The best ideas are common property.

UPnP DevSprint in Paris

2009-05-10T08:01:00.007+02:00

Hi from Paris, where together with [ade], dev, erwan, philn and lightyear I'm at the Coherence/KDE developer sprint focused on UPnP.
Yesterday, after struggling with QtDBUS (specifically the under-documented qdbusxml2cpp) I managed to the signals from Coherence and call functions. So now I can discover the devices on the network.

The signals are connected to a UPnPCollectionFactory that should create a new collection for each mediaserver (containing music) on the network.

Next step will be to really talk to the devices themselves. That will require some XML parsing, which can get a bit complicated. With any luck I'll find a Qt based DIDL-lite parsing library. Consider that a lazyweb questions :).

A bientôt,
Bart

UPnP support in KDE and Amarok

2009-02-13T14:31:00.000+01:00

During FOSDEM [ade] and I met with Frank Scholz, the lead developer of Coherence. We discussed DLNA/UPnP and how Coherence can be used in KDE and Amarok. The conclusion of this meeting was that we should use Coherence as our base for supporting UPnP services in KDE. The first implementation will be a KIO slave for browsing media stored on remote devices.

UPnP is a network technology using a combination of SSDP, XML and SOAP, with some GENA thrown in for eventing. A group of UPnP services called the UPnP A/V Architecture has been picked up by an industry organization called the Digital Living Network Alliance. DLNA specifies device classes which have to implement specific services and support a minimal set of filetypes and codecs.

Coherence is a framework, written in Python but it exposes a DBUS API, that allows an application to participate in the "Digital Home Network". For the moment this means mainly UPnP, but support for Ampache is available and Apple's DAAP is also considered. It's published under the MIT license and is multiplatform.

In Amarok we have been planning to integrate UPnP for a long while. But except for a failed Google Summer of Code project last year not a lot of effort has been spend. Thanks to Coherence this will quickly change: in relative short term (read 2.2) we will introduce a UPnP Collection that will list and enable playback of music stored on a DLNA Digital Media Server.

We could even consider publishing the content in the local Collection, basically making Amarok a DMS. Amarok can then track plays on remote devices and use it in the scoring algorithm.
Even more advanced functionality would be to control one or more Digital Media Renderes, such as
the Philips Streamium, from Amarok.

A few mails have been going back and forth between interested developers about discovery of network services in general. In order to simplify using technologies as UPnP, zeroconf, Samba, etc I'm wondering if we can integrate this in Solid. Only the discovery part obviously, using the services would be the task of separate frameworks, such as Coherence. With this functionality in Solid it should be trivial to show a kind of "Network Map" to the user with all the services per device.

As you can tell, plenty of cool things to keep a few people busy for a year or 3.

Bart

Amarok Junior Job: Auto-download new podcasts

2009-02-02T19:43:00.005+01:00

A recent comment by progmanos on the post of the 2.0.1.1 release reminded that I still have to implement Podcast episode auto-downloading. In the hurry to get 2.0 released I did add the config option, but forgot to add the actual code to make it work.

In Amarok 2 Podcasts are implemented in classes derived from PodcastProvider. There can be mutliple providers, which allows for instance podcast syncing between Amarok and an iPod.
The default provider is SqlPodcastProvider. This is where the auto-download function should get implemented.

This is a nicelly contained and not to steep introduction to Amarok development. So it's an excelent Junior Job.
If progmanos or anyone else would like to have a go at it, contact me on #amarok on irc.freenode.net. My nickname is Stecchino.

Amarok podcasting 2.0 and post-2.0 plans

2008-11-04T13:51:00.012+01:00

Hey fellow developers and users,

In Juli 2007, at Akademy Glasgow I started implementing podcasting support in Amarok2. Since then I was sidetracked a little, as you may be aware.

The little time I did manage to spend designing and implementing was short and far from focused. So a lot of features are not finished or just plainly missing. The framework I created underneath suffered from the same lack of focus and is need of a good review. I'm aware there is probably some overdesign and some parts might be to complex. If you feel you can help in that area I suggest you take a look at extragear/multimedia/amarok/src/podcasts . Send questions, comments and suggestions to amarok-devel@kde.org .

The 3rd beta from Amarok 2.0 is already out the door and podcasting support is still not finished. In order to make it I had to reduce some goals I had set for myself during those rainy summer days in Scotland. Here's the plan:

Amarok 2.0:
The focus ATM is on finishing the SqlPodcastProvider, Podcastmodel and PodcastCategory (GUI).
SqlPodcastProvider uses tables in the standard SQL database, adds and updates the feeds using PodcastReader and downloads to disk using the regular KIO-jobs.
To make the podcasting fully functional though we'll need to reintroduce:

Autoscan the feed for updates
Download when available
Episode purging (delete downloaded episodes automatically)

The settings dialog for this exists, next up is using them :).
The GUI currently shows all episodes ever read from the feed, which obviously needs to be addressed.
The GUI for 2.0 should be very similar, if not identical to Amarok 1.4, probably minus folder tree grouping support since that is better handled generically for all Playlists (which PodcastChannel is in our class diagram).

If anyone has a bit of Qt Model/View experience and would like to see podcasting in Amarok 2.0 I suggest you send a mail to amarok-devel@kde.org or ping me on irc (Stecchino on #amarok).
Without help we might have to drop it's from 2.0 completely because it's a bit much for me alone to complete and stabilize.

Amarok > 2.0:
I do have a plan for a complete GUI overhaul post-2.0. I'll get some art and usability advice in another blog post when the time comes.

The 2.x releases should see more advanced features being introduced that the framework is already designed to support:
For the SqlPodcastProvider specifically:

Renaming and sorting individual episodes (popular request)
Purging based on episode age and/or total size on disk
Labeling of PodcastChannels (perhaps to replace traditional folder tree grouping)

More general

Mediadevice Podcast support: iPod being the most advanced implementation but also generic usb devices, music phones and Canola2, I'm sure the INdT guys could help us with that.
OPML import and export
Podcast Directory personal subscription list.
BashpodderProvider: to use bashpodder and Amarok in parallel with synchronized download status
...

On to hacking.

Feature parity with KDE 3.5 ++: minimized windows

2008-10-21T11:23:00.003+02:00

Yesterday the itching became to bad an I hacked a bit on plasma and kwin to restore the workflow I enjoyed with KDE 3.5.

The task applet in plasma can be configured to only show minimized windows since r874077.

And

The "Present Windows" effect in kwin can now ignore minimized windows.(http://websvn.kde.org/?view=rev&revision=874292)

So now KDE support my OSX inspired desktop configuration again. I would include screenshots but plasma is currently broken. Such is the life on the bleeding edge.

Drupal registration module for KDE summits

2008-09-01T08:54:00.005+02:00

As you might have noticed, the registration page of the Akademy 2008 website is in fact a drupal site. The original concept for this was conceived by Niels van Mourik (who does drupal development as a day job) and further developed by Marijn Kruisselbrink and me.

It's a normal drupal installation so every person that registers gets a user account. After the login you are automatically redirected to the first page of the registration module where personal details have to be entered.
Next up is the accommodation and extra options reservation. We've used the extras this year for the social event and day trip which both had a 150 person limit and for inquiring about interest in bike rental. The N810 giveaway was also arranged with the options feature, with a limit of 100.

The 3th tab will summarize the selections made and the payment due to complete the registration. A payment ID is automatically generated to be used in a SEPA (EU bank transfer) form as comment to simplify manual processing of those payments. There is also a direct link to PayPal to make the transfer. Obviously all details were supplied to PayPal using it's API so the payment is only a few clicks away. The PayPal payments are automaticly processed using their Instant Payment Notification system.

Here are some of the most important features of the registration module you won't have noticed as a regular user:
* Registrants page: An overview of all registrations including name, email, payment ID, payment status, balance and a combobox to lock the registration forms. It also has a global lock to close registration and control new account creation.
* Accommodation Page: Here we can adjust the available spaces in the hostels that were arranged by the organization. It's also a convenient overview to check the status.
* Reports: SQL queries and results on the internal database. Output in HTML with adjustable links for each tuple and CSV. It also does parameterized queries.
This is really the most powerful feature and has allowed us to do just about anything we wanted with the information in the database. Some examples of that are the automatic generation of conference invite letters for visa applications and namebadges. This was achieved with TeX classes written by Bart Coppens.
The MAC addresses were downloaded and parsed by bash magic to be used in the pfsense portal that provided access to the internet and gave everyone a static IP lease.

The module was functional for Akademy yet it was missing some important features and needs refactoring:

Refactor:
* Change the name of the module
* Change the names of the database tables according to the event name
* Rename the functions to something generic instead of akademy_*

Absolutely needed features:
* Confirmation emails
* Automatic reminder emails

Workflow design:
* Timeline: phases in the registration to control which fields are possible to be edited by whom and deadlines
** Accommodation booking open -> deadline
** Registration open -> deadline
** During event: only certain fields can be adjusted
* Deletion of incomplete registration at the registration deadline

Optional participant features:
* Optional additional visa form with more privacy sensitive data
* Cancel registration by participant him/herself
* More payment options like Google Checkout

Back office features:
* Better "Accommodation" page
** Show free beds as well
** Adding and removing hostel
* Better "Payments" page and db table with dates, bank transfer numbers, etc.
** Deletion or correction of {payment} tuples after refunding
* Page for adding and editing extra options

Advanced back office features:
* Automatic visa invite generation using LaTeX
* Automatic payment receipt generation with support for company name
* Bank, PayPal, etc fee accounting included in the database tables. Needs to include date received and a summary of the booked accommodation and options
* Drag'n'Drop style room assignments using AJAX
* Option: integrate it into a larger community web 2.0'ish website
* Option: "arrived" field or {arrival} table
* Option: cmdline or GUI program to use at the reception desk for:
** marking arrivals
** print individual badge or all badges

In order for the registration module to be used for upcoming events the refactor and needed features has to be done first. After that, and possibly before the Summit in Gran Canaria, the rest can be implemented. Certainly the advanced back office features will be very much needed for a +500 people event.

This modules should not be used by KDE only though. In fact I plan to use it for a conference on our campus early next year (yeah, another one).

If you have PHP, drupal or HTML skills, just want to suggest something or want to help with testing, please join #kde-www or send a mail to kde-www@kde.org

The Akademy 2008 team

2008-08-19T14:35:00.005+02:00

Niels already mentioned the core team. But Akademy 2008 had a lot more volunteers and helpers

My colleagues of the EmSys group:
* Tom Tierens
* Wim Dams
* Philip Van Pelt
* Johan Van Bauwel
* Lars Struyf
* Patrick Pelgrims
and one of our students: David Nelissen.

Without them the network and computer labs would never have been up, let alone running relatively stable.

Also helping us were with catering and booth duty:
* Bart Elsen
* José Millián Soto
* Ruben Dezeure

And the technical staff of the campus:
* Dirk Swiggers
* Alois Budts
For putting up with all those "geeks" "hacking" in the computer labs.

Leo Schoeters for getting us some exposure on a local TV-station.

Peter Mathijssen made the logo and banners for the website.

We've rented equipment for video recording and power which were kindly supplied to use at a very steep discount by Koen Buys of KB Design.

Lot's of people were involved in organizing Akademy 2008. I'm sure next years team will be even bigger and the quality and "glitch-free"-ness will be the proof of that.

Thanks to all of them for making Akademy 2008 a wonderful experience.

Akademy 2008 status

2008-06-09T16:12:00.009+02:00

Hi Planet,

The registration for Akademy 2008 has been open for a week and a half now. After the initial rush during the first weekend the number of reservations for hostel beds was going up steadily.
Now the only hostel beds available are 4 on Friday the 8th, one on Tuesday, 2 on Wednesday and 3 on Thursday, most in hostel Zandpoort in the city. For those staying in hostel Zandpoort, we still have a few beds available in hostel Roosendael on Friday the 15th and the list of recommended hotels on the website has been updated. Since most hotels in Mechelen are business oriented they are cheaper on the weekend nights, you'll find prices as low as €59 per night.

Take a look at the pages for the Social Event and the Day Trip.
You'll read that we'll be partying with walking dinner and open bar on Saturday evening and going on a trip downriver on Thursday afternoon, also with yummy food and free drinks.

And let's not forget we all have a little padams in us:

The best way to motivate: people

2008-03-01T23:51:00.007+01:00

If you've been to a couple of Open Source conferences, you might have noticed that motivation spikes after such a meeting. I guess it's not the conference itself but rather the people that are present.
We'll it might not be true for everyone, but it certainly motivates me. Last weekend there was FOSDEM. I got a huge energy boost from that and managed to spend many an hour on Akademy during the 3 vacation days I took beginning this week.

I got the local Akademy team together to meet at café "Friends" in Mechelen. Everyone say hi to the team:

From left to right you'll see:

Pieter (Gunirus)
Bart Coppens (from krita fame)
Wendy
Pieter Vande Wyngaerde (just try to get that last name spelled right the first time :) )

Not in the picture are:

Andy Goossens
Wesley (profox)
Bart Cerneels (me, Stecchino, behind the camera)

more pictures here

These are the girl and guys that will be guiding you to and from Akademy 2008, around the campus, the hostels and the city. Better memorize their faces, you're wellbeing may depend on it :) An by that I obviously mean a nice bed and food.

We'll this should be enough to motivate me and the team members for another few weeks. And I hope it motivates you, dear reader, to start working on those ideas for Akademy 2008 as the call for participation will be published soon.

Greetings
Bart

Akademy in Belgium

2007-09-26T14:09:00.000+02:00

Yes people it is true, I didn't have enough to do yet (still managed to get 6 hours of sleep a day). So I offered to organise Akademy, together with my girlfriend Wendy.

We do have a lot going for us: Great location (my employers campus), a strong local team (including my direct colleagues) and many great KDE contributors nearby like Bart Coppens and KDE-NL.
It's a quiet campus (at least in August, summer holiday) with every imaginable facility, even a party hall. It's close to the city center of Mechelen, where all the hotels are, with excellent public transport to the campus from the city center.
A few photo's to prove it:
The "auditorium" building with 2 lecture halls with 400 and 250 seats. Both are equipped with Barco projectors beaming an image 4 meters high on the pearl-white wall above the whiteboard, now that's eye-candy. On the ground floor is a cafeteria and the party room that fits 200 people.

I hear you thinking all this is nice, but what is a KDE conference without coffee. Here is a place many off you will make frequent passages:

When in Belgium for Akademy you'll be able to enjoy waffles, chocolates, frites and Belgian beer in any order and combination that you like.

We'll I'm off to organize some more. I promise to post more info and pictures soon.

KDE4: Overlay-ed actions on icons

2007-03-29T14:27:00.000+02:00

This is my first post on planetkde.org ... Hello Planet.

What follows is an attractive idea for KDE4 which kind of fits into aseigo's Plasma, which some seem to concider "vaporware".

Hidden in the right click, "context sensitive" menu are supposed to be the most used actions for a certain mime-type, making the life of the user easier by making him click less. Why then does the right click menu on most mime-types seem so overwhelming? There are cool and useful features hidden in those menu's that I never realised where there, didn't see them through the dense forest of features.

What would be good is that very common actions are even better to discover and use, not even requiring the user to click the right mouse button. The idea is to have the most common actions represented by small icons that get overlay-ed on the larger icon of the file or directory your mouse hovers over. It would allow us to open a foto in one of the available apps, say gwenview or krita, mail them to someone, change the resolution or apply as desktop background, all in one click on a certain place on the icon. It could look something like this idea I proposed earlier but for every item in a filebrowser, eroding the distinction between icons, widgets and other things you might find on the desktop.

Have you ever tried to explain a common action of a modern computer, like changing the desktop background image, to a novice user. Ever got the impression they didn't even find that simple feature because they never used the right mouse button? Guess children or novice computer users wouldn't mind the reduced complexity with this, being presented the option without needing to search. And I guess a lot of "advanced" computer wizz'es would mind a more organic feeling file-browsing experience, and for the critics there is always the option to turn it off.

Hope I can discuss and maybe even implement this at aKademy. So feedback is welcome, either in the comments or live, 2 months from now in Glasgow.

Stecchino

KDE4: actions menu

2006-09-24T11:08:00.000+02:00

Task driven menu for applications.
Have a "actions" menu in every kde application containing the most common actions you can do with it. ex. Amarok: "Play Media", "Play Audiocd", "Quit". When using the desktop menubar the actions menu gets renamed to the application name. See my previous post to see why that is useful.
Every user is different so it could change the order of the actions menu depending on the users usage of those actions. It can even insert actions that are not there by default. I guess most items in a well designed menu can end up in the actions menu. The developers have to tag menu items as actions but only a few of them (most used or default) end up in the actions menu. And, since automation seems to be bad usablility wise (according to Ellen), users and developers are able to pin items to the menu.
If you are shouting "this is similar to XP's start menu or the Kickoff menu". You are right, only on a single application level and much finer grained.

In Amarok we had the problem that users weren't finding the features we worked so hard to invent and implement just about every release. This actions menu could help the discoverability of otherwise hard to find but wonderful features without bothering them with things like "tip of the day" or that damn paperclip.

Comments are welcome

KDE4: Improved desktop menubar

2006-06-02T13:29:00.000+02:00

I use the desktop menubar all the time. Mainly because it saves some vertical pixels on every window, very useful on my widescreen laptop. I looks cleaner to.
For those of you that don't know what it is. The desktop menubar shows the menu of the focused application (instead of in the top of the applications main window). It's a feature borrowed from MacOS.
unfortunately unlike in apple's OS the menubar doesn't contain the name of the application the menu belongs to. That creates some confusion for those not used to it and sometimes irritates me.

I suggest that in KDE4, instead of the usual "File" menu (or in amarok 1.4-svn "Engage") be changed to the applications name when using a desktop menubar. Actually, isn't File a bad place to put the quit item? Settings would fit better in there to. KDElibs4 should just rename the first menu to the application-name or just add a icon in front of it like in the screenshot. I guess a lot more people will start using the menubar then.

KDE4: Backstage

2006-03-22T22:11:00.000+01:00

The system tray is a limitedand valued realestate. Besides that it is extremely limited, smal icons make it hard to aim and actions can only be added in a menu, usualy right click menu, which is a problem all by itself.
But the problem is there are a lot of apps that use it as a mini taskbar. Like amarok, kontact, kopete, ... to many to name. And then there's superkaramba with widgets to control programs like amarok and other widgets to display feeds.
There's an opportunity here, what to do if programs want to remain running without a window open? Minimize them to the desktop as a widget. Of course this is not new, it's a concept used in CDE and probably others, they just create a icon on the desktop. But this is something different, so bear with me.

I call this concept Backstage, it would be a part of plasma and a there would be a framework to create Backstage widgets as easy as creating a system tray icon.

As example: the backstage widget for amarok

When sitting idle on the desktop and amarok is not playing the widget would look like the big amarok icon without the buttons.
If you move the mouse over the widget the actions swirl around the icon and stop where they are in the image.
When a track is playing the artist and title would rotate around it and the progress is visible by the percentage of the icon that is in grayscale.
Clicking on the action buttons does the expected thing, clicking somewhere else on the widget restores the amarok main window.

Practically I would implement this with animated SVG's for the graphics, Python for the behavior and DCOP for the communication with the parent application.

Off course the system tray doesn't need to dissapear completely but at least KDE4 apps that run in the background should have a backstage widget and let the user decide.