@ES - GraFX(Preview build) released!
By: @ruantec
May 23rd, 2012
12:14 pm
Hello everyone!
It's been a long time since i released a new version of @ES... sadly due to the lack of time i've been unable to keep up with the project but since last year i started to test and learn a lot of new technologies, techniques and coding patterns. Because of that in the final version of @ES few things are going to change in its structure that will allow people to change and also improve the @ES experience.
This version is the result of all those tests and changes and it includes most of the features i wanted for this version. As many of you know i started to learn C# many years ago and a big portion of the code was old so i decided to optimize that old junk and with it build a new version. The preview build contains the features but do not contains all the optimizations i've done so far... still is the last stable build i made before optimizing things for future releases and development. Anyways my goal with this project is to test new technologies as well as improve myself but most important to provide better experience with each release.
Here is the list of changes since the last version:
- 3D swich effect when switching between layers
- Screen slide(similar to tablets)
- Better grabbing support
- DosBox emulator support
- Better ePSXe and PJ64 support
- Naomi emulator support
- Better Directshow support
- Better ID3 tag support(almost every format except mkv)
- Video tags and cover embedding support(video now has tags just like mp3 and others)
- Roms cover support
- Fullscreen UI support
- Application space layer(slide in the main screen)
- Custom games space layer(slide in the main screen)
- Animated background support
- Youtube layer(experimental)
- Re-worked ID3 tag editor
- Basic lastfm support
- Favorites layer(experimental)
- Better search mechanism
- Deep search(search items inside albums or sub-albums)
- New UI layout(@ES's final version Gray Moon theme base)
- Re-worked settings layer
- Selectable audio renderer for audio and video
- Re-worked listview control
- Better virtualization
- Better multi-threading handling
- Realtime mirror layer(audio controls)
- Spectrum analyzer
- PS3 BD remote control support(auto syncs when @ES starts)
- Emulator preview on screen slider
- Notifications
Requirements:
- Decent PC(this version isn't for tablets)
- Windows Vista or higher(this version was not made for XP sorry)
- .Net framework 4.0
Usage:
Last but not least... this is just a preview build of the last stable version. @ES - GraFX "Gray Moon" is the codename of the final version which in its actual form is better and more optimized than this preview build. However since is in current development isn't as stable as this build is. As mentioned in another thread i made a "sort" of feature freeze a while ago so i'm concentrating right now in optimizations and stability of the current build.
The main differences between this preview build and the current "Gray Moon" build are:
- Vector graphics usage instead of bitmaps for better scalability and performance.
- MVVM coding pattern and better project structure(the current preview one was the result of a lot of tests and old code but still is quite stable)
- Better UI handling and x86 tablets mode(for usage on x86 tablets)
- Overal optimizations and modularisation.
- Advanced UI layout based in MVVM coding pattern.
- Open source(except @ES's core which is going to remain close source)
- More screen spaces and customizations.
- Items repositioning and dragging.
- Smoother UI transitions(due to the heavy optimizations).
- Realtime battery status.
- Notifications and events center.
- Wiimote support.
- Stable God Music layer.
- Better global exception handling(0 crashes)
Here some screenshots of "Gray Moon" in its current form:
Dragging:
Note to beta testers:
This version do not include the "God Music" layer for obvious reasons
Enjoy this build and feel free to post any suggestions or bugs that may appear. I've fixed a lot of things since i completed the preview build as mentioned above but maybe there are some hidden bugs somewhere... who knows
oh, and remember... this is a preview build so few things may change in the final version or probably aren't working yet... i know i took quite long time to release a nother version but i focus more about quality instead of quantity this days Over and out
@ruantec
Update:
Uploaded a new executable that fixes the following bugs:
- Crash on exit after editing ID3 tag.
- VBA M926 was not grabbed by @ES.
Thanks q_byrd03 for the report!
Update #2:
Uploaded a new build that fixes the following bugs:
- Bug that prevented Dolphin from being grabbed(thanks q_byrd03 for the tests and report)
- But that prevented PJ64 1.7+ from being grabbed(thanks Darksamus for the report)
Post Reply
41 comments on "@ES - GraFX(Preview build) released!"
June 7, 2012 at 4:13 pm
@ruantec, great application. I'm using it so I don't have to go opening different programs emulators and music players all the time. I've got a suggestion and a bug issue:
BUG - Everytime i come out of fullscreen from a game, the app gives me an infinite ammount of popups saying "An exception occured: value out of expected range" and I have to shut it down through the task manager. Could it be from the resolution?
SUGGESTION - I don't know if this is already possible (sorry, if it is, ignore it), but how about making it possible to flip the app just like you would a tablet for possible grabbing of the NDS emulator and for MAME flipper games? Just a thought.
Thanks so much, I'm am really anxious to see what's to be expected of this application! Thumbs up, really!
June 7, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Which emulator?
June 7, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Basically, no specific emulator :S
I'll put a screenshot here:
In this i was running Aerogauge on Project64 1.7, but it's already happened when running a DOS game, etc.
June 8, 2012 at 1:25 am
Thank you for the bug report gigashock... i will give a check later and will try to find out the reason why is happening. Also thank you for your suggestion and will see what i can do
June 26, 2012 at 11:43 am
I got permission from @ruantec to post this
this exe fixes the compatibility with the newest version of dophin
http://www.mediafire.com/?f9r9eoiniz67426
July 17, 2012 at 7:01 am
It has been over a month any new info you can throw our way @Ruantec?
July 17, 2012 at 7:03 am
He's awfully busy again at the moment (he's traveling for business at the moment) so I think the project is back on hold till things quiet down a bit again.
July 17, 2012 at 7:08 am
Ok info like that I dont mind getting just so we know where it stands right now.
July 18, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Just as SCHUMI_4EVER already stated i have a awfully busy schedule at the moment and i'm traveling/flying a lot to Germany and other places. Because of that i don't have the time to work in the project right now as i would love to. However that doesn't mean i won't work on it again since things should get better soon and i will have more time to spend in the final version which i'm going to release here later. This time i'm taking in consideration that just as now i may get awfully busy later and because of that i've decided to release @ES open source except for the core library which contains @ES main features which i want to keep close still. However i will offer the source of almost everything so that people can fix or extend @ES capabilities.
The upcomming version is not just more advanced but it uses a very nice plugin system to extend or restrict capabilities of the user. In that way people can personalize @ES or just extend its capabilities anytime. The @ES project will go on and i will work on it as much as i can improving it as much as i can but i think with the new version people finally have access to @ES capabilities and some coders may take advantage of it and create there own tools if they wish.
In case you wonder why the lack of updates or what happened to me then check the Perpetual Welcome Back/Leaving thread where i always post something before i leave like i did here or just the random thoughts thread where i post things like this because i'm very tired after working up to 14 hours daily including saturday and sunday hehehehehehe.
As soon as i get some progress i will post it here specially since i got some PC games working which may be a good thing for those who love to play games in windowed mode like i do
July 19, 2012 at 6:41 am
@ruantec good to hear but since I am not a dev the source code is useless to me but hopefully those who do grab it can improve on the work you have done.