How about an a2mp3 frontend?

[Takmadeus]

Greetings and salutations!

I was looking around for the packages listed in synaptic and found a curious one....

a2mp3 - program to optimize your music for your mp3 player

a2mp3 is a program that Automates the task of optimizing your music to
the needs of your mp3-player and keep the size at a minimum. It con‐
verts all files given at commandline to your personal folder given in
your configfile. The default folder is ~/mp3tmp.

so I thought... hmmm it seems interesting, but it is kind of tiresome to write by hand all the filenames so I get my music optimized.... so.....

I am thinking of making a frontend to it in GAMBAS (GAMbas is not BASic) which is the only programming IDE that I almost know how to work with.... so I am going to try to remember all my Gambas knowledge (pretty small knowledge I might say) and make a small frontend so it is just a matter of choosing the files and an execute button (perhaps add a config panel)

anyone interested?... anyone already uses this program?

[barney_1]

You might look into making a plugin for Amarok or Rhythm box. That is something that has potential for a lot more use than a standalone frontend. Cool project though, good luck!

[Takmadeus]

Well.... I then shall try once I finish the frontend.... gotta learn the rythmbox or amarok api first

[Takmadeus]

OK.... here's an update... I already started the frontend and now I have the credits and the file chooser and the execute button... so practically you may say that it is already done.... yet I would like to choose multiple files at once and to have the config window ready before release..... yet I am also considering to migrate to another GUI designer such as Gazpacho.... but I must learn to use it before.... any help like a tutorial or some examples on using gazpacho are welcome

[Takmadeus]

sorry for reposting but can any of you help me?

[Takmadeus]

I have a question and it is regarding Nautilus - actions...

I was trying to make a context launcher for a2mp3, yet I could not do it fine....

can someone check it out and correct it as needed?

[ugm6hr]

This is a great idea. Did you ever get it finished?

I've just discovered a2mp3 (in Synaptic) - it seems to automatically chose an appropriate bitrate for the mp3, and sounds OK (to a non-expert with standard Walkman headphones) even if changing bitrate from mp3 to mp3. I'm hoping it will add about an extra 40% storage capacity (in terms of tracks) on my (flash memory) mp3 player.

To save the Terminal typing, I have managed to integrate it into Thunar (in Xubuntu):
Edit->Configure Custom Actions
Command: a2mp3 %F
File pattern: *
Appears if...: Audio files

As default saves to same file name in ~/mp3tmp, which is acceptable for now. Does seem to suggest that it can be edited with option "a2mp3 -d DIRECTORY %F" - be nice if it could ask where to save to...

a2mp3 sometimes messes up the id3 tags - so id3v2 (also in Synaptic) allows a fix - also integrated into Thunar right-click:
Command: id3v2 -a "ARTIST" -A "ALBUM" %F
File pattern: *.mp3
Appears if...: Audio files

Again - be nice if it would ask what the ARTIST and ALBUM are with a GUI interface, but I can cope with having to edit the Thunar Custom Action each time.

[Takmadeus]

Excellent.... I am glad to see that someone finally put some interest

Anyway.... as far as I go I got this frontend made...

it is pretty rudimentary and it is programmed in GAMBAS (so far the only programming language I get to understand a bit ) but for now it should get the work done..

The is one serious problem though, I haven't found any way for GAMBAS to allow me to select more than one file at the time, so I would appreciate some help...

And if anyone wants to help, and preferably knows how to code, some rewrite in another language would be much appreciated. Meanwhile I'll keep on looking around so I get the info I need to improve this partial release. Also, let me thank you ugm6hr for your suggestions, I'll look for a way to add them, and I hope I get it done anytime soon

By the way, I will add the sources of the program in case someone wants to play with them

[Takmadeus]

Well I hope this serves as a bump for this thread, plus I wanna know what do you think about the sources I posted earlier.

I want to make an open invitation as well for someone who knows how to code (no matter the language as long as it allows to make GUIs) to help us in this tiny simple project.

Thanks in advance

[bradleyd]

just came across your post, are you still interested in working on a front end?