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Last post Author Topic: DONE: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo  (Read 92984 times)

pinkjimiphoton

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hey folks, i'm a musician, and like to do everything on my pc, including lyrics and arrangements for the stuff i write. 8)
i have windows xp, and usually just scroll down as i go ...no big deal if i'm singing (other than having to reach down and scroll the page lower) but when i'm playing an instrument, that can be a chore. >:(
i noticed that if i press and hold my mouse wheel, i can set it to slowly scroll the text files i use down, but it's really hard to get it at the right speed to sync with a song.
so i was thinking maybe one of you amazin' developer gurus philanthropists may be able to help me and all the rest of the musos out there by making this idea a reality... :-*
i need something that will alow me to set , by BPM (beats per Minute) the scrolling speed of text files...be they .htm/htm/, .txt or .doc, whatever....i mean like, maybe tap the spacebar to the beat, and the page starts scrolling at THAT SPEED. :tellme:
i hope i'm making sense...
is there anyway to make this a reality?
it seems (i hope) like a simple enough idea.
thanks for the time and consideration.
please feel free to get some of my music (free) here:
http://indiehitz.net/html/bands/56 (60 some- odd rock/blues/other songs of all varietys , and all done with open source software called AUDACITY!)
thanks again...
peace
jimi :Thmbsup:
you want that when?
« Last Edit: March 24, 2007, 04:32 PM by brotherS »

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2007, 10:51 AM »
Hi, Jimi!
Welcome to the site!

It's an interesting idea. Maybe I'll see what I can do if my time permits it, and if nobody else beats me to it. (Please don't let this keep anyone else from volunteering!)

I think the hardest part would be to fine-tune the scrolling to the BPM. (eg: how do you know how fast scrolling should be at a certain BPM rate?) Maybe this can be an adjustable variable setting or something.

mouser

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2007, 11:08 AM »
maybe tap the spacebar to the beat, and the page starts scrolling at THAT SPEED

cool idea.
there should be some software out there for scrolling text display for people reading off cue cards, etc., for speeches and stuff.

but i love the idea of a simple text editor which would let you:
1) edit text files
2) change font to be as big as you want.
3) set scroll speed and have it scroll the text at that speed with hotkeys for easy adjustment of speeds.

nudone

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2007, 12:41 PM »
maybe you could provide a way for the speed of the scroll to be controlled by something that's easy and quick to adjust - something variable too. perhaps something like the position of the cursor relative to the screen (up or down).

i'm just suggesting something like this as maybe it would be quick to adjust and therefore simple to adjust the speed. perhaps it would be too difficult to control. it's kind of daft but i was thinking maybe you could put the mouse on the floor and control the speed by moving the mouse with your foot - just up and down. then it's like a foot pedal - a bit.

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2007, 12:53 PM »
The idea I was having is, the first time you record the scrolling speed by hitting the spacebar in a beat, the program will adjust accordingly, then you save it along with the recorded speed/beat data, and later you'd be able to play back with the variable speed(s) in the way you recorded it. When you're actually using it while playing an instrument you'd be playing back a pre-recorded scrollspeed.

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2007, 02:13 PM »
The idea I was having is, the first time you record the scrolling speed by hitting the spacebar in a beat, the program will adjust accordingly, then you save it along with the recorded speed/beat data, and later you'd be able to play back with the variable speed(s) in the way you recorded it. When you're actually using it while playing an instrument you'd be playing back a pre-recorded scrollspeed.
wow...thanks for the great ideas, and so quick!!!!!!
i bet it would be something to do with just finding a new  way to interface with the scrolling feature already IN windows.
all are good ideas, the key is you CAN use the scroll feature already to do this, but it's a pain to get it right, ideally it would scroll like a teleprompter does.
getting the speed to scroll fast or slow isn;t so much of a prob as having it scroll at the right speed from jump street...when yer wrapped in wires, and are trying to remember to hit the big red record button at the right time after getting the scrolling started...whew!!
can make ya need more hands and an extra brain.
i like the foot idea, us guitar players love to stomp on things...
but it's actually harder than it may seem to get the speed RIGHT...that's why i was thinking maybe tap the space bar like analogx's most excellent tap tempo (freeware).
thanks for checking out this thread, and for the warm welcome!
peace
jimi
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2007, 03:53 PM »
Making it scroll a variable amount at the tap of the spacebar would actually be way easyer to implement than a record/playback feature. Working on it ;)

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2007, 06:17 PM »
you like, SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO rock!!!
=))
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2007, 06:44 PM »
It's almost done, most of it works already, but i need to run to the grocery store now, i'll finish the rest of it when i get back, give me a few hours yet ;)

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2007, 10:41 PM »
Ok, it's finished.


Windows download: here
Linux binary + source code: here


[edit]
There are newer versions available! Some people seem to be still downloading 1.0 from this thread. Please check other messages in this thread or visit http://linkerror.com...cgi?section=download to get the latest version. 
[/edit]

If you want it on another platform other than windows or linux, you'll have to recompile (makefiles for various platforms included, though it may need some editing)

The source is really a hack for the wxwidgets richedit sample, so the source is very crude, and in only one .cpp file.

I hope it does what you need it to do.

A screenshot:
bpmnotepad.jpg

Basics:
  • Hit the play button in the toolbar and scrolling will start.
  • Hit the space bar to pause/resume the scrolling while active.
  • You can use hotkeys ctrl+0..9 to quickly adjust scrolling speed.
  • You can use the textfield in the title bar to enter a custom scrollspeed number.
  • Other than that it works as a normal text editor.
  • Use format->Font or the blue A icon in the toolbar (select text first)

Note : The value in the speed text field is how many milliseconds it takes in between scrolling one line
PS: Currently the scrolling toggles (pause or scroll) with the spacebar button, if you'd like this to behave differently, where you have to continiously tap to scroll, i can implement it or add it as a setting/option later, i just figured that this method would be less intensive in the tapping, and thus maybe easyer.

I'll put up a website with documentation later.

I hope it helps!
« Last Edit: April 25, 2007, 09:04 AM by Gothi[c] »

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2007, 06:58 AM »
Gothi(c),
it works absolutely perfectly right out of the box....i punched in the tempo of the most recent song i was working on, and hit the spacebar....bang!!
scrolling on temple.
works GREAT on text files...
but one little (hopeflly) niggle...
with HTML, it displays the HTML as a text file WITH formatting.
text file is great for the lyrics, but i was hoping to be able to use HTML formatting to make the lead sheets easier to follow....
is there any way to make it display HTML, or would it need to be amini browser at that point??
don;t get me wrong, i am very grateful, this is the shiznit!!
here's a couple screen shopts to show what i mean...
here's my latest in html:


and here's a shot of the same file in the BPM editor:



as you can see, with the hyper text fdormat, i can set it up so it's bone simple for my numb old skull...it's great for quasi-lead sheets that way....
but if too difficult to implement, no big deal...could always use a couple instances of the BPM notepad, one for lyrics, one for arangement i would imagine...

but that one niggle aside....
THIS THING ROCKS!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
;))))))))))))) <VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVbg>
you want that when?

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #11 on: March 20, 2007, 06:59 AM »
sorry for my horrible typing...i meant tempo, not temple, among other things.
i need coffee!!
;)
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2007, 07:07 AM »
I'm afraid i'll be able to do little about the html loading since the wxWidgets RichEdit control (currently) doesn't really support it (only saving). However, it will save and load perfectly fine in it's own .XML format. You can paste images of guitar tabs etc into the document (it should handle images just fine in xml, though i can't test at the moment) and add your lyrics under it. Click file->save as... and save it as an .xml document.
Then later you can load it and it "should" show up right. (Don't take my word on it, like i said i can't really test it at this point)

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2007, 07:22 AM »
it could be because i don;t have MS office or something, but xml displays the same as html ddoes, just with more colourful formatting.
;)
it's ALL GOOD THO!!!
thanks!!
i will play with it later, see if i can getit to display graphic files .....
i'm pretty sure if i do it with plain text the way i did  with the html and do it a line at a time i should be good...
i just tried...simple fix!
i just gotta format the html, then copy it as plain text to the BPM notepad...
then the formatting stays intact...perfect!!
check it out:

just exactly what i needed to do.
only two other possible niggles...
first, when you enter a number into the title field of the text bar, it starts scrolling immediately!
no big deal, really...
the only other request, and a gain a hopefully small one, is there any way to make it scroll slightly smoother??
if just the way it is now is the best it can get, i am more than satisfied tho...thanks brother.
 :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup: :Thmbsup:
five thumbs up form the pinkinator!!
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2007, 07:25 AM »
I just tested it and indeed it works when you save/load as .XML.
All formatting, images and other html-ish elements are saved

While there is no Insert->Image menu, you can copy/paste images from your web browser or anywhere else, and it will save them correctly.

One little glitch i found: if you try to paste an image into an empty document, you have to hit <enter> (or insert another character) for it to show up in the document, other than that it works fine, here is a screenshot of my test, this document is an image pasted from a google images search on "guitar tabs" and i put some lyrics next to it (not really of that song ;)) saved the document as .XML, reloaded it, and it showed up just fine!

So if you want to be able to load html webpages, you could try pasting them into your document (and maybe make some minor adjustments) then save it as .xml, which you will be able to load correctly later.

bpmscreenie.png

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #15 on: March 20, 2007, 07:41 AM »
just tried it as you suggested, worked perfect...i just have to get used to it, never worked with .XML before.
sometimes it will paste directly, sometimes i have to hit enter...seems if i copy from the edit  command in my irfanview's toolbar for instance, i can paste directly in...VERY handy!!
if copying from a web page, as long as i copy one pic at a time it seems to perform brilliantly...tho i have to hit enter then.
screen shot of me and the mrs. :

this is freekin great, Gothi(c)....i believe you have made the MOTHER of all notepads!!!
thank you!!!
i'd give ya ten thumbs up, but i dunno if the gui would let me!
=))
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2007, 07:41 AM »
it could be because i don;t have MS office or something, but xml displays the same as html ddoes, just with more colourful formatting.

That's very strange,... maybe try the procedures i described in my previous post, if that doesn't work i'm all out of ideas, maybe you have a different version of the richedit control.

Find the file C:\windows\system32\riched20.dll and right-click it, properties, version tab, and see what it sais under the version tab. I have it working with 5.30.23.1228

when you enter a number into the title field of the text bar, it starts scrolling immediately!
That would be a little bug, i forgot to do an extra check to see if it's in play state when changing the text. I can fix that easily in a next version :)

is there any way to make it scroll slightly smoother??
I probably won't be able to fix that without doing platform specific calls or without making my own richedit control (which would be alot of work) since the wxRichEditCtrl control only implements ScrollLines() and ScrollPages() and ScrollToIntoView(textpos),... meaning i can only make it scroll line by line, not pixel by pixel, with the existing available API. Maybe ii can put an #ifdef for windows builds and stick in an
SendMessage(Handle, WM_VSCROLL,ScrollEventType.SmallIncrement, 0)




Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2007, 07:42 AM »
just tried it as you suggested, worked perfect

oops, i posted while you already responded :) that's great!!
:D

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #18 on: March 20, 2007, 07:47 AM »
LOL.....where i did it wrong was i tried to use it to OPEN an html. instead of just select all/copy/paste into the BPM...so when i saved it as .xml. it saved it with all the formatting tags visible...
as soon as i did it the other way, total success...
thanks, this thing rawks !!!
the smooth scrolling isn't crucial....if it happens, cool, but i don;t need it really...
if the start thing cvan be addressed, cool, if not, i'm so jazzed i don't care!!!
[;)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
wicked cool!!
you want that when?

mouser

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #19 on: March 20, 2007, 07:51 AM »
congratulations gothic, it's wonderful too see work like this  :-* :-*

ps.all this talk makes me realize that this might actually make for a good firefox extension task..

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #20 on: March 20, 2007, 07:58 AM »
yah, total kudos are in order!!!
i swear, this may just be the ULTIMATE notepad!!!
the possibilities go way beyond music...it would work for speeches, hands-free reading of anything...
now if we could only put it in a stomp box to turn on with a footswitch.....
like this:
http://philandrews.c...m/jp/talentboost.jpg

 :-* :-* :D
you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #21 on: March 20, 2007, 08:11 AM »
now if we could only put it in a stomp box to turn on with a footswitch.....

if you mail me a footswitch you don't use anymore, or even one that's broken, i can wire the switch to act as a space bar if you want, and ship it back to you  ;)

pinkjimiphoton

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #22 on: March 20, 2007, 08:18 AM »
LMFAO!!
well, thanks bro, but that's really not necessary...
but then...how WOULD ya wire up a footswitch to a pc??
you've got my curiosity stoked....
do you need spst/spdt/dpst/dpdt switches?
momentary?
if so, off or on??
man...if i could frankenstein my marshall and my pc together....lol
i could have a computer with tubes!!!
wouldn't THAT be an original idea??
;) ;)
seriously, that would be neat...how would ya do it. if you don;t mind me asking??

you want that when?

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #23 on: March 20, 2007, 08:47 AM »
well, like you said, part of the problem is that most foot pedals are toggle switches, you either toggle them on or off, and they stay that way, they usually aren't like pushbuttons, however some are.
If you can find one that acts like a push button, it'd be easy,

Open up a keyboard, take out the little flap with the chip on (it'd be better if you could find an old keyboard that doesn't have it's pcb printed on floppy plastic) with the keyboard wire attached to it,
follow the lines on the pcb to the spacebar to see how they are hooked up to the chip, reproduce it with some wires and hook it up to the switch, then if you have a hard pcb, saw off the rest of the keyboard pcb, or if you have a floppy pdb you could maybe get away with just hooking up the wires to the switch straight up to the space bar contacts, and rolling up the flap and sticking it in the pedal. However you might have some trouble soldering/connecting wires to a floppy pcb flap like that, which is why i'd just hook em straight up to the chip and examine the pcb to see if it needs adittional connections.

If the switch is the stay on-stay off type, you can make a logical circuit that monitors a change in the state, and outputs a pulse like a normal pushbutton everytime the state changes. I'd have to figure that out in circuitmaker first or something, then when i have my schematic get the needed IC's from radioshack, and build it on a little breadboard, test it, if it works, cool, then solder it to one of those grid pcb things that they have, which you can cut to size. If you're doing that you might as well put the keyboard chip on the little breadboard pcb too.

I'm not sure if I would mess with the poor marshall and hook it up to a transistor box like a PC :)
The nice sound from the marshall comes from it's tubes, keep it far far away from transistors ;)
« Last Edit: March 20, 2007, 08:52 AM by Gothi[c] »

Gothi[c]

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Re: a self-scrolling, BPM adjustable html/notepad/text file gizmo
« Reply #24 on: March 20, 2007, 08:53 AM »
ps.all this talk makes me realize that this might actually make for a good firefox extension task..

That's true, that is a very good idea