HTML5 FrontEnd

[arximidis]

Turns out it's much easier than I thought (however I have to double check).
I have already fixed the audio/video and I am working on the animations.
It looks like I will release a beta before August.

So, the IE version of HTMLFE will work on Windows XP too (or on W7 without the need to install a new version of Internet explorer)

The only thing it may not work on WinXP is the starfield animation (but it may be bypassed with the use of the two animated gifs)

[Le Chuck]

This is awesome news! Looking forward to the update!

[arximidis]

It is very possible to upload the first beta version today (for testing)

I don't include new features for now, because it needs some testing first

There is a new setting where you select the style (Classic HTML or HTML5). In windows XP if you select HTML5 and you don't hear any sound, then you should probably select the option Classic HTML where windows media player is used instead.
In classic view some things will not work (example the starfield effect and the 90 degrees rotation of the entire FE)

I will add new features to bypass this problem, especially for the starfield effect (eg You will be able to change background image when selecting/clicking an emulator)

[Le Chuck]

It is very possible to upload the first beta version today (for testing)

I don't include new features for now, because it needs some testing first

There is a new setting where you select the style (Classic HTML or HTML5). In windows XP if you select HTML5 and you don't hear any sound, then you should probably select the option Classic HTML where windows media player is used instead.
In classic view some things will not work (example the starfield effect and the 90 degrees rotation of the entire FE)

I will add new features to bypass this problem, especially for the starfield effect (eg You will be able to change background image when selecting/clicking an emulator)

Standing by to test

[arximidis]

I have uploaded the new beta version of default640x480 theme (version 4.0.0)
This theme will not work with HTMLFrontEndQT (use the ie version instead). However it will work on Linux (please notify me if you encounter problems)

I have added few new features:

Ability to select between HTML5 and HTML4 (Classic HTML). When selecting HTML4 windows media player is used for audio/video playback. With this setting the theme is compatible with older versions of internet explorer (thus it will work on Windows XP). Attention: If you have a newer version of internet explorer (version 9 or greater) prefer the HTML5 setting

Add the ability to change the background picture when selecting an emulator (in game lists)

Add a starfield effect compatible with HTML4 (but for now it's not as good as the HTML5 starfield effect)

[Le Chuck]

Why did .png change to .gif for the emulator images?

Went into main.html and just ctrl+H all the .gif but the background.gif into .png.  Man that default starfield is rough in the html 4, I'm going to redo my animation and run that for now. 

Getting it all setup, will let you know how it goes once I transfer it to the WXP64 build. 

Update:

Doesn't work on WXP64.  Shows the HTML5 bootscreen then freezes on white.  I ensured it was set to HTML classic (4) before transferring it. 

[arximidis]

Good morning from Greece Le Chuck! 

I have tested the FE on Windows XP (32bit) and it does work!
The problem is that the older versions of internet explorer (like the one on Windows XP) do not support transparent png images (only gif)
The frontend will freeze if you don't provide some gif images (if you changed to png, you must edit all the html files and make sure the images are there)

edit: Also make sure windows media player is installed. When using HTML4, windows media player is used for audio/video playback. In some slim/light editions of windows XP, windows media player is removed!

Did you test the setup on Windows XP before making any changes (meaning even if you keep the default emulators) and run it as it is?

PS. The HTML4 starfield effect will change and it will be optimized. This is the first attempt


edit: I have uploaded a new beta version (4.1) with few optimizations to the HTML4 starfield effect

[Le Chuck]

Gotcha, I'll reformat the images and give it a run this evening.  Good news on the update, hope it works!!!

[arximidis]

As I said before each time and with each request or problem we make the software better

I will add an option to select the image type between png and gif in the settings dialog

Also today I will work on the QT to see if it's possible to fix the sound problem and the crashes

[arximidis]

 

I just had an idea!!!

In some things QT version is better and in some other things IE version is better. So, I thought... Why not combine them?
There is no need to have two separate versions. One will do
Recently I did such a combination for a machine at work for which a new FrontEnd was needed. I used a combination of my HTML FrontEnd. It worked fantastic!!!

[Le Chuck]

Cool, so I'll just wait for that one then

[arximidis]

Ok it works

I will upload today the new qt version for you to try.
I have fixed only the sound and did nothing for the crashes when you load the emulator for the fisrt time
Fisrt check if background music stutters

If everything it's ok with the sound then I will check the code that loads the emulators too
One good thing with this approach is that we will have some sort of anti-crash feature (but I will not implement it right away)

[arximidis]

New version uploaded (version 4.0 of HTMLFrontEndQT and 4.2 of default640x480 theme)

This is the first attempt to combine the two versions for windows. Why? Because the majority of cabs (including mine) use Windows XP as operating system

This version requires... everything

VLC (full install)
Windows media player (pre-installed on Windows XP)
If you use a "weird" codec for your mp3's then k-lite codec pack is a good choice to install
Internet explorer (pre-installed on Windows XP)



EDIT:
I Fixed a minor bug to the theme.   
I have re-uploaded

[Le Chuck]

It works! Full speed audio and starfield with no hiccups on WXP64. Very nice, now if you can address that crash issue we will be straight. Nicely done.

Crash issue has started to pop up on executables other than just mame as well. Looking forward to not having to worry about that.

[arximidis]

Good Day Le Chuck!

It is possible today to upload a new version in order to correct this problem (As always I have an idea for you to try It looks like this combination thing actually works )
However I am not sure... I will inform you when this happens

[arximidis]

The new version 4.1 and the new theme 4.4 are uploaded!

The windows versions are now unified in one version.
I have changed the way the FE loads the emulators on windows.
Also corrected few bugs and add one feature

[Le Chuck]

The new version 4.1 and the new theme 4.4 are uploaded!

The windows versions are now unified in one version.
I have changed the way the FE loads the emulators on windows.
Also corrected few bugs and add one feature

I'll get it dl'd and play test it over the weekend.  Great stuff!

[Le Chuck]

Crashes on first execution of MAME.  Crashes if I try and rotate the carousel too quickly.  Occasionally crashes on startup.  This version has a few bugs it seems. 

[arximidis]

Crashes if I try and rotate the carousel too quickly.

OK lesson learned: "Don't change things that already work, no matter what!!!"

I have uploaded a bug fix version (theme 4.5 and HTMLFrontEnd browser 4.1.1). Check it out!

However, I got to tell you I am experiencing none of the problems you have. 
It NEVER crashes while loading a game (emulator). Ok, I am testing it to my windows 8 machine (but it's a low end desktop pc - pentium 4)
I have tested only mame and dosbox in the actual windows xp (32bit) arcade machine (posted a video), but I can't remember if I had any problem when loading the game

So it's little bit difficult to understand what is really going wrong. In most cases I am guessing 


What are the settings for loading mame? (settings.ini)

[Le Chuck]

Still a bit buggy, I think the straight QT version may have been the best option for me (I've got copies but recommend keeping both posted for those with finicky systems like mine).  Just have to be careful how I call certain games.  The bugs well could have been with my settings rather than the program itself.  I'll play with it more and see if I can pin down the issues.

Over in the SW FE thread I posted some of my files as an example for another user that was having a time getting started in the FE.  If you're going to continue working features on this I'd recommend working on the in-program setup menu for emulators.  Get that working with drop down menus and more folks will feel comfortable with it.  The FE is very easy to manipulate in text but text is off-putting for some folks. 

[arximidis]

Hello le chuck

where exactly is the problem? Again while loading the emulator?

[arximidis]

A simple tutorial

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,137291.msg1453403.html#msg1453403

[Le Chuck]

Hello le chuck

where exactly is the problem? Again while loading the emulator?

Hey man, writeup looks good.  I'm still fighting with this new version, I get crashes on startup occasionally and crashes on launching Mame still.  I need to grab a fresh install and go see if I had done something dumb with my settings.  Right now I'm still using the last pure QT version because it's the most stable for my build.  No crashes on startup or exit and only issues with Mame on initial lauch - I still need to try and different MAME version and see if it goes away. 

I'll tell you tho, I've launched dozens of times through MALA and never been able to replicate the crashes so I don't think it has anything to do with MAME itself. 

[arximidis]

... I get crashes on startup occasionally and crashes on launching Mame still. 


Right now I'm still using the last pure QT version because it's the most stable for my build.  No crashes on startup or exit and only issues with Mame on initial lauch

I'll tell you tho, I've launched dozens of times through MALA and never been able to replicate the crashes so I don't think it has anything to do with MAME itself.

I expected nothing different when launching MAME, because the last QT build and the new version have NO difference in this part (the code is the same)
However, the occasionally crash on startup (apparently you mean when you startup the FE) is new and it may be fixable.
If you provide me more information, I will be able to fix it!

For example... When it crashes? When it is loading the index.html page or the main.html page (the main.html contains the actual FE code with the carousel and all the stuff. The index page is the startup page and it contains the startup video etc)

Is the UIplayer.exe loading? You will notice an icon on the traybar. If the FE crashes when is loading the UIPlayer, try this:
Start the UIplayer first (double click on it) and then load the HTMLFrontEnd.exe. Check if you have crashes on startup

I will check the software on my game machine (windows XP SP3 32bit)


PS. About the launcing crashes. I haven't implemented the new code yet (the last version and the new version share the same code), because I wanted to make sure everything with the sound was OK
With the new code the UIPlayer will be the program launching the games and for that reason it's important to fix the startup issues

[Le Chuck]

On the current version uiPlayer does load and music does play.  What has been happening a lot is that the intro video will play then when the video is complete the FE will white screen and freeze but the music will come up and continue to play.  When I kill the FE the music will continue to play until I kill uiPlayer.  So based on that I'd said it's crashing on main.html and not on index since it makes it through the vid.  I've been pretty swamped this week but this weekend I'll take another crack at it and let you know. 

[arximidis]

On the current version uiPlayer does load and music does play.  What has been happening a lot is that the intro video will play then when the video is complete the FE will white screen and freeze but the music will come up and continue to play.  When I kill the FE the music will continue to play until I kill uiPlayer.  So based on that I'd said it's crashing on main.html and not on index since it makes it through the vid.  I've been pretty swamped this week but this weekend I'll take another crack at it and let you know.

Great info!!!

You say the background music starts playing and then freezes (so, Now I know in which line of the code the problem begins)

Do you have the same behaviour even if you disable the starfield effect? If you do, then I think I know where the problem is

The function is with the name Initialize().

The line where the music starts is at 716 (current version).
Then (you see) it loads the background starfield effect (that is why I asled)
Then it sends the command to load the settings of all the emulators (Maybe the problem is because you have too many directories)

You can check this out... Comment the two last commands of the function Initialiaze and run the program. Add a // before each comand like this:

Code: [Select]

  //getemusettings = true;
  //hyperlink("http://FrontEnd_GETINIENTRIES?param={THEMEPATH}/emulators/"+emuArray[0][0]+'/settings.ini&sector=SETTINGS');
Doing so the FE will not work properly, but you will be able to see if it crashes or not
If it doesn't crash, then we found the problem (and I will change the way how the FrontEnd reads the settings)

[arximidis]

HTMLFrontEnd -- new version

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


The new version of HTMLFrontEnd has been uploaded (version 5.0)
http://piperidis.smartdev.gr/MyWebPage/Catalog/games/HTMLFrontEndEN.htm

The new version is no long supporting Windows XP (EDIT: at least for now).
You can use a slim/light version of Windows 7 for old machines (at least that is what I am using for my arcade machine)
You can find software on the internet and tutorials on how to slim your Windows 7 version


Pure HTML5 code
You can control the sound volume of background music, sound effects, video playback and system master volume (edit: Changing system volume will allow you to control the sound/music volume of the games you play too)
The new version has also joystick/gamepad support.
Here is how to install: http://piperidis.smartdev.gr/MyWebPage/Catalog/games/FE_tutor/htmlFEtutorEN.htm
Don't forget to install the javascript-joystick plugin for the gamepad/joystick support

EDIT: updated links