QtScript Bindings and some blog

QtScript Bindings

If you've been following Peter Zhou's blogs, you know that he has been implementing QtScript support for Amarok. Probably the neatest thing we did is give access to almost the entire Qt API via the QtScript Binding Generator from Trolltech Labs. It uses technology from QtJambi; if you have Qt 4.4.1 and were wondering why Amarok gives a bunch of MetaJavaBuilder errors, this is why. (The bindings are disabled for Qt 4.4.0; we'll bump the Amarok dependency once 4.4.1 is more widespread).



I do think that the QtScript API is probably the most difficult Qt API to get the details right on. Your mind swirls with QScriptValue, QObjects and QVariants. But it is also quite powerful.



Since I had been sending the generators creator Kent Hanson emails regularly, I thought a mailing list would be a good idea to make it more public and useful. Join qtscript-bindings for discussion on the QtScript bindings in general. Kent also created a bug tracker and a Git repo. I created a mirror of it on repo.or.cz and posted the changes we've made to our SVN copy.



The beginnings of documentation for Amarok scripting are available and Richard Moore started a general Techbase article.

Console and Unnamed HTTP Server

The first script I created was an "irb" for Amarok's QtScript environment. This is available with Amarok SVN now, the "Amarok Script Console." It's quite handy to test out QtScript or to even test out the Qt API.



I've been working on a web control application for Amarok 2 using the new API. Using QTcpServer and QHttp, I have created a web server that should work well enough for what I'm doing. Now all that's left is the "little detail" of the HTML interface; I've been tinkering with qooxdoo, a very fancy JavaScript API.



One of my first sizable Amarok-related developments was to create the first kde-apps Amarok script in 2004 using Korundrum. So now its full circle.

Some Blog

The google news catcher sent me an indirect link to this Time-Warner blog: 3 Linux Apps That Make Me Hate Windows. He cites Synaptic, Compiz and Amarok. As much as you hear people gripe about package management on Linux, I really do think its one of its best features. Certainly from a security standpoint: going to a random web site and installing software just isn't something You Do on Linux, and I think thats for the best. And of course, it goes without saying that I agree Amarok is the best media player.



Everyone have fun at aKademy! I know I would be. :/