Rockbox PC Jukebox Program

[dude52]

I was wondering if it would be possible to create a Rockbox program for the PC that would act as a media player (such as winamp) that would also sync with supported Rockbox players. This way the computer could scan files to create a database, rate songs, etc, without wasting the battery on the portable player. I'm no programmer, but it seems like this wouldn't be too hard to achieve what with the simulators already being around.

[GodEater]

Lots of people have come up with this idea, but to my knowledge none of them have ever followed up on it.

[dude52]

That doesn't surprise me. Would it be that hard to port Rockbox to a PC? It seems like it would make things a lot easier. If I'm beating a dead horse, this thread may as well be deleted, and my apologies for rehashing old ideas.

[LambdaCalculus]

Like GodEater said, lots of people have been kicking the idea around for a while, but no one has really worked on that yet.

You can SORT OF use Rockbox as an app by downloading a simulator from here. I believe that if Rockbox participates in Google Summer of Code 2008, this is one of the projects the devs would like to work on (Rockbox as an app).

[dude52]

So it's on the to-do list, just not a high priority?

[GodEater]

You can SORT OF use Rockbox as an app by downloading a simulator from here. I believe that if Rockbox participates in Google Summer of Code 2008, this is one of the projects the devs would like to work on (Rockbox as an app).

I actually use the Rockbox simulator as a audio player on my PC at work - the gapless support in it is imo, superior to anything else out there

The tricky thing of course is that you have to remember the keymap for the simulator, since you can't use it with a mouse - but it runs a treat

So it's on the to-do list, just not a high priority?

As a jukebox app? No - it's not on the todo list of anyone involved in the project at all as far as I know. Especially not with the features you've described of getting it to build the database on the DAP for you as part of the sync process.

I believe the GSOC project that Lamba is referring to is getting it to run a bit more smoothly as an app on other embedded platforms (like mobile phones) which already have the ability to run third party code.

The application as you describe it could be undertaken by pretty much any sort of coder - you don't need to be good with embedded systems - so it's a good way of contributing to Rockbox if it's something you feel like doing.

[LambdaCalculus]

Didn't one of the devs have the idea of adding mouse support to the sim? I believe I may have seen this either in Google SoC Roundups, IRC, or here on the forums, and if I recall, this was a feature to be added for touchscreen target sims.

[GodEater]

Didn't one of the devs have the idea of adding mouse support to the sim? I believe I may have seen this either in Google SoC Roundups, IRC, or here on the forums, and if I recall, this was a feature to be added for touchscreen target sims.

That was for the mrobe sim, and it was JdGordon's idea - I'm not sure if it ever got committed or not.

[LambdaCalculus]

I'm not sure either... I never bothered compiling a sim for the m:robe 500.  

[GodEater]

I'll build one now then and find out

EDIT:

Well clicking on things with the mouse does *something* - but it's sure as hell not what I wanted to happen. So I guess it's in an infant state right now

[Multiplex]

I did something similar once in Delphi with invisible rectange shape objects above all the buttons on the simulator and used the on click events.

That was for a phone and I have no idea what the SDL equivalent is...I wish I had the time to learn - I have so much respect for the Devs finding the time to produce this amazing software.

[NicolasP]

Actually there is mouse support and it even works rather well! You simply need to add the following line in your config-target.h file:

Code: [Select]

#define HAVE_TOUCHPAD

This feature is described in TouchpadInterface.

[Ste-]

I actually use the Rockbox simulator as a audio player on my PC at work - the gapless support in it is imo, superior to anything else out there

The tricky thing of course is that you have to remember the keymap for the simulator, since you can't use it with a mouse - but it runs a treat

How do you load tracks ? bar having them inside a folder for the sim ?
I would also like to do this but would prefer to keep my music in a different Folder to the sim.

[LambdaCalculus]

Actually there is mouse support and it even works rather well! You simply need to add the following line in your config-target.h file:

Code: [Select]

#define HAVE_TOUCHPAD

This feature is described in TouchpadInterface.

Fantastic! I'll keep that in mind!

[Rincewind]

How do you load tracks ? bar having them inside a folder for the sim ?
I would also like to do this but would prefer to keep my music in a different Folder to the sim.

If you use Linux, then it is easy to symlink your music folder in the 'archos' folder in the simulator.

I recently read an article that the ntfs file system has the capability to do symlinks, so it might be possible to have this in windows, too.