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