Seed of Language (vocabulary training software)

Started by Hufwe Atxur, September 03, 2010, 07:19:17 AM

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Blue Elf

I've been playing a while with both versions 1.9.2 and 2.0.0 and it seems to me that lessons are available only for older version. So to use 2.0.0, you  must install 1.9.2 too and do lesson conversion. Not ideal, but usable. At this time is probably better idea to continue using old version until new version is fully tested, debugged and lessons in new format available.
I tried to convert Body vocabulary lesson to new format - it works, but not ideally. I think it is because this lesson is a little specific as it has in older format defined only answer1 (it is picture lesson). Lesson definition in new format has Axx_1 fields filled correctly, Axx_2 and Axx_3 contains text <answer2 /> or <answer3 /> - I expect there should be empty string and it is necessary to fill empty field manually (otherwise user see only correct answer, what is too easy :)).
I understand why pictures can't be converted into new format too - new format uses one compiled big picture, so this can't be easily automated.

I'll try to play with it in deep during weekend and maybe I'll create some lesson - if you have any suggestion what should be about, let me know.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Hufwe Atxur

Well, the program simply doesn't display other lessons because there are no more. The list on my website is for the old version, and I haven't been able to update it yet since I have been quite busy. But you should be able to update the old lessons with Swoka Ikrans Lesson-Converter, and I'm about creating a new "Body-Vocabuary"-lesson with images (while the problem is finding appropriate images..).

I made the Downloader and Lesson-Window modal in 2.0.2, and the lesson-list will automatically refresh if you downloaded new lessons. More tricky is the bug with the incorrectly displayed "ä". I'm not quite sure why this happens, the font the program is using is Tahoma, and if I write this special character in something like WordPad (14pt bold), it works. Region shouldn't matter, but if I use other special-characters such as "ü" or "ö", it also doesn't work. I'll keep an eye on this bug!

The new version (2.0.1), containing the features you requested, can be downloaded from the website: http://www.hufwe-atxur.net
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Swoka Ikran

Quote from: Blue Elf on March 17, 2011, 05:58:21 AM
I tried to convert Body vocabulary lesson to new format - it works, but not ideally. I think it is because this lesson is a little specific as it has in older format defined only answer1 (it is picture lesson). Lesson definition in new format has Axx_1 fields filled correctly, Axx_2 and Axx_3 contains text <answer2 /> or <answer3 /> - I expect there should be empty string and it is necessary to fill empty field manually (otherwise user see only correct answer, what is too easy :)).
Ack. They indeed should be empty. I'll post a fixed converter later. Missed it because I don't have any lessons with empty answer fields (all of my lessons are Eana Eltu since the lesson downloader in 1.9 doesn't work for me and I can't seem to download them manually from the website list).

The fixed converter will leave the field empty if it was empty in the XML. Since there's no real way to pull random words out of nowhere, you'll have to fill these in yourself.

Quote from: Blue Elf on March 17, 2011, 05:58:21 AM
I understand why pictures can't be converted into new format too - new format uses one compiled big picture, so this can't be easily automated.
Exactly right. :) It'd be a major pain in the txìm to attempt to automate that. :P
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Blue Elf

#183
Quote from: Hufwe Atxur on March 17, 2011, 12:02:34 PM
I made the Downloader and Lesson-Window modal in 2.0.2, and the lesson-list will automatically refresh if you downloaded new lessons. More tricky is the bug with the incorrectly displayed "ä". I'm not quite sure why this happens, the font the program is using is Tahoma, and if I write this special character in something like WordPad (14pt bold), it works. Region shouldn't matter, but if I use other special-characters such as "ü" or "ö", it also doesn't work. I'll keep an eye on this bug!
I did simple test - if I put label on the form, set font to Tahoma bold, 14pt and text to "ätxäle si", it is displayed correctly both in design and run time.
I think a problem exist in lesson definition loading, it seems that "ā" (\u0101) is read from the file instead of "ä" (\u00e4). Search this direction (or, if you want and allow me to access source, I can try to find the problem myself).

Edited: Also I found another problem (?) - a few times it happened, when I run Sol and click crossed close button, it didn't close, but minimized into systray area without any icon (so there was empty space only). But now I can't repeat it, it always closes application correctly and completely.... Please check this. This is feature of older version written in Java, forget about it...

Also would be nice to have icon for the application.
And the last propose - don't you want to change way you work with pictures? I think than is not easy to compile single image for possible lesson creators and also pictures from older format can't be converted automatically. I think it was solved well in old version - to have only one correct image file per question, other pictures for wrong answers were probably selected randomly from the others questions. It should be even easier to work with images this way instead of cropping them from single compiled file...
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Hufwe Atxur

#184
I just thought it would be faster to load the main image at the lesson-start and then simply slice the appropriate image out of the picture. Perhaps you're right .. I'll change this in a future version so that both image-modes will be supported (if nobody creates a lesson for the program now, I would only let the program support the image-mode you requested). Currently there's no icon for the program because I haven't had the time to create one yet.

Regarding the problem with the incorrectly displayed "ä": If I'm using VS 2008, creating a Windows Form and then put a label on in (default font, 14pt bold), it is written as ā. Same with "ö" or "ü". The characters are read correctly from the file - if I create a lesson and set the question text as well as the answers to "ä", it works with the labels that are reserved for the answers.

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Hufwe Atxur

I updated the program - these are the major new features:

- Images are easier to use (just save with the appropriate filename and extension (.png))
- The bug with the incorrectly displayed "ä" was fixed (thanks to Blue Elf for the ideas)
- If the lesson-description is too long, the text will be sliced and is visible via a tooltip-balloon
- Some performance-updates

http://www.hufwe-atxur.net/downloads
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Blue Elf

Ma Hufwe Atxur,
I converted one of older lessons into new format, pls put it to your update server to make it available for people. You can download it here.
I did some fixes in texts, as some translation weren't accurate. I plan to convert all lesons and send them to you and possibly to create new one (it depends on my time). Can you create complete description of new lesson file format?

Today I noticed, that sound is sometimes played incorrectly - beginning of the sound is trimmed. For example when "tsaheylu" is played, I can hear only "heylu". The same happens after Replay button click, after a few tries it is played completely, then beginning trims again. The same problem had the Tree of Voices. Can you check this?
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Hufwe Atxur

Well, I added a small new feature to the program, a context-menu in the lesson-box; with it, you can easily start, rename or delete lessons. Furthermore, Blue Elf provided us some of the lessons he converted from the old Seed of Language - they were all added to the server.

- WB 5-letter verbs
- Conversational Words #1
- Conversational Words #2
- Conversational Words #3
- Getting you know #1
- Getting you know #2
- Interjections

You can download the newest version from http://www.hufwe-atxur.net/downloads
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Blue Elf

I am afraid audio in some lessons needs to be rerecorded, as current records are low quality - I mean "Getting you know" lessons.
Can anyone do it?
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Swoka Ikran

Quote from: tcatipax on April 11, 2011, 04:06:07 PM
Is the source code available? I've been unable to find it.
Seed of Language is not open-source as far as I know.
2010 was the year of the Na'vi.Vivar 'ivong Na'vi!


 
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Swoka Ikran

Quote from: tcatipax on April 12, 2011, 05:50:18 AM
Quote from: Swoka Ikran on April 11, 2011, 05:42:47 PM
Seed of Language is not open-source as far as I know.
I'm more concerned with free software [1], which is not the same as open source [2], but thanks nevertheless!

[1] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
[2] http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
Hm, interesting read...I always looked at open source as anything where the source code was publicly available...
2010 was the year of the Na'vi.Vivar 'ivong Na'vi!


 
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Hufwe Atxur

This week, I had the time to complete an update for Seed of Language. Following features were modified or added:

- New lesson-icon
- Textbox to edit the name of a lesson was updated
- A (more or less) transparent icon indicating whether the given answer was correct or not
- Statusbar in the footer of the lesson window, counting the number of false and correct answers
- Restart the lesson - simply click the icon in the footer
- Progressbar located in the footer, indicating how much questions you've answered

http://www.hufwe-atxur.net/downloads
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Blue Elf

I have found a problem - if internet connection doesn't work and you try to download lessons, error dialog appers with WebException: Remote name couldn't be resolved: www.hufwe-atxur.net
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Hufwe Atxur

Quote from: Blue Elf on April 18, 2011, 04:39:52 PM
I have found a problem - if internet connection doesn't work and you try to download lessons, error dialog appers with WebException: Remote name couldn't be resolved: www.hufwe-atxur.net

Perhaps I'll add a better notification in the next version, but I didn't intend the program to download lessons when internet connection doesn't work.
Because of BlueElf's help, all lessons for SoL v1.x are now converted to the new format and are available in the Lesson-Downloader.
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Blue Elf

I wanted to add pictures to "Prepositions of place" lesson, but in old version animated GIF is used, so it can't be simply converted into PNG. What about this: support both GIF and PNG pictures? If picture in both formats is present, GIF takes precedence (as it can be animated)
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Hufwe Atxur

#195
It has been quite a while ..
This is not a major update, it just enhances the GUI of the program - I managed to make the Picture-Box that includes the correct/false-image fully transparent (instead of setting each pixel's color to that of its parent). Included within this version is also a program-icon (though not quite creative).

Anyways, due to the fact that I plan to suspend the domain I also updated the Lesson-Downloader what should fix upcoming errors in minor versions. This is why I uploaded the new version to a seperate domain (so you won't find the recent on my website).

@Blue Elf: Isn't Swoka Ikran's converter converting the GIFs to PNGs (it could also be that I manually converted them into PNG). I'll add this feature in the next version!
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Swoka Ikran

Quote from: Hufwe Atxur on July 01, 2011, 01:14:01 PM
Isn't Swoka Ikran's converter converting the GIFs to PNGs (it could also be that I manually converted them into PNG). I'll add this feature in the next version!
My converter doesn't convert the pictures. It converts the picture lessons into text-only lessons in the few cases where that is possible. Otherwise it just produces the questions data with no answers and leaves it to you to provide the updated images.

If you re-add GIF support, I'll update the converter to copy them :)
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Tirea Aean

glad to see that this program is still being supported/devoloped. :D

Blue Elf

Quote from: Tirea Aean on July 01, 2011, 03:17:06 PM
glad to see that this program is still being supported/devoloped. :D
Sweylu, txo fkol mipa sänumvit ngivop. I was thinking about this, but..... Also good audio samples would be great.
Oe lu skxawng skxakep. Slä oe nerume mi.
"Oe tasyätxaw ulte koren za'u oehu" (Limonádový Joe)


Tirea Aean

Quote from: Blue Elf on July 02, 2011, 04:56:55 PM
Quote from: Tirea Aean on July 01, 2011, 03:17:06 PM
glad to see that this program is still being supported/devoloped. :D
Sweylu, txo fkol mipa sänumvit ngivop. I was thinking about this, but..... Also good audio samples would be great.

Indeed. VrrtepCLI's quiz game kinda just did the whole job of 3-choice quizzing the entire dictionary, but it is text only.

This program's awesomeness factor shall increase the more picture/sound lessons are made. I unfortunately have not the time...