NANY 2009 Release: Trout (audio player)

[skwire]

So here's a feature request: A option to specify whether files should be queued or played when launched from explorer.

-sri (October 14, 2009, 12:39 AM)

I'll add it to my ToDo.  Thanks.

[jamtrip]

Hi Skwire - I'm new to the forum - I too am a fan of Billy and was wondering if you planned on adding Gapless playback support?

Sorry if I missed it in the application.

Regards

P.S. Files 2 Folder is great too!

[skwire]

Hi Skwire - I'm new to the forum - I too am a fan of Billy and was wondering if you planned on adding Gapless playback support?

-rezidue (October 21, 2009, 05:34 PM)

Thanks for the feedback.  This has been on my ToDo since the beginning.  As much of a stickler as I am for these sorts of audio-related things, it's pretty shameful that I haven't written it in yet.  That being said, I think gapless playback is only relevant if the playing mode is the "Play list" or "Repeat list" option.  I don't think it makes sense for any of the other modes (Play file, Repeat file, Random, or Shuffle).  Would you agree?

P.S. Files 2 Folder is great too!

-rezidue (October 21, 2009, 05:34 PM)

Thanks.  That's one of my Coding Snacks that I, personally, use.

[skwire]

Ugh...the more I look at the code, the more I think gapless may have to wait.  At this point, I'd have to COMPLETELY overhaul the playback routines to make gapless work.

[jamtrip]

...I think gapless playback is only relevant if the playing mode is the "Play list" or "Repeat list" option.  I don't think it makes sense for any of the other modes (Play file, Repeat file, Random, or Shuffle).  Would you agree?

-skwire (October 22, 2009, 01:16 AM)

Absolutely.

Perhaps it's not in the cards right now? Next project - Haddock, Cod...

Regards.

[skwire]

Flounder...  =]

[app103]

Version tested: v1.0.3 build 105
WINE version: 1.01
OS: Ubuntu 9.04

First of all, I have to tell you that I am a complete Linux newbie, and it might show with some of the issues I had with WINE and/or Trout. In fact, this is the first application I have ever run with WINE and I installed it specifically to run Trout. Someone with more experience may not have these problems or they may know how to fix them.

For the most part, it worked surprisingly well. I am very happy because having Trout on my Ubuntu desktop really makes it feel so much more confortable and familiar when I am not using Windows.

A few minor issues with fonts on buttons was remedied by installing msttcorefonts (thanks scancode!)

If you try launching it from a desktop link, it will copy a bunch of crap to your desktop, so don't do that. Instead, just use a link to the trout folder on your desktop, open it, and right click the trout.exe file and select option from the menu. If you do it this way you won't end up with a mess on your desktop and it will use your existing config file for settings. (yes, you can use the one from Windows and not have to reconfigure everything from scratch) However, if you plan on using Trout in Windows, too, maybe it would be a good idea to have seperate Trout folders for both OSs, so you don't have to keep reconfiguring it every time you change OS.

some issues:

• Audible notification on new track works if configured to use a wav file and not system beep. (Don't know if tts would work, since I don't have anything capable of that installed, to my knowledge)
• Open file location will get you close, but not quite. Opens one folder higher in the tree. (it's like taking a bus instead of a taxi, you'll have to walk a block)
• Volume & seekbar sometimes likes to jump if you just hover over it. (don't use the skinned ones, they don't work)
• Dragging & dropping files on playlist window is kind of fussy. You have to be very precise where you drop them or they just don't get added. If you have any issues, try dropping them on the first available empty line in the playlist window.
• The open file & folder dialogs will not show on screen till you minimize the playlist.
• Some minor cosmetic flaws, but nothing I can't live with. I would be much more critical if the flaws were in Windows, but since this isn't a Linux app, I am willing to excuse them. Things like the minibar icon being way too big and causing a blank area beneath the bar, the horizontal separator lines in the play list not existing in the last 2 columns.

does not work (for me):

• last.fm scrobbling  
• opening pages on last.fm site, website buttons in about dialog
• Autojustify and justify columns. If you turn on autojustify, it will squash everything together next time you run Trout.
• user definable global and local hotkeys (You will have to use your mouse. Make friends with the minibar if you haven't already.)
• Playing audio CD's (trout doesn't know my CD drives exist)  
• 'Scroll left' and 'Scroll right'
• midi playback
• Can not change column order
• Double-clicking the album art just gives an error.

not tested:

• GTalk support
• tag editing works great 
• commandline parameters
• DCupdater support
• custom file manager support
• Text-To-Speech option to the "New track notification" options.

Screenshot:
NANY 2009 Release: Trout (audio player)

[skwire]

Hahaha...I'm happy it works at ANY level in Linux.  =]  Thanks for the testing and feedback.

[skwire]

v1.0.3 build 154 - 2009-10-29
    + Added album art to the bottom of the lyrics window.
    + Added code to try and prevent accidental unwanted double-clicks on the listview.
    + Lyrics window now handles a third format from http://lyrics.wikia.com.  I wish they would just re-introduce the API.  Grrr.
    + Added a new command-line parameter: /add  (Thanks, tanis)
      Here's how it works now...
      1) If you pass a path to Trout on the commandline, it will clear the list
         before adding the tracks e.g.  c:\path\to\trout.exe c:\myMusic
      2) If you use the new /add parameter, it will NOT clear out the list before
         adding the new path e.g.  c:\path\to\trout.exe /add c:\myMusic

v1.0.3 build 105 - 2009-10-10
    + Playlist search now searches on filename (in addition to the previous artist/album/song tags).  (Thanks, srikat).

[skwire]

v1.0.3 build 158 - 2009-10-30
    ! Help icons in the Option dialog weren't showing up properly.
    ! Lyrics weren't searched automatically if the lyrics window was opened
      while a track was playing.  (Thanks, lanux128)

[Shades]

Likely not the correct place to mention an reproducible error in build 158 (portable version), but here goes anyway.

Explanation of my setup:
When I doubleclick on a mp3 file in DOpus v9.x the Trout app starts with only the selected file in the playlist. OK.
Because the file would not autoplay, I enabled 'Resume playback on start' in the options.
Running WinXP pro SP2 (Dutch edition) on a dual core Intel PC

Explanation of procedure:
Double-clicking (and auto-playing) only works the first time. The second time the list is updated correctly, but the song does not start (although the 'Play' button suggests otherwise). Only after pressing the 'Stop' button the intended music starts playing. At this point Trout consumes 49%-50% of my CPU resources. Double-clicking on a new mp3 file results in a 'frozen' Trout which can only be terminated with the TaskManager.

[skwire]

Likely not the correct place to mention an reproducible error in build 158 (portable version), but here goes anyway.

-Shades (November 01, 2009, 12:22 AM)

This would be the right place.  

Explanation of my setup:
When I doubleclick on a mp3 file in DOpus v9.x the Trout app starts with only the selected file in the playlist. OK.
Because the file would not autoplay, I enabled 'Resume playback on start' in the options.
Running WinXP pro SP2 (Dutch edition) on a dual core Intel PC

-Shades (November 01, 2009, 12:22 AM)

The "Resume playback on start" only works if a track is active at the time you close Trout.

Explanation of procedure:
Double-clicking (and auto-playing) only works the first time. The second time the list is updated correctly, but the song does not start (although the 'Play' button suggests otherwise). Only after pressing the 'Stop' button the intended music starts playing. At this point Trout consumes 49%-50% of my CPU resources. Double-clicking on a new mp3 file results in a 'frozen' Trout which can only be terminated with the TaskManager.

-Shades (November 01, 2009, 12:22 AM)

Please update to the build I just uploaded.  I tried to make Trout act like other audio players in that:

• If you pass a folder or file path to Trout it will clear the list and start playing automatically e.g. c:\path\to\trout.exe c:\music\sometrack.mp3
• If you pass a folder or file path to Trout with the /add param first, it will simply add to the list without clearing it e.g. c:\path\to\trout.exe /add c:\music\sometrack.mp3

Adding from the shell extension should continue to work as normal.  If ANYBODY has issues regarding these new changes, please speak up and I'll try to satisfy all requests.

[tanis424]

A small bug with the resume playback. Well, it might be intentional but it's annoying. If the command line clears the playlist and a new album is loaded then the resume actually resumes a track from the previous playlist.

[skwire]

v1.0.3 build 238 - 2009-11-02
    * Reverted the new "/add" and auto-play changes that were made until I can
      come up with a more reliable way to handle this functionality.  Apologies
      to those that made use of them.


As you can see from the HUGE jump in build numbers from the last changlog posting (80 builds!), I did try to get it working properly.  Ultimately, it caused more problems with logic and deadlocking bugs than it was worth.  As for now, it goes back on the ToDo; I may revisit this issue in the future.  Soz.  

[Leif]

Trout found some missing tags in my MP3 files. But when I tried to edit them the new information didn't stick.
But when I copied one of these tracks from my NAS onto a local disk and edited the same MP3 file, it worked OK. Why not possible to edit tags on my NAS?

[skwire]

Are they read-only on your NAS, perhaps?

[SoggyDog]

It's been a while since I've posted, but rest assured, I am still using trout daily at the office;

One request (and sorry if this has been brought up, but I wasn't up to reading 17 pages for it) would be a tooltip for the volume control as there is for the song position control.

[skwire]

One request (and sorry if this has been brought up, but I wasn't up to reading 17 pages for it) would be a tooltip for the volume control as there is for the song position control.

-SoggyDog (November 10, 2009, 04:27 PM)

A tooltip showing the numerical amount or as a percentage?  50 versus 50%...

[SoggyDog]

Either, really.

Thanks.

[skwire]

v1.0.3 build 240 - 2009-11-10
    + Added tooltip showing volume position when manipulating a volume control.
      (Thanks, SoggyDog)

It should work for the minibars, too.  Thanks for the feedback.  =]

[SoggyDog]

19-minute turnaround;
Impressive.

Thank you, Jody.

[skwire]

You're welcome.  You happened to catch me right before I have to go coach my daughter's soccer practice.   

[urlwolf]

I get shell init failed () on windows server 2008 R2 sorry to report.

[skwire]

I have no access to that OS (to test against) so your only option is to turn off the shell extension menu option.

[efini93]

Hi can you help with this: