#1 Burning Software

Just what kind of OCX interface you need...

Definitely want to add more functionality to OCX

the easier, the better. i'd love it to be as simple as creating an object, adding files and folders through object.add(), object.currentImageSize() to return the current size in megabytes, object.getDiskFreeSpace(), object.getTotalFreeSpace() might return disk free space minur the current image size, negative numbers allowed to let ppl know they're over the disk limit etc. i suppose i'm not using as much of the functionality as others, though. there would also need to be a way to select the device to burn to, etc.

Good!

But if we change interface to be more simple wouldn't it require you to correct your existing projects to use the new interface? Is that OK?

And what is the first priority functionality you'd like us to add?

Regards,
Alexander Orlovsky

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't mind changing my current project(s) to use the interface in a simpler manner.. it's just some refactoring.

However, a solution would be to simply add to the existing OCX, rather than hiding the methods we currently use, just leave them there and people can choose. You can then just provide us with examples of the new usage..which should be just a few lines of code..


StartBurn burner = new StartBurn();
burner.SetLicenseKey(...);
burner.setMode(StarBurn.Data);

...

You get the idea..lots of ways you could do it

OK, we'd do it in the one of the upcoming updates...

Hi!

Could you also say what functionality do you want to be added to OCX with top priority?

Regards,
Alexander Orlovsky

Sure, the most important things (to me) would be easy data burning (cd/dvd)

...object and license setup here...
burner.SetMode(StarBurn.Data);

then in another method

burner.addFiles("C:\...."); <---your addFiles should check if the added file is a directory or a file so the API user doesn't need to

burner.getCurrentFileList(); <-- list of "C:\blah\file.ext" formatted strings
burner.getCurrentJolietSize();
burner.isReady();
burner.removeFile("C:\..."); <--removes a file or directory from the list of files/directories

burner.burnJolietTree(); <--burns current file list to inserted disc, exception if not enough room
burner.burn(); <---checks the "Mode," if "StarBurn.Data" then it calls the burnJolietTree(); method, otherwise, it calls whatever other comparable method (i.e. burnVideoCD() or burnVideoDVD()..)

burner.CreateIsoImage("C:\...\myIso.iso"); <--create iso image
burner.BurnIso("C:\...\burnMe.iso"); <--support iso format
burner.BurnIso("C:\...\burnMe.cue"); <--support bin/cue format

IMHO, that would be the best way to do it, just keeping it simple. You setup a license, tell it what you want to burn, add things using the AddFiles() method (which figures out how to add -- depending on whether or not it's a directory or file, the .net api has methods that do this, don't rely on checking for an extension at the end of the file b/c some files may not have extensions)...then burn() would do the rest. It would make writing a data burning program a 5 minute affair. It would also be cool to have


burner.getDiscSize(); <--- disc size in MB
burner.getFreeDiscSpace(); <--- current free disc space
so burner.getFreeDiscSpace() - burner.getCurrentJolietSize() = the space left to burn on the disc, after the current files are added

sorry it took me so long, my computer has been down.

Thank you for the detailed description, it's really simple and convenient, we'll do that!

And what about missing functionality Perry talked about, what do you want to add that is available in the DLL interface but not in OCX interface?

Regards,
Alexander Orlovsky

Quite honestly, I haven't used all of the functionality, just some basic data burning, and I haven't even integrated it into my backup program yet (that's what the task is this week), so I wouldn't be able to tell you. Having said that, keeping it simple is the best thing you could do (follow the same general trend as what I outlined) and I'm sure it'll turn out great!

I suppose what you could do is have a set of methods and options for every type of burnable cd..

StarBurn.Data would be joliet
StarBurn.VCD, StarBurn.DVDVIDEO, StarBurn.CDA (or .AUDIO), StarBurn.DVDAUDIO,StarBurn.UDF, etc. So setup all of those and methods to complete their functionality as in the example above and in the documentation for the OCX, give a very simple example showing all of them (no gui, just a main that calls the burn method and a class that sets up a burn example using fictional data; this way, people know what to use and how to use it to accomplish tasks. the gui stuff we can do -- VS.net does it for us, really).

BTW, I think having two iso creation methods is important, one to create an ISO from the current joliet tree, another to create an ISO from the currently inserted disc

so maybe CreateIsoImage("c:\...\blah.iso"); and RipCurrentDiscToIso("c:\...\blah.iso"); as both would be useful

I was wondering if you guys had made any progress on this OCX modification

Alexander would update us with OCX status tomorrow in the morning.

Wow, that's incredibly fast. I am in the process of rewriting my backup application now and am at the point of integrating burn functionality. These changes will make it much easier, so I'll wait until they've been made. Would you mind emailing me a copy of the new OCX once it's ready?

Thanks so much!