Flux (shell) - Beta 1

[mov]

Flux - Beta 1



This is a shell (yes, another one!) I've been working on for a bit, for fun/learning. It's all my own code (minus the credited stuff).

RE. the included skin ("Fluxmb"): obviously, the icons are ripped directly from the XMB. It's not great, but I'm not a graphics person at all. Don't complain, just make a nicer one (please! - see inc. skin for example).



Screenshots: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5



Video (a few weeks old, so is missing some stuff): flux-alpha.flv

Download: flux_beta1.zip



What it can do/supports so far:

- Configurable via config files (flux.cfg, ext.cfg, skin.cfg), comments supported (prefix with #)
-- flux.cfg (set skin & custom paths for game, music & pics dirs)
-- ext.cfg (set file associations)
-- skin.cfg (font, etc. colours..)

- Run EBOOTs (obviously..)
- Open file with application based on extension (eg. txt files with BookR)
- Skinnable (png: menu icons, background, battery, usb..)
- File browser (doesn't support file manipulation.. yet)
- Alter CPU speed (222/266/333)
- Time, date, cpu speed, FW ver. displayed
- Battery status icon (alternates between battery & plug when on A/C & <100% batt)
- Enable/disable USB mass storage (icon displayed when enabled)
- Launch ISOs from file browser (no-UMD not supported at all, for now..)
- Image viewer (jpeg & png at <= 1024x1024)
- Return to Flux only after starting app/game from Flux (via autoboot PRX)
- Optionally autoboot Flux when starting PSP by holding left trigger
- Launch Sony browser (see notes below..)



Views (via menu):

- Applications (launch apps, displays icons)
- Disks - file browser (only ms0:, for now.. other devices are dummy entries)
- UMD Game (you can start an inserted UMD from here, displays pic1 & icon0)
- Information (detailed battery status, USB status..)
- Settings (not implemented yet, so skin, etc. has to be set manually in config)
- Exit (sleep, reload, restart, exit)



Controls (tentative):

- In Menu:
up/down - prev/next menu entry
cross - select menu entry
right - activate main view (discards current menu selection)

- In Main View:
left - activate menu
cross - select

- File Browser:
cross - select/open
up/down - up/down
analog up/down - up/down (fast, repeats)
triangle - up a directory

- Image Viewer:
cross/triangle/circle - exit image viewer
square - hide/show info bar

- Global:
left trigger + select - toggle USB
left trigger + start - change cpu speed
right trigger + select - take screenshot (saved to pics dir set in config)



Problems:

- Swapping inserted UMD will cause Flux to lock up (if in UMD view) until original UMD is inserted. So, reload of Flux is necessary between swaps.

- When Flux is not autobooted (ie. you start it manually from the XMB), and you start an ISO the system will restart before launching the game (implemented this as it seems to be necessary, not sure why yet..). So, starting an ISO will be faster/more reliable if you've autobooted Flux or returned to it.

- Menu isn't too smooth when lots of stuff is being drawn to the main view (will see about making it smoother later..)

- Probably doesn't work very well under 1.5 kernel. PBP launching will likely work from the file browser, but not UMD & ISO launching. The app. view doesn't support kxploited (app/app%) eboots, so it'll be messed up. Not sure if I'll ever bother with 1.5 support, frankly.

- Potentially a problem: I've only tested Flux on 3.80M33-*, so it could have issues on 3.90M33 (not sure.. let me know).



Installation instructions:

1. Copy contents of MS_ROOT dir. to memory stick (overwrite seplugins/vsh.txt or add the entry manually).
2. Enable fluxret.prx in recovery menu -> plugins.
3. Customize paths in ms0:/Flux/cfg/flux.cfg (optional)
4. Run from the XMB or restart and hold down the left trigger.

(the GAME dir. should be set to use the 3.xx kernel in the recovery menu)



Notes:

Only tested on 3.80M33-5!

I've included an EBOOT which launches the Sony Browser (so you can start the browser from Flux). It was written by DA, IIRC. It's set as the default app for .html files in ext.cfg (so that you can directly open html files from the file browser). Yes, it's the same one iR Shell uses. Yes, you can use it with any other shell if you want.

The Flux EBOOT icon SUCKS. It was just a quicky rather than leaving the default one.

There's no MP3 player (YET).



Thanks to:

- All the guys who work on the PSP SDK.
- Dark_AleX, of course.
- Whoever wrote graphics.c/h (I apologize for my ignorance here..)



Credits (so far):

- The PBP Unpacker documentation (specifically, the technical overview of PBP/SFO files)
- Shine (from ps2dev) for some timezone info/code he posted.
- AhMan, for the USB icon (included with the "Fluxmb" skin) which I STOLE from iR Shell.

[Moose]

Very nice, a promising start. I hope you keep the good work up.

[Xsjado7]

Sounds crazy mad

[Maxy_PSP]

Nice.

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

[Xsjado7]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

But this is the same as pGOX.

No, this isnt the same as your shell. Its better. For example you cant load ISO's in your shell aswell as a lot of other things

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

There are to much shells today....

Then why did you make one?

[IchigoKurosaki]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

There are to much shells today....

I agree... Though I don't go out and make even more shells... It's like Trying to put out a fire using Gasoline... This one looks somewhat nice... If anything I would like to see a Shell come out with a actually decent interface... Just my opinion....

[Muhie]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

I hope this was a joke..

[FaT3oYCG]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

Nice.

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

you suck and you are a lamer you make lots of things up and you cant talk you are just one of those people who annoys everyone, why even make that comment when the first part is wrong and the second part needs this putting to it "and you can talk" you are probably one of the most annoying people that i dont know and as i said i dont know you but you still manage to annoy me with all of your crap, you make me want to swear so much it is unbelievable

as my old phrase goes

"basically he is a knob head"

nice shell it is much better thank maxy psp's shell which sucks **** just like him i hope you continue and make it much better

[pH_7]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

Nice.

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

OMG Lamer ! this shell is 10000x better than yours ; your post is useless =)

Thank you very much mov, you roxx ^^"

[JaX3RiR]

FINALLY a shell worth looking at. Keep up the awesome work mov!!!!111

I really hope this evolves to the new IR Shell type must have homebrew!

[neonkoala]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

Nice.

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

No, there's a major difference, yours looks like someone coughed up an abortion, mov's is actually a decent shell.

[FaT3oYCG]

Originally Posted by neonkoala

No, there's a major difference, yours looks like someone coughed up an abortion, mov's is actually a decent shell.

lol that is one of the most hilarious things that i have heard this week given its only tuesday but still, that comment roxors

[nukester]

nice shell, for a start its wicked can't wait to see it improve. also has anyone created any skins yet

[sakya]

Hi!

Tested: very nice!

There's no MP3 player (YET).

If you need some help...maybe I can help (but, please, add some better format like OGG).

Ciaooo
Sakya

[nukester]

how do you create themes and if anyone has made one could they upload it

can i get rid of the browser bit. like getting rid of it through any of the config files

[mohaas05]

this actually looks pretty nice.

[Unquestionable]

Nice shell. Just as someone else mentioned I hope this evolves into a must-have homebrew.

~Unquestionable

[Sullivan]

iRshell is the best, but this one seems to be almost as good, a better skin, more options, would hit the spot.

[NeonBox]

as you can tell from my postcount and reg date i don't often talk but this is sofar the nicest i've seen honestly i'ed rather use this one then irshell but
i have noticed that there are still dev's making kxploited stuff(i have no problem with the end user wanting to be able to run the old stuff but why do devs keep making them) so i still see a need for kxploit compat stuff

what brought my attention to this is i use fluxbox in linux and its the most minimalistic but functional wm i've found

and altho this doesn't appear to be based off the wm it does have the same two things i like about it

*edit*
also just took a look a the skins file and man i like how simple the skins files are

[Fzero]

Originally Posted by Maxy_PSP

Nice.

But this is the same as pGOX.

There are to much shells today....

So yesterday when you released your shell there weren't to many...?

Now to the release, Including BenHurs intrafont in the next version would make the it look a lot better.

[Xsjado7]

Originally Posted by Fzero

Now to the release, Including BenHurs intrafont in the next version would make the it look a lot better.

Exactly what i was gonna say.

Hope to see mp3 playback in next release

[guren]

great work!
i'm excited to see the next release...

mp3 player of sakya on this shell? that's cool!!!

goodluck man!
keep up the good work...
better simple but rocks!

[gameking21]

kinda like it has lots of features and stuff so i might go for this over irshell. hop you add mor functions and better skins.
mabey add skype or go messenger to the choices.

i am going to try on my 3.90 m33-3 1.50 kernel with 9.93 patch now.
hope lot less bugy then irshel with 3.90.
hope usbhostfs works better and doesnt freez up.
have to resort back to usb ios loader.

[daaa57150]

I'd be interested by the source code, is it available?

[mov]

Cool, thanks for the feedback guys.

I'm glad to see many of you like the interface. I didn't really have any idea what the reaction would be as no one but me had run Flux until this release. It's obviously lacking many features, but I felt like it was time to release *something*.

I don't know anything about Maxy_PSP or his history here (as you guys obviously do), so I'll leave that alone except to say that I don't see a problem with lots of shell releases at all. It's interesting seeing the different interface designs, etc.

Responses to specific posts to follow...
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by Moose Island

Very nice, a promising start. I hope you keep the good work up.

Thanks, yeah I plan to.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by nukester

has anyone created any skins yet

I doubt it, it's probably a bit soon for that.

It'd be nice if someone did, though.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by sakya

If you need some help...maybe I can help (but, please, add some better format like OGG).

Hey hey, you're the LightMP3 guy! That's a great program. I know who to pester if I need help with the music playback. Thanks.

I agree, OGG/vorbis is awesome (I always rip my own stuff to it) so it's definitely something I want to support.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by nukester

how do you create themes and if anyone has made one could they upload it

Just a bunch of PNGs + a colour config file (skin.cfg).

menu.png contains 2 icons (48x48) per menu entry, one for each state (active & inactive). So, a skin could (for eg.) have the active icon a different colour or size (like in Fluxmb) than the inactive one, or it could even be an entirely different image.

Originally Posted by nukester

can i get rid of the browser bit. like getting rid of it through any of the config files

Uhh, you can delete the browser from your GAME dir. if that's what you mean. You wouldn't be able to launch the browser from Flux then, though, obviously.

If you mean the built-in file browser, then no.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by Sullivan

iRshell is the best

I concur, it's amazing.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by NeonBox

i have noticed that there are still dev's making kxploited stuff(i have no problem with the end user wanting to be able to run the old stuff but why do devs keep making them) so i still see a need for kxploit compat stuff

I'll consider it, but I think we should just leave the 1.5 kernel behind us entirely, personally.

Originally Posted by NeonBox

what brought my attention to this is i use fluxbox in linux and its the most minimalistic but functional wm i've found

and altho this doesn't appear to be based off the wm it does have the same two things i like about it

Cool, I use Fluxbox too and have for years (love it).

Originally Posted by NeonBox

also just took a look a the skins file and man i like how simple the skins files are

Thanks. I hope the structure is skinner-friendly.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by Fzero

Including BenHurs intrafont in the next version would make the it look a lot better.

Okay, I'll look into it.
-= Double Post =-

Originally Posted by daaa57150

I'd be interested by the source code, is it available?

No, not yet anyway.

I'd be embarrassed to release the source in it's current state. It's strewn with ridiculous comments, commented test code, bad variable names (yes, there's a foo ), etc.

[No_one_in_particular]

I actually like the current skin (as I think the XMB looks sexy) and the interface looks better than IRShell's. If you steadily catch that up with features (where's the internet browser anyways?) I'd have no hesitation in replacing that with this shell. Keep up the good work, I'll definitely keep a close eye on this.

[Psypher]

Originally Posted by Fzero

Now to the release, Including BenHurs intrafont in the next version would make the it look a lot better.

.

Yes,

PLEASE!




I'll probably make a skin for it
-= Double Post =-
Here's a mockup I made.



For something like this to be done, please add:

- Intrafont or BMP Text mapping
- Config file for information (battery, CPU Speed, etc) placement editing [x,y] (and a bonus option of enable/disable would be nice, too!)

If you could do that, then I could probably make this skin for those interested.

[nukester]

i like the idea of the holding down of the L-Trigger button for this app. good luck with future releases and never give this up

[Fzero]

Psyphers skin and intrafont would be amazing compared to IRShells GUI

[Yongobongo]

I want that on my PSP NOW!
This shell is great, keep up the good work
It would be awesome if you could implement those features so that this skin could be possible!
Intrafont would also be awesome, as already recommended