path: root/manual/advanced_topics/main.tex

% $Id$ %
\chapter{Advanced Topics}

\section{\label{ref:CustomisingUI}Customising the userinterface}
\subsection{\label{ref:GettingExtras}Getting Extras}
\opt{HAVE_LCD_BITMAP}{
Rockbox supports custom fonts. A collection of fonts is available for download
in the font package at \url{http://www.rockbox.org/daily.shtml}}.

\opt{HAVE_LCD_BITMAP}{
  \subsection{\label{ref:Loadingfonts}Loading Fonts}\index{Fonts}
  Rockbox can load fonts dynamically. Simply copy the \fname{.fnt} file to the
  \dap{} and ``play'' it in the \setting{File Browser}. If you want a font to
  be loaded automatically every time you start up, it must be located in the
  \fname{/.rockbox/fonts} folder and the filename must be at most 24 characters
  long. You can browse the fonts in \fname{/.rockbox/fonts} under
  \setting{Settings $\rightarrow$ General Settings $\rightarrow$ Display
  $\rightarrow$ Browse Fonts} in the \setting{Main Menu}.
  \warn{Advanced Users Only: Any BDF font file up to 16 pixels high should
    be usable with Rockbox. To convert from \fname{.bdf} to \fname{.fnt}, use
    the \fname{convbdf} tool. This tool can be found in the \fname{tools}
    directory of the Rockbox source code.}
}

\subsection{\label{ref:Loadinglanguages}Loading Languages}
\index{Language files}%
Rockbox can load language files at runtime. Simply copy the \fname{.lng} file 
\emph{(do not use the .lang file)} to the \dap\ and ``play'' it in the 
Rockbox directory browser or select \setting{Settings $\rightarrow$
General Settings $\rightarrow$ Languages }from the \setting{Main Menu}.

\note{If you want a language to be loaded automatically every time you start 
up, it must be located in the \fname{/.rockbox/langs} folder and the filename
must be a maximum of 24 characters long.}

If your language is not yet supported and you want to write your own language
file find the instructions on the Rockbox website:
\wikilink{LangFiles}

\opt{HAVE_LCD_COLOR}{
  \subsection{Changing Colours}
  The colours used in the Rockbox interface can be changed to any combination
  of background and foreground colour you like. To do this go to the
  \setting{Settings $\rightarrow$ General Settings $\rightarrow$ Display}
  and select \setting{Background Colour} or \setting{Foreground Colour}.
  The colours set here are used in all menus, browsers and in the
  \setting{While Playing Screen}.
}

\nopt{archos}{%
  \subsection{\label{ref:LoadingBackdrops}Loading Backdrops}
  Rockbox supports showing an image as a backdrop in the \setting{File Browser}
  and the menus. The backdrop image must be a \fname{.bmp} file of the exact
  same dimensions as the display in your \dap{} (\genericimg{} with the last
  number giving the colour depth in bits). To use an image as a backdrop browse
  to it in the \setting{File Browser} and open the \setting{File Menu}
  (see \reference{ref:Filemenu}) on it and select the option
  \setting{Set As Backdrop}. If you want rockbox to remember your
  backdrop the next time you start your \dap{} the backdrop must be placed in
  the \fname{/.rockbox/backdrops} folder.
}%

\section{\label{ref:ConfiguringtheWPS}Configuring the WPS}

\subsection{WPS -- General Info}

\begin{description}
\item[Description: ] The WPS or While Playing Screen is the name used to 
  describe the information displayed on the \daps\ screen whilst an audio track
  is being played. The default WPS is a relatively simple screen displaying
  Track name, Artist, Album etc. in the default font as a purely text based
  layout. There are a number of WPS files included in Rockbox, and you can 
  load one of these at anytime by selecting it in
  \setting{General Settings $\rightarrow$ Display $\rightarrow$ Browse .wps files}.
  \opt{HAVE_REMOTE_LCD}{There is a related option to browse \fname{.rwps} 
    files for \daps{} with LCD remote controls installed. This will load a 
    similar WPS screen for the remote but with usually a simpler and more 
    concise layout.}

\note{``Playing'' a \fname{.wps} from the file browser has the same effect.}

\item [File Location: ]Custom WPS files may be located anywhere on the drive. 
  The only restriction is that they must end in \fname{.wps}. When you ``play''
  a \fname{.wps} file, it will be used for future WPS screens, and if the 
  ``played'' \fname{.wps} file is located in the \fname{/.rockbox/wps} folder, it 
  will be remembered and used after reboot. The \fname{.wps} filename must be 
  no more than 24 characters long for it to be remembered.
\end{description}

\subsection{\label{ref:CreateYourOwnWPS}WPS -- Build Your Own}
Quite simply, enter the WPS code in your favourite text editor, Notepad on
Windows works fine. When you save it, instead of saving it as a \fname{.txt} 
file, save it as a \fname{.wps} file. Example: Instead of \fname{Rockbox.txt}, 
save the file as \fname{Rockbox.wps}. To make sure non english characters 
display correctly in your WPS you must save the .wps file with UTF-8 character 
encoding. This can be done in most editors, for example Notepad in Windows 2000
or XP (but not in 9x/ME) can do this. See appendix \reference{ref:wps_tags} for
all the tags that are available.

\begin{itemize}
\item All characters not preceded by \% are displayed as typed.
\item Lines beginning with \# are comments and will be ignored.
\item Maximum file size used is 
  \opt{HAVE_LCD_BITMAP}{1600}
  \opt{player}{400} bytes.
  If you have a bigger WPS file, only the first part of it will be 
  loaded and used.
\end{itemize}

\note{Keep in mind that your \dap{} resolution is \genericimg{} (with
  the last number giving the colour depth in bits) when
  designing your own WPS, or if you use a WPS designed for another target.
  \opt{HAVE_REMOTE_LCD}{The resolution of the remote is
  \opt{h1xx,h300}{128x64x1}\opt{x5}{128x96x2} pixels.}}

\subsubsection{Conditional Tags}

\begin{description}
\item[If/else: ]
Syntax: \config{\%?xx{\textless}true{\textbar}false{\textgreater}}

If the tag specified by ``\config{xx}'' has a value, the text between the 
``\config{{\textless}}'' and the ``\config{{\textbar}}'' is displayed (the true
part), else the text between the ``\config{{\textbar}}'' and the 
``\config{{\textgreater}}'' is displayed (the false part).
The else part is optional, so the ``\config{{\textbar}}'' does not have to be 
specified if no else part is desired. The conditionals nest, so the text in the
if and else part can contain all \config{\%} commands, including conditionals.

\item[Enumerations: ]
Syntax: \config{\%?xx{\textless}alt1{\textbar}alt2{\textbar}alt3{\textbar}\dots{\textbar}else{\textgreater}}

For tags with multiple values, like Play status, the conditional can hold a 
list of alternatives, one for each value the tag can have.
Example enumeration: 
\begin{example}
     \%?mp{\textless}Stop{\textbar}\%Play{\textbar}Pause{\textbar}Ffwd{\textbar}Rew{\textgreater}
\end{example}

The last else part is optional, and will be displayed if the tag has no value. 
The WPS parser will always display the last part if the tag has no value, or if
the list of alternatives is too short.
\end{description}

\subsubsection{Next Song info}
You can display information about the next song -- the song that is
about to play after the one currently playing (unless you change the
plan).

If you use the upper-case versions of the
three tags: \config{F}, \config{I} and \config{D}, they will instead refer to 
the next song instead of the current one. Example: \config{\%Ig} is the genre 
name used in the next song and \config{\%Ff} is the mp3 frequency.

\note{The next song information \emph{will not} be available at all
  times, but will most likely be available at the end of a song. We
  suggest you use the conditional display tag a lot when displaying
  information about the next song!}

\subsubsection{Alternating sublines}

It is possible to group items on each line into 2 or more groups or 
``sublines''. Each subline will be displayed in succession on the line for a 
specified time, alternating continuously through each defined subline.

Items on a line are broken into sublines with the semicolon
'\config{;}' character. The display time for
each subline defaults to 2 seconds unless modified by using the
'\config{\%t}' tag to specify an alternate
time (in seconds and optional tenths of a second) for the subline to be
displayed. 

Subline related special characters and tags: 
\begin{description}
\item[;] Split items on a line into separate sublines
\item[\%t] Set the subline display time. The
'\config{\%t}' is followed by either integer
seconds (\config{\%t5}), or seconds and tenths of a second (\config{\%t3.5}).
\end{description}

Each alternating subline can still be optionally scrolled while it is
being displayed, and scrollable formats can be displayed on the same
line with non{}-scrollable formats (such as track elapsed time) as long
as they are separated into different sublines.
Example subline definition:
\begin{example}
     %s%t4%ia;%s%it;%t3%pc %pr : Display id3 artist for 4 seconds,
                                 Display id3 title for 2 seconds,
                                 Display current and remaining track time
                                 for 3 seconds,
                                 repeat...
\end{example}

Conditionals can be used with sublines to display a different set and/or number
of sublines on the line depending on the evaluation of the conditional.
Example subline with conditionals:
\begin{example}
    %?it{\textless}%t8%s%it{\textbar}%s%fn{\textgreater};%?ia{\textless}%t3%s%ia{\textbar}%t0{\textgreater}\\
\end{example}

The format above will do two different things depending if ID3 tags are 
present. If the ID3 artist and title are present:
\begin{itemize}
\item Display id3 title for 8 seconds,
\item Display id3 artist for 3 seconds,
\item repeat\dots
\end{itemize}
If the ID3 artist and title are not present:
\begin{itemize}
\item Display the filename continuously.
\end{itemize}
Note that by using a subline display time of 0 in one branch of a conditional,
a subline can be skipped (not displayed) when that condition is met. 

\subsubsection{Using Images}
You can have as many as 52 images in your WPS. There are various ways of 
displaying images:
\begin{enumerate}
  \item Load and always show the image, using the \config{\%x} tag
  \item Preload the image with \config{\%xl} and show it with \config{\%xd}. 
    This way you can have your images displayed conditionally.
    \nopt{archos}{%
    \item Load an image and show as backdrop using the \config{\%X} tag. The 
      image must be of the same exact dimensions as your display.
    }%
\end{enumerate}

\optv{SWCODEC}{% This doesn't depend on SWCODEC but we don't have a \noptv
               % command.
  Example on background image use:
  \begin{example}
    %X|background.bmp|
  \end{example}
  The image with filename \fname{background.bmp} is loaded and used in the WPS.
}%

Example on bitmap preloading and use:
\begin{example}
    %x|a|static_icon.bmp|50|50|
    %xl|b|rep\_off.bmp|16|64|
    %xl|c|rep\_all.bmp|16|64|
    %xl|d|rep\_one.bmp|16|64|
    %xl|e|rep\_shuffle.bmp|16|64|
    %?mm<%xdb|%xdc|%xdd|%xde>
\end{example}
Four images at the same x and y position are preloaded in the example. Which 
image to display is determined by the \config{\%mm} tag (the repeat mode).

\subsubsection{Example File}
\begin{example}
    %s%?in<%in - >%?it<%it|%fn> %?ia<[%ia%?id<, %id>]> 
    %pb%pc/%pt
\end{example}
That is, ``tracknum -- title [artist, album]'', where most fields are only
displayed if available. Could also be rendered as ``filename'' or ``tracknum --
title [artist]''.

%\opt{HAVE_LCD_BITMAP}{
%  \begin{verbatim}
%    %s%?it<%?in<%in. |>%it|%fn>
%    %s%?ia<%ia|%?d2<%d2|(root)>>
%    %s%?id<%id|%?d1<%d1|(root)>> %?iy<(%iy)|>
%  
%    %al%pc/%pt%ar[%pp:%pe]
%    %fbkBit %?fv<avg|> %?iv<(id3v%iv)|(no id3)>
%    %pb
%    %pm
% % \end{verbatim}
%}

\section{\label{ref:manage_settings}Managing Rockbox settings}

\subsection{Introduction to \fname{.cfg} files.}
Rockbox allows users to store and load multiple settings through the use of 
configuration files.  A configuration file is simply a text file with the 
extension \fname{.cfg}.  

A configuration file may reside anywhere on the disk. Multiple
configuration files are permitted. So, for example, you could have
a \fname{car.cfg} file for the settings that you use while playing your
jukebox in your car, and a \fname{headphones.cfg} file to store the
settings that you use while listening to your \dap\ through headphones.

See \reference{ref:cfg_specs} below for an explanation of the format 
for configuration files.  See \reference{ref:manage_settings_menu} for an 
explanation of how to create, edit and load configuration files.

\subsection{\label{ref:cfg_specs}Specifications for \fname{.cfg}
  files.}

The Rockbox configuration file is a plain text file, so once you use the 
\setting{Write .cfg file} option to create the file, you can edit the file on 
your computer using any text editor program. See 
Appendix \reference{ref:config_file_options} for available settings. Configuration 
files use the following formatting rules: % 

\begin{enumerate} 
\item Each setting must be on a separate line. 
\item Each line has the format ``setting: value''. 
\item Values must be within the ranges specified in this manual for each 
  setting. 
\item Lines starting with \# are ignored. This lets you write comments into 
  your configuration files. 
\end{enumerate}

Example of a configuration file:
\begin{example}
  # Example configuration file
  # volume: 70
  # bass: 11
  # treble: 12
  # balance: 0
  # time format: 12hour
  # volume display: numeric
  # show files: supported
  # wps: /.rockbox/car.wps
  # lang: /.rockbox/afrikaans.lng
\end{example}

\note{As you can see from the example, configuration files do not need to 
  contain all of the Rockbox options.  You can create configuration files 
  that change only certain settings. So, for example, supppose you 
  typically use the \dap{} at one volume in the car, and another when using 
  headphones. Further, suppose you like to use an inverse LCD when you are 
  in the car, and a regular LCD setting when you are using headphones. You 
  could create configuration files that control only the volume and LCD 
  settings. Create a few different files with different settings, give 
  each file a different name (such as \fname{car.cfg}, 
  \fname{headphones.cfg}, etc.), and you can then use the \setting{Browse .cfg 
    files} option to quickly change settings.} 

\subsection{\label{ref:manage_settings_menu}The \setting{Manage Settings} 
  menu} The \setting{Manage Settings} menu can be found in the \setting{Main 
  Menu}. The \setting{Manage Settings} menu allows you to save and load 
\fname{.cfg} files. \opt{MASCODEC}{The \setting{Manage Settings} menu also 
  allows you to load or save different firmware versions.} 

\begin{description}
  
\item [Browse .cfg Files.]Opens the file browser in the \fname{/.rockbox} 
  directory and displays all \fname{.cfg} (configuration) files. Selecting a 
  \fname{.cfg} file will cause Rockbox to load the settings contained in that 
  file. Pressing \ButtonLeft\ will exit back to the \setting{Manage Settings}
  menu. See the \setting{Write .cfg files} option on the 
  \setting{Manage Settings} menu for details of how to save and edit a 
  configuration file.
  
\item [Reset Settings.]This wipes the saved settings in the \dap\ and 
  resets all settings to their default values. 
  
  \opt{h100,h300}{\note{You can also reset all settings to their default 
      values by turning	off the \dap, turning it back on, and pressing the 
      \ButtonRec button immediately after the \dap\ turns on.} 
  } 
  \opt{ipod}{\note{You can also reset all settings to their default values 
      by turning off the \dap, and turning it	back on with the hold button 
      on.}
  }
  \opt{gigabeat}{\note{You can also reset all settings to their default values 
      by turning off the \dap, and turning it back on with the \ButtonA 
      button on.}
  }
			
\item [Write .cfg file.]This option writes a \fname{.cfg} file to 
  your \daps\ disk.  The configuration file has the \fname{.cfg} 
  extension and is used to store all of the user settings that are described 
  throughout this manual.
    
  Hint: Use the \setting{Write .cfg file} feature (\setting{Main Menu 
    $\rightarrow$ General Settings}) to save the current settings, then 
  use a text editor to customize the settings file. See Appendix 
  \reference{ref:config_file_options} for the full reference of available 
  options.

\end{description}

\section{\label{ref:FirmwareLoading}Firmware Loading}
\opt{player,recorder,recorderv2fm,ondio}{
  When your \dap{} powers on, it loads the Archos firmware in ROM, which
  automatically checks your \daps{} root folder for a file named 
  \firmwarefilename. Note that Archos firmware can only read the first 
  ten characters of each filename in this process, so don't rename your old 
  firmware files with names like \firmwarefilename.\fname{old} and so on, 
  because it's possible that the \dap{} will load a file other than the one 
  you intended.
}

\subsection{\label{ref:using_rolo}Using ROLO (Rockbox loader)}
Rockbox is able to load and start another firmware file without rebooting. 
You just ``play'' a file with the extension %
\opt{recorder,recorderv2fm,ondio}{\fname{.ajz}.} %
\opt{player}{\fname{.mod}.} %
\opt{iriver}{\fname{.iriver}.} %
\opt{ipod}{\fname{.ipod}.} %
\opt{iaudio}{\fname{.iaudio}.} %
\opt{sansa}{\fname{.e200}.} %
This can be used to test new firmware versions without deleting your
current version.

\opt{gigabeat}{\note{This feature doesn't work on the gigabeat currently.}}

\opt{archos}{\input{advanced_topics/archos-flashing.tex}}