[anselm]

we need a "test-current-blob"-button to check if a change worked instead of doing some useless work just to see if it was changed.

[bOOzo]

Originally posted by anselm:
dwishbone:

LOAD-SAVE would also prevent you from receiving mail from apple`s law department as soon as you include the Jahuar-developerbeta-blob.

That probably wont happen unless some one figure out how to add more frames, because the Aqua Blob is made up of 15 frames, while the present one is made up of only 6.

[dwishbone]

Blobber 1.1 is out now.
It is a big improvement over 1.0.3 so I felt it warranted the 0.1 update instead of a 0.0.1.
you can get it here
http://www.baxtercomputer.com/shareware/Blobber.dmg.sit

i would love to add a turtorial PDF as well as a template. if someone knows how to make one they are welcome to right it up. I am still learning it myself. the ones included in Blobber were made by others.

I do plan to have a .raw to .diff converter one day hopefully.
The preview may be a possibility in the future, but it would make the file size even bigger than it is now since as far as i know RB only supports the first frame of an animated gif. the files you see are in PICT format so I can use them in the ImageWells.
This will be an ongoing project and keep the suggestions and cursors coming.

anyway here is a screenshot of Blobber 1.1 and a list of the changes.

changes in 1.1
Interface improvements. More Safe Guards added. More efficient code. Changed location of resources to Library/Application Support. Expanded documentation. Removed the need for user name. Added "Contribute" menu. Many other bugs squashed.

[:haripu:]

Originally posted by bOOzo:


That probably wont happen unless some one figure out how to add more frames, because the Aqua Blob is made up of 15 frames, while the present one is made up of only 6.

i didn't follow the discussion going on in the "OSX General" forum. please remind me what's wrong with cutting the Aqua Blob frames down to 6?

you'd only have to animate half a turn, which means 1 frame every 30 degrees, which doesn't sound too bad to me.

[anselm]

dwishbone:
the preview can be done with a different approach. what you are obviously thinking of is to let the real basic programmed application show a preview.
that`s NOT what i ment because then you know nothing about if the change is really active systemwide in OS X.

so this way it doesn`t do what it should.

the approach i would take is different:
just write some routine that the CPU has to work on a bit (like calculating some primenumbers).
the computer really IS busy then and shows the busy-pointer (hopefully the blob you chose).
you can do a loop so you can preview the busy mouse as long as you wish.
this calculation-routine (and the preview) can be stopped by simply clicking the mouse once.
that`s it.



:haripu:
you`re right. pretty simple workaround.

[anselm]

dwishbone:
i might add:
such a "busy-routine-nonsense-calculation" should be the least CPU-intensive as possible.
it`s not cool if it requires 100% raster-time only to preview a mouse-pointer even if it`s for a short time only.

[bOOzo]

Originally posted by :haripu::


i didn't follow the discussion going on in the "OSX General" forum. please remind me what's wrong with cutting the Aqua Blob frames down to 6?

you'd only have to animate half a turn, which means 1 frame every 30 degrees, which doesn't sound too bad to me.

I just tried making a blob as you suggested and unfortunately it looks pretty bad.. It's way to fast and hard to see what it actually looks like.. If there were a way to add more frames it would look beautiful though..

[dwishbone]

bOOzo, could you send it to me anyway, and any others you may have.
that would be great. [email protected]

anselm, yes i could do that. it wouldnt be that hard. i already wrote a looping algorythm for my benchmark/system utility KRAM awhile back. something like the one i did there, scaled back of course, would be sufficient.
it will let you test whatever cursor you have, but you can see a patched one until you restart. guess that is better than nothing though.
i had thought of doing something like that anyway. i thought you meant like other people had suggested...let the animation happen in the app.

ill work on the test current cursor for the next release.
suggestion...should it be a button or a menu item?
I was going to add the "convert raw to diff" converter and "use third party cursor" to the file menu once i figure out how (could you help me with that boozo...as well as a tutorial). the test current cursor would fit well there.

[bOOzo]

Originally posted by dwishbone:
bOOzo, could you send it to me anyway, and any others you may have.
that would be great. [email protected]
�
I was going to add the "convert raw to diff" converter and "use third party cursor" to the file menu once i figure out how (could you help me with that boozo...as well as a tutorial). the test current cursor would fit well there.

I sent a contribution to [email protected].

Actually I don't know if I would be of much help making a converter, I just used the terminal command that some one wrote earlier. I could help with a tutorial on how to make your own cursor though.

[dwishbone]

that would be great boozo.
i have no idea how to make the raw files or convert them to diffs. just a tutorial to say how you did it.

by the way. what does everyone think of Blobber 1.1?

just a quick note of the next features i am trying to implement.
animation of cursor in the "cursor info" section when you pass over it. i have this working in a my latest build, but it doesnt work quite right yet.
an auto backup feature.
a "show current blob" feature. this will be hard because for example the dual gig machines would be hard to get it to show up with basic mathimatical functions.

[bOOzo]

Originally posted by dwishbone:
that would be great boozo.
i have no idea how to make the raw files or convert them to diffs. just a tutorial to say how you did it.

I had nothing better to do so I started making one right away. I'm not so sure it's that easy to follow so I'd be happy if someone would read it or try it..

Download it here

[dwishbone]

thanks for posting the tutorial. ill look over it in a little while.
i got your email. thanks for the new cursors.
they will make great additions.
it will probably be a few days before some of the newer features are released. imay can get a version out tomorrow, but it will probably be friday before a new version is posted.

opinion. should the password feature stay as it is or would you guys prefer a popup window when it is needed?

[dwishbone]

just a quick update.
i have the preview feature working. it adds a preview of what the cursor will look like in motion when you pass over it.
i will try and get some more features in the next release as well.
i am waiting for BOOzo to send me the previews for his new cursors.

i noticed on versiontracker alot of people are having problems and giving bad reviews.

i hope one day this program is bug free. it should be now looking over the code. these 256 errors are weird. so is the nilobject one on backing up.
ill have to keep looking into these.

[mogura]

not to add more to your plate (or ours) but lets see how this baby stands up to the 10.2.1 update!

on we go...

[Mediaman_12]

Originally posted by dwishbone:
opinion. should the password feature stay as it is or would you guys prefer a popup window when it is needed?

How about a password 'sheet' appearing when you click the 'apply' button?

[mogura]

I used blobber for the first time and it worked first time, no problems. I think that 1.1 is a big improvement over the initial version. better gui and simpler to use! Way to go dwishbone!

[Mac Guru]

One thing I would like would be an import feature... have blobber recognize new diff files in the blobber support folder and either have a preview image folder or have blobber extract frame 1 from the patch... I dunno what would be easier.

But it's a pain having to make a diff and send it to you for inclusion when it'd be easier for us to just provide people with links to diff's we've made and have blobber use them without having to have you modify it.

Mac Guru

[dwishbone]

i am still hard at work on the next update.
my main goal right now is trying to figure out why it works for some people and not others.

anyone that has ever gotten a nilobject error or 256 error when yhey feel they shouldnt..i need to know...do you have 2 or more hard drives? i think that may be the problem.

I also have the animation previews included in the new version.

As far as the automatically updating I would love to do that. I have yet to figure it out...but i have yet to be able to.

has anyone tried it in 10.2.1 yet?

[AU_student_iceBook]

Dwishbone-
It works fine for me in 10.2.1! thanks for all your hardwork.

[dwishbone]

thanks for the report AU_student

good news. i think i have figured out what is causing the cursed nilobject error on restore.
it seems to only effect people with partitioned drives or more than one hard drive.

im trying to figure out a fix for it.

[mogura]

Good mention at http://www.resexcellence.com

way to go!

btw, dwishbone, i had some of those nilobject error and 256 errors in the previous versions, but in 1.1 it went smoothly. and yea, 10.2.1 seems to cause no problems.

[Yoshimite]

Originally posted by anselm:

the approach i would take is different:
just write some routine that the CPU has to work on a bit (like calculating some primenumbers).
the computer really IS busy then and shows the busy-pointer (hopefully the blob you chose).

My god, i'm a rooky, repeat rooky programmer, but this would look like some realy bad programming... Overloading your system to see the wait-pointer. every operating system has a busy comand you will have to send to the system itself, and there will be your cursor! without that your beloved machine has to crunch on some useless code... Take a look at SoftwareUpdate, when entering your password after hitting the install button, the installer window is "busy" and shows the cursor, but isn't crunching on anything...

Just my two cents...

Great job by the way dwishbone... keep them comming!

Yoshimite

[unfaded]

Originally posted by Yoshimite:
Originally posted by anselm:


My god, i'm a rooky, repeat rooky programmer, but this would look like some realy bad programming... Overloading your system to see the wait-pointer. every operating system has a busy comand you will have to send to the system itself, and there will be your cursor! without that your beloved machine has to crunch on some useless code... Take a look at SoftwareUpdate, when entering your password after hitting the install button, the installer window is "busy" and shows the cursor, but isn't crunching on anything...

Just my two cents...

Great job by the way dwishbone... keep them comming!

Yoshimite

Plus, since you need to restart the computer before anything works, it would give you a wonderful display of your old cursor. Yay.

[anselm]

Yoshimite:
it was the first thing that came to mind so i wrote it.
i havent`s been programming since amiga-days.
i would not want a 100% CPU-usage mouse-prview either - don`t get me wrong.

[bOOzo]

Some more blobs that will be in the 1.2 release of Blobber:

[dwishbone]

Blobber 1.2 is now posted.
It has many new features included animated previews, interface improvements, 4 new blobbers (pictured above), and the great tutorial.
It also includes a work around for people getting the nilobject and 256 errors.
http://www.baxtercomputer.com/shareware/Blobber.dmg.sit
Enjoy

[Mediaman_12]

Do we have to reset the 'wait' cursor with the old version before using the new?
I am getting a 'An exception of class NilObjectException was not handled. The application must shut down' error as soon as it starts up. The old version worked fine.

[dwishbone]

no, you shouldnt have to. do you have the folder in the right Library one at the root level of your Root volume. (not the one in your user folder or system folder)
that would be my guess since it pulls from that directory.

[bOOzo]

Originally posted by Mediaman_12:
Do we have to reset the 'wait' cursor with the old version before using the new?
I am getting a 'An exception of class NilObjectException was not handled. The application must shut down' error as soon as it starts up. The old version worked fine.

I just tried it and at first the app crashed as soon as I tried to point at a blob, but I solved it by realizing I was supposed to put the blobber folder in the Computer/Library/Application Support folder and not the one in my home directory.. doh! Now it seems to work really nice.

[unfaded]

Originally posted by bOOzo:


I just tried it and at first the app crashed as soon as I tried to point at a blob, but I solved it by realizing I was supposed to put the blobber folder in the Computer/Library/Application Support folder and not the one in my home directory.. doh! Now it seems to work really nice.

Same here - you may want to specificy that, dwishbone - or at least include support for having it in both. Or create an installer of sorts so we don't have to manually do it.

[diskobolos]

Originally posted by unfaded:


Same here - you may want to specificy that, dwishbone - or at least include support for having it in both. Or create an installer of sorts so we don't have to manually do it.

Same happened to me and I totally agree with the above comment.

On a side note is there a reason why some of the blobs run so fast?

When I used 1.0, what was it, 3 days ago, I tried the graphite watch cursor but switched it off after seeing how fast the watch arms spun. With 1.2 the hourglass looks kinda cool but in the preview that thing is spinning like it's the end of the world (and it goes counter clockwise)... is there a way to slow some of them down? All the circle blobs seem to spin at the right speed but the others don't.

[schep]

Can you post the back-up file and tell me where it goes because i just put the Blobber folder in application suport and replaced the old verstion and now it doen't work

[dwishbone]

well, as far as where to put the "Blobber" support folder I do specify in the read me. I say use the Library folder at the root level of your boot drive and not the Library folder in the Home folder or System folder. That is what "Read Me" is for.
I wish not ever program came with one so people would actually read it.
I may be able to make an installer, but that is not my strong point. Ive tried installers before and I always screw them up.
If someone can write an applescript based installer that would be great.
as far as cursor speed it has to do with the way Jaguar animates its cursors. you only have 6 frames to work with.
unless someone can find the hexcode in the coregraphics to change the speed in which a wait cursor moves i dont think this is a real possibility.
right now blobber is where i wanted it. actually much further along at this point than i thought it would be. ive put alot of hardwork and system nuking (booting into Single User mode a whole lot to repair) getting this program working as good as it does.
I guess the next logical step would to make Blobber modular and support cursors as plugins.
I am not sure how long this will take.
ANy more suggestions are most welcome as are donations.

[dwishbone]

Originally posted by schep:
Can you post the back-up file and tell me where it goes because i just put the Blobber folder in application suport and replaced the old verstion and now it doen't work

you can use a program called Pacifist to extract the CoreGraphics file from the Jaguar installer. You an find the path to it elsewhere in this thread.
If someone else can post the backup that would be great. since I am the author i cant post it. I am trying my best to avoid the famous "cease and desist" orders. i am already walking a thin line by including the Aqua Blob.

[Groovy]

dwishbone - it is good job so far but i need to mention a few things i hope
you can add/fix.

Blobber should NOT allow patching UNLESS there is an original
core backup in the support folder. This solves many things.

Blobber should check to see if there is one there and if not make one.
You could then get rid of the backup button. A simple checksum of the
current core file in use would tell you if it is the original or not.

Now since everyone has to have a backup core file then you no longer need
all these steps to switch to a new blobber. Blobber itself can just
take the backup core file, dup it and patch it then move the new version
over and reboot. No need for these pop up windows that IMHO can
overwhelm you or even confuse users who are not into this stuff like most
MacNN readers.



BTW - Why not just patch yourself? You know exactly where the patch
should go so this is easy to do. Make a copy, patch it yourself then move it.
You could then include original wheel of waiting as one of the Blobbers which
in essence means you include a backup original with blobber from the get go
and it is only a few K bytes in size. It also means you could patch already
patched core files.

[crystalthunder]

I used Blobber 1.1 to patch the blob the first time, but after I upgraded to 1.2 I am getting a 256 error, is there any way to rectify this error? What's going on?

[himself]

��edit��
��Disregard this post: issue resolved earlier in this thread��

[dwishbone]

crystal,
1. BSD must be installed
2. Make sure the files are in the correct place (read the read me)
3. make sure you are not logged in as root (known bug)


on another note, have you guys checked out the reviews at veriontracker?
i swear i am going to place a pop up when Blobber launches to ask if you have read the instructions and then quiz them on it.
If they cant pass the quiz then Blobber shuts down.
The thing is ive included it in the read me, ive posted in the reviews over there, and information in the program itself.

i am working on a new version, but it may take awhile. i will try and include some of the fixes you guys have mentioned (such as the auto backup) Groovy could you email me so we can discuss this issue([email protected]) One of my main goals is to make Blobber plugin based. But that may take some time.

[LightWaver-67]

Originally posted by dwishbone:
on another note, have you guys checked out the reviews at veriontracker?
i swear i am going to place a pop up when Blobber launches to ask if you have read the instructions and then quiz them on it.
If they cant pass the quiz then Blobber shuts down.
The thing is ive included it in the read me, ive posted in the reviews over there, and information in the program itself.

Reality check:

FYI... as far as I know... MOST people I know "assume" that software has been tested and has failsafes in-place. MOST people (that I know) will just go-ahead and download an app... launch it and try to figure it out... and if they get stuck... they read the READ ME file AFTERWARDS. I am also in this category.



One should NEVER assume that the READ ME is opened before the application is used. I agree with the idea of the app. "checking" for the back-up file and making sure it is un-patched... thus eliminating the issue of people inadvertantly modifying it before backing it up.

but, hey... what do I know...? I'm no developer... I'm a back-seat programmer.. heheheh...

having said that... the app does rock, though...!

[dwishbone]

ill try and make it more safe for people to use.
i thought it pretty much was. ill try and automate some of the processes.

[Phoenix1701]

I hope it's not bad form to post something like this in this thread, and if it is I apologize, but Blobber now has some competition: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=124846

I thought I'd post this here since I know dwishbone checks this thread often, and I'm very interested in not stepping on toes... I started developing Beachball before Blobber 1.0 came out, so some of the features that may seem like copies (like the idea of using image wells) were actually just concurrent ideas. Some other things, however, actually are inspired by Blobber, and although Beachball is freeware I thought it'd be best to make sure everyone is aware I'm not stealing anyone's source code or anything of that sort.

If anyone has questions, comments, flames, or suggestions, I'm interested in hearing all of them. Well, maybe not the flames, but some things can't be helped...

[crystalthunder]

Originally posted by dwishbone:
crystal,
1. BSD must be installed
2. Make sure the files are in the correct place (read the read me)
3. make sure you are not logged in as root (known bug)


on another note, have you guys checked out the reviews at veriontracker?
i swear i am going to place a pop up when Blobber launches to ask if you have read the instructions and then quiz them on it.
If they cant pass the quiz then Blobber shuts down.
The thing is ive included it in the read me, ive posted in the reviews over there, and information in the program itself.

i am working on a new version, but it may take awhile. i will try and include some of the fixes you guys have mentioned (such as the auto backup) Groovy could you email me so we can discuss this issue([email protected]) One of my main goals is to make Blobber plugin based. But that may take some time.

I installed the BSD subsystem, put the files in the right location and it still isn't working ^_^x I'm know I'm not logged in as root, do you think it might have something to do with root being activated?

[crystalthunder]

Wow nevermind I fixed it by replacing the .bak file Blobber created with the CoreGraphics file on the Mac OS X 10.2 disc w/ a .bak replaced. Whooo!

The Beta build wait icon spins too fast ;D

[eno]

I am going to write a virus that destroys REALBasic apps. Why? Because I hate them. They are an insult to the platform.

I may even make it format the drives of people who have the REALBasic dev tools on them.

REALBasic lameazz coders, BEWARE! J00 h4ve b33n w4rneD!

[Phoenix1701]

Since you seem to know so much about the REALbasic "dev tools" and the programs it creates, why don't you go download Beachball and slander it personally instead of in general? I'm actually curious what lame REALbasicness you can find in it, since one of my reasons for developing it was to write an app that didn't look like it'd been ported from Mac OS 9. And don't worry, I phear your leetspeak. I'm sure j00 0wn me, or something.

Have fun, and for everyone's sake, delete your VersionTracker account now rather than later.

[dwishbone]

sadly i knew this would happen.
i knew there would be other apps like this...i just didnt think it would be so soon.
i have lots planned for Blobber though. I am hard at work on the next version.
Phoenix1701...why not just help make the product better instead of making another one?
There is nothing wrong with Blobber really. The people that have problems don't read the instructions...which are blatantly in the alert windows as well as the read me.
i am working to add more fail safes to it, but I am more concerned on adding more features right now.

[Phoenix1701]

I wouldn't mind the idea of collaborating on Blobber... The main reason I didn't approach you about it to begin with is because the engine I used is entirely different from the one you're using... I would be surprised if Blobber and Beachball have one line of code in common. Yes, their purpose is largely the same, but Beachball really isn't the same program written by someone else. It supports the authentication manager, inline previews (you can't do that with a MoviePlayer object), a setup assistant interface, extensible cursor plug-ins, dynamically created clickable image wells that don't take up extra memory, etc., etc., etc... and the read me, if you will, is interactive and contained within the setup assistant, so the user has no choice but to read and respond to it. I will definitely email you to talk more about the possibility of joining codebases, though.

[invisibleX]

Heh, both programs are probably pretty much the same. I don't know how good Pheonix of dwishbone is at RB, but its pretty damn simple.

[dwishbone]

here is an update on Blobber.
Features in the next version:

Automatic backup alert if not backup is detected at startup.
New interface
supports plugins
much improved stability
should be rid of all nilobject errors
Slightly smaller and quite a bit faster
Many other bugs squashed

This is almost an entire redesign of Blobber, borrowing elements from the 1.2 release. I have yet to decide if this will be a 1.3, 1.5, or a full blown 2.0. It is leaps and bounds better than 1.2.

This release seems it may be the last. The program works excellent and it will support most everything you guys have wanted.
It should be out before the end of the week.

[MacManMikeOSX]

dwishbone how bout a version of blober thats a prefpane?