Commander X16

I have done quite a bit more testing with BETA 5. Only major issue is it does not run properly if program assets and files are in the SD-Card or Emulator root directory. (This should be fixed before calling this 1.0). It must be installed/unzipped to a sub folder. The sub-folder must be the current folder when VCONTROL.PRG is started so it knows where to locate it's assets. The program itself can navigate the entire Device 8. (Multiple device support is bouncing around in my head but not currently in code). So here's BETA 5.

Also uploading a couple of the helpers I'm using to help create/convert the books in a seperate zip file, no documentation at this time, I still plan a full fledged creation studio for VControl books. If anyone is interested in creating/converting there own books I'm happy to help.

TAB advances chapters & SHIFT/TAB backs up 1 chapter for chaptered books.

The Helper programs (written in QB64PE)
Here is BETA 5
I'm sorry I had so many bugs in BETA 4. This one should be better. Constructive criticism, comments & suggestions are welcome.

BETA 4 was downloaded 11 times



Startup screen can be suppressed completely by creating a file in the program directory named NOSPLASH, The contents of this file are not important, it simply has to be present.





BETA 1 of Volume Control.
An Audio Book Player and Manager for the X16.
BETA 1
PARTIAL UPDATE (BETA 1 ONLY)
(replace BOOKMENU.PRG in above) I accidentally gave the above program the ability to remove ANY selected directory. Its not serious because there is TRIPLE user confirmation and it will absolutely refuse to proceed from the Emulator or SD root directory. But I didn't intend that, my intentions were to only allow deletion of a BOOK folder. The partial update has implemented that limitation.


You will also need ** AT LEAST ONE BOOK **

The books for this app are also linked here . Some of them are quite large downloads and I can't directly Host them here on the forum. I've set up a Google Drive specifically for them for the time being. So here's some books.


THE BOOKS
(I have a couple more BOOKS in the Works and I will take requests for anything in the Public Domain.)

NEWEST
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KCpasj ... drive_link

A Tale of Two Cities
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XKrBpE ... drive_link

The Little Lame Prince
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1upBseY ... drive_link

The Canterbury Tales
https://drive.google.com/file/d/182Xtqx ... sp=sharing
(Warning: 1.8 gb download, 2.2 gb's unzipped)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13k7MEc ... drive_link

A Christmas Carol
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Vi5I8X ... drive_link

Alice Adventures in Wonderland
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17lqHSp ... drive_link

Alice's Adventures Through the Looking Glass
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GYiYzl ... sp=sharing

The Time Machine
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NHZSyd ... sp=sharing

The War of The Worlds
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pvZzPS ... sp=sharing

Dracula
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dV29Ne ... sp=sharing

Frankenstein
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YY9xTB ... sp=sharing

BEOWULF (A Reading in Old English)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/128KdMA ... sp=sharing

Wild Apples (A long Essay by Henry D. Thoreau)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ybpMkf ... sp=sharing

On the Origin of Species
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1l8AmP0 ... sp=sharing

If it's in the Public Domain I'll be taking requests until my Google Drive is full..

Posted a link to "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" converted for Volume Control.

Anything available by Carl Sagan? Cosmos would be great, but probably "too soon"?

Epic of Gilgamesh? Odysseus? the Argonauts? Lliad?

Greek stories? Not sure of any concise titles... But Clash of the Titans?
Fate sisters? Pandora's Box? Prometheus? Athena and the olive tree?
Icarus and those silly wax wings? How the Aegean got its name?
The sad story of Niobe and the Weeping Rock?
But I'm not sure where modern English translation stand for these.

voidstar wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 6:22 am Anything available by Carl Sagan? Cosmos would be great, but probably "too soon"?

Epic of Gilgamesh? Odysseus? the Argonauts? Lliad?

Greek stories? Not sure of any concise titles... But Clash of the Titans?
Fate sisters? Pandora's Box? Prometheus? Athena and the olive tree?
Icarus and those silly wax wings? How the Aegean got its name?
The sad story of Niobe and the Weeping Rock?
But I'm not sure where modern English translation stand for these.

All great ideas, I'll certainly try to do some of these. (Gilgamesh was already on my list) These take some time because I haven't written all my "Authoring" helpers yet. I plan "Authoring/Building/Converting" eventually as part of the package, though it will be a 64 bit program and not an X16 program.

One of the features I have planned for "Authoring" is easy conversion of "Audible" books. I've already done one at home, so it's just a matter of automating the process. That way any X16 owner that is subscribed to Audible can convert their own.

Posted a New Book for Volume Control:

The Canterbury Tales

Also Posted Volume Control BETA 4

UPDATED BETA 4 TO BETA 4A Due to report of Volume Bug. Please Re Download.

Linked in Top Post
viewtopic.php?t=7928

Feedback:

• Cool app! I find myself using it more when i want something playing in the background

• Startup screen: I don't mind the audio sample of the turning pages but whatever is at the end is harsh.

• Startup screen: Consider displaying the text "Loading..." with the cover art. When I first loaded the program, I wasn't sure if the screen froze and i started pressing keyboard buttons.

• Audiobook screen: First experience loading the audiobook, I see the cover art but no sound. It took me far too long to realize that the audiobook was indeed playing but inaudible. I needed to increase the volume.

• Audiobook screen: First experience loading the audiobook, I see the cover art and have no idea how to access the menu. After mashing the keyboard I was able to pull it up. I think defaulting to the menu view or displaying the main controls with cover art would improve the user experience.

• UI colors: I think limiting the number of colors to 3 in the UI would simply things visually. White, Green, Yellow?

Uploaded BETA5 after a few days testing.


Also finished converting and Posted Charles Dicken's "A Tale of Two Cities"