thatgui
Advanced Member
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2009
- Messages
- 3,048
Hello,
I'm currently working on a desktop applikation, to manage PNDs "outside" of the Pandora. The meaning of currently is a little stretched though as I'm working on this for more than eight months now as I only occasionably find time to work on it.
Usually I loose interest on such projects rather quick, but surpriseingly I'm still on it, so there is very small hope, that something usable comes out of this.
Whats the scope / reason or why do "we" need this if we have already pdnstore,panorama and milkyhelper ?:
It is simply my usage scenario: as I find very little time at home to use my Pandora, I usually update my Pandora software library during lunchbreak at work. Due to security reasons I can't connect my Pandora to the companys network, so I use the mass storage mode to manage pnds - this is rather time consuming.
So I thought about a application that sits silently in the tray and waits for a pandora to connect via mass storage. Depending on how the application is configured, it automatically syncs the pnds on the SD Card with a local library, also keeping an eye out for updates in the repo.
Other aspects that could be usefull:
Currently there are some limitations to this.
As the mass storage scripts only support one sdcard at a time my program currently supports only one card as sync - partner. Also the NAND is off limits currently. But I also thought about backing up some config files - like the ones from the network manager, so someone does not have to configure everything again after a full flash. Or that some config files (maybe nubs, mounts, etc) could be altered via a specialized interface in the application - but this can get complicated, and maybe dangerous as having the NAND mounted writeable (if possible), someone could easily break the system.
My programm is currently in a very early alpha stage, the basic functionality works, but its very far from beeing stable. Currently I dream about bringing it into the contest, but I'm not very confident I can create a usable Version till then.
The First Question is, is there someone else with a similiar usage scenario that could make use of this ? Or is there already something similiar or more thought trough that would be better to use ?
If you have any thoughts (negative or positive) about this, feel free to express them.
DISCLAIMER:
There is a great chance, that there won't come anything out of this - so don't build up any hopes !!!
WIP Screenshot:


I'm currently working on a desktop applikation, to manage PNDs "outside" of the Pandora. The meaning of currently is a little stretched though as I'm working on this for more than eight months now as I only occasionably find time to work on it.
Usually I loose interest on such projects rather quick, but surpriseingly I'm still on it, so there is very small hope, that something usable comes out of this.
Whats the scope / reason or why do "we" need this if we have already pdnstore,panorama and milkyhelper ?:
It is simply my usage scenario: as I find very little time at home to use my Pandora, I usually update my Pandora software library during lunchbreak at work. Due to security reasons I can't connect my Pandora to the companys network, so I use the mass storage mode to manage pnds - this is rather time consuming.
So I thought about a application that sits silently in the tray and waits for a pandora to connect via mass storage. Depending on how the application is configured, it automatically syncs the pnds on the SD Card with a local library, also keeping an eye out for updates in the repo.
Other aspects that could be usefull:
- Automators:
A script with basic file i/o functions, that could be associated with a pnd. One usage scenario could be if the a pnds needs some datafiles, such a script could be created. So somebody else would just have to click on "run datafile automator", and the application just asks for the directory where all files are and copies them in the proper location on the SDCards, or tells the user that some files are missing. Another usage scenario, is to implement a schedule mechanism, so that these automators could be automatically executed in a certain intervall (maybe every week, or every time the application is started) - could be used for backup purposes
- Managing:
Control the appearance of pnds on the Pandora. Like moving a pnd from the desktop into the menu just by making a choice in a combobox. Or "parking" a pnd (including the appdata dir) on your disc, if you currently need the space on your card for something else. Or simply tipeing some text in a field, to change the title of the app in minimenu, and the application creates the necessary ovr file in the background
- Cleaning:
With testing new pnds the appdata directory on the SD cards gets quite full, so i thought about that appdata directories where no corresponding pnd exists in the library could be just deleted or copied into a special folder in the library on the computers drive
Currently there are some limitations to this.
As the mass storage scripts only support one sdcard at a time my program currently supports only one card as sync - partner. Also the NAND is off limits currently. But I also thought about backing up some config files - like the ones from the network manager, so someone does not have to configure everything again after a full flash. Or that some config files (maybe nubs, mounts, etc) could be altered via a specialized interface in the application - but this can get complicated, and maybe dangerous as having the NAND mounted writeable (if possible), someone could easily break the system.
My programm is currently in a very early alpha stage, the basic functionality works, but its very far from beeing stable. Currently I dream about bringing it into the contest, but I'm not very confident I can create a usable Version till then.
The First Question is, is there someone else with a similiar usage scenario that could make use of this ? Or is there already something similiar or more thought trough that would be better to use ?
If you have any thoughts (negative or positive) about this, feel free to express them.
DISCLAIMER:
There is a great chance, that there won't come anything out of this - so don't build up any hopes !!!
WIP Screenshot:

