Seed of Language (vocabulary training software)

[Swoka Ikran]

Yes, the bugfix for this was released on Dec 24th. At least on my machine it's working fine.

Updated from 1.9->1.9.1...now it sort of works. The lesson downloader still fails to load the list pretty often, but it'll eventually work if I restart the app enough times.

Also, just a tip: I'd recommend you edit your first post with the latest version info and website. I completely missed the 1.9.1 update and new website until a little while ago.

[Hufwe Atxur]

It has been a long time since I last developed SoL .. however, yesterday I started programming version 2.0.0.0 in C# - these are the most important changings (so far):

- New INI-file like lesson format (very(!) fast and easy to read)
- New layout
- A new version-system (e.g.: 2.0.0.0 = Very Important version . Important Version . Small new features . Bugfix)
- Faster lesson-downloader
- etc..

The lesson-format-parser was programmed yesterday by me - in future every lesson has the SOLF-format (think about what this could mean .. ). This format is quite simple and can be processed faster than an XML-file by the computer. A lesson could look like this:

Code: [Select]

Name=Sample lesson with a very long name
Description=
Slides=2

Q1=Question 1
A1_1=Answer 1
A1_2=Answer 2
A1_3=Answer 3

Q2=Kaltxì
A2_1=Hello
A2_2=How are you?
A2_3=Friend
Alas I have to announce one sad fact - old XML-files can't be processed. Perhaps I'll write a conversion tool, but due to the fact that there were mistakes in several old lessons, I'd first have to update those - I don't know when I'll have the time to.

Attached are pictures of the newest version - there are still several features I must program, but I think that I can release the program next weekend. If you have some ideas or feedback, let it know me!

[Swoka Ikran]

Looks nice

If you have some ideas or feedback, let it know me!

Just one thing: Is there any reason for not using a regular INI file (i.e. with [sections] )? If you use a standard INI, it'd be easier for others to make other tools that are compatible with the lesson format.

[Hufwe Atxur]

Actually there is no reason .. initially I didn't want to use the Windows-internal function to manage INI-files, further the XML-files were difficult to handle in Java, and I'm not yet aware of the XML-functions in C#.

So I wrote my own class to handle pseudo INI-files. Hence they don't support sections, but even if I used the INI-file parser from Windows I wouldn't have used them - the <Key>=<Value> system of those files is the only purpose for using them (since they easy and fast to read). And such files could be easily created with Java's property-class or similar functions in C/Python/.. .

[Swoka Ikran]

Actually there is no reason .. initially I didn't want to use the Windows-internal function to manage INI-files, further the XML-files were difficult to handle in Java, and I'm not yet aware of the XML-functions in C#.

XML can be a bit clunky...

As for not wanting to use the already-existing INI functions...still seems a bit silly to me. But then, that's probably just because I wrote a similar app using INIs in the past The format I used was something like

Code: [Select]

[q1]
Q=Question text
A1=Answer 1
A2=Answer 2
A3=Answer 3
Correct=2
I thought it looked better than giving keys names like A1_1, A1_2, etc.

Perhaps I'll write a conversion tool, but due to the fact that there were mistakes in several old lessons, I'd first have to update those - I don't know when I'll have the time to.

Such a tool would be a good idea, even if you don't fix the lessons. Since custom lessons were supported, people who used customs would probably want to convert them.

[Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite]

is one lesson only available until you get all the answers correct?

[Swoka Ikran]

is one lesson only available until you get all the answers correct?

Only one lesson comes with it.

In the Lessons menu, choose "Download Lessons" to get them. It appears the lesson server may be down though I see an empty list in the downloader...

You can still make your own lessons if you go to your Start->Programs menu and use the "Export from Dictionary" option.

[Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite]

irayo nìtxan, ma Swoka.

[Swoka Ikran]

irayo nìtxan, ma Swoka.

Kea tíkin.

Computer/software questions are something I seem to answer a lot of these days.

[Neyn'ite Te Tsahìk Txeptsyìp'ite]

haha, I would imagine!

[Hufwe Atxur]

Seed of Language: Version 2.0.0

Finally, the major new version of Seed of Language is available as a beta-version! This version now uses the .NET-Framework 3.5, thus you won't need a Java Virtual Machine and on Windows the program will be much faster than 1.x-versions.
If you want to try running this on Linux/Macintosh, you can use the Mono-Framework or Wine - I haven't been able to try starting the program this way, but if someone succeeds, he's welcome to tell me

Some of the new features are:

- New design of the windows
- New lesson format (this format is much faster than the old one, and easy to understand)
- Faster playing of audio-examples
- New way for displaying lessons with images
- More beautiful design of the lesson-window (Font with shadow, etc..)
- Saving of the last repetition
- Better support for other languages - the program will automatically choose the language of your country (if supported, otherwise English)
- .. and much more!

Alas, you can't use lessons for 1.x-versions of the program - perhaps I'll write a converter, but not in near future. Thus everyone, who creates new lessons is welcome! If someone is interested in the new lesson-format, take a look into the file located at Lessons/Introduction.txt.

Perhaps there'll be a small update for the old version, but remember that this new version will be primarily supported.

http://www.hufwe-atxur.net/downloads
Screenshots: http://forum.learnnavi.org/mgallery/?sa=item;id=2122

[Puvomun]

Kaltxì ma 'eylan.

I pulled in the new version, without doing anything special to Mono. It starts, I can run the example lesson for a bit.
I don't hear audio, which is not surprising (maybe not even done in the program or lesson yet?)
Also, when I click the right answer in the first set of slides, there is nothing more that happens. Until I click a picture again, then it asks if I want to abort the lesson in progress.

Just so you know what goes on in Linux country.

It is indeed a LOT faster, well done!

[Swoka Ikran]

A lot faster than the Java version . Sample lesson works great.

The lesson downloader still doesn't work though (nothing in the list aside from the "Example Na'vi Lesson"). Is this just because there's no content yet? If I attempt to download the already-installed "Example Na'vi Lesson", .NET produces an exception and the program hangs.

Also...why is there no uninstaller? NSIS can generate an uninstaller, so why is it disabled?

[Hufwe Atxur]

Yes, there are currently no other lessons - perhaps I'll create one or two this weekend.
Which exception is thrown when downloading the lesson? It works just fine on my machine - do you have writing privileges to the install-directory and its subfolders?

I haven't been able to explore all features of NSIS yet, thanks for informing me - the uninstaller will be added soon (Yet I believe that it's easier to delete the install-directory by hand).

Edit: Installer was added.

[Swoka Ikran]

Yes, there are currently no other lessons - perhaps I'll create one or two this weekend.
Which exception is thrown when downloading the lesson? It works just fine on my machine - do you have writing privileges to the install-directory and its subfolders?

Access denied attempting to overwrite files. No issues with permissions (it's sitting in program files, I'm an admin, and I'm on WinXP so no UAC). It seems to happen mainly if you attempt to download a lesson after running it (run through the sample, then try downloading it again...). The program is not releasing the MP3 files when the lesson ends.

I haven't been able to explore all features of NSIS yet, thanks for informing me - the uninstaller will be added soon (Yet I believe that it's easier to delete the install-directory by hand).

OK.

[Hufwe Atxur]

The problem is solved - the Mp3-file wasn't closed when the program disposes. You can download the new version from the website.

Edit: Fixed some issues and uploaded a new lesson.

[Swoka Ikran]

The problem is solved - the Mp3-file wasn't closed when the program disposes. You can download the new version from the website.

Works good now. Irayo for the quick fix!

Now to convert my XML files...

[Swoka Ikran]

Found another bug I'm afraid

The app is crashing when you end a lesson early. If I click the X to end the lesson, and answer YES, I get the following exception:

Spoiler

Interestingly, it doesn't do this with the "Example Na'vi Lesson", but it does with the Na'vi Numbers 1-8, and with anything custom.

[Blue Elf]

Good job, ma Hufwe Atxur!
I looks better than Tree of voices. A few questions and suggestions:
- there is only one lesson for download (number 1-8), why program doesn't see others? There is more lessons in available lessons section on your web, can it be downloaded separately? If there is need to create converter from older format, I can help, I'm able to code in c#. If you are interested, send me a PM.
- when I start lesson, window with lesson is not modal nor have it own button on taskbar, so it is possible that it loose focus and it is hard to switch it back. It should be fixed.
- if I try number lesson, kinä is diplayed incorrectly, see the picture. Do you have idea why? Tsíng is displayed correctly, unlike from Tov. I'm using Czech regional settings, can it be the problem?
- when lesson is downloaded, it doesn't appear in the list, refresh is needed.
I hope new lesson will create during the time, Tov has only a few of them...

[Swoka Ikran]

Good job, ma Hufwe Atxur!
I looks better than Tree of voices. A few questions and suggestions:
- there is only one lesson for download (number 1-8), why program doesn't see others? There is more lessons in available lessons section on your web, can it be downloaded separately?

Been wondering that myself...

If there is need to create converter from older format, I can help, I'm able to code in c#. If you are interested, send me a PM.

It already exists. I made one last week : http://forum.learnnavi.org/learning-resources/seed-of-language-v1-to-v2-lesson-converter/ It's only limitation is that it won't convert lessons with images in its current form (it'll just discard the images if do).

- if I try number lesson, kinä is diplayed incorrectly, see the picture. Do you have idea why? Tsíng is displayed correctly, unlike from Tov. I'm using Czech regional settings, can it be the problem?

It's not the Czech region settings...I'm in the USA, and mine displays improperly as well.