• izar
  • Member
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  • Registered: 2007-11-16
  • Posts: 16

Topic: New widget: Container

Hi all, I just uploaded the simplest of widgets, completely stolen from SimpleBanner - it's called Container and all it does is loadMovie from 127.0.0.1 - where I have lighttpd with a permissive crossdomain.xml and, for example, my NowOnTivo widget. This way the local (to the chumby) widgets may be part of the channel, and not be running in a player by themselves.

If there's a simpler solution to this problem, one I overlooked, please let me know!

To-do: better config interface and mutiple instances for running different local widgets.

  • From: San Francisco, CA
  • Registered: 2007-11-01
  • Posts: 98

Re: New widget: Container

This sounds pretty good.

It might be a great way to play content off of USB drives and sticks; you know, local mp3's and videos.

Could you package a binary similar to the one you have for the NowOnTivo with a web server that outputs an XML playslist generated from a list of the files contained on a USB drive. You could load a SWF that could then parse this XML and playback the files from the local web server.

In fact, couldn't the means to run the binary, and the binary itself, also be loaded onto the same USB drive?

-John Forsythe
www.jforsythe.com

jforsythe's Website

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: New widget: Container

You guys might find this interesting for running local and external widgets as part of an existing channel.

Duane's Website

  • izar
  • Member
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  • Registered: 2007-11-16
  • Posts: 16

Re: New widget: Container

Wow, I completely missed that! Thanks a bunch, Duane, it negates the need for Container, but for the need to keep a file updated.

Since I got your attention, what about distributing widgets like NowOnTivo, that need external pieces? Will Chumby support that at some point?

thanks!

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
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  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,197

Re: New widget: Container

izar wrote:

Wow, I completely missed that!

Not a shock, since I just added it smile  It's not a totally tested feature, so your mileage may vary.

Since I got your attention, what about distributing widgets like NowOnTivo, that need external pieces? Will Chumby support that at some point?

Well, I doubt if we're going to be able to allow local executables for the obvious security reasons, but I can see a possibility to add some sort of simple local proxy support that would have to be explicitly enabled by the user through the Control Panel.  The user would have to be made aware that their network can be compromised if such a feature is enabled.  I'll discuss it with Ken as a possible client feature.

Duane's Website

  • izar
  • Member
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  • Registered: 2007-11-16
  • Posts: 16

Re: New widget: Container

Duane wrote:

Not a shock, since I just added it smile  It's not a totally tested feature, so your mileage may vary.

Well, now I feel better wink

Duane wrote:

Well, I doubt if we're going to be able to allow local executables for the obvious security reasons, but I can see a possibility to add some sort of simple local proxy support that would have to be explicitly enabled by the user through the Control Panel.  The user would have to be made aware that their network can be compromised if such a feature is enabled.  I'll discuss it with Ken as a possible client feature.

That sounds great. If you guys decide to make that an Open Source project, I am sure there's a number of folks that would be happy (me included) to come out with a secure configurable way to do it. I guess the first step would be to password-secure the ssh access...

  • From: Las Vegas, NV
  • Registered: 2007-11-20
  • Posts: 31

Re: New widget: Container

Wow,
That makes testing your widgets a bit easier.
Nice going Duane!

CRJ
Charley Jones, PMP
A+ MOUS MCP MCSA MCSE MCDBA MCAD MCT MCTS MCITP PMP ITIL
Founder & President: S3OLV.Com    Founder & President: LVXUG.Com

dataman's Website