
As well as have a master mute button.
I will use the bar for display purposes at least. If no client is connected and the user is controlling the server directly, then they will have the ability to get better resolution of volume by clicking the bars.

For the PPC client, again I'm going to include the above mentioned set buttons, but I will show a percentage value, as , as cool as the bars are, they just look too small on the PPC. Unless I can get some functionality from them.

Now I'm not giving up on having the ability to control bars via thin client...if you look over my previous posts in this thread, I've done some bone-headed things, so all this could be just an error on my behave.

Hope this helps.

[scottw]

Is it possible to have vol up and down buttons that do a gradual increase like say 5% for each click or does it not work that way?

[sharp_1]

Awesome job Marbles_00!!!

I am just getting started with this setup and have everything loaded just got a registration error when trying to start KXd.exe any ideas?

Scalt, I was wondering if I could use your zone screen, could you email me the zonescreen.xml that you have created? Thank you!!!

[Marbles_00]

Is it possible to have vol up and down buttons that do a gradual increase like say 5% for each click or does it not work that way?

That's what my origional intent was to use, and it worked great for one card. As soon as I used two cards, it didn't work anymore. See the previous posts above about using Alias names instead of actual Zone names. That would be the most ultimate way of doing it though, and if P3rv can somehow code it, then I would be forever grateful to him.

I'm far enough along though, that I can now continue skinning ZoneSkin3, with what is available. Anything that P3rv can give us now, for me, is extra good features.

[scottw]

Cool can't wait to try out your skin.

Thanks for all the help.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Now I'm not giving up on having the ability to control bars via thin client...if you look over my previous posts in this thread, I've done some bone-headed things, so all this could be just an error on my behave.

Hope this helps.

As i already mentioned there is no way control bars on thin client by clicking them... it is because clicking is implemented outside XLobby, as global mousehook. There is nothing i can do about it. So mayby percentage values for thinnie are better choige.

However buttons could and should work... what u told in your last post sounds like a bug. we'll need to investigate it more.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Is it possible to have vol up and down buttons that do a gradual increase like say 5% for each click or does it not work that way?

That's what my origional intent was to use, and it worked great for one card. As soon as I used two cards, it didn't work anymore. See the previous posts above about using Alias names instead of actual Zone names. That would be the most ultimate way of doing it though, and if P3rv can somehow code it, then I would be forever grateful to him.

Yeah should be there. I havent tried with two cards personally... but doesnt scalt have it working now?

EDIT: Ok, ill do some testing about this.