[Announce] Friendly FM
 

Hello and welcome to Friendly FM

What is it?

Friendly FM is a widget that allows to switch the FM transmitter of the N900 on or off. It can also be used to quickly change the current frequency of the transmitter and to switch the Bluetooth radio. (Bluetooth is switched by clicking on the Bluetooth icon.)

How does it differ from other widgets with the same functionality?

Friendly FM uses the background graphics for the media player widget from the current theme for itself. Thus not locking like an 'alien' widget on the desktop but rather being friendly and looking like a native widget.

Friendly FM is no replacement for programs like FM Radio.

Huh? Show me a screenshot!

http://eris23.de/friendlyfm_screenshot.png

That's cool, where can I get it?

From extras-devel or Maemo package interface.

I don't like the icons. Can I change them?

Friendly FM loads its icons from

Transmitter and bluetooth icon were taken from Faenza icon theme.

What about support for FM Boost?

I am not using FM Boost myself but instead use a patched version of fmtxd which can be found here. This patched version allows a wider range of frequencies and automatically boosts the power to 120.

I will anyway see if I can integrate FM Boost into FFM.

That's all? I want more features!

If my rare spare time allows it I will work on

• FM Boost integration (available since 0.2.1 in widget settings)
• Presets for frequencies (available since 0.2.2, use transmitter icon to toggle presets)
• RDS features
• Connect to a certain bluetooth device when activated (for example to my headset!)

You suck!

Yeah, I know. ;)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Well - I love the look. I love the fact that the buttons are easy to press. I like that bluetooth is integrated. Only one downside. The fm transmitter doesnt turn on when I hit the "power" button. All other buttons seem to work fine.

Syslog reveals

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

great! smart work ;)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

The design of this widget is brilliant. All applications and widgets need to do this.

You sir, are my hero of the day.

Kudos on using the Faenza icons as well. They are zee bezt.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

This work without the fm app installed?

I mean, if works as fm radio or just transmitter?

Grettings.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

if you integrate the fm-boost script, like simple-fmtx-widget did, then you will get a happy user ;-)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

It would seem the BT toggle isn't working for me.

I second, integrating the power adjustment would be a good idea as well.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I will definitely use this as soon as it has the power boost integrated! Good work.

Also, out of interest, which are the themes on the top row left hand side, and bottom row middle?

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Works and looks great. Frequency buttons are much more sensitive then FM RDS Notify- very good. Beside boost script integration, what about presets, to quickly jump between two stored frequencies?

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Hmm, could it be that you are in offline mode?

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Sorry that the description is unclear but this is only for the transmitter. It is no replacement for the FM Radio application.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Are you clicking on the Bluetooth icon? Bluetooth is not switched by the main power button.

Does Bluezwitch work for you? It's using the same DBus commands.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Top left is D-Theme-Bright-Blue, bottom middle is D-Theme-Night.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Yesss... I was waiting for this kind of widget.

Oh and nice music taste :)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

How would this be integrated in the UI? You need an easy way to store a frequency as preset, manage presets and select a preset. Hard to imagine a solution on such a small widget.

Managing could be done in the settings but selecting a preset must be quick and easy.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Yes, but it seems like you might actually calling a bluezwitch handler and not a true system-wide dbus call? A bit indicative of the same hildon notification banner is used when toggling.

Without bluezwitch installed, the toggle on FriendlyFM doesn't work. Once bluezwitch is there, it does work.

EDIT: I purged bluezwitch and it seems to be working fine now. Ignore me.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Strange. I am using the same calls as Bluezwitch to the system-wide Bluetooth DBus service.

I just checked and I don't have Bluezwitch installed and the button is working.

Maybe uninstall it and see if FFM is still working?

Edit: Fine! :)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Brilliant! now if all announce threads could have such a nice first post.....

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

this is just awesome, thanks mate, i love it, can it please have a boost option like the fmtx widget ?????

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Due to popular demand I will have a look at this. I don't use it myself but instead have a patched version of fmtxd that allows a wider range of frequencies and boosts the power to 120.

Will put this information in the first post.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Looks like a reboot was needed for it to start to work. Another mystery solved.

Great Widget.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Really like the widget! The style is very nice; no more alien widgets :D I tried the same with the FM RDS notify widget, but this is much better.
Fm boost would be nice indeed for people that don't want to fiddle with system files, though i prefer the modified fmtxd version.
Is it possible to change the RDS text? would be a nice addition ^^

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Maybe via an options menu accessible when in desktop editing mode (FM RDS Notify also does it that way for its options). There you can store 2 frequencies. In the widget simply add a circle next to the on/off button with number 1 or 2 inside. So you have four fields in the lower row:
________________
| - | 1/2 | on/off | + |

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

is it possible for you to integrate the fm car kit in the app. when the fm is on fm car kit should be on and vice versa.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Or how about a single button along the bluetooth switch that does all the work? Pressing it would switch/activate while holding it down saves the station to current preset. This way we could avoid edit mode.

Basically, the button will show either Pre. 1 or Pre. 2 and the station below it. If the current station is different than the current preset then pressing the button will activate the preset. If the current station is the same as the current preset, then pressing the button will switch to the alternative preset and you would have to press it again to activate that preset as it is now different than the current station.
Attachment 18285
To save a station as a preset you would switch to the desired preset, manually change to desired station, then simply hold down the preset button until the station is set.

I'm just wondering if this is possible to do. Then again, the talent here has surprised me before.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Ahh shizz... I guess I DON'T know how to use the pic uploader. If it's too unclear, let me know how to upload the whole file so I can show the pic properly.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

just upload them to www.imageshack.us and link them here :)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/9...screenshot.png
Tharr we goooo!

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

This won't work. Remember that I am using the graphics from the media player widget and that there are only 3 fields provided.


Looking at your and Guitaroachs suggestion it seems that 2 presets are enough for most people? Can we agree on this?

Then I would take Guitaroachs idea and will see what I can come up with. But please be patient, my time is rare.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Suggestion: i like the idea to have some FM presets, also the widget is ment to be for use with FM-transmitter, so let the bluetooth function/button out and replace this with a preset button..
For bluetooth we already have bluezwitch...

I like the design of the mediaplayer, keep up the good work!

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I do also use the patched FMTXD file to power up the fm-transmitter, also i use the wider freq range.
If you can find a way to intergrate this is your instalation/setup then it is perfect!!!:):)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Hehe, no the bluetooth button isn't there by accident or because I desperately wanted to fill the right side with a button. It's there because I need it to connect to my bluetooth headset. :)

Would 2 presets be enough for you?

I won't integrate the patched fmtxd into the installation - I guess people don't want to install a widget that replaces system files. What people are asking for is to integrate the FM Boost script. Ether I will call it like "Simple FMTX Widget" does or I will integrate its functionality into FFM. Usage will be selectable from the settings.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

HI. finnaly. I think we both add the same idea, integrating several actions into the same widget.
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=70305 (I did it in python...)
http://talk.maemo.org/attachment.php...1&d=1298561328
I like your's better.
One other VERY Interesting and usable 'thing' I'dd like to add was FMcarKit. But the developer has never answerd me and the source code is not available. I do have an earlier source code versions but I can't tell if they are the working ones.

I also see that you're doing-it in C(or c+++++++) so, if you need anything from me (I did a kind of homework while investigating) I'll be happy to share the code (you would have to adapt).
I aslo tryed to overcome the 8 Char limitation on the RDS Station name by "tickering" the strings sent do RDS, unfortunantly my python threads knowllege was not that good (but it works in theory).

Thanks

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

2 or 3 presets is nice.
Will the FM-boost script effect the usage of the patched FMTXD file?
About the bluetooth button, it's nice but the widget is meanly ment for FM??? I prefer a widget that is ment for one subject.
Or as idea,create a multi purpose widget, with FM/Bluetooth/Mediaplayer functionality, i would like something like that.:)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I will make the FM Boost script optional as I also don't need it for myself.

If you want a multi purpose widget take a look at the posting before yours. Maybe you can help out testing it as it seems not to be completely finished yet.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I read your article at http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=70305 is seems very promising,where can i get it? Is it in the repo? I'm willing to test it.
At the moment my N900 is in repair, one speaker does not function. It is still under warrenty:)

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

Not sure if anyone else has this issue but the Bluetooth switch on mine is centred rather than aligned right....

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/b...304-111912.png

Any ideas?

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I am taking the width and height of the upper background image to calculate the position of the icon.

That's a file called 'MediaPlayerAppletHead.png' in the images folder of your current theme. For the default Nseries theme this image has a size of 338x83 pixels. I guess yours has a much smaller width.

Could you check this and in case I am right resize it to be 338 pixels wide?

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

I guess it won't be trivial to integrate this functionality. As my time is rare don't expect this to be in FFM any time soon.

RDS in on my todo list. I will see what FM RDS Notify does and how it is done and then decide what I am going to implement myself. But "tickering" sounds nice... if it doesn't cost too much CPU or battery respectively.

Re: [Announce] Friendly FM
 

For me two presets would be enough. Here a photoshop mock-up:

http://www.wobblers.de/bilder/friendlyfm_preset.png

The preset symbol could be highlightet if the actual frequency matches the stored preset. So if you manually change the frequency and pass a stored one, the preset button begins to glow or chances color.