import music button

[westcoastirl]

I am wondering if there are plans to implement an 'import music' button within the software.

i have searched the forums and people are utalising a automated script option. This method still requires the user to have access to the operating system. I have jukeboxes which are locked down and allow the end user no access to windows. I require a way to send the end user music updates on memory stick and for him to add this music to the system only through the freebox software.

Existing jukebox software has an 'import music' button within the software that allows you to select drive letter then just copies all music off that into specified music folder on local system.

Is this a feature that will likely be included in future releases? It is the only thing missing from this software that is stopping me from buying it.

[Barcrest]

You could do it using an auto run script on the stick fairly eaisilly.

[westcoastirl]

i have tried and tested this and it still requires user to interact with OS. i require a solution whereby this can be done fully through jukebox software ie: functionality that allows to navigate to usb drive and click 'import without leaving jukebox software.

My experience with the script on usb drive wasnt at all elegent and led to other problems with our setup. Windows XP wont run the script automatically and shoots up a popup box which allows the user to navigate to other parts of the OS. i cannot allow this.

[fordman]

How does your jukebox bootup? I use instant sheller to boot into E-Touch. To add music, I exit E-Touch, then it launches Simple Touch Front End. On the STFE screen I have an 'Explorer' option that allows me to navigate windows to import music with STFE still in the background, then after the music is transfered, I close out the explorer window. Then on the STFE, I have an E-Touch config option, the config launches, I update my library, then have the config automatically close. All this with the STFE in the background, then when the config is done, then on the STFE screen, I have an E-Touch Launch option, Launch it, then close the STFE with the close button. No keyboards, no mouse. This works great for me and no one can access the files but me.

Do You have E-Touch locked down with the security settings?

Fordman

[Barcrest]

The way i would do it is have a bat file on the memory stick that is called by an auto run inf. So when you insert the stick it copies all the music off the stick to the folder you have the music in on the hard drive. Then I would set the jukebox up so every night a certain time it would shut down and run the update bat file posted on here. That would give you a pretty automated way of getting music onto the jukebox without having to use any additional software. Sorry the previous reply was so breif i got called away from my computer.

[westcoastirl]

barcrest i tried that option but it still shoots up an XP autoplay options menu.

As the boxes are fully locked down and i cannot allow access to XP to user. I cannot be physically at the jukebox to install music. the music has to be posted out on USB key. The end user on site has to insert USB key without access to windows OS.

is there any plans to implement this functionality through the freebox software? as i said other jukebox softwares have this . It is a feature that inhibits this software from being used in a commercial setting.

[Barcrest]

Put a tick in always do the selected action and select take no action from the list, that will prevent that box coming up. If you have a working autorun.inf on there you can make that launch a bat to copy the music over. This method also means that you have more control over what music is put on the box as they have to have the stick from you with the correct files on it to work. Admittedly that wouln't be hard for someone to work around as they could just put their music onto that same stick and load their own tunes on but it means they at least need a correctly set up stick.

To be honest as this can be done already with very little effort and you are the only user to ask for it I will don't think it's a good use of my time to add a section to the options. I mean it would involve a skin change that eist would have to do for me to add a new button to import music. Then i have to add code so it can hidden or enabled in delegate/admin view and that is before i even add the code to do whatever you expect that button to do....

Another reason why my method of using autorun.inf is better as not all memory sticks show up as the same letter every time and doing it via the app where a drive letter needs to be specified wouldn't be an ideal solution if the drive letter changed. Using the autorun.inf method that wouldn't matter. Don't forget you can set E-touch to run the update bat on shutdown so once the stick had copied the music across you would only need to exit E-Touch and it would perfom the update and be back up and running.

Don't know if anyone else has any thoughts on this.

[westcoastirl]

getting a user to insert usb drive and then get them to reboot and let etouch handle it could be a workable option, as long as that damned autoplay option doesn't come up. and i cannot rely on clicking 'always perform this action'.

any windows dialog that pops cannot be allowed on my system.

thanks for your prompt reply.

[westcoastirl]

one last q, is this software called freebox? or e-touch?

[Barcrest]

But if you do what i say then that pop up shouldn't appear when that stick is inserted.

What exactly would you want the import button to do? I don't want to invest a lot of time in something that MAY get me another user. When i have added other features for people they have already been paid up users of some sort, i can make pink elephants appear on the screen if the cash incentive is enough of course.

The software is now called E-touch, Freebox was the old name and Is still used as in E-Touch Powered By Freebox. The Freebox name came from the first application i produced like M$ Pain called Artist Freehand hence the Freehand Developments name.

[eist1]

Barry,

It sounds like you may get a bunch of users if westcoast can figure this out. As "hopefully" he would be paying for each customer that he is setting these jukeboxes up for. Would there be a way to create a button in the Options section that can run a .exe or .bat? I know this has been asked in the past, but if you created a button that was configurable to point to a .exe or .bat file, that is probably all that is needed (Create a button where you could input the path of the file). Then users could configure the button to do what ever they want with a .bat or .exe (burn music to a CD from the Downloads folder, or what westcoast is trying to do) For westcoast's solution all that he would need to do is create a .bat file that would copy *.* from the USB drive to C:/My Music, then in the .bat file run the script to Update the Music Database. In the Options screen the button would just be configured to point at the .bat file so you wouldn't have to worry about configuring the functionality. Just an idea that may be simple to implement, and possibly get you some more $$$ for more users.

[Barcrest]

Actually your method of just adding a button that can be configured to run something would be an easy addition. However isn't this just the same as putting the path in the run on shutdown and just shutting down the juke? As it's alibrary update i figure you would want the juke shutdown anyway and obviously it could be set to reload in the bat file. You can give the delegate pin access to shutwdown the juke and run this. If it tried to run it off the memory stick then it would try and run each shutdown but would actually only run if the stick was in place however is still see an issue with drive letters in this case.

[westcoastirl]

the configurable button to run script/run script on shutdown would fall foul to a change of drive letter. this is why i inquired about an import button that would open up a navigate box allowing to select drive.

i have jukeboxes that are on site and are locked down so no accesses to OS is allowed. So all admin is done through Jukebox software.

[Barcrest]

Yes as i thought this would not be a five minute addition.

[eist1]

Actually, I did a quick Google search and there are batch files/VB Scripts out there that will find the USB drive letter and allow it to be used in a script. I haven't been able to test any but you may want to do a search and see if any of them work for what is needed. There are also scripts out there that will look for a specific Volume Name and then assign a drive letter to it. That way you could look for a Volume Name (Music USB) and assign it a specigic drive letter then run a script to update the music using that drive letter. Just a few ideas....