78 replies to this topic

[skyide]

Thanks jaclaz,

I wouldn't mind doing what you suggested. I will have to see what this new data display component that I use is capable off but I will leave this for later after I get the main stuff going. Next I will work on tthe menu config section as you suggested. I think I will get rid of it completely and let the user define their own editor of choice. On the ribbon bar on the top, I'd put program settings (as another tab) where you can change these settings.

In relation to the contextual help, your idea might be suitable for the rest of the check box lists, I will see how I go.

Also in relation to making the cell bold or colored, that was the first thing that came to mind but did not have time to research it. I am not sure if the grid control lets me do this but I will check it out.

[shamurshamur]

Thanks jaclaz,
Next I will work on tthe menu config section as you suggested. I think I will get rid of it completely and let the user define their own editor of choice.

I agree , "menu config" section is unnecessary and was creating confusion too.
Remove it completely.

[cdob]

Since the idea of the app is to be a "helper" for less experienced users, we could have "filters" like:

• Typical DOS
• Typical Linux
• Typical MAC
• Typical Windows/PE
• Hybrid
• Advanced

I aggree in that.

A experienced user dosn't require a GUI at all.
Just enter required commands at command line by memory.

In my opinion: predefined typical settings are the most importand part for a GUI.

@skyide
Intergrate some LABELS for predefined typical settings.
Next users may suggest some configurations for this setting.

[skyide]

Ok then, there will be a section called "Presets" on the ribbon bar with predefined settings.

Yes, I agree an experienced user does not need a GUI. This program was done based on my personal taste and logic. I want to be able to see all available options at once at the same time as I don't remember all of the options in my head and I also want to be able to see all the values in those options at once. I personally believe having a GUI that lets you load/unload different mkisofs options by means of clicking on a button is kind of cool. You can have as many projects open as you want and have different mkisofs settings for each, different ISO roots, different contents etc and all in one window.

I admit I am not that experienced with mkisofs so now I require help. I can do the different presets section but I need help in listing the options for each section.

If you someone can list the options required for each section it would be appreciated and I would add it in a "Presets" section on the ribbon. Clicking on a preset will load those options. I can even let users add their own presets on the toolbar (like macro kind of thing that runs or a a plug-in) that one can write.

DOS [list the options required]
Linux [list the options required]
and the rest...

Once I get the lists, I will add them on the toolbar as presets (built in automated macros).

Cheers,

I aggree in that.

A experienced user dosn't require a GUI at all.
Just enter required commands at command line by memory.

In my opinion: predefined typical settings are the most importand part for a GUI.

@skyide
Intergrate some LABELS for predefined typical settings.
Next users may suggest some configurations for this setting.

[skyide]

I have implemented the core of the plugin/macro system. All I have to do now is read the macro files and take commands from it but initially I will only support checking/unchecking of mkisofs options and as MBIM evolves, I will also advance this system.

All you do is just create MBIMM files in the "macros" dir of MBIM and tell me what options you want ON (by editing the macro file).

Here is a screenie: http://www.techopini...mbim_macros.png

P.S. The freshly released version of MBIM has a very light bug with the Filter Search + Activated Options list boxes and this will be fixed in Alpha 5 (hopefully to be released in 24 hours). Alpha 5 will support the macro/plug in system.

If you advise me what are the appropriate MKISOFS options for DOS, Linux, eCS etc I will include these as built in macros otherwise until I figure it out my self, these built in presets will not be included. I am strongly focused on MBIM which leaves me with little time to work on MKISOFS research....So I like you suggestions but assistance is required with some things.

Cheers,

[was_jaclaz]

If you advise me what are the appropriate MKISOFS options for DOS, Linux, eCS etc I will include these as built in macros otherwise until I figure it out my self, these built in presets will not be included. I am strongly focused on MBIM which leaves me with little time to work on MKISOFS research....So I like you suggestions but assistance is required with some things.

Ideally you could provide the ability to parse a .ini file, something with a structure like this:

[Target CD_type]

DOS_plain=DOS_Plain

BartPE=BartPE

MyProject=Myproject

Grub4dos=grub4dos

...=...



[DOS_Plain]

[BASE]

1=-b

2=-o

...=....



[OPTIONAL]

1=-publisher

2=-p

3=-volid

....

....

[DEBUG]

1=-v

[WARNINGS]

1=You need MSCDEX.EXE to access a CDFS filesystem

2=Additionally if -iso-level 4 is selected, MSCDEX won't work and you will need SHSUCDX.EXE instead

....

Then users will be able to share their settings and thexe can be added to the mbim "database".

jaclaz

[skyide]

Hi jaclaz,

Thanks for that. What I actually need is this. Example, there will be 4 "presets".

Preset 1: Create a DOS bootable
Preset 2: Create a Linux bootable
Preset 3: Create a BSD bootable
Preset 4: Create a eCS/OS/2 bootable

So for each preset, I need to know which mkisofs options should be activated and which should not. At the moment, I personally am not aware of all the correct options for each preset and releasing something and claiming it to be something that is not is a bad idea so I would rather not include these built in presets until I know the correct options.

This way, when a user wants to quickly create a DOS based boot disk, they will click "DOS Bootable" and the appropriate preset will run and this means the correct mkisofs option will be activated.

[was_jaclaz]

Hi jaclaz,

Thanks for that. What I actually need is this. Example, there will be 4 "presets".

Preset 1: Create a DOS bootable
Preset 2: Create a Linux bootable
Preset 3: Create a BSD bootable
Preset 4: Create a eCS/OS/2 bootable

So for each preset, I need to know which mkisofs options should be activated and which should not. At the moment, I personally am not aware of all the correct options for each preset and releasing something and claiming it to be something that is not is a bad idea so I would rather not include these built in presets until I know the correct options.

This way, when a user wants to quickly create a DOS based boot disk, they will click "DOS Bootable" and the appropriate preset will run and this means the correct mkisofs option will be activated.

Yep, I understand that, but noone has them the way you want and right now, this is why you should give people (the "mkisofs expert ones") some means to create these presets (and more of them).
But the structure needs to be "modular" somehow.
A mechanism like the one sketched will also allow to people to add their own "MyProject" "base" types.

All you need to create a "base" DOS El-torito floppy emulation boot CD (with no files in the CDFS part) is:

mkisofs.exe -b boot.img -o DOS_CD.iso

(pretty lame ain't it? )



jaclaz

[skyide]

this is why you should give people (the "mkisofs expert ones") some means to create these presets (and more of them).

And that is exactly what the new section "Presets & Macros" does. You will have a different file per preset in othdr words: "file-per-preset".

The reason I have chosen to go with the file-per-preset structure is because I intend to expand its functionality in the future.

I can do what you suggested and go via an INI-based format as you mentioned by that is too simple and I won't be able to easy expand its functionality if I want to turn a preset into a script. This way when you have different files, one can freely write scripting commands (when/if implemented).

The toolbar will automatically add all the presets you have in the macros folder. The folder is scanned on start-up.

Cheers,

[was_jaclaz]

by that is too simple and I won't be able to easy expand its functionality if I want to turn a preset into a script.

The choice of format for the presets is all yours, as long as it isn't XML, it's OK with me.

However, this was (at least at the beginning) a SIMPLE app, intended to help less experience users, it wasn't meant as a scripting engine of some kind, with all due respect , we ALREADY have ALL the scripting engines we need and even several perfectly unneeded ones, there is NO need whatsoever for another one.

We (meaning the mkisofs experienced users, hoping I can talk as a representative of the category ) DO NOT need Macro functions, we can use batch, or vbs, or winbuilder, or AutoIt, or hta, or Rexx or PERL, or PYTHON, or a number of other existing ones to which the "experienced" users are already familiar with.
On the other hand, an unexperienced user won't use ANY scripting.



jaclaz

[skyide]

However, this was (at least at the beginning) a SIMPLE app

You are correct. I think I just went out of my designated path when I started to think of scripting capabilities. Ok, no scripting.

I will just give the user a capability to add their own presets as described above but without scripting and all one has to do is specify what options need to be on and off. Click on the preset button and the options are applied...Very simple...I will rename this section to "Presets" rather than "Macros & Presets".

No XML will be involved. A simple INI-like structure is my idea but still file-per-preset. I have a few different ideas, I will pick one and if changes are required in the way the file is crafted, I will change it. I will see how I go.

May be I will go with a single file instead of multiple files....I will do more testing and see which is the easiest to maintain.

[skyide]

ok, I converted the whole thing into a single file. All presets will be defined in a single file in separate sections rather than separate files.

I know what I said above but I could not help my self with this one. I had to make the concept a bit more flexible.

So, to achieve this I ended up "scriptifying" the whole thing but look, this is going to be really flexible and yet easy to understand! It's really simple.

Here is an example of a few macro definitions. This pretty much already works. I will do further testing and I will release a new build very soon (again I set < 24 hours )

define_macro Windows()

{

	set param1="";	

	set param2="value2";

	set param3="some_value;another_value;etc";

}



define_macro Linux()

{

	set param1="value1";	

	set param2="value2";

	set param3="value3";

}



define_macro eCS()

{

	set param1="value1";

	set param2="value2";

	set param3="value3";

	set param4="";

}

The above defines 3 presets (macros). When the Windows macro runs:

It will put a check mark in the "param1" MKISOFS option in the GUI and will blank out its value
It will put a check mark in the "param2" MKISOFS option in the GUI and set its value to "value2"
It will put a check mark in the "param3" MKISOFS option in the GUI and set its value to "some_value;another_value;etc"

Same concept for Linux and eCS. These macros are stored in a single file. The file is read on start up an you end up with this:

http://techopinion.n...bim_presets.png

You click on the macro button and it runs It is exactly the same as if it was an INI file except that I have given this the ability to be expanded later on (if needed).

Later on, I will also add the following capabilities:

# ON[param1,""];

ON[param2,"value1"];

ON[param3,"value3"];

ON[param4,"value4"];

So you can pick between "set" or this other way but I will add this later.

I personally believe this is really good because it gives me the potential to expand the concept and add conditionals so options will be activated based on conditions but for now, I will keep it very simple (as described above).


Cheers,

[skyide]

Forgot to add, you also have:

set param1;		// will just turn on an option

unset param1;	 // will just turn off an option

And if really necessary, I *can* add INI-like sections among the macro definitions (these will be called presets) so you would have macros + presets.

Cheers,

[was_jaclaz]

Well, again with all due respect, both hot water and round wheels have already been invented :

@ECHO OFF

SETLOCAL ENABLEEXTENSIONS 

SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION

SET commandline=mkisofs.exe

IF %1.==. GOTO :EOF

IF /I %1.==Windows. (

set param1="" 

set param2="value2"

set param3="some_value another_value etc"

)



IF /I %1. == Linux. (

	set param1="value1"

	set param2="value2"

	set param3="value3"

)



IF /I %1.==eCS. (

set param1="value1"

	set param2="value2"

	set param3="value3"

	set param4=""

)



FOR /F "tokens=2 delims==" %%? IN ('SET param') DO CALL :build_line %%?

SET commandline

GOTO :EOF



:build_line

IF NOT %1.==. SET commandline=%commandline% %~1

GOTO :EOF

your water does not seem to me hotter, nor your wheel rounder.



jaclaz

[cdob]

Preset 2: Create a Linux bootable
Preset 3: Create a BSD bootable
Preset 4: Create a eCS/OS/2 bootable

Actually there are different Linux and BSD available. Required command may vary.

There are no correct options. Use a default working in most cases.
Upperacsed ISO9660 names with Rock Ridge extension seems a good overall solution.

-o multi_bootpath\XP_multi.iso -iso-level 3 -N -D -relaxed-filenames -volid "XP_MULTI"-b BCDW/loader.bin -hide loader.bin -hide boot.catalog-no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4-duplicates-once -graft-points -cache-inodes -follow-links-sort multi_sort.txt-x win9xmig -x win9xupg-x winntupg -x COMPDATAmulti_bootpath/root /XHO1/WIN51IC=nul: /XHO1/WIN51IC.SP3=nul: /XHO1/I386=multi_bootpath/XHO1/I386/XHO1/I386=XP_Home_SP3/I386/XHO1/NTDETECT.COM=XP_Home_SP3/I386/NTDETECT.COM/XHO1/SETUPLDR.BIN=multi_bootpath/XHO1/SETUPLDR.BIN/XPS1/WIN51IP=nul: /XPS1/WIN51IP.SP3=nul: /XPS1/I386=multi_bootpath/XPS1/I386/XPS1/I386=XP_PRO_SLP_SP3/I386/XPS1/$OEM$/=multi_bootpath/XPS0/$OEM$ /XPS1/TXTSETUP.SIF=multi_bootpath/XPS1/TXTSetup.SIF/XPS1/NTDETECT.COM=XP_PRO_SLP_SP3/I386/NTDETECT.COM/XPS1/SETUPLDR.BIN=multi_bootpath/XPS1/SETUPLDR.BIN/XHS1/WIN51IC=nul: /XHS1/WIN51IC.SP3=nul: /XHS1/I386=multi_bootpath/XHS1/I386/XHS1/I386=XP_Home_SP3/I386/XHS1/$OEM$/=multi_bootpath/XHS0/$OEM$ /XHS1/TXTSETUP.SIF=multi_bootpath/XHS1/TXTSetup.SIF/XHS1/NTDETECT.COM=XP_Home_SP3/I386/NTDETECT.COM/XHS1/SETUPLDR.BIN=multi_bootpath/XHS1/SETUPLDR.BIN

[skyide]

Hi cdob,

Thank you for those settings, I really do appreciate it. I will include these as macros with the MBIM distributable.

Why do you copy the file mkisofs.exe to project folder?

Aha, yes, I did this intentionally. Reason is portability. One can copy the entire project folder, put it on a USB stick, go to another computer and run BuildISO.bat and it will work because everything that one might need is included in the project folder. One does not have to rely on external links for mkisofs.

Why is a syslinux project added to a ISO 9660 project
Syslnux dosn't work at ISO 9660 file system.

I did not know that, thanks for that, I will remove it.

A fixed iso_root is boring.

You can select "Custom Settings" in the "New Project" dialog which will let you set custom settings including the root folder of the ISO. Default settings create default file names but I think I will give the user an option to change the name of the iso_root and let them enter an input for a root dir (which will be created in the project folder).

Suggestions are welcome.

Well, again with all due respect, both hot water and round wheels have already been invented

Well I am not trying to copy the batch script. Currently all the macros do are setting options OFF and ON which is suitable. Later on, I intend to add conditionals which can tell the macro to perform an action based on your project settings and you'd have variables returning your project settings etc...


Cheers,

[was_jaclaz]

Well I am not trying to copy the batch script. Currently all the macros do are setting options OFF and ON which is suitable. Later on, I intend to add conditionals which can tell the macro to perform an action based on your project settings and you'd have variables returning your project settings etc...

Sure you are not copying the batch script , you are creating a .script engine , of course with a syntax that is/will be slightly different from any of the currently used ones, contributing to increase needlessly the general entropy of the system and facilitating a new (though small and all in all unimportant ) tower of babel.

If you want to go on this path, you should really use something "queer", like % (percentage) as commenting sign as in Matlab, or variable types and strict variable declaration, just for the fun of it.

jaclaz

[skyide]

Alpha 5 ready,

- Added macro support
- Removed "Config" section
- Started (not finished sorry, blame the macros), "Set Custom Editor"


With this release, I have included a sample macro in the macros file:

define_macro Example()

{

	set r;

	set iso-level=3;	

	set N; 

	set D;

	set relaxed-filenames;

	set hide bootsect.bin;

	set hide boot.catalog;

	set no-emul-boot;

	set boot-load-size=4;

}

When you start up MBIM, a toolbar button called "Example" will be added. When clicked, it will select the above parameters.

To turn an option off, use the "unset" keyword. Example:

unset N;

- you must use a new line for everything including the braces {}/
- you must say "define_macro"
- you must use ";" at the end of each statement. If you forget, MBIM will warn you there is an error and will tell you the line containing the error
- you cannot use "unset myparam=value"

This macro thing is very time consuming and I will not spend as much time on it as I did these few days. I will instead focus on the rest of the requested features above.
However if you find an error like the macro isn't interpreted properly, I will try to fix it.

I know what has been requested above so now I will focus on it.


http://techopinion.n...lpha_05_R01.zip

[was_jaclaz]

When you start up MBIM, a toolbar button called "Example" will be added. When clicked, it will select the above parameters.

To turn an option off, use the "unset" keyword. Example:

unset N;

- you must use a new line for everything including the braces {}/
- you must say "define_macro"
- you must use ";" at the end of each statement. If you forget, MBIM will warn you there is an error and will tell you the line containing the error
- you cannot use "unset myparam=value"

As a matter of fact I missed a scripting language where EOL had to be explicited by using a semicolon , good work!

This macro thing is very time consuming and I will not spend as much time on it as I did these few days.

...and of course I can say that this is exactly what was expected.



jaclaz

[skyide]

Alpha 05 Build 2 Released. Changes are:

- Added an ability to set a custom editor to view your config file. You can add as many editors as you want and you just pick the one you want from the list of editors. You can also remove editors.
- Added a new toolbar button "View Config". This will launch your project's boot loader config file.
- Finally! You can now resize the columns. The settings (just like the rest of the settings) are stored in the INI file so if you mess something up, just get a fresh version of the INI file.
- Made the check boxes more interactive. when you move the mouse over them, they slightly change color + when you click on them, it feels more like a button. It acts more realistic, in other words, it feels more alive.
- Relocated the "Build Project" button to the right
- Shortened the text description of the buttons

This version no longer touches your config file in any way. It just launches it using the editor of your choice. All of the editing + saving code has been commented out. I still recommend you to have a back up copy even though.

Screenshots of new features:

http://techopinion.n...pha05-02-s1.png (The new toolbar button)
http://techopinion.n...pha05-02-s2.png (Adding Editors)

Download: http://techopinion.n...lpha_05_R02.zip

A thing to keep an eye on: When you run a macro, after the macro checks/unchecks the options, the project settings are not getting saved. I will fix this.

As usual, feedback is welcome.

Cheers,

[skyide]

I have done some touch ups with the grid. After a while, I realized that the bottom area for the grid is not ideal so I removed "Filter Search" and "Activated Options" from the top and moved them to the left. "Activated Options" is on the bottom of "Projects' and "Filter" is on another tab (in the left pane). Since "Activated Options" is more important than "Filter" I decided to make "it" permanently visible and hide "Filter" in a tab.

http://techopinion.n...lpha-05-003.png

Also, I am getting closer to show some sort of indication of activated options in the grid. I will either highlight text in the row (which stands out really nice) or highlight an entire row.

I am not sure if this is useful but I can give you the ability to export the grid data to a HTML or a Word Document.

Cheers,

[was_jaclaz]

I am not sure if this is useful but I can give you the ability to export the grid data to a HTML or a Word Document.

Word and HTML are pretty much unuseful (at least for me ), an easily parsable format, such as .ini or .csv may be useful for something.

jaclaz

[skyide]

Thanks jaclaz,

Alpha 6 is out and this is a *major* release with major bug fixes and enhancements everywhere.

- Activated options are now "highlighted" and not just checked. This makes it *a lot* easier to identify which options are active and which are not. This is really good. I have been testing and experimenting this for hours and it is finally working the way I meant it to

- Remember the classic mode drawing problems? Well I did not just sit down doing nothing. I emailed the company that made this component, 3 days later I get an email "Problem has been traced and fixed!", a day later, a new version was released and problem is indeed fixed! Thanks to this, the balloon hints are back (however on XP classic they don't look nice).

- Relocated the "Active Options" to the left as well as "Filter Search" but "Filter Search" is now in a separate tab.

- The above relocation changes extensively made conditions to enlarge the grid that holds all of the MKISOFS options so now the Excel-like grid is a lot bigger.

- Many other misc bug fixes


The new-look "check marked" highlighted options:

http://techopinion.n...s/alpha6-01.png
http://techopinion.n...alpha6-01_2.png

Dowlnoad: http://techopinion.n...lpha_06_R01.zip

Coming up:

Fix for when running macros, project isn't getting saved
Add a Search box on top of the grid (or may be bottom) that will let you find/highlight text in the grid
Add a tool that will get the contents of a non-bootable Windows CD and make it bootable
Do something about exporting the grid to a file...

Cheers,

[patsch]

I have a problem with the app ...
I saved a project:
Project ISO Destination pointed to a directory on my flash drive (and the other directories also), i:\temp\test.iso
in command view I have the entry:
I:\temp\mbim_alpha_06_R01\Data\mkisofs.exe -b grldr -allow-multidot -boot-load-size 4 -iso-level 4 -joliet-long -no-emul-boot -R -V greycd -o C:\temp\test.iso I:\temp\source
and the output gives:
mkisofs.exe Exit Code = 0
Congratulations...Build succeeded...
I:\temp\iso_root.iso <--- created

1.) why do I have a different directory for my iso?
2.) why does the output say something about an iso that does not exist?

[skyide]

Hi patsch,

Thanks for the post. Can you please tell me the following?

1. Did you choose "Default Settings" or custom settings for your project? Based on the way things look, you would have created "Custom Settings" where you specify each each file separately. Also default settings do not use full paths i.e: "I:\temp\mbim_alpha_06_R01\Data\mkisofs.exe", instead it would only use "mkisofs.exe". I just double verified this. Can you please confirm? Fortunately, my flash drive letter is also called "I:"

2. Can you please open up your project in notepad and paste all of the section "[MAIN]" section in the project file? I am particularly interested in the ISO NAME key.

3. Can you please click on "Locate ISO" after the project is built and tell me what happens?

4. Did you type "C:\temp\test.iso" manually in the command window? If so, that's is the problem When MBIM prints the "ISO Created" message, the path that it prints is read from the project file itself and not the command string. I must have forgotten to disable this text box. This text box is not meant to be edited.

4. If exit code is 0, the ISO would have been created and it has to be somewhere. MBIM always returns 0 when the build succeeds. Please use "Locate ISO".

Look forward to your response. If I find a bug, it will be fixed. I could not replicate the problem.

P.S. Also, go to project properties and check what "Project ISO Destination" is set to.