Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

den4b · 2008-02-01 15:02

Good news for those of you who have been waiting for Shutter v3

As it is mentioned in the news topic few days ago, Shutter v3 is coming together! Most of the functionality should be fully working, apart from some new aspects like "Protection". There are still few uncertainties for the main user interface part, especially the 2 new tables that manage actions and events, and the individual popups for adding/editing items. It might seem like an overkill - but it is the only way for handling multiple items. So as I said before, looks and feels of things do require some user attention, and it is now the best time for suggestions regarding GUI.

NEW Download link: ShutterBeta.zip (~500Kb)

EDIT: As of today, 2 June 2008, Alpha version has qualified for the Beta stage.

Last edited by den4b (2008-06-02 20:34)

jsmooth · 2008-02-03 21:56

OK, Gushing praise: Looks great in the first 20 minutes. So far stable. More report coming but for now:

shutter notes:

QUESTION:

What is the purpose of up / down arrow? (see Event notes)

COMMENT:

Interface is clean and intuitive

Options - Settings - Web Interface

Listen IP: 127.0.0.1
Good default but a pull-down option should be '0.0.0.0'

Reasoning: The listed IP may be a DHCP assigned address and will not work on reboot (this has happened to me)
0.0.0.0 always works

Event: SUGGESTION

Event should be (optionally) processed sequentially.

example: Wait 10 minutes of Inactivity THEN wait 10 more minutes for CPU < 10%

Description:

2 events

Event1: 10 Minute no activity
Event2: 10 Minute cpu < 10%

Sequence:

Start:

Event1
Event1: Active
Event2: Waiting
If UserActvity != 0 x=x+1
if x=600 goto Event2 else goto Event1

Event2
Event1: Triggered
Event2: Active
If CPUActivity > 10% y=y+1
If UserActivity != 0 (x=0 & y=0 & goto Event1)
if y=600 goto Action else goto Event2

Action
Event1: Triggered
Event2: Triggered
Perform Action

File - New Project

Should ask to Save Current Project (otherwise config is lost)

Action - Message - 'pop-up box'

Choices are 'Go Ahead' 'Restart' 'Cancel'

User may think 'Restart' means a restart of the computer

Suggest changing to 'Ok' 'Restart Events' 'Cancel Events'

Event - Ping Stops :SUGGESTION

(if possible): For long term (>24hours) ping it would be good to include a DNS refresh option.

example: I have a dyndns host whose IP may change 1/week. I use shutter to monitor uptime of host. If shutter only resolves DNS to IP on startup and IP changes ping will fail.

Event - Windows Opens :SUGGESTION

you have window closes, why not window opens?

Regards
Joe

jsmooth · 2008-02-03 22:10

Some more:

Settings - General - Start Events when program starts:

Although Shutter starts (status says Started) no Events\Actions are show.

NOTE: You may have a memory leak (no idea how to troubleshoot)

On initial load its ~5.6MB but after playing a bit it was ~8.9MB according to task manager.

jsmooth · 2008-02-07 19:39

Critical: Shutter preventing shutdown of pc

settings:

2 Events (10 minute inactivity + 10 minute CPU <10%
Action: Standby

Options:

Autorun at startp
Min when click close
Restart events
Start event when computer wakes up from hib/sleep

Web interface enable, listen ip 0.0.0.0 port 80

Protection: Not set

What Happens: If shutter is running and I use start - shutdown (or ctrl-alt-del - shutdown option) systray programs start to close but Shutter will NOT close and shutdown will not occur. If I close Shutter and then use shutdown it works fine.

-Joe

den4b · 2008-02-12 16:56

> Event - Ping Stops :SUGGESTION. (if possible): For long term (>24hours) ping it would be good to include a DNS refresh option.
When you use the hostname for the "Ping Stops" event, it is actually resolved before each ping, so it is only the matter of ensuring that your Windows system is not using an old cache of some sort.

> Action - Message - 'pop-up box'. Choices are 'Go Ahead' 'Restart' 'Cancel', suggest changing to 'Ok' 'Restart Events' 'Cancel Events'.
Done.

> File - New Project. Should ask to Save Current Project (otherwise config is lost)
I personally don't think is necessary, because it will add this annoying popup message every time user wants to start a new project. I have a feeling that most users will not want to save the preset before starting the new project. I guess this is debatable, but it is not like you are going to loose 20 pages worth of word document

> Event: SUGGESTION. Event should be (optionally) processed sequentially.
Done. I've added a new logic called "1BY1".

> Options - Settings - Web Interface. Listen IP: 127.0.0.1, Good default but a pull-down option should be '0.0.0.0'
I've added 0.0.0.0 as an option in the drop down box, if that is what you meant.

> Settings - General - Start Events when program starts: Although Shutter starts (status says Started) no Events\Actions are show.
Fixed. Now you will see a message "Planner is not ready. Check your events and actions" when you try to start without any events or actions, including the usage of "Start events when program starts" option.

> NOTE: You may have a memory leak (no idea how to troubleshoot) On initial load its ~5.6MB but after playing a bit it was ~8.9MB according to task manager.
At the moment, I could not verify this issue. At the same time, it is normal that memory usage varies, as long it doesn't go really out of balance, e.g. say from 5Mb to 50Mb. Windows manages memory automatically, and loads/unloads parts of the program into/from memory as required. I will keep and eye on it, and please you do to. If you notice really bad behaviour memory-wise, please note the actions which you have taken to achieve it and report back to me.

> Critical: Shutter preventing shutdown of pc
May sound serious at first, but after some investigation I figured out that it was caused by a completely harmless problem. Before Windows is going to shutdown or restart, it sends all windows/applications a message saying that it is about to shutdown, so applications can quickly ask user to save the work for example. Applications have full right to reply to this message "NO", which will cancel the shutdown. In v3 of Shutter, I had to use a non-visible window for processing Shutter related messages, and completely forgot to add a line to process non-Shutter related messages, using default Windows method. So when the query of shutdown message would come in, it would not be processed correctly, deeming it to cause cancellation of the shutdown. Anyway, this has been fixed.

--------------

Here is an up to date version: Shutter3Alpha.zip (Alpha 3)

Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you help in testing out the new version!

barryvcuk · 2008-02-13 18:49

Thanks for the link. I have subscribed to the topic and will keep an eye on it.

Barry Cleave
www.myfreereview.com

jsmooth · 2008-02-14 13:02

New Project - You're right, not a big deal either way.

0.0.0.0 - exactly what I meant.

Memory - You're right, I'm just paranoid, it never gets above 10MB. I am a stingy jerk who wants all of my 2GB of ram...

Sequential Processing:

I guess I mean Simultaneous triggers - Reset all events when any event is interrupted. Like this:

Event Details Status
------------------------------------------------------------
User Inactive Inactive for 10 Inactive for 0:00:20
Low CPU Below 10% for 10 Below for 5

****
User presses a key
****

User Inactive Inactive for 0:00:00
Low CPU Below for 0

***

No additional problems to report. Looking great!

Iangh · 2008-02-16 00:14

Very nice programme.:)

Been looking for something like this as my built-in XP power management doesn't work.

Have it set to go to standby after 20mins conditional upon CPU >10% for 10secs.

Alpha is working fine for me.

Are you planning to do a help file? The options list is a tad long and required some thought from me. I found setting the events and action intuitive, and even adding a new project was easy to work out.

The options list was something else. I sat there thinking what do I need to do to make this act like the normal standby in XP power management.

To be frank some users may just think this is too complicated and remove Shutter.

For instance, when would I use 'restart events after they've been triggered'. What happens if I check this? It's not obvious to me what the function is.

Memory on task manager is 4680K.

EDIT: forgot to say "never show tray icon" is nice but somebody will check it and not realise they have to go into the .ini file and remove a line. How about a text file in the folder with helpful hints. I would start with how to get the icon back!;)

Ian

Last edited by Iangh (2008-02-16 00:20)

Iangh · 2008-02-17 09:52

One problem I have noticed is that the monitor will turn-off as an action but if I try Now, Monitor Turn Off the monitor turns off and on within the second.

Ian

den4b · 2008-02-24 14:40

jsmooth, the "reset all events when any event is interrupted" is not feasible/possible right now. Program is not capable of detecting "interrupted" state of the event, it only knows when event has be "triggered". Also, "interrupted" might be ambiguous for some events, and some would not event have an "interrupted" state, like Countdown or Timer events.

Iangh, help file would be a great addition, but it comes down the to luck of time. I simply don't have time to make a help file. Sorry.

Iangh, your monitor turns back on probably because your mouse movements or keyboard activity wake it up straight after it was put asleep. When you execute "Monitor Turn Off" action, it takes effect immediately, leaving no time for the user to stop responding, e.g. moving mouse and pressing keyboard. I've added a 300ms delay for this action, so, if you execute this action with a click of the mouse - you have 300ms to stop responding, i.e. moving the mouse.

Latest dev version: Shutter3Alpha.zip (Alpha 4)

den4b Forum

#1 2008-02-01 15:02

Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#2 2008-02-03 21:56

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#3 2008-02-03 22:10

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#4 2008-02-07 19:39

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#5 2008-02-12 16:56

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#6 2008-02-13 18:49

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#7 2008-02-14 13:02

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#8 2008-02-16 00:14

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#9 2008-02-17 09:52

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

#10 2008-02-24 14:40

Re: Shutter v3 Alpha / Beta

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