The Recursive ISV

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Working with the “Project File” (database) today.  User can now change the imported tags to something more meaningful in relation to their project.  This makes the play list in turn more meaningful to them.  Pretty familiar territory for me as database programming is what I’ve mostly done throughout my career as a developer.

In the course of doing this I’ve made several changes to how individual Audio tracks are shown for editing. 

The basic tag stuff, stored in the database, is pretty much what you’d expect.  Track name, artist etc.  Frequency is stored there, important as the user will be able to change the pitch, speed and the frequency (affecting both pitch and speed at the same time) of any track.  So this makes a quick and easy reference point to restore the frequency to the default. 

Of course I could just re-query the Audio file, but that requires reloading it if it’s not loaded and so is a lot faster and more convenient in terms of performance and syntax when programming it. 

OK.  So originally I was also going to have the track “Properties” on this dialog.  Last night I was lounging before going to bed and decided this made little sense. 

Everything else is in embedded windows inside the main application window (though they do not look or act like embedded windows), this has been done purely to help break up the code into modules, aiding design and maintenance of the system).

So tonight I’ve begun the process of building windows to embed the track properties into the main interface, in the same position as the Equalizer etc, allowing it to be toggled visible or not as the user desires. 

I think this makes it a heck of a lot easier and convenient for them and I’m surprised at myself for not taking this tack originally!

Something I’ve not explained about MixAction is it’s way of doing saves of changes to properties and data. 

There is no “Save” option on the File menu that one usually expect to see in similar applications.  I make no excuses for borrowing this concept from the Apple Mac. 

You change a property and it’s changed.  Saving is handled by the application.  Right from the project itself, the play lists, the application preferences and now the track properties.  No “OK”, Cancel” or “Are You Sure” for these elements. 

The exception is User Preferences for master Audio settings and User Preferences for stuff like showing tips, hints etc (shown in dialogs in the standard Windows way). 

Audio file formats we’ll be handling are now:

• MP3 - Tentative still.  Coded but no decision made.
• WAV 16 Bit
• WAV 32 Bit
• MP2
• MP1
• OGG Vorbis
• Windows Media Audio (WMA etc)
• MOD Music
• MTM MOD Music
• S3M MOD Music
• XM MOD Music
• IT MOD Music
• MO3 MOD Music
• Raw CD Track (play from CD)
• AIFF
• FLAC
• AAC
• MP4 - Tentative.  Coded but no decision made.
• AC3
• ALAC
• WavPack
• Gecko Music (our own multi track format)

I’ve not included MIDI at this stage as I want to move to release in July and the last thing I need is people wanting VST support “yesterday”. 

Speaking of MIDI.  I’m aiming to add MIDI hardware support to the application at an undetermined point in the future but it won’t be part of this “basic” package as it’s more of and advanced user function and MixAction in this version aims for the less than semi-pro user.

Latest Screenshot’s:

You’ll notice the far left column is filled out a little more now, the links that indicate “Show Track Settings” etc work like hyper links on a web page and underline, show hot when a mouse is placed over them.

Also the tracks now show edited track details in the play list (center column of window) rather than the defaults extracted from the Audio files tags.

OK.  I’m still yet to work out the best way to allow for potential customers to download and try out the software.   To some extent it’s the kind of product that for some folks will fill an immediate need and then afterwards the necessity for registration become moot unless they do performances regularly.

I have several options. 

1. Voice stating it’s a trial version and suggesting registration.  I like this option and a popular DJ package does this.  The voice also plays randomly over the top of the music as the product is being used (imagine the fun you could have if the app detects it’s been cracked or keygenned <g>).    Or…
2. Standard 30 Day trial that times out.  Full featured with no voice over nag.
3. A combination of 1 and 2 above.
4. A timed execution so that the program shuts down every X.XX minutes.
5. Crippling.

Of all of the options I favor 4 and 5 the least.  Crippling means you don’t get the full feel.  It also means potentially two versions, trial and full, as it’s pretty pointless crippling if the code is included in the trial.  The Jolly Rogers love making “dIs iZ FReE FEr yOu dUDe” patches for such things.

If you’ve got thoughts on this please do feel free to leave a comment.  All grist for the mill. 

Back to the grindstone!

Quote of the day:
The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet. - William Gibson

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