topbanner_forum
  *

avatar image

Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Login with username, password and session length
  • Thursday March 28, 2024, 3:51 am
  • Proudly celebrating 15+ years online.
  • Donate now to become a lifetime supporting member of the site and get a non-expiring license key for all of our programs.
  • donate

Last post Author Topic: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help  (Read 345228 times)

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #475 on: July 08, 2008, 01:17 AM »
few things are as frustrating as these false positive virus alarm accusations.  the antivirus industry has to do something about this.

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
SnapSuite 2009 Alpha 2 Released!
« Reply #476 on: July 08, 2008, 03:36 AM »
Alright, working on SnapSuite again because, frankly, I have nothing else to do at the moment, and felt like doing some coding! :)

Changes:
  • Disabled several new items that are not fully functional yet - just because you see it doesn't mean it is Enabled!
  • :tellme: Notes can print!!! Partially, anyways. It will print but not properly, so it is still disabled. But it prints! :tellme:
  • Starter has not made progress, mainly due to laziness/lack of reason to make a full blown launcher (why are you going to find and start SnapSuite to run a program when you can just get it from the Start Menu?) - not sure what to do with that...
  • PlayMe now starts with the player volume @ 100% instead of 50% (no, this is not your computer volume, but the PlayMe volume)
  • When you close SnapSuite, it will now slide down to its Notification Area icon (next to the clock) - this ONLY occurs if you close it yourself, if you are shutting down or use task manager etc then it will close completely (as it should)
  • Added right click menu to tray icon, and double click opens main window
  • Removed beta autoupdater (private releases, wasn't from Alpha 1)
  • Cleaned up lots of code that I messed up (private releases, wasn't from Alpha 1)
  • Removed pointless beta eyecandy that didn't work anyways (private releases, wasn't from Alpha 1)
  • Some other random stuff I probably messed up and then fixed and have forgotten about...

Anyways, while it doesn't look very different there are quite a bit of changes so hopefully it is better than before. For example, when you right click on the Notification Area icon with SnapSuite still open, the "Open SnapSuite" option will be disabled. When you close the main window, the option becomes Enabled. It just helps that little bit. Also, this means that you can close the main window but have other windows remain open! :D

So here it is, SnapSuite 2009 Alpha 2 (Public Testing Release)

If you find problems like bugs, errors, SS doesn't load, I forgot the EXE ;D... ya know, issues.. please report them here or to me over IM/email :)

Oh, and by the way - now would be a great time to give that Instant Uninstall a whirl on 1.0/1.1 ;) - it really is kind of cool

Enjoy!
-Brandon

EDIT: WHOA!!! Alpha 1.1 got 76 downloads!! Excuse me while I faint! Thanks for downloading guys, I am really surprised at the amount of people trying this out! :) :-*
« Last Edit: July 08, 2008, 03:39 AM by wreckedcarzz »

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Info about SnapSuite "Update Helper", McAfee email reply
« Reply #477 on: July 10, 2008, 04:17 AM »
Alright, because SS 09 lacks an updater system, and because I am lazy, I am *attempting* to avoid DcUpdater and integrate my own updating system. And it isn't that bad - it works! (That is an accomplishment in itself! ;D)

This "Update Helper" allows you to see the current version (online), followed by your running version (local), and if online is newer than running, you can click the little "Update" button and SnapSuite will do its thing. For anyone on broadband internet, it is surprisingly fast.

Rundown of what happens under-the-hood:
  • Click Update
  • Wait 10-45 seconds for the update to download (the button will indicate that it is in fact downloading, no worries :Thmbsup:)
  • SnapSuite cleans up the web app control it used to download (I am going to experiment with this in other areas as well to maybe bump RAM utilization down after long usage periods)
  • SnapSuite launches the setup file, and Inno Setup takes the lead
  • SnapSuite closes itself
  • Inno Setup does its thing, without any prompts (but still showing you progress)
  • SnapSuite is launched by Inno
  • Complete (about 60 seconds tops for broadband)

Also, there is a known bug in Alpha 2 that has been fixed for Alpha 3/Beta 1 - it is entirely my fault, unfortunately due to my learning of how programs close (still). For those whom know VB .NET: I called a Me.Close instead of Application.Exit when doing Instant Uninstall, so the FORM closes but the program doesn't (it remains in the tray, by design), so you have 2 DLLs and the SnapSuite.exe leftover in the SnapSuite 2009 folder. This does not effect a manual update, as long as you right-click and Exit before you start the update (this will not be required as of Alpha 3, as explained above).

Oh, and I got a reply from McAfee earlier today. They are "looking into" the issue and will "change the rating" if their "analysis" proves that I was correct. <sarcasm> No I just spent 45 minutes composing an email to lie to you and waste my time. </sarcasm> Can no one trust anyone anymore?

Anyways, that's the scoop for what I am doing/whats going on.
-Brandon

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Maze Craze "Beta 10" and 1.3.3 found!
« Reply #478 on: July 10, 2008, 11:15 PM »
Old school! Age-old Maze Craze versions found!

Poking through what I pulled off of an old 40GB hard drive (now creatively called my Dump Drive (patent pending :P)) I found a TON of old Maze Craze stuff - game maker data files, completed-but-never-released EXEs, full installers, and a mysterious 37MB install file (I have no idea how the heck I managed that). Lots of stuff. So I am uploading everything I can find :)

Also, I am working on a simpler website - this means less info, but faster download locating and easier to use for more people. I was trying to make it look like the DC site at first, but I wanted a more unique look that I could change... so I went with a centered body with a sidebar and a vertical navigation bar this time (yes, that is a preset in Dreamweaver, but I use presets and change things up afterwards - don't bash me). Simple, but it looks good. It will soon be the new website layout, and I will post when it is complete (next day or so).

Also, I am currently trying to get my friend off his Virus-coated Windows XP SP2 and onto Xubuntu, and that brings me back to the fact that I still am open to help with computer issues :)

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
'Comments 'Are 'On 'SnapSuite :)
« Reply #479 on: July 14, 2008, 08:08 PM »
'Taking tips (about comments, specifically)
(note the comment ' ;D)

Some code re-organization today, along with mass comment adding (I (seriously) added the ' above by mistake because I am just used to it right now, and figured it would be a funky thing to see, so I left it). For those of you with no idea what that means, it is just a line of text you can add in a program's code to help you (it MUST be preceded with a ' in Visual Basic, it is different in other languages)

Reason being, I went over to the DC programming school and into the BASIC area, and read the first assignment - I can't do it because I am not good in math (ironically, not my strong point). But I like reading so I kept going and one of the BONUS items is well structured and commented code - VB does all my indenting and whatnot by itself, but I only add comments when I am not sure what something will do. So I am basically commenting all the functions events (to be precise) just in case something happens, so I will know what everything does. This will not effect the speed or size of SnapSuite (well, to be honest I am not sure on the size part, as it is quite a bit of text).

I am also going to remove Starter and am thinking about adding a Calculator ("QuickCalc" or something like that, I know, I am not creative with the naming and all that) as it is something I personally use on a somewhat regular basis. While Starter is a good learning project for me (registry, file system, etc) I seriously doubt anyone actually using it for normal workflow. It will probably become one of my dozens of side-things that I poke around on once a month or so.

Also, I am curious if anyone that uses/follows SS and knows VB (.NET) would be willing to look over what I have and tell me anything I could do better or I am doing wrong. I am always open to learning new things :)

Anywho, new update soon, about a week or so, so not soon, but soon.

By the way, I continue to be really shocked by the number of downloads - I thought that MAYBE 10 copies would be downloaded at the very most. 58 times so far! Thank you guys, I know that someone out there is using my work :) :-*

-Brandon

EDIT: Notes now protects you from wiping out a text file - when you click New, if there is text in the box that you haven't saved, it will prompt you to ignore the changes, or save now.

EDIT 2: I am done with most of the work except for the "Send Feedback" button on the side panel. After that it will look like a totally finished program, but there are still lots of things I want to tweak (the insanely fast progress bar for SystemCare, for example). Small, easy things, but they finish it off. (Alpha 3, that is)
« Last Edit: July 14, 2008, 08:50 PM by wreckedcarzz »

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
SmartBrowse 2.2 on the way!
« Reply #480 on: July 17, 2008, 04:30 AM »
Some cool news: I have been helping Walt learn Visual Basic .NET (he has 05, I have 08) and after a couple basic things he wanted to make a web browser. This has evolved into a somewhat large scale project. It would appear I am being shown up (and based on the graphics, this battle isn't looking so good for me), so it is time to add some new things into SmartBrowse 2.2!

Improvements:
  • Less extra crap (code based) - there was a lot of extra variables and whatnot not being used, these have been removed
  • Better URL bar - the URL bar now focuses "better" than before, so you don't have to type URLs twice over if your a fast keyboard fanatic
  • Stop/Refresh - now for the opera fans; these two are now one button! It is pretty cool, and comes in handy for smaller screens
  • Auto-hiding progress bar - for the slower internet/insanely large web page browsers out there: the progress bar at the bottom right will now vanish when web page loading has completed. Helps screen space and keeps things tidy (not like I use the status bar, but hey, it's an improvement)
  • A clock has been added to the right of the status bar (similar to the Firefox addon FoxClocks) - it just displays the current local time (12 hour format)
  • McAfee SiteAdvisor - with a single click, see your current websites SiteAdvisor rating (however correct it may be ;))
I am also fixing the issue with the Web Security Level, where upon switching tabs it would not update - it is somewhat fixed at this point, but still may be glitchy. Basically I just recommend not using this with tabs. Overall it is looking/acting better than before. I hope to have some extra stuff up as well, as it appears that this little browser battle is going to be somewhat of a pain. :P

FYI: SmartBrowse has a SiteAdvisor GREEN checkmark icon - this is an ICON, it does NOT dynamically update! Just so you don't get fooled by it. You have to click the button to get the actual data.

SmartBrowse - "Change the web, one less wasted CPU cycle at a time!" ;D (if you didn't get that, Firefox/IE/Opera hasn't finished wasting its share yet)

-Brandon

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #481 on: July 17, 2008, 10:02 AM »
id still love to see you solicit ideas for a new project that people think would be useful and work on that.. it can be very rewarding to work on a project that has active testers who are craving it.

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #482 on: July 17, 2008, 03:25 PM »
I might do that, but the problem is I don't want to undertake something and have this amazing idea and then... "Crap, I can't do this because <reason>" and have to keep putting it off until I can find a way around it. I have done this before and I start talking about how good <Option> will work, and then... it isn't there anymore.

EDIT: Examples: Starter in SnapSuite, an email client in SnapSystem (I didn't post about this @ DC), opening images in Crayons n Markers, instant messaging client in SnapSystem, online multiplayer in Maze Craze... the list goes on. Things that were going to be made that, for one reason or another, didn't happen.

I might do a vote or something for a new program soon, but I will hopefully be able to learn a bunch in this Programming class here coming up in August to allow me to do more.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2008, 03:30 PM by wreckedcarzz »

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Send in your SnapSuite suggestions!
« Reply #483 on: July 18, 2008, 01:35 AM »
I have made a few changes to SmartBrowse's statusbar and re-organized the code a bit more. Walt's browser is seriously looking good, so if he posts (or lets me post) it here, you can compare the two. I still have tabs though (HA! >:D Just kidding ;)).

This new version will be released with SnapSuite alpha 3, and while talking about that...

SnapSuite A3 aims to alleviate all bugs, polish off the simple update helper, and have all features except Maze Craze 3 integration and Printing for Notes. It has been sent to only a couple people as an update to their Alpha 1 versions, and those people will be notified via IM when alpha 3 is officially out.

Any suggestions for SnapSuite 09? Post them here or PM them to me! At this point SnapSuite is almost complete, and there are another 5 months until 2009! :feedback:

(Attached is a screenshot of Walt's browser, version 0.1 beta - compare it to the above image)

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
SmartBrowse vs Easy Browser Beta
« Reply #484 on: July 18, 2008, 04:46 PM »
Still babbling about browsers, I am working to see if I can make SmartBrowse the default browser (similar to how Firefox and IE set themselves) on a machine. Not sure if it will work yet (if it does, it will be totally optional of course!).

I made a resources & features comparison of SmartBrowse versus Easy Browser Beta, click the button to see it:
EDIT: It should be stated that this was tested on an Intel Pentium D single core @ 3.5Ghz with 2GB of DDR2 ram, on Windows Vista SP1
Spoiler
SmartBrowse 2.3 vs Easy Browse Beta 0.1 (!)

Technical stats:
     SmartBrowse:
          0% Idle CPU
          2-77% Active CPU (loading microsoft.com - flash/silverlight included)
          3 second loading (microsoft.com - flash/silverlight included)
          10,424kb Idle RAM (google.com)


     EBB:
          0% Idle CPU
          3-66% Active CPU (loading microsoft.com - flash/silverlight included)
          4 second loading (microsoft.com - flash/silverlight included)
          7,558kb Idle RAM (google.com)

Features:
     SmartBrowse:
          Full set of browser navigation buttons
          Keyboard activated controls
          Combined Stop/Refresh buttons
          Status bar notification and loading progress
          Complete tabbed browsing
          Tab list - view all open tabs in a simple drop down list
          Printing/Print Preview w/ page setup
          Easy Copy/Paste/Select all access
          Automatic website encryption level detection and notification
          Popup blocker
          StatusClock (accurate to the second)
          ESA - Easy Site Advisor, allows access to a websites SiteAdvisor rating page with a single click
          Automatic after-browse cleanup

     EBB:
          Browser navigation buttons (no home)
          Keyboard activated Go button
          "Switching" Stop/Refresh buttons
          Status bar notification
          Clock (accurate to the minute)

Summary:
EBB is easier on resources but lacks MANY features. However this is an impressive feat for a 0.1 beta, and Walt continues to add features, so I might have to replace SmartBrowse soon if he gets enough things together. :o


I am also looking into adding a FoxyTunes type of media controller into SmartBrowse (like the old SnapSuite 2007/NANY MediaControl). Favorites might make a comeback too... not sure yet. Trying to keep resource usage to a minimal while adding new things isn't really that possible; kind of like putting a 5 pound turkey into a 3 pound bag. You can cram, but the result isn't going to be positive. ;D

-Brandon
« Last Edit: July 18, 2008, 04:49 PM by wreckedcarzz »

Curt

  • Supporting Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • **
  • Posts: 7,566
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #485 on: July 19, 2008, 07:21 AM »
A clock has been added to the right of the status bar (similar to the Firefox addon FoxClocks) - it just displays the current local time (12 hour format)
-wreckedcarzz (July 17, 2008, 04:30 AM)

I would say your intentions are to go the international way with this program - I mean, your testers and readers are scattered all over the world, aren't they? Allow me to make a guess and say that more than 80 percent of the world don't know for sure the difference between AM and PM, because we use the 24 hours' format. And the very meaning of this status bar clock showing local time, must be to help me understand if the other guy is on his way to school, supper or bed, or whatever - isn't it? It is of course not showing MY local time, one inch from my clock?! Meaning AM/PM is just about the only format that is not the best solution, if the user is not certain how to read AM/PM. I for one am not. Could you make it possible to have option for one or the other, please?

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #486 on: July 19, 2008, 02:08 PM »
Curt, I do realize that most of the world uses the 24 hour "military time" (as we call it here in the US) and I changed this for my personal use. I will change this back to 24 hours before I release the update. It is just easier for me to read 12 hours instead of 24. :)

And I will try to work on adding additional clocks - not sure how, but I can probably find a way... :read:


EDIT: Also, I have begun working on SnapSystem again (and I have renamed it, I am tired of this, frankly, lame naming scheme I have)!
Now called GOS (GoOS - sue me away Google, I picked the name before I caught on that it could also mean GoogleOS, so bite me :P)

It is essentially SnapSuite, but as a desktop shell helper. It is not a replacement, as the Start Menu and Taskbar remain (so you don't have to give up any functionality). It includes all the SnapSuite applications, as well as a simpler interface for settings, and a Mac-like top menu (as seen in previous releases).

Aimed at the less computer savvy, I am trying to incorporate all the normal things that you would use in Windows, but in simpler form. Not a lot has changed since the last time I uploaded a screenshot a few months ago, but there has been a large code cleanup (I didn't make "sandbox" test versions, so there was broken things everywhere). This version includes a "true" desktop settings panel, an Internet Connection checker, Crayons N Markers and Notes. Far from complete, but enough to be usable.

Image (too large for forum width): http://img179.images...179/4176/goosol3.png
« Last Edit: July 19, 2008, 02:59 PM by wreckedcarzz »

tomos

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2006
  • ***
  • Posts: 11,959
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #487 on: July 20, 2008, 10:20 AM »
seems to be going in an interesting direction Brandon
You'll be making a shell/explorer replacement next :)
Tom

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #488 on: July 20, 2008, 10:00 PM »
Maybe. I will have to learn a lot more, but it is a possibility. I am now trying to learn C# (more advanced than Visual Basic) in order to make things a bit easier and possibly add more features that VB simply cannot support. Time will be the key, unfortunately, but I really do love programming things and learning how things work, so I won't be stopping anytime soon!

Thanks for the support as well, everyone! :)

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #489 on: July 25, 2008, 07:17 PM »
Alright, I went away for 3 days to my grandmothers house with my sister. All in all it wasn't bad. I played some GRAW2 and got some programming done.

About the programming: I was messing with VB and was able to make a multi-threaded application within 6 minutes (as in, ready to run, but all details not done - usable, but not *complete*. That time counts the time the designer took to setup the initial application/IDE, coding, debugging and naming all the controls. I was quite happy with that, and decided to work a bit on just a random bit of stuff.

I ended up with a new version of Notes. Sounds boring right? I have made like 10 different updates to it. Why another?

It has a bunch of new, really cool stuff - I was going to list 10 things here showing the improvements... but there is a major problem with it and I need to go and debug it. However, it should be a relatively simple fix - if my theory is correct - and I will have a screenshot and list of changes up here soon (editing this post).

EDIT: See below post for information, I think it will be easier to see one post all about it rather than one with mixed info.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2008, 12:09 AM by wreckedcarzz »

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Notes 2.1 information and screenshots
« Reply #490 on: July 26, 2008, 12:35 AM »
Notes 2.1 - Smarter, Faster, Friendlier

Following the above post, I have made an almost-complete Notepad replacement to go into GoOS. It no longer uses the large toolbar, instead using the traditional menu "list" (File/Edit/View and the like).

Everything works except Print, Print Preview and Redo. Redo doesn't work in the TextBox control, but it works in a RichTextBox. However I cannot use the RichTextBox because everything shows up on one line when you save and re-open a document (the reason that I had to debug earlier, wasn't sure what the issue was). Go figure. :-\

Anyways, here is that list of reasons to grab this new version once I figure out the 3 missing features:

  • Recoded completely from the ground up
  • Faster loading
  • Detailed status gives the user valuable feedback
  • Small eye catching icons clearly illustrate menu item actions to the user
  • Smaller menu bar - more space for your text (less scrolling)
  • Challenge yourself - the typing speed monitor pushes your WPM level to the limit - watch out, backspaces hurt!
  • Full accessibility for keyboard or handicapped users - all menu items are accessibility friendly, and common keyboard shortcuts work too!
  • More informative and easier to understand questions - don't accidentally wipe out that 50 page essay (or those 80-some-odd item shopping lists)
  • Cleaner code - less processing time -> less CPU usage -> less bloat!
  • Logical and familiar menus allow fast workflow with minimal confusion

There. 10 reasons :)
I still don't have anything Printing correctly... so that will be quite a pain. But for now everything else works (not counting Redo).

Two images are attached, one is just a basic PrintScreen of Notes, and the other is that with various items outlined.

I hope to fix this Printing issue soon! Thoughts/ideas welcome :feedback:

-Brandon
« Last Edit: July 26, 2008, 12:37 AM by wreckedcarzz »

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #491 on: July 27, 2008, 09:27 PM »
Alright, I am going to try and finish up and upload the updated website tonight. I might add a screenshot section... not sure at this point. For now it is mostly done, but I almost always mess up a few links and things just don't flow correctly, so it takes a few tries to get everything the way I want it.

Practice makes perfect I suppose.

I will re-post here when the site is all ready. There will be new (old) downloads for Maze Craze, and all the Download links in the new menu go directly to the downloads, no extra webpages.

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #492 on: July 27, 2008, 09:57 PM »
The website appears to be uploaded and all the information should be up to date. All links and downloads work unless otherwise stated.

Unless I get negative feedback on the new layout, I will go ahead with a cleanup and delete all the old webpages and images.

http://mazecraze.dcmembers.com/

 :feedback:  :)

-Brandon

Loki15

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 113
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #493 on: July 28, 2008, 07:46 AM »
Hello everyone. I feel actually completely dumb posting this.. But here goes.

I'm currently building a new computer, to better suit my needs in 3D.  Very rarely can someone be a legitimate 3D Designer on 1.25MBs of RAM.  Thanks to Brandon's help I've compiled a list of parts and am now waiting to get the money to rebuild.  It will be 5 months 'til this happens but I figure I can try to speed up the process by offering Freelancing work.  I can do basic graphics, 3D work, and basic coding.  I am open to doing any project I can for you. Please message me for info.

Also, if you would just like to donate to help the cause, I appreciate it and i will try to make a gift to give as a thank you.  It won't be much since money is tight right now but it'll be something. Thank you everyone. Have a nice day.

-- Walt
R.I.P Terry Winstel, you were a musician, a hero, and a well loved man.  But above all, you were my dad. Forever in my heart 1953-2009.

mouser

  • First Author
  • Administrator
  • Joined in 2005
  • *****
  • Posts: 40,896
    • View Profile
    • Mouser's Software Zone on DonationCoder.com
    • Read more about this member.
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #494 on: July 28, 2008, 07:48 AM »
loki you should post on a separate thread, maybe here:
https://www.donation...ndex.php?board=172.0

with a title something like "3d modeler available for work" or something like that.

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #495 on: July 29, 2008, 01:57 AM »
Kind of odd, but I see why he posted it here. Definitely start a new thread, it will get more attention than this thread for what you are offering.
</offtopic>

I have made small buttons in my signature for a few reasons:

  • Easier to see a "button" than text
  • The smaller icons help bandwith limited users (no more huge 300x150 thing for Maze Craze)
  • They look cleaner and more professional
  • Both accent the other (same layout, different colors/logos)

I am pretty much done working on SS 09, I am just working on the Maze Craze levels now so I can add MC into SS. GoOS is coming along nicely, and if I can get the printing functions working in Notes 2.0 that will be added to both GOS and SS.

Bugs. Bad in every form. :P

Also, once again, I am really surprised at the number of downloads for SS. Seriously. This started as a project to automate computer maintenance by opening programs, hitting Tab/enter/click, and repeating. Programs had to be pre-installed to default directories and users had to pre-set options before running the program. No GUI, and if something went wrong you had to hurry and "help" the program before it clicked/selected the wrong item. Now look... I am starting to not believe it. Every person that downloads gives me more encouragement to keep working :-* :-* :-*

I love programming :)

-Brandon

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #496 on: July 31, 2008, 02:20 AM »
Alright, Notes 2.1 is _ALMOST_ complete!

Printing now works! You have no clue how hard it is to print something. It took me 28 lines of code! Think about that next time you hit Control+P!

Anyways, Notes just needs one or two more almost-invisible tweaks, and it will be ready to rock. I will merge it into SnapSuite and release it with Alpha 3.

I am also working on Crayons N Markers, and GoOS. Once GoOS is complete (it will likely be a year or so, I want it to be really nice before I go putting it on display) all the programs will have their latest version and about half of them will be renamed (this naming scheme I have is lame IMO).

Anyways, alpha 3 will be here soon. At least if everything goes to plan. School in 12 days!

-Brandon

P.S.: I must give credit to HamRadio for making the new Notes icon (it changed since the screenshot). :)
« Last Edit: July 31, 2008, 02:25 AM by wreckedcarzz »

Loki15

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 113
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #497 on: August 02, 2008, 06:39 AM »
A little update.. I'm stepping back from the web browser as of now, I'm NOT abandoning it.  I'm gonna begin learning some more VB before I attempt it.  I hope for the new version to have a lot of awesome and unique features.  I'm setting the release date as of now to early '09.  I will make sure the release is complete.  After that updates will frequent every month or so.  Thanks. Walt

(Sorry if this seems off topic, since Brandon posted a picture here I figured this would be the proper place to announce it.)
R.I.P Terry Winstel, you were a musician, a hero, and a well loved man.  But above all, you were my dad. Forever in my heart 1953-2009.

wreckedcarzz

  • Charter Member
  • Joined in 2005
  • ***
  • Posts: 1,626
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #498 on: August 04, 2008, 07:33 PM »
OK, I am going to probably confuse everyone that has been following this topic (assuming you aren't lost already)

I am attempting to make all of my programs as simple and, quoting my dad, "user stupid" as possible. Ease of use is of topmost importance in my opinion. Constantly taking feedback from family and friends helps me out a lot, and I ask frequently for opinions and thoughts.

Just to give you a perspective...

  • SS 2008 "NANY" was coded with a tabbed interface in AHK. Not bad, it was lightweight and didn't need any framework. It lacked features from its successors, but it was an amazing feat (being recoded something like 8 times from scratch, and the final GUI was tweaked like 126 times)
  • SS 2008 was coded with a similar tabbed interface in VB 2008. The GUI was horrible, inconsistent and badly designed overall. The code behind everything was iffy at best (but hey, for a first VB project it wasn't that bad). I somewhat regret the poor quality of the program as a whole, but it got the job done and I proved that I could make a complete program in a new language.
  • SS 2009 is coded with a multi-window interface in VB 2008. The GUI is much improved, but the programs use an unusual "bar" instead of a menu. They lack common options, and the names of the "programs" are strange and confusing. New users have some difficulty navigating at first. Feature requests are abundant, and I have neither the time nor knowledge to fulfill them all.

I am working on several projects, as I have posted about before (new PlayMe and Notes), to help make the programs less confusing and better. This time I think I have a solid update for SystemCare. It incorporates the options that you had in SnapSuite 2008 (assuming you could find the options), with the improved GUI of SS 2009, with multithreading to keep everything nice and responsive. And the code is setup in a way that events are "following" one another, not based on "type" (as done with SS 2008 and much of 2009 (being fixed in 2009 though). That helps debugging speed and makes it easier.

I am testing everything out and it seems to work great. I think I have this multiple threads thing down pretty good. The program "protects" the user from clicking multiple buttons (saving them from potentially disastrous results) and it keeps the user notified constantly along the way (and users with slower PCs will like the fact that when it is preparing to start its actual work, it lets them know what it is doing; most users will not see this, unless you throttle the CPU usage to like 1% or something, but it is there).

Attached is a screenshot - I really do want someone to comment on it, negative or not - if it looks like crap, tell me! Better to let me know that you don't like it than to use it and hate it (or don't use it because you don't like it).

Anyways, this new version is called "FloorIt", and I found it quite amusing that I had a truck icon to go with it (as in, your computer is the slow truck and all the sudden you smash the gas and your PC is "flying"). :) And the broom icon is from WikiPedia, if I read correctly it can be used and redistributed without any objections or whatnot (correct me if I am wrong).

P.S.: School in 7 days!
-Brandon

Loki15

  • Honorary Member
  • Joined in 2007
  • **
  • Posts: 113
    • View Profile
    • Donate to Member
Re: SnapSuite program family/Free online computer help
« Reply #499 on: August 05, 2008, 07:10 AM »
I like it!  :)  It truly seems "user stupid".  :P
R.I.P Terry Winstel, you were a musician, a hero, and a well loved man.  But above all, you were my dad. Forever in my heart 1953-2009.