Testing my selfmade CountDown Clock - Success! - Now With Sound!!

[StormAlongBay]

<applet CODEBASE="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/" CODE="sabcd.class" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=150>
<param name="date" value="August 13, 2001 06:30">
<param name="fontfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/led3.gif"><param name="bkgdfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-before2.gif"><param name="bkgdfileafter" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-after.gif"><param name="audiofile" value="ticktock.au"><param name="location" value="10, 90, 107, 90, 39, 121, 135, 121"></APPLET>

This is my new "Countdown Clock".
I created my own app because the other one lacked some things that I thouht would be fun to do.

The first one is digit locations. Now I can put my digits anywhere I want on my picture.

The second enhancement is as the clock runs past the targetdate (date specified in the countdown), it will show a new graphic as in my example.

The first example shows a targetdate in the future which happens to be when I get on the plane.

The second example was just used to test the 'rollover' of the targetdate which was set to about 1:30 PM today.

This app was a lot of fun to code. I'm already thinking of new enhancements for my clock!

 

[StormAlongBay]

This should change the background graphic to the 'after' background graphic file.

<applet CODEBASE="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/" CODE="sabcd.class" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=150>
<param name="date" value="May 29, 2001 15:35">
<param name="fontfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/led3.gif"><param name="bkgdfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-before.gif"><param name="bkgdfileafter" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-after.gif"><param name="location" value="10, 90, 107, 90, 39, 121, 135, 121"></APPLET>

 

[StormAlongBay]

Nothing to see here.

 

[Cricket2]

I'm really surprised that you can link to geocites for the graphics.

When I built the .swf version of my countdown, it allowed me to do all kinds of fun stuff (fractions of seconds that click by extremly fast, different fonts and colors for each object...). What kind of ideas do you have for new versions?

I could move each date (time) object as it's own text area by default. I didn't realize that the old class was a set field like you mentioned.

You should try out Flash! It's pretty cool! It allows for so much more than scripting by itself.

 

[StormAlongBay]

I thought about how you were using Flash but I did not know the version that you had used. I wanted all others to see my clock so I stuck with Java. With Flash, the user would have to have downloaded the plugin at one time or another.

Is there a version that comes bundled with IE and/or Netscape?

Edit: Geocities will probably pull my files but I don't care right now. I'm only using it for testing. I will be moving the files to my ISP account soon.

 

[Cricket2]

None are bundled as of yet. I am working under the assumption that since this is a Disney related site, most of the users have visited the official site and already have the player (4 or 5). This site is beginning to use Flash banners as well. Yes, there are BIG differences between the two players, but the download is less than 2 minutes to upgrade. Most of the stuff that I am using does not require 5 EXCEPT the countdown which does. The active scripting of 5 allows me to get a date object that 4 could not do directly from within the .swf.

Microsoft may bundle Flash player 5 with IE6. I have IE6 beta on a PC and Flash works on it, and I don't remember downloading it to that one for sure. Microsoft offers the player on their product update page so I assumed that it will be bundled by default with IE6.

<br><br><br>
So what about the new ideas??????????

 

[StormAlongBay]

Originally posted by Mr. J. Cricket
So what about the new ideas??????????

Did I say 'new ideas'?

Ooops. Gotta go now.

"Tick, tick, tick, tick,......"


Edit: Did you see the transition on nthe second test? It changes to the users second graphic when the time has been spent. I wasn't too creative in my graphics. I was just testing.

I'll edit the second post to try it out again.

 

[Cricket2]

I show an hour and 38 minutes still. Didn't see the transition the first time.

The .fla that I used as an exapmle had a transition in it as well which I removed. Now you are going to make me put it back in again to keep up with the Jonses.

The nerve!

JC

 

[Cricket2]

See I just got another idea from this and you are going to make me go back and code some more. Shame on you.

Can you say bouncing clocks?

JC

 

[BobBrazeal]

Did you guys ever see this one. I think I've got the source code for it. Maybe I could turn it into a countdown. Lots of options available on it.

<APPLET CODEBASE="http://members.home.net/bbrazeal/app/3dclock/" CODE="Clock3D.class" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200>
<PARAM NAME=fps VALUE=10>
<PARAM NAME=a1 VALUE=15000>
<PARAM NAME=pixd VALUE=29>
<PARAM NAME=pixangle VALUE=5>
<PARAM NAME=radius VALUE=40>
<PARAM NAME=roty VALUE=-8>
<PARAM NAME=rotz VALUE=0>
<PARAM NAME=rotx VALUE=0>
<PARAM NAME=irotx VALUE=5>
<PARAM NAME=iroty VALUE=0>
<PARAM NAME=irotz VALUE=15>
<PARAM NAME=style VALUE=1>
<PARAM NAME=color VALUE=#FF0000>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#000000>
<PARAM NAME=12hour VALUE=1>
</APPLET>

 

[StormAlongBay]

LOL!

The reason I did this app was because I did not hear from Bob on the progress on the other Java class that he found and we were trying out.

I know we had problems using different websites for storing the class as well as the gifs. One GOOD reason for tying the class sites to the gif sites is so nobody else can use your class file on your site with graphics stored elsewhere. That way, as you know, will cause for many unhappy ISPs (like mine). Since we did not have the source for the first class, I made my own, This way, if we can get a place in DIS to store the class (wishful thinking here), other users can use this countdown without the need for having their own website.

I'm not sure why you saw an hour and change as I modified my post. Unless you didn't refresh after I changed it. I'll change it again and set it to about 15 minutes.

Sorry, no fireworks yet!

 

[StormAlongBay]

Originally posted by Mr. J. Cricket
Can you say bouncing clocks?
JC

Oh no Mister Bill!
First those green and pink smily, now clocks!

Run for the Hills!!!!

 

[Cricket2]

Now it's around 10 mins.

JC

 

[StormAlongBay]

Originally posted by BobBrazeal
Did you guys ever see this one. I think I've got the source code for it. Maybe I could turn it into a countdown. Lots of options available on it.

 Code Snipped

Wow. That's alot of options for that class. God help the users.

 

[BobBrazeal]

Sorry about not being around. I figured you would be working right away. Still trying to work out some of the other details. Also been pretty tied up at work. I'm going to be out of town some this week for work as well.

That is why I want to modify it. Split out some of the options. Make several different classes and lock in some of the options into each different one.

 

[Cricket2]

Did you just make it count UP?

JC

 

[StormAlongBay]

I did not tell it to reverse the counting. It does it automatically.

I changed the targetdate to 15 minutes into the future from the date and time of my change. This way, you'll see the date countdown while showing the first graphic ("Going to"). When the date and time reach the target date, the app will now change the background to another one, user's choice, and start to count up! I used a "Currently At" one. Kinda like "How many days I'm currently in WDW".

This way, when it's used and the user is not around BECAUSE they're at WDW, the other viewers will see a new graphic from the user to make them even more
depressed because they're not there
Otherwise, it will just be a countdown clock that would not make any since after the targetdate has been reached. This way, the second graphic can explain why it's now counting up.

I did have some difficulties with changing to a secon graphic within the program but as you can see, I worked it out.

This is a fun project!

Any requests/comments?

It's also half the filesize as the first countdown that we were looking at. This might change if I keep adding stuff to it. Also adding to my filesize, I have added a branding line at the top of every graphic that will be displayed. That line is not in the before or after gif file. It is embedded within the code to overlay the gif files. If the code is altered to modify that line, the program will not work. Sorry folks. I wanted to discourage people from using this one now until we can figure out how to distribute it with proper documentation. If I see a countdown with this branding text, I'll know where it came from

 

[BambiTamby]

You guys ARE somethingie else!!!

 

[StormAlongBay]

Hey BambiTamby,

I might need some of your clipart

 

[StormAlongBay]

<applet CODEBASE="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/" CODE="sabcd.class" WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=150><param name="date" value="August 13, 2001 06:30"><param name="fontfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/led3.gif"><param name="bkgdfile" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-before2.gif"><param name="bkgdfileafter" value="http://www.geocities.com/kevg99_2000/bg-after.gif"><param name="location" value="10, 90, 107, 90, 39, 121, 135, 121"></APPLET>


Now with Sound!

Sound was removed per request from Moderator