Backlight timeout

[whatchamacallit]

Hi all,

I think I remember some other people asking this already, but anyway: Would it be possible to differentiate the "backlight timeout" setting according to whether you're listening to music or using any of the other features (playing, reading, looking at pictures or videos)? When you're just listening to music, setting this to just a few seconds is a very reasonable choice as it saves a lot on battery, but when you're, say, playing "Jewels" or looking at photos, 90sec would be more like it...
Greetings,

whatchamacallit

[accel]

of course its possible

[Mikerman]

Although you probably would like this to happen automatically, in the meanwhile, you could create a games.cfg file which sets the backlight on to a longer period.

[whatchamacallit]

Thank you, Mikerman! As I'm just trying to write a .cfg file on my PC and then just putting it on my iriver anyway, I'll try.
By the way, I think it was you proposing I have the iriver write a .cfg file itself - how do I do that? I've tried "Manage settings > write .cfg file", but there I only get a blank space and a block of characters for writing.
Well, just now I have to work on something more important, but I'm sure I'll find the time somewhere inbetween and I'll just try it out.
I'm trying to write one using the Notepad and before transferring it, I'll just delete the .txt that Windows automatically puts at the end of the filename, right?
Thanks a lot!
Greetings,

whatchamacallit

P.S.: Once I've written a .cfg file, does RB automatically load that one at startup until I select another one or will I have to load it every time?

[JdGordon]

"P.S.: Once I've written a .cfg file, does RB automatically load that one at startup until I select another one or will I have to load it every time?"

yes and no... the settings are saved between reboots, so whatever config was used last before shutdown will be loaded after a reboot..

[Mikerman]

I've tried "Manage settings > write .cfg file", but there I only get a blank space and a block of characters for writing.

Well, believe it or not, you've already done it--the space you get is for naming the cfg file that's just been created.  (And if I recall correctly, it also gives a default name for the cfg file.)  Just type in a name for the file using your player's controls (for the iRiver H1xx player, I use the joystick to maneuver in the alphabet etc., and choose a letter by clicking the joystick; rec to eliminate the last letter; and play + left/right to maneuver in the name without deleting a character), ending in ".cfg", and press on/play to save it. 

To use the cfg file, just "play" the file--the settings will change.

And to change back to your "normal" settings, just create a "normal" cfg file to play.  As noted above, the last cfg settings will be used when you next turn on the player.

Note that a cfg file created this way will save all the current cfg settings--if you write your own cfg file from scratch, however, you only need to include the settings you want to change.  I find that this (using manage settings to write a cfg file, that is) often is the easiest way to write a cfg file, however--I have a hard time remembering all the cfg possibilities and don't want to bother checking the manual, which lists them all.

[whatchamacallit]

Hello Mikerman,

thanks for the Tip! I've transferred that file (it's named rockbox_default or something) to my PC and using that as a model, I've written another one for using with Text and pictures and games, with no backlight timeout and a longer time before idle poweroff.
Logically, RB should keep loading a selected .cfg file at startup until you select another one, right?
Greetings,

whatchamacallit

[Rincewind]

it doesn't work this way, actually.
when you "play" a cfg file, rockbox loads the settings from there. When you shut down the player, all current settings are automatically written to a hidden sector on the disc. From there all settings get loaded at boot everytime.

[whatchamacallit]

Thanks, Rincewind!

I was thinking something like that. Well, the main thing is that it works. I haven't tried it out yet, but I will.
Nice hat, btw ;-)

Greetings,

whatchamacallit

P.S.: Do the settings I state in the .cfg file have to be in the same order as they appear in the manual? Are they case sensitive? I suppose that if I do put them in the same order and I write in small case, I can't go wrong, can I?

P.P.S.: I think there are some settings that are not mentioned in the manual, like crossfade or display brightness, for example. Does that mean I cannot include them in my .cfg files?

[Febs]

The best way to tell what you can include in a .cfg file is to use the Manage Settings menu to write a .cfg file and then open it up in a text editor.

[psycho_maniac]

cant you code in a plugin to have the backlight to always on?

[JdGordon]

yes u can

[whatchamacallit]

Hello Febs,

I must have gotten something wrong there, because when I do the "write a .cfg file" and then open it in a text editor, I just get a couple of settings (wps and font) and some comments about them.
Greetings,

whatchamacallit

P.S.: I'm quite sure I have the correct .cfg file, I had my computer search my iriver for that file extension.

[Assimalyst]

Sounds like you're looking at a theme config (saved in /.rockbox/themes). The settings config files are saved in /.rockbox by default.

[whatchamacallit]

Hi Assimmalyst,

okay, the one I was looking at was indeed a themes file. However, in /.rockbox (not the sub-folders if I get you right?), I only find two *.config files that don't seem to be about settings.
The first one is all about ID3 infos (track numbers, titles, Genres etc.) and Search options and the second one is about the viewers.

Well, I think as it's also possible to write *.cfg files on the PC, this is not really soo important. If there's several ways to do it and one of them works, I don't really mind. I'll just find out which settings I can do by trial-and-error.
Thank you very much anyway!
Greetings,

whatchamacallit