Simple software for darkroom adventures

[sveppi]

Hi.
I wrote a small application for keeping track of my development combinations that may be of interest to some of you. It has a timer (with agitation information) and a simple database and works on most operating systems (it's written in Java, but I've tried to get it to look native on both Mac and Windows) (screenshots available here: Dead Link Removed )

Please have a go if you want: Dead Link Removed

(the price is of course 0, but I would appreciate if you send me error reports if you find some problems).

BR
Sverrir

 

[Lee L]

Very cool. Thanks.

I don't have a computer in the darkroom, but it's a nice way to store development data and notes. This would be great with one of the new netbooks in the darkroom.

Lee

 

[Lee L]

Can you make the space bar a toggle to pause the timer manually?

Lee

 

[sveppi]

Hi Lee.
You can almost do that today, (using either space or enter/return buttons together with tab to move around).
I will however in next release make the start/stop buttons into one button so that toggling will be much easier using space or enter.

 

[kristopher_lawrence]

Why not doing it red tones, like a safelight... I am not sure if it could be done, but would be interesting for paper process+notes...
However, I wonder if a computer screen, let's say an LCD screen can effectively project only the correct wavelenght to prevent paper fog...

Kris

 

[Ian Grant]

You could be re-inventing the wheel.

There's an excellent program Dlab/Wlab which does the same and an awful lot more. Sorry i don't want to take the wind from your sails

Ian

 

[Lee L]

There's an excellent program Dlab/Wlab which does the same and an awful lot more.

Ian

Google doesn't bring up anything by this name in a prominent way. Got a link? I'd like to know if it's cross platform, open source, freeware, etc.

Lee

 

[Bob F.]

Google doesn't bring up anything by this name in a prominent way. Got a link? I'd like to know if it's cross platform, open source, freeware, etc.

Lee

Windows only: http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/darktools.htm

 

[Lee L]

Windows only: http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/en/photo/darktools.htm

Thanks Bob. Helpful to others I'm sure, but I don't do Microsoft. My windows are X-windows. Is your link to the same software as Ian mentioned, or an alternate suggestion? I don't see any obvious connection, except perhaps the reference to different programs for the dry and wet sides, D(ry)lab and W(et)lab?

If it's the case that Ian's software suggestion is Microsoft platform only, then sveppi isn't re-inventing the wheel, he's making software for a larger set of users with fewer constraints.

Lee

 

[Bob F.]

Thanks Bob. Helpful to others I'm sure, but I don't do Microsoft. My windows are X-windows. Is your link to the same software as Ian mentioned, or an alternate suggestion? I don't see any obvious connection, except perhaps the reference to different programs for the dry and wet sides, D(ry)lab and W(et)lab?

If it's the case that Ian's software suggestion is Microsoft platform only, then sveppi isn't re-inventing the wheel, he's making software for a larger set of users with fewer constraints.

Lee

dlab and wlab are the names of the two executable files so I'm guessing it is the same one to which Ian was referring. I use them in my darkroom on an old laptop.

I agree with your assessment although the d/wlab software has an optional hardware interface which is more difficult to do for different computing platforms.

I've downloaded Sverrir's software and will have a play later.

Cheers, Bob.

 

[sveppi]

You could be re-inventing the wheel.

There's an excellent program Dlab/Wlab which does the same and an awful lot more. Sorry i don't want to take the wind from your sails

Ian

Choice is always good (so the more software the merrier ), and the programs seem different enogh although some functionality overlaps. Thanks for the link (I didn't find this when searching for darkroom software earlier)

 

[Ian Grant]

Have to agree choice is a good thing. Wlab & Dlab aren't perfect but they do fine for me at the moment.

The useful features for me are the ability to do a time / temperature compensation calculation, unit conversions and it's audible countdown at the end of each step.

I don't own or wear a watch and we don't havre a clock in our apartment so any program is useful, yours is simple and functional and in reality thats all thats really neded.

Ian

 

[Lee L]

In some sense it is about choice, but it's also about near universal compatibility (Java code) versus lock-in to one operating system. Yes, I know the OS is a choice as well, and there's always virtual machine software that one can install, but that often leads to other problems, and a "native" application is usually preferred.

A programming request and notes for devDB:

It would be nice to have sound prompts in devDB.

I just tried to enter data for Thomas Bertilsson's post today for stand development of Plus-X in HC-110 for 30 minutes. The agitation notation for that should be 90/90:10/290 for agitation for first 90 seconds, then agitation for 10 seconds every 5 minutes thereafter. This caused the following display: "Agitation: WAIT Could not parse", so I suspect that the notation for longer agitation cycles isn't handled properly. It would be nice to have this handled properly.

I do really like the large area for comments.

Thanks for your efforts Sverrir.

Lee

 

[sveppi]

A programming request and notes for devDB:

It would be nice to have sound prompts in devDB.

Agreed. That will be added.

I just tried to enter data for Thomas Bertilsson's post today for stand development of Plus-X in HC-110 for 30 minutes. The agitation notation for that should be 90/90:10/290 for agitation for first 90 seconds, then agitation for 10 seconds every 5 minutes thereafter. This caused the following display: "Agitation: WAIT Could not parse", so I suspect that the notation for longer agitation cycles isn't handled properly. It would be nice to have this handled properly.
...

Thanks for the nice words and the error report.
I've tried this (30 minutes ad 90/90:10/290) on both Ubuntu Linux 8.10 (with java 5 and 6) and on windows with java 5 and there were no issues. The error should only occur if there are actual parsing problems (for example a misplaced character in the agitation string).
What OS and what Java are you running?
BR
/sverrir

 

[Lee L]

I've tried this (30 minutes ad 90/90:10/290) on both Ubuntu Linux 8.10 (with java 5 and 6) and on windows with java 5 and there were no issues. The error should only occur if there are actual parsing problems (for example a misplaced character in the agitation string).
What OS and what Java are you running?
BR
/sverrir

Checked the entries I had and found that the string was 90/90:10:290. I didn't notice it because of the default fixed window width for that field and the ellipsis display for long strings, and the fact that I was playing with it between other demands and wasn't as careful and thorough as I should have been. It's working with the corrected string. Ubuntu 8.04 and Sun Java 6 or OpenJDK Java 6. It's working under both Javas now. Maybe a wider window for that field would be nice.

Thanks again,
Lee

 

[sveppi]

Checked the entries I had and found that the string was 90/90:10:290. I didn't notice it because of the default fixed window width for that field and the ellipsis display for long strings, and the fact that I was playing with it between other demands and wasn't as careful and thorough as I should have been. It's working with the corrected string. Ubuntu 8.04 and Sun Java 6 or OpenJDK Java 6. It's working under both Javas now. Maybe a wider window for that field would be nice.

Thanks again,
Lee

Great. I noticed that it needs a wider wcolumn and also a clearer error message...
BR
(/s

 

[sveppi]

A new version (2.02) is up, with sound support and a bit better error messages for the agitation string.
You'll find it at Dead Link Removed as before

 

[Lee L]

Thanks. Works great here.

Lee