Topic: xACT suggestions

[scb]

now that i've gotten a version with flac tags, bug fixes, new installer and other things out, what would you like to see next?

dave mentioned some sort of background notification that a process was done (if you have xact in the background and want it to tell you it's done)

john and others mentioned mp3 or aac encoding built in, but i think for now i may keep it lossless

anyone have any other requests?

[John Kelly]

I'm still for mp3 or aac...I hate using iTunes to do it (it's bloated for just a conversion).

But another request?  Lose the metal.

[scb]

it's so boring without the brushed metal though

[MattD]

How about a customizable info file creator? Prompt for common variables (band name, date, venue, location) and prompt for track names based on number of tracks processed. Have it auto-write track times as well.

If you want to get really creative, have the user set a page layout the first time they use it, then they'll be able to use that template every time. Hell, even have them allowed to name their own fields (for example, I always use "Recording by" rather than "Taper" because I rarely actually use tape).

I don't know what language might allow you to do this, but it should be pretty simple to output variables to (row,column).

Thinking out loud ...

[John Kelly]

it's so boring without the brushed metal though

It's alright, I do it myself rather easily.

And Matt's ideas are great!

Edit - And I know it's been brought up many times, and you're probably tired of it, but the ability to drag files into the window would be great.

[scb]

dragging is NOT working and no one can figure out why. it should, but it's not...

[RRobar]

How about the ability to close it out with the buttons on the left hand top side. rather than just minimize. It's no huge deal just something I noticed. I understand the reason for keeping it lossless based. But it sure would be nice to make AAC files outside of iTunes. I'm in the process of putting all of last year's phish sbds into AAC for the iPod. But it's not that big of a deal.

[greenone]

Scott, I think I mentioned this to you before, but in case I just thought it and didn't say it...I'd like the ability to maintain the file list between tabs. I drop shit on the wrong tab all the time and it'd be cool to just click 'fix SBE' and have the files still be in the file window, rather than having to re-add them on the new tab.

[scb]

but what if you load SHN files in the decode tab?  should the encode tab have those file names?  likewise if you load wav or aiffs.  should the decode tab see those? the fix can see all flac, shn, aiff, wav, but nothing else.  the checksum tab can see whatever.  the shntool  tab has other files it shouldnt have loaded.  this can get complicated

[greenone]

Isn't there error handling in shorten/shntool that will prevent you from expanding already-expanded files and shortening already shortened files? I admit ignorance of the FLAC command line program but I assume it has the same functionality. If not, yeah, I can see how it would get complicated. Maybe make it one-way only, i.e. something dropped on decode/encode can be shifted to fix/checksum but not vice versa? I dunno...

[jwindhall]

john and others mentioned mp3 or aac encoding built in, but i think for now i may keep it lossless

anyone have any other requests?

keep it lossless... mp3's are for itunes

[John Kelly]

john and others mentioned mp3 or aac encoding built in, but i think for now i may keep it lossless

anyone have any other requests?

keep it lossless... mp3's are for itunes

Why?  Sometimes I'd like to be able to convert a few songs to mp3 to send to friends, or to put on my website.  I hate loading up iTunes to do it, as iTunes is too much for a simple conversion...

[greenone]

I agree...iTunes is getting bloated. I hate making a playlist just to burn an audio disc, but refuse to pay for Toast 6...

[Mic D]

I hate making a playlist just to burn an audio disc

I don't mind it, really. All you have to do is click the "+" (add playlist) button and then drag n' drop the wav folder in the window. That's it.

[scb]

>>Sometimes I'd like to be able to convert a few songs to mp3 to send to friends, or to put on my website.  I hate loading up iTunes to do it, as iTunes is too much for a simple conversion...<<

well there are other utilities which will do a simple mp3 or aac conversion...