SqueezeBox University

[chipmalee]

<<<RESERVED>>>
(I'm going to attempt to "simplify" developing programs for my Squeezebox, through the eyes of a newbie and edit this post as I discover what the heck this is all about. First on my plate, learn Lua programming) Ouch...can't embed the YouTube tutorial...

STEP 1:

STEP 2:

TOOLS (for asking & answering questions):
1. Screenshot Pictures: http://www.lunapic.com/editor/ (only editor I found that has circles & arrows)
2. Screenshot Video: http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html

[chipmalee]

After a week, I give up and will ask for some help on installing Lua so I can program my SqueezeRadio to scan. (Ref: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showpo...7&postcount=24 )

OK...I've followed the Lua.org site and downloaded and extracted Lua 5.2.0 (http://www.lua.org/download.html) using 7-zip. What's next? How do I get to the point like in this video where the kid is able to write a Hello World program?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKfKCL3UB4s

I see Lua.org has a online writing feature but how do I get it to launch on my desktop like my Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition?
http://www.lua.org/cgi-bin/demo?hello

Sorry for the following stupid question: If I add my own programs, what are they called? Plugins or 3d party apps? Why is Perl mentioned in the wiki if SB language is Lua? Are Perl and Lua the same or very similar?

No need to install Lua at all: just install Squeezeplay. It comes with all Lua you'll need.

Thanks mherger, I will try installing Squeezeplay. I assume I can test out Hello World like the kid in the YouTube video. I was a little confused in trying to find a Lua icon so I can launch like my Visual Basic icon. See picture below.

[mherger]

After a week, I give up and will ask for some help on installing Lua so I can program my SqueezeRadio to scan. (Ref: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showpo...7&postcount=24 )

No need to install Lua at all: just install Squeezeplay. It comes with all Lua you'll need. Did you check out the wiki?

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...y_Applet_Guide

Sorry for the following stupid question: If I add my own programs, what are they called? Plugins or 3d party apps? Why is Perl mentioned in the wiki if SB language is Lua? Are Perl and Lua the same or very similar?

Lua is to implement device side _applets_.
Perl you use to implement server side _plugins_.

[chipmalee]

Struggling thru the wikis. I guess I need to get this icon in my VC++ so I can start playing with it.
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/uploads/...queezeplay.png

After a week of downloading everything, I think I finally have the correct VC++ (the VB I used in my VB class couldn't be used here so I wasted a lot of time on that false assumption). Am I looking for a Jive.sln file because I did a search all my program files and couldn't find any?

Instructions:
"Double click the 'Jive.sln' file to open it in VC++ 2008 Express."

Here's what my VC++ looks like:

[andynormancx]

I think you might be barking up the wrong tree a little.

You don't need to build your own copy of SqueezePlay to starting hacking on Lua. You can just download a pre-built copy from here:

http://downloads.slimdevices.com/nightly/?ver=7.7

Lua is a scripting language, so just editing the .lua files that come with SqueezePlay and rerunning the SqueezePlay is all that is needed to get started making changes or creating applets.

(that isn't to say that you might not end up wanting to compile your own copy of SqueezePlay at some point, but you don't need to just to write an applet)

[chipmalee]

Thanks Andy, I see the SqueezePlay now. After much hesitation and fear I might break other SqueezeServer programs on my desktop, I downloaded the following since I am on an XP Home Edition:

SqueezePlay: Windows Executable Installer, SqueezePlay-setup.exe, 28.45, MB, March 19 2012 04:03

Next I launched VC++ 2008 Express from 2 posts ago. Now after opening several lau files (VC++ won't open project files), including ones in jive, I'm not sure what I am going to do next. I like to practice some Hello World exercises since I know those from Visual Basics class. Am I on the right track and what's next?

[erland]

Next I launched VC++ 2008 Express from 2 posts ago. Now after opening several lau files (VC++ won't open project files), including ones in jive, I'm not sure what I am going to do next. I like to practice some Hello World exercises since I know those from Visual Basics class. Am I on the right track and what's next?

In Linux there is two directories:
/usr/share/jive/applets
/usr/share/jive/jive
(I'm guessing the same directories exists on Windows too but is placed in a different directory)

All the bundled applets are placed under the "applets" directory, I assume it looks the same on Windows, so try to find the applets directory and this is where you should put your "Hello World" applet.

Each applet is placed in a separate directory under "applets" and have:
- strings.txt (textual strings for all supported languages)
- *Meta.lua (Meta data file which is called during initialization and configures the applet)
- *Applet.lua (The actual applet source code)

Take a look at the following wiki page if you haven't already done so:
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...y_Applet_Guide

[andynormancx]

Do yourself a favour, use an editor that will make editing Lau easier. Look at this page for how to setup notepad++ for editing Lau files:

http://www.retroaffect.com/blog/190/...for_Notepad__/

[mherger]

> Do yourself a favour, use an editor that will make editing Lau easier.
> Look at this page for how to setup notepad++ for editing Lau files:

It's LUA :-)

--

Michael

[andynormancx]

I know, but iOS doesn't...