hymn

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

This time, you won't need Xcode or any other programming tools to give JHymn a try.

Here's the Mac app: http://www.geocities.com/futureproof04/JHymn_0_3_mac.zip

Here's the Windows app: (Note: updated to 0.3.1 from first posted version to fix a problem with false errors about needing to install Java)
http://www.geocities.com/futureproof04/JHymn_0_3_1_win.zip

And here's the Xcode project and source files: http://www.geocities.com/futureproof04/JHymn_0_3_mac_source.zip

The current GUIs for both versions look like this:

The main changes I've made are:

Obviously the biggest change is having a Windows version. As part of that change, both versions can now be internationalized more easily.
The option to leave .m4p files with .m4p suffixes after unlocking them -- this was needed to get best results on the Windows version if you want to unlock files in place, and have iTunes preserve all playlists and other info for the unlocked files.
The user still has to enter (apID) (yes, just like that, including the parentheses) into the Preferences' "Unwanted atoms" field, but now, at the very least, 'apID' atoms will be marked 'free' even if they aren't deleted. JHymn will thereafter make special efforts to preserve these particular free atoms, even though other free atoms are routinely deleted or cleared to zeros, until such time as the user requests deletion of 'apID' atoms, which will also result in the deletion of these 'free' atoms as well.
The "About" dialog has been spruced up a bit.
A bug was fixed that was preventing the "iTunes Music Library.xml" file from being updated when it should have been.
Other minor improvements and bug fixes.

Still left to do:

Better feedback about missing keys, needing to connect your iPod, etc.
A more detailed error log than the simple error counts that now appear.
A little tweaking of menus and menu management.
Some user docs, and maybe some in-program help, such as following the suggestion someone made about explaining the format for the "Unwanted atoms" list right there in the Preferences dialog.
If I'm feeling really ambitious, hooking up a Java version of FairKeys, to provide an alternative to using an iPod to obtain keys.
A Unix version -- this is something probably best left to someone else to figure out, but I'll certainly be willing to assist. The tricky part for me is not knowing much about making automated build scripts for such things, which would be needed for building the JNI library part of JHymn.
Probably a bunch of other stuff that it's too late at night to remember -- I really should be getting some sleep about now!

Guest · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 2:03 pm Post subject:

You absolutely rock! This is very nice and solved the problem I was having with previously-Hymned files. Scrubbed away the apId and my previously purchased and Hymned files play on the new iTunes.

Interestingly, I found that JHymn-Win wouldn't scrub my files if I opened the folder, but did so when I selected the files themselves. No big deal for me.

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

Guest · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 3:22 pm Post subject:

Yep...all the file extensions are checked. Sort of weird. In fact, I even renamed them as .m4ps just to see if it would fix the issue, and no go.

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

friendofhymn · Guest

i tried searching the post for an answer, but couldn't get any results returned?

my question is if all I have is the default microsoft windows Java VM in use right now, do I need another version from Sun or IBM to use this?

everytime I run the windows exe file, it warns me that I need a java VM....

sorry if this is a repetitive question.

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

friendofhymn · Guest

i was only able to use the program once (now it keeps telling me I need Java 1.42 to run, but it is installed...)

however, when I did use it, it was flawless. I had almost every option I wanted, thank you for your work.

I did not have a chance to play with it too much, but one thing that would be of interest is to point to the program to binaries like faad.exe and lame.exe and convert your .m4a files to mp3 (and rewriting tags), so that way you can play your songs on non ipod flash players.

it's easy enough to write a script to do this, but if you want to keep your tag info, it becomes more difficult because .wav files don't have any tag info on them....

thanks again for your work, I look foward to future more stable releases.

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

There's a new 0.3.1 minor bug fix for the Windows version of JHymn:

http://www.geocities.com/futureproof04/JHymn_0_3_1_win.zip

This fixes (or at least should greatly reduce the incidence of) a problem where JHymn.exe might falsely tell users that they needed to install Java, or a later version of Java, when this was not true.

While I feel fairly confident about the work-around I'm using here, a true fix will require an update of a tool that I'm using to package Java programs as Windows .exe files. I've spoken to the author and he's aware of the problem, but I have no idea if a fix will be coming or not.

control freak · Guest

ok just had a quick check out of jhymn it looks damned good to me - solid interface etc - i will test it lots and let you know the results via this forum

once again - on first view and check ... looks nice, looks solid Cool

Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:40 am Post subject:

WOW.. great job.. there is one problem though.. if you have it "unprotect" and scrub a DRM'd file and have it change the ext from .m4p to .m4a it is not updating the iTunes Library as it should. After running the program through my library every protected file that was converted and changed to .m4a was not associated in the library.. when clicking on the song in iTunes it would prompt me to search for the file.. it was in the same folder, just a .m4a ext,-- still a bug though.

This is on the Windows version.. I set the program up to delete the protected file one it had been backed up.

FutureProof · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 1013

Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 1:41 pm Post subject:

sorry... guess i should have done some research. keep up the great work

friendofhymn · Guest

excellent, program works everytime, thanks for making the new binary.

I like to keep my m4p and m4a's in different folders, i love how jhymn keeps all the subfolders of artist/album

(but maybe someone would just want a flat directory?)

keep up the good work.