Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new features

Posted by: cushman

Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new features - 13/04/2003 22:04

I've released a new version of Palantir, as always, you can download it here. This version fixes a bug where de-selecting tracks in the playlist view would remove the item at the end of the playlist, and checkmarks were not being populated correctly. New features that were added are:

- Select All button when viewing the track list
- Remove All button when viewing the playlist
- Settings are maintained (including the current playlist) when exiting and re-entering the app
- Back to 0.xx versioning for betas (I don't release often enough to deserve using Hijack's versioning system)

If you are already running Palantir and Empire on your Empeg, the only thing you will need to do is download palantir.zip and install the palantir.prc file on your Palmpilot. No need to re-upload your data or mess with the Empeg itself. Enjoy!
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 14/04/2003 07:39

Ok, another version released: 0.71. This version fixes a bug in 0.70 where you could Add All to your heart's content, and the playlist would keep increasing in size. The fixed version will only add tracks to the playlist that are unchecked in the track view.
Posted by: simspos

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 14/04/2003 15:30

Hi, been trying to get this working.... and it sort of does??

I get a weird error on bootup that's beyond my knowledge to sort..... anyone!

can't create lock filhijack_exec("/bin/mount /usr/local"), rc=16 (ERROR)
e /etc/mtab~10: Read-only file system (use -n flag to override)
hijack_exec("/bin/bash -c "/usr/local/bin/start_empire 10 &""), rc=0 (okay)
khttpd: listening on port 80
kftpd: listening on port 21
start_empire: sleeping for 10 seconds...
player.cpp : 385:empeg-car 2.00 2003/04/01.
Prolux 4 empeg car - 2.1434 Mar 26 2003
Vcb: 0x4086d000
start_empire: Starting Empire...
IrDA: Registered device irda0


Installed as per instructions given....

Installation Part Three: Setting up Empire on the Empeg


Download the empire application.

Install a kernel with IrDA support
(I used Mark Cushmans precompiled kernel(475k) built from Hijack 320.

Install OpenOBEX libraries
Copy all the lib/* files from empire.zip to your /lib directory on the empeg. You will have to create a few symbolic links from the command line on the Empeg:

empeg:/lib# ln -s libopenobex-1.0.so.0.0.0 libopenobex.so
empeg:/lib# ln -s libopenobex-1.0.so.0.0.0 libopenobex-1.0.so.0

the files in the /lib directory should now look like this:


lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 Feb 7 00:45 libopenobex-1.0.so.0 -> libopenobex-1.0.so.0.0.0
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 28796 Feb 7 00:45 libopenobex-1.0.so.0.0.0
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 40328 Feb 7 00:45 libopenobex.a
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 744 Feb 7 00:45 libopenobex.la
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 Feb 7 00:45 libopenobex.so -> libopenobex-1.0.so.0.0.0

Copy empire, irattach, sleep, and start_empire from the empire.zip package onto your Empeg. I place all the binaries in the /usr/local/bin directory. These can be placed anywhere you like, but you will have to modify the start_empire shell script to reflect the new location if you are not using /usr/local/bin.

Modify your config.ini with the following:
[output]
notify=1
[hijack]
;@EXEC_ONCE /bin/mount /usr/local
;@EXEC_ONCE /bin/bash -c "/usr/local/bin/start_empire 10 &"
Restart the player and you are ready to rock.


and last piece of info... I'm running 2 Final

Any help very gratefully recieved

Cheers, Sim
Posted by: Daria

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 14/04/2003 16:42

can't create lock filhijack_exec("/bin/mount /usr/local"), rc=16 (ERROR)
e /etc/mtab~10: Read-only file system (use -n flag to override)

is secretly 2 errors:
-can't mount /usr/local
-can't create /etc/mtab~

the second is expected. depending on how you partitioned your player, so is the first.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 14/04/2003 17:31

All you probably need to do is remove the line:

;@EXEC_ONCE /bin/mount /usr/local

from your config.ini, since that line is used by myself to mount /usr/local. What I do is mount /dev/hda2 on /usr/local so that I don't have to re-upload all of my files to the Empeg each time I upgrade/etc.

If you created /usr/local by going to /usr and doing a 'mkdir local', then you can remove the line above.
Posted by: simspos

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 00:22

Cheers both for your replies, I'll try that later and hopefully get a clean bill of health on the bootup.

Mark, what is the expected "time lag" for the palm to connect. Mine seems to vary from a couple of seconds to "timeout".
- Is this normal behaviour?
- How often does the empeg listen and is it adjustable?
- Or straight for the jugular, can the connection ever be consistently "near instant"?

Aside from my inability to really understand WHAT I'm doing, I have to say, this is the "dogs bollox" in controlling your empeg. So KUDOS to you Mark, nice one.

Cheers, Sim
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 06:10

Mark, what is the expected "time lag" for the palm to connect. Mine seems to vary from a couple of seconds to "timeout".
Is this normal behaviour?

Yes, this is normal. My Palm Vx always takes a few seconds to connect, but I don't usually get timeouts. There are many things the Palm and the Empeg have to do to establish a connection, and you have to remember that IrDA is not an "instanat on" connection. They have to establish a connection, establish a connection speed (up to 115k) and transfer an OBEX object, which involves creating a session and communicating via a protocol much like HTTP. All of this takes time, you could compare it to establishing a modem connection between two PC's.

Having said that, you can do a few things to make sure that you get a good connection and no timeouts. Hardware may have a small effect on the performance, since I believe that the Palm III and such hardware is inferior to the V series, etc. YMMV with other Palm devices. In any case, any Palm's IrDA tranciever can be considered underpowered compared to your laptop's IrDA port or a dongle attached to your PC. The specs for IrDA say the max range is 1m, but that is probably in a pitch dark room with two well-powered trancievers. I have found that the ideal distance for transmitting is probably more like 2-5 inches . I hold my Palm with the IrDA port pointing directly above the volume knob at a 90 degree angle with the facia (shot on, basically, this is the ideal recieving angle of the IrDA sensor). When I am in the car I brace my hand against the Empeg so it doesn't wiggle as much, and if there is a lot of sunlight, I shade the sensors, because I have found that sunlight interferes with the transmission. I have not experimented with different lenses, but I expect that it may have an effect on the transmission speed.

- How often does the empeg listen and is it adjustable?

Empire listens on an infinate loop that probably tries to detect an IrDA signal several times a second.

- Or straight for the jugular, can the connection ever be consistently "near instant"?

Of course anything is possible, but in order to take advantage of the Palm's built-in OBEX support and to conform to that standard of IrDA transmission (so that this app could be ported to other devices) I am not going to try and improve the connection speed. Personally I never have timeouts, and it almost always connects within 2-3 seconds. Given the frequency that I use Palantir (just a couple of times every time I use the Empeg) that is acceptable for me.

Aside from my inability to really understand WHAT I'm doing, I have to say, this is the "dogs bollox" in controlling your empeg. So KUDOS to you Mark, nice one.

Glad you like it!
Posted by: revlmwest

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 06:19

In reply to:

this is the "dogs bollox" in controlling your empeg. So KUDOS to you Mark, nice one.



dog's bollocks Noun. The best. E.g."This song is the dog's bollocks." Cf. 'cat's whiskers', 'bee's knees' and 'mutt's nuts'.

I had no idea on that one.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 06:22

Yeah, at first I wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing
Posted by: simspos

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 07:07

Definately a "GOOD THING" I assure you, I really do love this app.
Posted by: simspos

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 07:20

Thanks for heads up on how the IrDA side of things works, I'll try all the little tips and see how it goes.

Spent 4 hours "massaging" my csv file - helped a lot once I understood what Palantir wanted to know. Doesn't help owning mainly compilation CD's, at one point my "Artist" listing on the Palm (well Clie to be exact) had over 1000 entries and that takes some scrolling at 11 lines / screen. But sorted now & sweet.

Last point, you haven't compiled the latest hijack for use with this by any chance or are you sticking with 320 also?

Thanks again, Sim
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 08:17

Spent 4 hours "massaging" my csv file - helped a lot once I understood what Palantir wanted to know. Doesn't help owning mainly compilation CD's, at one point my "Artist" listing on the Palm (well Clie to be exact) had over 1000 entries and that takes some scrolling at 11 lines / screen. But sorted now & sweet.

You definately have to have your music tagged to use Palantir, and I admit that compilation CD's are a difficulty.

Last point, you haven't compiled the latest hijack for use with this by any chance or are you sticking with 320 also?


If there is a compelling reason to upgrade, I will re-compile and re-upload. You are free to do this yourself, however. You must comment out the portion where Hijack starts the player with the -s- option if you re-compile, and also compile IrDA support into the kernel. I just don't have time to do this every time Hijack is released.

I look forward to the day when IrDA support is included by default in Hijack and we have options to start the player without the -s- option in config.ini. Then you would be able to use the default Hijack kernel to run Empire and Palantir.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new features - 15/04/2003 14:10

Any luck on getting Jemplode to export this data?
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 15:13

Yes and no

The current java converter tool was written with Jemplode in mind, so it is easily integrated into Jemplode. However, mschrag and company have been tweaking some of the internals of Jemplode for the next release, and the .pdb exporter depends on some of those internals. They aren't complete yet, so I can't write the exporter into Jemplode until the next release.

If I get some time I might write a java program to convert directly from the .csv file to .pdb without manual tweaking.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 15/04/2003 15:24

that would be good for emplode users too. But either way it'll be great!
Posted by: simspos

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 16/04/2003 10:18

Now that I’ve had a better opportunity to play with Palantir I must say it really is very impressive.

The Palm is an excellent interface to choosing your music in the comfort of your favourite armchair, beer in hand…… but I digress. IT IS BRILLIANT and anyone out there hankering after a larger display, HERE IT IS.

Simply blast through all your playlist picking out the songs you want. Takes seconds to line up loads of tunes and then beam it to your empeg. WOW.

And dare I say it… [heretic] vertical menus are the way to go [/heretic]

Very nice work indeed and I look forward to any future releases.

Cheers, Sim
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 17/04/2003 15:27

You should check out this post.

I never know where to post software announcements. General seems... well... TOO general for announcements, but I know that most people don't read the Programming forum.
Posted by: tfabris

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 17/04/2003 15:34

I don't think there's anything wrong with posting software announcements in General. I think it's the right place for it. And a cross-post to programming is fine, too. The only hard part is if people want to echo back with bug reports, then it gets split across two threads. So if you post in General, maybe a note with "please put bug reports in THIS thread" and a link to the thread in Programming is appropriate.
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 17/04/2003 15:44

Thanks, Tony. Will do.
Posted by: JaBZ

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new features - 11/05/2003 03:59

Any chance of a Pocket PC version?
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 11/05/2003 08:11

Sure, if someone donates a PocketPC, I will write a PocketPC version of Palantir

Otherwise, I don't have any hardware to test the program on.
Posted by: JaBZ

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 11/05/2003 15:34

im trying to run it on this palm (alpha2) emulator for pocket pc
Posted by: cushman

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 11/05/2003 16:45

Does it work? If it does, that would be awesome.
Posted by: JaBZ

Re: Palantir 0.70 released - bugfixes and new feat - 14/05/2003 04:06

err, well im first trying to get the Palm emulator to work stably , I've got a few palm ROMS to test with. Since the development of the emulator has stopped at the Alpha stage, still the IR has been claimed to work