69 lines
4.0 KiB
Markdown
69 lines
4.0 KiB
Markdown
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# Report
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## Project overview
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See [README](README.md) for a quick overview.
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Undefined aims to be a self-hosted streaming service. You run your own music server, where your entire music library is
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stored. The [server](https://github.com/ambrosechua/Undefined-server) is a standard HTTP endpoint, data served as JSON,
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and serves up the album covers and music files. It's written in Node.js, also as a part of this project.
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## Mechanism and architecture
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Uses a simple client-server model, with HTTP in OSI Layer 7. Data is represented in JSON and sent when the client sends
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a `GET` request. The current live API self-hosted by me is available at [http://undefined.ambrose.makerforce.io/](http://undefined.ambrose.makerforce.io/)
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The parser (starting in `LibraryManager`) is JSON.org's reference implementation library for Java. Passing the `JSONObject`
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to `Library`, it iterates over each child object, and constructs an entire tree of tracks. A `Library` contains multiple
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`Artist`s, that contains multiple `Album`s, that contains multiple `Track`s. This allows a easy and simple representaion
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of an entire music library.
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`LibraryManager` is also used to establish the HTTP request to the endpoint, and schedule occasinal updates.
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`PlayManager` is a class to manage music playback of sequential `Media`. Because JavaFX's `MediaPlayer` has a very limited,
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single-`Media`-object, un-reusable API, `PlayManager` allows databinding similar to `MediaPlayer` but extending the
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capabilities of `MediaPlayer`.
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To simplify management of interface elements, there exists multiple custom controllers to bind and manage elements in a
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modular way. `TrackListController` can display a list of `Track`s in a table, optionally with a header showing information
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on the list (e.g. artist, album art). `CoverListController` displayes a list of `CoverItemController`s, and is useable
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on any `ItemList<Item>`, allowing it to represent both `Album`s and `Artist`s.
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`InterfaceController` takes all of this and binds it together with databinding and event listeners, as most of the data
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is `Observable`, with also observable states to represent various phases in IO or playback.
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## Testing
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To debug, I used the built-in debugger in IntelliJ for debugging deeply, and occasionally `System.out` certain properties.
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Most testing is done manually, and due to time contraints, I did not manage to test the program whole.
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The program is too complex to be represented as an information processor. Therefore, it's hard to predict output.
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I tested it once on a MacBook Pro with a Retina display. The icons used are two times the actual pixels, therefore it
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rendered crystal-clear on the @2x display. Pretty cool.
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## Reflections
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### What are some obstacles faced?
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The server was painstakingly written in asynchronous Node.js, using JavaScript Promises in an abusive manner. It took a
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while to debug that into a working condition.
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A large roadblock came when it was time to decide on what to use for audio playback. The internal `MediaPlayer` library was
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too weak in MP3 and couldn't decode other formats, so I took a look at Java's `SourceDataLine` and it seemed a little too
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complex to use given a short time, so I also took a look at BasicPlayer but it's API was limited. I gave up and decided
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to use the `MediaPlayer` API.
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### What have you learnt through the project?
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I learnt about the vast capabilities of `ObjectProperty<T>` and the various things I encountered while developing a JavaFX
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application. I picked up some skills on developing JavaFX and Java in general, which further reinforced my weak knowledge
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on Java.
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### What could you have done better if more time was given?
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I would have developed this project with better organised classes and properly architectured the various function calls
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and event mechanisms. I would also expand it and fix the various bugs as listed in [README.md](README.md), making it a
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complete [dogfoodable](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food) project, with a website, easier to use
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[nw.js](http://nwjs.io/) server and better internationalization and security.
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