Muff's Modules & More

dougcl · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:56 am Post subject: RackPlanner 1.3

Hi folks, I'm done with the first version (Edit: the latest version is now actually 1.3).

It's called RACK PLANNER (not to be confused with MODULAR PLANNER, which is the web based tool you all know and love. Great thanks go to user modularplanner for all the work he did (and does) on that wonderful web based tool).

RackPlanner Features:

0) Runs on Mac or PC
1) A single big window (scrollable) with an infinitely large workspace and a menu at the top.
2) Configuration save and load, stored as xml.
3) Modules stored on disk as zip files containing jpg, details in xml. Make your own modules if you want.
5) Written in Java with local version (not web based).
6) Open source.
7) Free. No donations, no guilt.
8) Scale (zoom).
9) Should work with any format (non euro) and any rack.
10) Full rack capture to jpg.
11) Module copy and paste.

Try it: http://www.hevanet.com/dougcl/rp/RackPlanner.zip It's freeware.

If you already have Rack Planner and you just need to upgrade, download the latest RackPlanner.jar here:
http://www.hevanet.com/dougcl/rp/RackPlanner.jar (Save the new file over the old one.)

Readme is here: http://www.hevanet.com/dougcl/rp/readme.txt

BananaPlug has established a collection of resources for Rack Planner here:
http://squiggletronics.com/files/RackPlannerModules/

And a module builder here:
http://squiggletronics.com/files/RackPlannerModules/moduleMaker.php

Screen shot:

wetterberg · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:36 am Post subject:

Will the image size be the same? In a perfect world I'd love to see a 15% - 20% increase in resolution of the modules compared to the "old" planner.

dougcl · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:51 am Post subject:

Scaling is supported.

dougcl · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:05 am Post subject:

Update (original pic updated).
1) Got the main JFrame class started the scroll pane in place, the rack class started with background tile, the module class started with module image, concept of HP implemented, and module location in pixels and row/col.
2)I've got the module image scaled automatically from arbitrarily large or small source images (jpg/gif, others) from disk, based on the indicated module HP alone.
3) Decided to make the rack 16 rows by 16 racks wide modeled after Bakis' system (I guess this is actually double that), although this is just an arbitrary starting point. It will be easily configurable.

Next:
Module movement with arrow keys.
Module movement with mouse with snap to grid.
Menu added.
Module factory class, and finally file I/O.
Might be done this weekend. This first cut will be pretty basic.

Just as a reminder, this will be absolutely free, open source, no obligation, no donations required or requested ever. Modules will be easily built by anyone who can make a jpg/gif, a simple text file and a zip file. Hopefully this will result in a large number of user created modules in a library we can all share. Code is Java, local install (no web).
I'm a little concerned with how to protect this using the GNU public license, so if anyone has any experience with that, please let me know.

BananaPlug · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:58 am Post subject:

First of all thanks for your dedication to this project. I've thought about doing my own but have other projects, you know how it is. Since you're going to the trouble to do this new version, here are a couple requests.

1. Don't limit it to a single format. It seems such a waste to limit this to one module format. Just as one can select modules, one should be able to select racks to put them in. An XML file defining the height and width etc. for each format would let us add new ones (even oddball DIY stuff). We should be able to arrange an assortment of racks in rows and columns (as in the real world). A general purpose "container" object could be inherited by both racks and modules.

2. Definitely use XML or something equally open to hacking rather than jar files. Nothing wrong with Java but some of us use other tools. If some of the module info has to be in jars, give us a utility for making our own (fill in a form, import a picture, whatever's necessary). Maybe an API to go with it.

3. You mentioned once before what a lot of work it is gathering all the images and how it came to be that many of the images are so small/blurry that you can't read the jack labels and such. If you make a decent open file format (and some kind of API/utility if we can't do it all with simple files) I'm sure some of us would be happy to create and share carefully prepared module and rack files.

If you want to brainstorm this at a more tedious level of detail, PM me. I've got an idea for a related tool too.

dougcl · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:08 pm Post subject:

BananaPlug · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject:

Sounds good.

dougcl · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject:

dkcg · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject:

Nice work Doug!

Will the ASys modules have that same offset so that you can never get any other euro module except Cwejman next to one w/o using up 1HP space? lol

dougcl · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 7:26 pm Post subject:

dougcl · Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:41 am Post subject:

Update.

For Andreas, got scaling working. Scale of 2.0 is shown. Scaling of 1.0 equates to the old modular planner. Scale of .5 is really small but looks good, less than that and the scaler blurs the image into mush.

For Banana, Generalized rack and module concepts to admit any format (hopefully).

Now, continuing forward:

Got module movement with arrow keys.

Got focus working so that focused module is bounded in yellow as shown.

Lots of cleanup and organizing.

Next: mouse movement and snap to grid.

dougcl · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:55 am Post subject:

Mouse movement (drag and drop) and snap to grid done. This was the big hurdle in the project. I think the rest is down hill.

Next:
ModuleFactory class, create module zip, and try loading a module from disk. This will pretty much bring us to the capability of the current version (a little more and a little less), and I may release it for review. Construction of module library can begin.

dkcg · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:57 am Post subject:

You know, now with the new case coming out from PlanB, it would be nice to select the type of case the modules are going into. Well, once they start shipping anyways. smile

consumed · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:01 am Post subject:

awesome, doug!

dougcl · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 1:03 am Post subject:

The case is infinitely extensible in both directions (note the scroll bars). This will accommodate any eurorack possible. The default will be Bakis' system. Will that work for you? wink

Edit: Oh, and if you want a different width, you just need to create another background image for it. This program should accommodate all if not most of the existing modular formats as well, although I am writing it for euro.

Kent · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 3:15 am Post subject:

Is this thing up yet? I can't seem to access Modular Planner's page. I used to be able to, but I can't now. Even with trying 2 browsers.

modularplanner · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:20 am Post subject:

If your talking about my planner its always up, this planner has nothing do with me. I'm not sure what is causing your problems, are you seeing anything (black page) or just a 404 page not found error, PM me?

dougcl · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:23 am Post subject:

It occurred to me last night that I can maybe get a rushed version of this out so people can start making modules. The program can't load modules yet though so that has to happen first. I might have that ready today. Still, there will be only one or two modules probably, and we'll have to start making them:
1) Get a jpg or gif of the module (any scale is acceptable, but aspect ratio must be correct.
2) Use a text editor to create a simple xml file describing the module.
3) Create a zip file that contains 1&2 and has a nice descriptive name (eg. Doepfer_A-138-2.zip).

BananaPlug · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:16 am Post subject:

dougcl · Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 10:13 am Post subject:

Awesome. Looks like there will be a file called background.jpg that will represent one row of your modcan rack. It can be any scale you want, but for now it will appear in the scale you create it. If you want, you can make that now. Make sure the aspect ratio is correct, and the scale is about what you will want to work with.

Example module zip is attached.

Just got module deletion in. Created the ModuleFactory. Got a working unzip built. I should have something rolling today.