|
Post by George on Mar 14, 2021 14:45:00 GMT -5
OK, here's another release. - SUBTITLE, RATING and PUBLISHER are now available for the PRPx columns. I don't seem to have any files containing these properties so I'd appreciate some feedback as to whether they're really working. PUBLISHER I can verify, not the other two.
- The saving of ALTERNATE has been enhanced so that if a higher up folder is flagged as ALTERNATE, then all lower folders will inherit that setting. e.g If you set ALTERNATE for your \Music folder, all lower ones become ALTERNATE. Like \Music\A \Music\B etc. Note this is a limited inheritance. Once \Music is flagged ALTERNATE, you can not go to \Music\NonMusicFiles and flag that as STANDARD. Well you can do that, it will work, but it will not be saved. (Because only ALTERNATE folders are remembered, all others are STANDARD or follow upper folder inheritance) If you want to change it, go to \Music, make it STANDARD, and then add ALTERNATE to the lower level folders.
George V2.4.21073 SPFLite24.exe (509.5 KB)
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 15, 2021 8:18:07 GMT -5
Robert: So, would EXT disappear as an actual separate column? If so, then a NameX option would be OK.
George
I looked at the × character (D7) - didn't realize it was so 'standard' a character, I was worried it wouldn't appear is some fonts, but its in every fixed font I have on my system.
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 15, 2021 9:16:38 GMT -5
Robert: No, I think the × is fine, no need for a change. Besides, a . is quite small to see.
I wish I could do what old versions did and make the extension in the NAME field a different color, but in the new design, text strings and color attributes come back from the storage object in one call. Make things simpler - lose flexibility.
George
[UPDATE]
OK, back to . the × just didn't look that different from * (at least in my default font)
[\UPDATE]
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 15, 2021 9:49:30 GMT -5
I'm going to start the fun job of updating the documentation for the 2.4 release. So to avoid having to go back over it several times to keep up with changes, if you have suggestions or changes to request, speak up.
George
|
|
|
Post by Jo on Mar 16, 2021 5:06:25 GMT -5
Documentation: "Introduction To Portable InstallVersion" should be updated to the new install folder "C:\Program Files (x86)\SPFLite2" introduced in V2.1
In "CFG File Maintenance" The following topics ... there is "ExpOne" (leftover?)
Jo
|
|
|
Post by Jo on Mar 16, 2021 6:01:34 GMT -5
CFGMaint & Portable Version: When CFGMaint looks for SPFLite.CFG file, it should first look for \Config subfolder before going to Registry.
Jo
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 7:14:28 GMT -5
Hi Geirge,
Sorry - I'm late to the party - again!
In terms of other properties, ... some I find useful especially for photo and video files... -Imagesize -MegaPixels -Duration -DateTimeOriginal
Of these, DateTimeOriginal is my favourite when folks have been using cameras that only generate filenames with a sequence number (eg. ABC00081.jpg) and expect me to merge them into appropriate date-time sequence.
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 7:23:12 GMT -5
On another (and potentially more serious matter)... I am either completely soft in the head, or we have something strange going on with v2.4. I've observed this on all v2.4 instances thus far, most recently v2.4.21070 but will switch to the latest and continue monitoring. Occasionally, when I click somewhere non-specific in the SPFLite window, the application effectively does the equivalent of "=X <ENTER>". It seems most likely to happen when the SPFLIte window was covered by a bunch of other apps' windows and I'm closing them one by one. There's no definitive reason I have noticed - largely because SPFLite's sudden disappearance takes me by surprise every time. That fact alone suggests it is very very unlikely that I manage to hit the tiny [X] in the top right corner. In fact, in the occurrence just a minute ago, I swear I was right-clicking anyway.
I don't lose any data as open EDIT tabs are saved - but of course, the files are then in a half-finished state which can take time to dis-entangle. Not ideal, but we have DIFF at least :-)
Just a heads-up at this time. Anyone else notice something similar.... at all ... per chance??
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 7:51:34 GMT -5
George,
The following produces a recoverable program exception.
(1) Start SPFLite v2.4.21072 (2) On FM display, right click an item in the 'New FilePath Recent.... etc' ribbon OR one of the column headings (Ext LWDate Size, etc)
Untrapped Error #9 (Subscript/Pointer out of range) has occurred following execution of TPFMDFLA <OK> to continue or <CANCEL>
Depending on where you clicked, <OK> recovers the session successfully, or you go on to
SPFLite has encountered an execution exception (C000000005) ...with the top module backtrace entry being FMLCMDPROCESS
If you're lucky, <OK> recovers that one too.
Bit messy though.
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 16, 2021 9:21:39 GMT -5
Robert: Jo: Stefan:
Great! Thanks for all the suggestions.
Jo: Particularly the CFGMaint and portable installs, I'd have never thought of that.
Stefan: I provide DIMENSION which gives 9999 x 9999 for both Images and Videos, would that do for Imagesize? and LEN provides Duration. (Or should we rename LEN to DURATION? [UPDATE] Done [\UPDATE]
DateTimeOriginal I think is called Photo_DateTaken internally. Name? DATETAKEN / DATEORIG ?
Megapixels - I can find nothing amongst the 600+ keys that provides this.
George
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 16, 2021 9:32:53 GMT -5
Stefan: It helps to make sure you know where the cursor is before doing a Right-Click context menu. Oops. Fixed.
George
|
|
|
Post by George on Mar 16, 2021 9:35:47 GMT -5
Stefan: I've not seen anything like the Close problem. Anyone else?
George
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 13:53:18 GMT -5
Robert,
I echo that observation. I too have dropped to 'C:\' once or twice, but it happens so infrequently that I figured I just had finger trouble.
George, Roberts previous note just reminded me... A while back we spoke about putting the sample macros in a sub-directory so they don't 'muddy the waters' of the user's \MACROS directory. I think you decided to place them under the SPFLite2 install folder.
ooREXX does similarly with its sample dialogs and also some CLASS includes and it is a pain to have to add sub directories (sometimes several levels down) to the PATH as well.
It is desirable to have the \SPFLITE2 directory in the PATH environment variable so Windows can find SPFLITE2.EXE, CFGMAINT.EXE, etc.
But in my experience most users treat C:\PROGRAM FILES\...etc as 'system stuff only' so don't go looking there for 'goodies' and thus may never find the samples. Hence I suggest that placing the SAMPLE sub-directory under the usual \MACROS folder in the "SPFLite DATA" area. They won't be directly executable from there, but they'll be in an area where users feel comfortable to browse and play. And folks who, like Robert, prefer to keep their 'C:\' drive pretty much 'system-only', they probably place the "SPFLite Data" area on another drive already.
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 17:43:24 GMT -5
DateTimeOriginal I think is called Photo_DateTaken internally. Name? DATETAKEN / DATEORIG ? Megapixels - I can find nothing amongst the 600+ keys that provides this. George
The exact properties tend to vary depending on the camera type. iPads are more awkward as they record less/different data.
In general, files usually have one (or more) of these properties:
Videos:
Duration Quicktime:Duration, Quicktime:MediaDuration DateTimeOriginal QuickTime:CreateDate, QuickTime:MediaCreateDate Imagesize Composite:ImageSize
Meagpixels Composite:Megapixels
Pictures
DateTimeOriginal EXIF:CreateDate, EXIF:DateTimeOriginal XMP:DateAcquired Imagesize Composite:ImageSize Meagpixels Composite:Megapixels
Keep clear of date/time entries prefixed with File: as these refer to when the files were uploaded to the PC and hence are unhelpful.
Of course, none of these are any use if the user forgot to set the correct date/time on the camera before taking snaps.
But these days many folks use SmartPhones or tablets which are less likely to sit in drawers with flat batteries between excursions.
|
|
|
Post by Stefan on Mar 16, 2021 18:03:54 GMT -5
George,
A question about the Backup function....
I appreciate it only AUTO-backups the file the first time on any given day. That's fine. The question is, how does it know it's a new day?
I don't use STATE but I do habitually 'SLEEP' my PC overnight with various apps and files still open. This might be for other files I'm working on, outside of SPFLite.
When the machine wakes up again the next day or sometimes several days later, all is how I left it. The process works very well, but I think SPFLite doesn't write a new daily backup when I continue with the editing of an already open tab.
Of course, SPFLite has no idea it was asleep and the day/date has changed, unless it checks periodically.
Would you expect it to notice that it has been asleep for 3 days and thus create a new BACKUP under these circumstances?
|
|