Topic: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

Can I suggest that /psp/clockoverlay be in XML format? That would enable you to (over time) enhance the kind of stuff you can do with it.

One of the enhancements I'd like to see in clockoverlay is the ability to alter the format of the displayed line - the current mm/dd/yy format isn't understandable at a glance by me - I'm not American. I'd like to see the ability to format the line by specifying the desired strftime substitution characters in the (XML!) clockoverlay file. Then I could specify "%d/%m/%Y".

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

I'd like to be able to strip the date off completely and see just the time.  That way the overlay will be smaller and cover up less of my widgets.  I usually know what day it is anyway (hopefully).  :-)

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

I mentioned in another post that  would like to be able to change the opacity of the overlay also.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

hope I'm wrong but my guess is that the opacity is limited by hardware. I notice that when I switch to the control panel, the overlay opacity is 100%. This suggests that the overlay is in the same frame buffer that the control panel uses, set to the dim setting. Having it pinned to the lower left corner is a real bummer because it covers the alarm setting buttons.

After trying it out for a bit, I can see why the Chumby team might consider this feature problematic. There's simply no way to make it always work against all the different possible widget controls. No matter where you place it on the screen, it will inevitably cover something important. Not great from a design or UI standpoint even at 50% opacity. What would better is something more like a watermark, but I doubt the chumby hardware can pull that off.

I've gone back to mixing clocks into my channels. But I do appreciate the efforts of the Chumby team to let us try this out.

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

Intelligent widgets could probably interrogate the /psp/clockoverlay (XML...) file, and see what area of screen it was going to use. Then it could avoid painting any content into that area.

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

genkior wrote:

Intelligent widgets could probably interrogate the /psp/clockoverlay (XML...) file, and see what area of screen it was going to use. Then it could avoid painting any content into that area.

A widget cannot access local files on a Chumby.  You'd have to write a small web server to serve up the file.

wayn3w

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

Thank you VERY much for the overlay! It addresses my main gripe with the Chumby as a bedside appliance. After tweaking the XML definition a bit, it's nearly perfect.

One request though: Is there any way to disable the overlay while a clock is being displayed? Obviously, I could remove the clocks from my active channel, but having the BIG clocks every once in a while is nice, while the little overlay resolves the "I need to know what time it is right now" problem.

Thanks!

BTW: The xml I'm using is:
<overlay format='%A %b %e %r' x='5' y='200' width='310' height='35' textsize='24'/>
in case anyone is interested

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

genkior wrote:

Can I suggest that /psp/clockoverlay be in XML format?

Thanks Duane, that's excellent. And so quick!

Would a symbolic link ( ln -s /psp /www/psp ) in httpd's home directory help widgets interrogate the local chumby? Maybe something to think about? (yes I know I could install lighttpd)

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

I've been looking for a "Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating the Clock Overlay" but can't seem to locate one. I'm not a programmer (the last language I programmed in was PL/1) and my Linux experience before my Chumby was limited to Knoppix. Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

Re: 2.7.15 clockoverlay

Dr-Freak wrote:

I've been looking for a "Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating the Clock Overlay" but can't seem to locate one. I'm not a programmer (the last language I programmed in was PL/1) and my Linux experience before my Chumby was limited to Knoppix. Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?

OK, I finally got this working and will share my "knowledge."

1. Go to Control Panel, Settings, Chumby Info

2. Press the ? (pi) sign in the upper right corner. In the following screen, hit SSHD.
Also, note the IP address on this screen.

3. I am using Macintosh--open Terminal window, probably similar in other OS's.

4. Type: ssh root@192.168.1.101
(substitute IP address from step 2)

5. Type: echo '<overlay format='"'%A %b %e %r'"' x='"'5'"' y='"'200'"' width='"'310'"' height='"'35'"' textsize='"'24'"'/>' > /psp/clockoverlay.xml
* All one line.
* Note that it took me a while to figure out the (single quote)(double quote)(single quote) combination, which actually outputs a single quote. I'm not sure if that is universal across platforms, but that's what worked for me.
* To check if this is formatting correctly, leave off the "> /psp/clockoverlay.xml" -- then it just echos to the screen so you can check your formatting.
* Also, adjust the parameters as you wish as per specifications the "Control Panel 2.7.16" post. Note that I am actually using '<overlay format='"'%l:%M %P'"' x='"'210'"' y='"'0'"' width='"'110'"' height='"'35'"' textsize='"'24'"'/>' which puts just the time in the upper right corner.

6. Type: stop_control_panel

7. Type: start_control_panel

8. Here is where my knowledge ends. The terminal keeps printing out a record of what's happening. I don't know how to stop that. So I just shut the window and restart the Chumby. Maybe someone can give a more elegant solution.

Again, this is what worked for me running Macintosh OSX 10.5. Hope this will give you some insights. It did take some trial and error!