What to develop next? ("Ideas Wanted")

[Swoka Ikran]

So...I've run out of projects to develop. Usually I have a whole list of ideas for what to make next, but for the most part, I've finally managed to come up dry.

The only idea I do have left is for a web-based sigbar tool that can do static text, dynamic text, image hosting, and a lot of other stuff. Any comments on this idea? Would you use it?

Anyone have suggestions for what I should make next?

[guest2859]

Well, I'm looking at codex, and Avatray isn't finished yet. For example, you can work RSS into it to get recent posts from LN and ToS at a click, there could be a lot of customization designs. For all we know, you could throw in something to scan for programs related to Na'vi and automatically update them. Just saying, Avatray 1.0 defines an official release, 0.3 marks Beta3.

[Swoka Ikran]

Well, I'm looking at codex, and Avatray isn't finished yet. For example, you can work RSS into it to get recent posts from LN and ToS at a click, there could be a lot of customization designs. For all we know, you could throw in something to scan for programs related to Na'vi and automatically update them. Just saying, Avatray 1.0 defines an official release, 0.3 marks Beta3.

I had an XML parser in Avatray in the past. I removed it in 0.2.7. It mostly worked, but my main issue was HTML tags. SMF turns BBCode into HTML, and those HTML tags screw up the XML parser. I'll post some pics of the original 0.2.6 prototype when I get home today (I'm about to walk out the door...got class in an hour and a half and have an hour+ commute).

Also, SMF does not allow logging in via GET (putting the username/password in the URL) which means Avatray can only view the board as a guest. Anything specific to one user won't work (e.g. viewing unread replies)

On the other hand, the scan and update idea sounds cool...implementation would be easy to say the least.

[Sіr. Ηaxalot]

Nothing supports login via GET since it's horribly bad practice. It might support login via HTTP Auth though if the library you're using supports it.About the RSS I would suggest another library, assuming SMF encodes the feed properly

[Swoka Ikran]

Nothing supports login via GET since it's horribly bad practice. It might support login via HTTP Auth though if the library you're using supports it.About the RSS I would suggest another library, assuming SMF encodes the feed properly

For logging in, HTTP Auth is not supported by SMF. There's no library on my end. I'm using IE...either by COM or via a built-in function in AutoIt (yeah, that's what Avatray is written in) for file downloads.

I'm thinking it has to be a POST from the login page...there appears to be extra encryption/hashing code (embedded as JS) that must be run on the password.

As for handling the RSS, I can retrieve the feed normally, and read it fine as text. Problem is mainly that AutoIt has no working XML parser available (there's a DOM library for MSXML, but I can't get it working - this may be due to my lack of understanding of XPaths though).

I wrote a pseudo-parser recently for the SoL lesson converter, but it can't read tag attributes (not really that big of an issue with RSS, but annoying nonetheless)

This is a pic of the best result I've gotten. It's an old pic (from January) using outdated RSS data since I had to manually edit the XML to remove HTML (where BBCode was used), IMG tags (from smileys and the like) and encoded characters like &

Spoiler: Pic of early 0.2.7 prototype

[Sіr. Ηaxalot]

Ah. I don't know why but I thought that you were using C++.

[Swoka Ikran]

Ah. I don't know why but I thought that you were using C++.

Nope. Don't know any form of C, C++, etc...That will change soon enough though. My major requires I take an intensive course in C++ next semester.

I know: Windows batch, PHP, SQL, AutoIt3, some JS, some QBASIC, and HTML.

[bommel]

C/C++ is my fav

[guest2859]

I used Visual Basic .NET for a small while, it didn't work too well for me. Maybe you know more coding than I do, and could try to implement into that...?

[Swoka Ikran]

C/C++ is my fav

It's more flexible, so I can imagine But a pain in the txìm to learn.

What I like about Autoit is that you don't have to worry about the little details (e.g. size and type of variables). Also, some stuff is easier to program in Autoit (I've seen 300+ lines of C++ turn into ~75 lines of Autoit).

I used Visual Basic .NET for a small while, it didn't work too well for me. Maybe you know more coding than I do, and could try to implement into that...?

I'd need to learn VB.NET. In Avatray's case, "implementing" would be "rewriting", but for new programs, it's definitely an option. Autoit isn't good for everything. I'm going to learn C++ in the fall as well...

[Sіr. Ηaxalot]

C/C++ is my fav

It's more flexible, so I can imagine But a pain in the txìm to learn.

What I like about Autoit is that you don't have to worry about the little details (e.g. size and type of variables). Also, some stuff is easier to program in Autoit (I've seen 300+ lines of C++ turn into ~75 lines of Autoit).

I used Visual Basic .NET for a small while, it didn't work too well for me. Maybe you know more coding than I do, and could try to implement into that...?

I'd need to learn VB.NET. In Avatray's case, "implementing" would be "rewriting", but for new programs, it's definitely an option. Autoit isn't good for everything. I'm going to learn C++ in the fall as well...

I looked at AutoIts syntax, and it looked very similar to VB.NET (even if I recommend C# over VB any day;)). I also think that Windows Forms are fully supported in Mono. Although, C++ is definitely best if you're want compability.

[guest2859]

You can download a Microsoft Visual Studio ISO, or select which programs from that same area. The full ISO has Visual Basic, Visual C++, Visual C#, and Visual Web Programmer. And it's called 'Visual' because it's a lot of drag and drop, and you decide where to primarily put the coding.

[bommel]

Actually I started with VB5 then quickly turned over to VB .Net 2003 (which was a big improvement!). The non-.Net VB versions are really outdated and I can't recommend it but the newer VB .Net is quite similar to C# and not that bad anymore (my opinion).

In my opinion a good starting point is either Java or C# if you're new to programming. C++ as a first language can be quite frustrating...

[Swoka Ikran]

I looked at AutoIts syntax, and it looked very similar to VB.NET (even if I recommend C# over VB any day;)).

Having just googled it, it does look quite similar. It's not too close, but it's definitely a lot closer than C++ is. When I get out of school for summer in 2.5 weeks, I'll probably spend some time and see how I like it.

The fact that it is .NET is also one of my concerns. How good is compatibility on Mac and Linux with Mono? On another board I belong to, .NET programs of any kind are heavily disliked for compatibility reasons.

[bommel]

AFAIK Mono currently fully supports .Net 2.0. But I haven't worked with it yet. I do .Net development only on Windows.

[Swoka Ikran]

AFAIK Mono currently fully supports .Net 2.0. But I haven't worked with it yet. I do .Net development only on Windows.

Good to hear.

In my opinion a good starting point is either Java or C# if you're new to programming. C++ as a first language can be quite frustrating...

Someone I know (more like knew, haven't talked to him almost a year) uses C#.

If I compare code from C# and VB.NET: http://www.harding.edu/fmccown/vbnet_csharp_comparison.html

VB.NET seems to be simpler than C#, not to mention VB.NET is a lot prettier IMO.

[bommel]

C# looks more like C++ or Java. However, when doing .Net development it really doesn't matter which supported language you choose, you could even choose C++ with CLI (but this is actually pretty ugly IMHO)

[Swoka Ikran]

C# looks more like C++ or Java.

Never looked at Java, but I was also thinking it looked like C++...

[bommel]

C# looks more like C++ or Java.

Never looked at Java, but I was also thinking it looked like C++...

Java is quite easy to learn. If you know Java you can already do most stuff in C# and vice versa.

[Swoka Ikran]

C# looks more like C++ or Java.

Never looked at Java, but I was also thinking it looked like C++...

Java is quite easy to learn. If you know Java you can already do most stuff in C# and vice versa.

Huh. Didn't know they were that similar...nice to know