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Software News   Software News : Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module released
   posted by AlexC on 18-Sep-2006 15:33:54 (4839 reads)
Commander 1.0 is out!

You can grab this "must-have" here.
Read more for features...




It's a multi-purpose OS4 Screenblanker module which features...

- Clock with standard and internet time
- Large font with color cycling
- ScreenMode selection
- Display update delay setting
- User-defined variable display
- User-defined command to launch when blanking
- User-defined command to launch when unblanking


What all this means is that whatever you want your screenblanker to do, like displaying a picture, slideshow, cartoon, crunching number or anything else, you can make it happen with "Commander, the master of all blankers!"

For example, setting the blanking command to:

C:RX 'ADDRESS AMIRC.1 SAY "Gone for a while..."

would send that message on the active IRC channel if you fall asleep or leave your Amiga unattended, and setting the unblanking command to:

C:RX 'ADDRESS AMIRC.1 SAY "I'm back!"

would send that message when you return where you really belong, or hit the keyboard with your head...

Get it now, try the examples, and you'll wonder how you managed to get this far through life without it!
    

STORYID: 3312
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Hans 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 18-Sep-2006 15:47:19
#1 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 27-Dec-2003
Posts: 5098
From: New Zealand

Awesome! Got to try this when I get home. I remember talking about having something like this a while ago but I didn't have the screenblanker header files so I couldn't have a go at writing one myself. The first thing I'm going to do is link it up with a Hollywood script that displays pictures from a directory as a slideshow.

Hans


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Haymigga 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 18-Sep-2006 16:05:53
#2 ]
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Joined: 14-Jun-2003
Posts: 213
From: Danmark

very cool blanker indeed


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Curty 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 18-Sep-2006 18:31:46
#3 ]
Super Member
Joined: 20-Dec-2003
Posts: 1202
From: South Wales. UK

Good stuff,
Nice to see the source code as well, perhaps ill have a bash at writing a blanker myself.


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FuZion 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 18-Sep-2006 18:35:25
#4 ]
Super Member
Joined: 22-Nov-2003
Posts: 1962
From: Birmingham, England

This is brill! Can't get any bugger to work though.

I've copied & pasted some of the examples & still nothing but a clock comes up. Anyone have any idea what I might be doing wrong?

FuZion.

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RWO 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 0:52:44
#5 ]
Regular Member
Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 457
From: Denmark

@Curty

You still need the Blanker SDK, to compile it.

RWO


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AlexC 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 7:42:37
#6 ]
Super Member
Joined: 22-Jan-2004
Posts: 1300
From: City of Lost Angels, California.

@Curty
As RWO says you'd need the header files but they weren't included in the last SDK released, maybe because the API isn't finalized yet.

However, if you want to make a blanker, you could use either the Commander or Rainbow sources and send me the changes, I'll gladly compile it for you.

@FuZion
I don't know what could be wrong, make sure you press enter after typing a string in the variable or command gadgets.
Note that unless your command opens its own screen or brings WB to front, the clock screen will stay in front. That part is normal.

In the next version I'll add an option to not display the blanker screen at all since it's not needed when you open your own screen or want to display something on the workbench.


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NoelFuller 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 12:29:31
#7 ]
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Joined: 29-Mar-2003
Posts: 926
From: Auckland, New Zealand

Quote:
I don't know what could be wrong, make sure you press enter after typing
a string in the variable or command gadgets.
Note that unless your command opens its own screen or brings WB to front,
the clock screen will stay in front. That part is normal.

In the next version I'll add an option to not display the blanker screen at
all since it's not needed when you open your own screen or want to display
something on the workbench.


I tried your suggested command for a picshow slide show but got an
objection from OS4:

"A task is illegally calling a system only function"

Line length is too limited for long paths so I
had to put in an assign. Pressed return after entering commands.
All I continued to see was the clock. Lost AmiDock a few times too
but have not pinned down the fatal sequence.

Noel

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Toaks 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 14:00:40
#8 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 10-Mar-2003
Posts: 8042
From: amigaguru.com

alexc for this fine blanker.


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RWO 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 14:04:39
#9 ]
Regular Member
Joined: 8-Mar-2003
Posts: 457
From: Denmark

Okey I'm impressed.. 140 download for a ScreenSaver Module

RWO


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Hans 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 15:01:26
#10 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 27-Dec-2003
Posts: 5098
From: New Zealand

@NoelFuller

I had something like that too. I tried the example that obtains the current temperature from Wet and it complained about illegal use of GetEnv(). I can't remember what the specific error message was though.

@AmigAlex

What version of OS4 are you running? I got the error message with update 4.

Hans

Last edited by Hans on 19-Sep-2006 at 03:02 PM.


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Haymigga 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 15:26:34
#11 ]
Regular Member
Joined: 14-Jun-2003
Posts: 213
From: Danmark

i get the same problem as Noelfuller...

update 4


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Curty 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 15:42:52
#12 ]
Super Member
Joined: 20-Dec-2003
Posts: 1202
From: South Wales. UK

Same problem here.


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amipal 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 16:18:28
#13 ]
Super Member
Joined: 8-Apr-2003
Posts: 1907
From: Saltdean, East Sussex, UK

Ditto. Got the Grim appearing when pasting in any of the examples in the readme.


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AlexC 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 16:33:50
#14 ]
Super Member
Joined: 22-Jan-2004
Posts: 1300
From: City of Lost Angels, California.

@Hans and all,

Hmm, those who tested it with update 4 didn't report any problem, perhaps they didn't try changing the env or loading a program.

Naturally all the examples worked and still work fine here :-|

I'm running the OS4 beta but I thought I had avoided using any function which isn't available on update 4.

I'll take a closer look at these symptoms, though if anyone can run commands and/or set the variable without the reported problems, do let me know too.


@NoelFuller

I think it's a bug in classes/getfile.gadget that it cuts off any string longer than 107 chars. AFAIK it should accept strings of up to 256 chars, (even more would be better IMO but one would argue that command arguments should be entered in a seperate string gadget).

Last edited by AmigAlex on 19-Sep-2006 at 06:13 PM.


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FuZion 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 19-Sep-2006 18:19:04
#15 ]
Super Member
Joined: 22-Nov-2003
Posts: 1962
From: Birmingham, England

@AmigAlex

Cheers Alex. I'll keep my eyes peeled for an update.

While I'm here I'd like to throw an idea forward. It'd be nice to be able to have a selection of commands than can be run. One for PicShow, one for the weather temp, one for what's being played in a music player, one for... You get the point Maybe a list of commands & when you edit each of these, you get the Variable, Command 1 & Command 2 lines for each separately.

FuZion.

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Deniil715 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 20-Sep-2006 13:54:39
#16 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 14-May-2003
Posts: 4237
From: Sweden

Nice!

Does it support DPMS?? If so, can it be immediately activated using hotkey?


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Hans 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 20-Sep-2006 14:36:06
#17 ]
Elite Member
Joined: 27-Dec-2003
Posts: 5098
From: New Zealand

@Deniil715

Quote:
Does it support DPMS?? If so, can it be immediately activated using hotkey?


ScreenBlankerEngine has DPMS support built in so the blanker modules don't have to worry about it. And yes, you can activate it using a hotkey. This can be set using the ScreenBlanker editor in the prefs drawer.

Hans


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Snuffy 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 23-Sep-2006 19:44:45
#18 ]
Super Member
Joined: 25-Oct-2005
Posts: 1121
From: Michigan, USA

AmigAlex
I'm running the OS4 beta but I thought I had avoided using any function which isn't available on update 4.

Somebody's NOT intuition oriented! It runs fine until you require ScreenMode function for something. Is it the -- blanker engine -- ?? I hung up on v51.2 in OS4Update#4. Please verify!


After three years of AmigaONE, I've come to conclude-- it's a pile of #2!


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AlexC 
Re: Commander Multi-Purpose OS4 Screenblanker Module release
Posted on 23-Sep-2006 23:08:53
#19 ]
Super Member
Joined: 22-Jan-2004
Posts: 1300
From: City of Lost Angels, California.

Well, it's a pitty but the blanker I released won't work as it should with the public screenblanker engine.

The reason is that it starts my blanker module as a Task which in the AmigaOS world means functions such as GetEnv() and Execute()/System() cannot be called.

A real bummer because it's a pretty cool blanker module and I worked very hard to make it.

That leaves me with two scenarios:

1)
Either I leave it as it is, and thus until the newer screenblanker engine is available, you can only use it to display the clock... or

2)
I change all the code using some "task-callable" functions only and handcrafting replacements for GetEnv() and System()

I'd rather not have to spend time rewriting it when it's only as a temporary workaround while I could spend that time working on the new features for v1.1, but since there's no OS4 update #5 planned before the final release which may or may not come out by the end of the year, it might be better to do this anyway so that you can enjoy the blanker to its full extent a lot sooner.

We'll see.


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