TIMP - Tray Icon Music Player [N.A.N.Y. 2024]

[publicdomain]

TIMP - Tray Icon Music Player

Quick N.A.N.Y. 2024 program inspired by the requests of fellow member @luvnbeast in the "Play MP3s Randomly?" thread:

> "MP3 players that can randomly play MP3's in a folder"

> "without a GUI really, I mean maybe though a floating desktop icon and a right click to select the file in the folder if desired, but for it to be playing random files"

> "One idea could be while it's playing to mouse over this mini floating bar and or icon and press arrow keys to control the player like pressing the right arrow would play the next song on the randomized list while the left would repeat the song, up might be to increase volume and down would be to decrease it. This way hotkey usage might be minimized as well as easy to remember."

GitHub repo: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp

Pushing updates as they are developed

This release also serves to secure a spot in the N.A.N.Y. event!



Cheers!

Vic

[publicdomain]

Pushing updates as they are developed

Update:

The GUI is pushed. It adds .mp3, .wav and .aif to player list (shown by left click on the program's tray icon).

https://github.com/publicdomain/timp/blob/0c812fd39234cd9d9dd1d4b6be9e61967c9211dd/TIMP/TimpForm.cs#L120C49-L120C49

Working on supporting "NAudio" for actual sound playback & initial v0.1 release

[publicdomain]

Update:

Using all the latest NAudio 2.2.1 dlls + latest dependencies still gets us a .netstandard error.



I'm devoting more to fixing it before switching audio libraries. Luckily, there are many options!

https://www.nuget.org/packages?q=mp3
https://www.nuget.org/packages?q=audio&prerel=true&sortby=relevance

[publicdomain]

Solved netstandard error by dropping to the last version of naudio that doesn't use it:



Version 1.10.0 uses NET v3.5, referencing only a single assembly/dll, so we stick with it for the time being.

This release targets Windows 7, which is set to be superseded in our releases during this 2024... we can retry with Windows 10 + fresher / more recent versions if program users request other audio formats & improvements

There are multiple formats enabled by naudio, e.g.:

https://www.nuget.org/packages/NAudio.Flac
https://www.nuget.org/packages/NAudio.Midi
https://www.nuget.org/packages/NAudio.Vorbis
https://www.nuget.org/packages?q=naudio&prerel=true&sortby=relevance

...Supporting .mp3/.wav/.aif is a good starting point

Next post is the downloadable exe / first release of TIMP for official N.A.N.Y. participation

[publicdomain]

Okay! TIMP version 0.1.0 is pushed to GitHub:

• Download: TIMP_v0-1-0.zip
• GitHub tag: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp/releases/tag/v0.1.0

First release of the program is an useful "set & forget" random music player for a single loaded directory::

- "Open directory" menu item clears previous playlist.
- It has randomize toggle.
- It has playlist loop toggle.
- Left mouse click on the program's tray icon toggles playlist visibility.
- The selected playlist index moves with the currently-played song.
- Escape key hides playlist.



This is the starting point for the Tray Icon Music Media Player 

So, it's official! TIMP v0.1.0 is participating in N.A.N.Y. 2024!

Cheers & many thanks  ,
Vic

[luvnbeast]

Nice idea but the program doesn't seem to accept command lines to start or play a file or directory, nor does it seem to accept a directory to load.
For an example:
Timp\TIMP.exe "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light" /play
I do like the size of it though, and I hope you can keep working with it! 

[publicdomain]

Timp\TIMP.exe "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light" /play

Sure thing Adding it to v0.2.0.

BTW, Unless you have another functionality in mind, the /play argument is redundant, right?

[luvnbeast]

Timp\TIMP.exe "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light" /play

Sure thing Adding it to v0.2.0.

BTW, Unless you have another functionality in mind, the /play argument is redundant, right?

Actually it wouldn't be redundant, as we could use another command line to progress the list and another to go back so for an example:

Timp\TIMP.exe  /next
Timp\TIMP.exe  /pre
Timp\TIMP.exe "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light" /play
Timp\TIMP.exe  /pause

this way the commands might also be able to be triggered in the popup menu too. I mean just because it is tiny, it still can be functionally powerful.  So play would be far from redundant as it would start the TIMP playing whatever directory it was loaded in. Can you see what I mean?

[publicdomain]

Can you see what I mean?

Yes, I see it now! This is your brainchild so thanks for the explanation

TIMP v0.2.0 is already pushed to GitHub:

• Download: TIMP_v0-2-0.zip
• GitHub tag: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp/releases/tag/v0.2.0

It has the simpler format TIMP.exe <directory path>, so you can check the current autoplay functionality as per your example by:

Timp\TIMP.exe "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light"

Okay! Single instance + multi-argument processing coming up next for v0.3.0 

Thanks for engaging. You input is appreciated

[luvnbeast]

Nice 2.0! Maybe with the popup window title bar we can slip in some text icons for the functions too ⇨ go forward in the playlist, ⇦ go back, ⇅
play pause to avoid icon bulk but keep button functionality. The buttons could be in the title bar to condense the player, along with the command line commands...

This way other users could use it without a command line or with command lines with a tiny footprint.

What do you think as you seem to be Dr. Frankenstein bringing this idea to life? 

[publicdomain]

What do you think as you seem to be Dr. Frankenstein bringing this idea to life?

It's a go! Like my namesake Dr. Victor Frankenstein would utter on completion... it's (soon to be) alive.

First let me implement the command-line parameters so the buttons and hotkeys are simple calls to the matching/implemented functionality

It may not look like it, but this is +90% since the core is done and now we're only dealing with the "bells & whistles" .


Okie dokie! I continue doing TIMP until you call it complete to move to the second N.A.N.Y. release & call it a success

(BTW, I officially join the "Where's Mouser" campaign today Jan 15th --hope he's back soon to answer some PM's and clear the official NANY event completion date  )

[luvnbeast]

I hope we can wrap this up soon... as I have another devious idea for us, that we could do implementing this exact same project. (Actually you might wish to call my idea Frankenstein's Monster once you hear it). 
Although this campaign intrigues me? My curiosity is piqued 

[publicdomain]

This way other users could use it without a command line or with command lines with a tiny footprint.

Super, the plan is pushing the final version this weekend (knock on wood!).

Final format is having the single instance process commands as they are sent:

TIMP.exe <command> <commands arguments>

So it is shaped like:

Timp\TIMP.exe /next
Timp\TIMP.exe /prev
Timp\TIMP.exe /play "C:\Music\Artists\Electro-Light"
Timp\TIMP.exe /pause
Timp\TIMP.exe /playpause
Timp\TIMP.exe /stop
Timp\TIMP.exe /first
Timp\TIMP.exe /last

I have another devious idea for us, that we could do implementing this exact same project.

Great! Let's hear it! 

[luvnbeast]

This is excellent! Then the commands could be put into icons anywhere to be played with! Even into Binware Run or other launchers... I can't wait for the next and hopefully final release...

[luvnbeast]

I submit for your disapproval a humble request to the software developer "Shutdown 8" :

I absolutely love the little freeware app Shutdown8 as I use it every time I need to go to sleep and shut off the computer. The app is a wonderful way to create that perfect pause before you shut down the computer.

However instead of shutting down the computer, I was wondering if you could add an alarm feature instead of a shutdown option instead? By having the computer play m3u's or even a folder of music as an option.

It would turn it into an alarm clock as well and be even more valuable as a minimalistic app especially if you kept the same options to delay the alarm as you already accomplished for the shutdown process.

I really appreciate your work and I look forward to your reply about this issue. If you are unable to do this, or unwilling to tweak the app for this improvement, please let me know, and I wonder if I could have the permission  to give it to a coder who might be able to add this feature into this fine piece of freeware.

Thank you so much for your attention and response in advance.






seyo IM

From:
seyo5370@bandisoft.com
To:
Loving Beast
Cc:
apps@bandisoft.com

Thu, Sep 21, 2023 at 1:26 AM

Hello, this is Bandisoft.

Shutdown8 is an application developed for users of Windows 8 where there is no button for the Start menu on the desktop, and we have no current plan to offer further technical support for the app. We would like to ask you for your deepest understanding that we cannot give you a positive answer for anything you have suggested here.

Best regards,
Bandisoft

So, if the idea is possible we could revive and remake the shut down 8 app into the tiniest timer/alarm/timed shutdown program!

Upon activation of the program, a menu opens with the options to shutdown, restart, hibernate, or timer to shutdown...

in a cascading menu you have 10 minute shutdown, 30 minute shutdown, 1 hour shutdown or a 2 hour shutdown.

Then upon selecting the timed shutdown, a popup window with a counter tells you how long until shutdown... which is changeable with +- buttons next to the timer.

The developers forgot to make an alarm instead of the shutdown. This is where the TIMP core could be used.

So either TIMP could be bundled and put in the same folder as this alarm program or the alarm program could be separated with TIMP inside of it (most of the core programming). Thus being a small wake up timer.

Thus this could truly "AWAKEN THE DEAD" and after this little creation... (along with finishing the rest of TIMP) could earn you the title of Dr. Victor Frankenstein!

What do you think?

[publicdomain]

What do you think?

That's a YES my friend  We are in business

For the first time in a long time, I am finally able to stay home for a couple weeks, focused on doing what I love --that's helping folks like yourself. I am really set on being a person who assists mankind to shift into the positive. I am absolutely convinced we can achieve it together, everyone putting their best either by acting directly or by supporting, which is equally important

My utmost goal is making a living helping others with my skills. I knock on wood for achieving it on 2024


Regarding TIMP:

TIMP v0.3.0 is released!

• Direct download: TIMP_v0-3-0.zip
• GitHub tag: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp/releases/tag/v0.3.0

- Adds live processing for "/prev", "/next" and "/exit" commands.
- Accepts "/play <directory path>" command on start-up.

Developing it has been quite a ride. For it's size, TIMP is full of corner cases! --but hey, we're up to the task

...It provides the illusion of being only one process, but in reality you cannot prevent users from opening multiple processes at will in their computer, so you have to be resourceful and keep track of the main instance and then pass the live commands via inter-process communication.

There is plenty of room for implementing ideas/improvements as we develop it. TIMP truly can become a very fine & useful music player! | ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။ ၊|• 0:10)

Development continues!

Vic

[luvnbeast]

The only thought I could add to make TIMP a bit more complete is a selection of which song to play next by double clicking the song title on the list. Right now the song that is playing is highlighted and if you highlight another song it does nothing really. This way the song you wish to play could be selected but of course if we do not care which song plays next, then a random one will be played as you got it. Other than that, it looks and functions beautifully. 

The extra control icons could be made and activated from another launcher easily and they work great. 

This TIMP is truly turning into a tiny wonder. 

[publicdomain]

Hello! play-by-click is already implemented in TIMP's latest version 

Also, I'm finishing /shuffle, /sort, /show, /hide, /first, /last, /pause, /play, /stop and /playpause commands; including pushing them to GitHub as each happens

You can monitor the process at: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp

TIMP v0.4.0 is right on the way! 

[luvnbeast]

I love it when great ideas come to reality! 

[publicdomain]

I love it when great ideas come to reality! 

IT'S ALIVE!! TIMP v0.4.0 is here 

• Download: TIMP_v0-4-0.zip
• GitHub tag: https://github.com/publicdomain/timp/releases/tag/v0.4.0

Now I continue finishing ShutdownB while you test TIMP & we get closer to call this unique program combo feature-complete to resume BeastBoard

[luvnbeast]

Well I was able to set aside some time to the testing of Timp... and I'm not quite sure of a couple of things and I wanted to try to help to add an improvement maybe...

To shuffle or reshuffle the list, no shuffle command needed as you only have to click on the same directory loading icon to reshuffle the list.

Playpause works wonderfully so no real need for a separate pause function and exit works better than stop.

I was thinking about adding a little beep noise for some haptic feedback when timp receives a command, so I included the wave file in this upload.

I also made some custom Icons for Timp and Shutdown B so maybe there could be some kind of shortcut maker/after installer into the same directory the user wishes to unpack the files... this way it could not only be portable but easier to configure.

The record icon would be for music directories the user might like to make a timp shortcut for.

I'm sorry the icons are not very professional but well I think they kinda work?

I would appreciate any feedback you could offer?

[publicdomain]

Super!  ShutdownB is feature-complete and we're taking it out of ALPHA stage next version/release (v0.1.0); let me insert your submitted icon to make it official

We can certainly make a double-release package with TIMP once it has all the features

(Not much missing. I reckon we're ~2 minor releases from calling them both complete )

Regarding the extra commands, let's allow them to exist; these are public programs so you never know who may be enjoying them up  BTW, I intend to make a few suggestions for your consideration once TIMP is done (e.g. right-click integration, start with windows).

New ShutdownB on the way!

Cheers.

[luvnbeast]

There was one more function I forgot. I forgot to mention a repeat song function just in case you are listening to a song and happen to hear a song that you wish to hear over and over again... sure you could hit previous song but a loop song icon would be kinda better.

I hope the addition will not be a problem for you? I included an icon for you to use for the loop setup...

Sorry about the absentmindedness...

[luvnbeast]

Super!  ShutdownB is feature-complete and we're taking it out of ALPHA stage next version/release (v0.1.0); let me insert your submitted icon to make it official

We can certainly make a double-release package with TIMP once it has all the features

(Not much missing. I reckon we're ~2 minor releases from calling them both complete )

Regarding the extra commands, let's allow them to exist; these are public programs so you never know who may be enjoying them up  BTW, I intend to make a few suggestions for your consideration once TIMP is done (e.g. right-click integration, start with windows).

New ShutdownB on the way!

Cheers.

I think right click integration would be absolutely wonderful! Maybe with an option to create a timp shortcut here would be a great solution this way no having to manually create the shortcuts, or maybe to automatically create the shortcut to the music folder of timp. So the timp folder would have this automatic setup upon clicking the exe without any extra commands....

do you wish to install timp to this folder?

(yes no)

(rest for yes)

create /timp command folder to put all of the timp command icons
create /timp musical folder to put all of the timp musical icons
Install the winshell integration..

do you wish to install Shutdown B to this folder?

(rest for yes)

copy shutdown B and any dependencies

(rest for any no option)

Show the license option and your webpage for updates....

I really think this little timp program with the shutdown b if the size is under say 5 mb might be able to be submitted to a competition for the smallest yet most functional mp3 program on the market. I mean sure there are bigger and flashier mp3 programs, yet they are annoyingly complicated, flashy and well just plain ridiculous in resource usage. I believe many have forgotten the old days of worrying about a couple of megabytes of size as too many programs are an insane 30+ megs in size and are mostly for flash.

Anyway thank you so much for the work you have and continue to do with this little creation. 

[publicdomain]

Thanks for your kind words & input  Let me digest all of that!

I've released ShutdownB's first fully-functional (feature-complete) version: https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=53917.msg453273#msg453273

Regarding TIMP, it's the very next release so the focus is on getting it developed, up to your entire satisfaction.

There are a few improvement ideas on the Playlist itself as well (e.g. Extracting MP3 information from the ID3 tag in order to add separate list columns for "the title, artist, album, track number, and other information"; also, adding a small progress bar for current play time). Making it a functional yet slim player that -as you noticed- is easy on computer resources 


Oh! Last but not least, I want to ask what do you think about merging both releases into a third all-encompassing "ShutdownTIMP" program, smoothly integrating both ShutdownB's and TIMP's functionality into a single .exe file