Crystal Addon
 

Hello, Is there any chance that while your working on crystal additions that maybe you could add in some sort of notification on the crystal just to show that the user has an email. Maybe a little tiny envelope icon is illuminated near the bottom of the crystal. Something that won't distract from the aquarium but something you can check now and again without having to turn off the saver. If you go ahead with this please make it compatible with Mozilla Thunderbird!

Thanks

Regards,
Neil

Maybe it's an option in MA3, not another version ;)

What do you mean? I havn't said anything about another version? Of course it would be an option

Even though I can see the use of this feature, I don't think a flashing email icon is something I'd like to see in my aquarium. Why not just have your favourite email-program running in the background and make it play a horrible sound every time you get an email? ;)
A clock in the aquarium is bad enough. :)

There's no way I'd venture into browsers and email systems. That's for someone else to spend their lifetime on.

If you get bored you could make what the crystal displays a plugin and people could do whatever wild and wonderful things they want :)

I didn't mean have it flashing, the icon could be tiny and just be engraved into the crystal.

I also didn;t mean notification of email from web based email systems, just from desktop apps like Outlook and Thunderbird.

Unless I am missing something here, I don't quite see the point of that one. Either one of two things, Jim would have to program in all the smtp protocols and let the ss do the actual work, or just let it notify you if some other email client gets some mail.

Most others already let you attribute sounds when mail comes in like YK says in post #4, so I'm not really sure I see the point. And like Jim says, there is no way he is going to open that kettle of fish to get actual email working with the SS.

Learning how to communicate with other programs (to see when emails come in, etc.) is not even close to something that I would consider.

Jim,
I know you have been working like crazy to get the clocks for the crystal together, so here is something for the future wish list. Would it be possible to have the clocks chime or gong on the hour. Just something maybe to keep in mind after the clocks are up and running complete.

My tropical fish aquariums never played music, they never contained photo frames, they didn't have clocks or calendars or other advertising matter, they didn't go on the internet to receive e-mails, - and they certainly didn't chime or gong on the hour!!!

They had fish and plants!

A few desktop icons on a computer simulation tank, would seem to pale into insignificance by comparison with that lot! - (But I don't want those either!)

Let's stop all this madness... My vote is for fish and corals............... And nothing more! :)

In general I agree. I think some added functionality that will help sell Jim's work is fine, most of it isn't visable, and that's fine. Playing music is ok, the crystal is ok, ( mainly because I really abhor that piece of coral it replaces ;) :) ) it has Jim's logo and some functionality for users as well. But, I dare say that spending months on functionality instead of artwork is not what Jim had in mind.

Lets see the clams move Jim! :) :TU:

Ya, I think 'hourly chimes' is going a bit to far :sad:

Sorry - Not gonna happen.

Actually I'd have liked the e-mail icon, so don't have to stop the aquarium every so often to see if you have e-mail, oh well...

BTW it seems u can do it simply with VBA code (from http://mattcollinge.wordpress.com/software) or there's an open-source prog with BSD licence (http://cloutmon.cvs.sourceforge.net/...tmon/cloutmon/) which should show what needs to happen...

Progress report - I've found a clearer "look" for the digital clock numerals. I'd been trying to stick with the traditional modular style, but that just wasn't working, so I went with this. (Eventually there will be several styles to choose from.)

Looks good!

One way to achieve the same thing is to use something like the freeware Jet Mail Monitor. You can download a copy from:

http://www.brothersoft.com/jetmailmonitor-68107.html

I haven't personally used it in some time but I ran an older version of it for a couple of years. You can set it to check multiple email accounts and notify you of new emails in a variety of ways including playing a user selectable sound file.

Jim, digi-clock looks beautiful. Nice font! (what is it's name)

It seems to "glow". Does that change the lighting on the objects in front of (and below) it? Does it change the lighting on the fish, as they pass near?

Could the digital clock and the analogue clock both come in a style so they look engraved into the crystal like some images can be altered to look engraved?

I had a misted-in "glow" in the crystal face around the digits at first, but it just made them look blurry, so I took it out. As far as a real glow, with a few months work, the fish could probably be made to be affected by it, but it would be on the far side of the fish away from the camera, so you'd never see it.

Engraved clocks - eventually that style will be an option.

Now, how do we get Morgan worked up? Oh yeah, I know.

Jim - how about making that digital clockface glow in the actinic lighting when that's implemented? :D

Sure, I'll get right on it.

You know some people are going to take you seriously, don't you?! :lol:

Ha, ha - probably :)

Jim the digital clock looks good, but I think it would be even nicer if the text was more engraved and trasparent looking, like it was in MA2MD/2.6 but keep the color.

"... like it was in MA2MD/2.6" .... Agreed! .... But please DON'T keep that hideous green colour, it will stick out like a sore thumb!

I think I dislike that "hideous green" lettering more than I think Michael, "abhors" that piece of green coral! ;);)

You'll be able to choose your own color.

As far as the engraved look, that will come a bit later (along with other styles).

As Kermit once said , it isn't easy being green .

:)

Thanks Jim will the text also be somewhat transparent?

In the engraved version.

Progress report - The digital clock is in and working. The calendar is on the screen, but not hooked up yet. It's amazing how complicated a calendar can be. It just seems like some numbers in little boxes, but noooo.

Hope to see it all soon.
 

I really love the screen saver, I have purchased the version 3, version 2.6, version 2, et al. I was dissappointed that the installer version of version 3 doesn't give any crystal options yet. When it does become available, will I need to buy another version? Or will an upgrade be made available? Thanks for all the effort on another great screen saver.:TU:

Ward,

First welcome to the forums.

You don't have to wait for the Installer version. You can grab the current version with the Clock/Crystal right here:
http://www.fish-byte.com/MA3Beta.zip

It is unknown exactly when the Installer version will be upgraded to include these new features. If you want to stay up to date with the latest features, then download the beta and just write it over top of your existing version.

You purchased MA3 which means you are covered at least until Marine Aquarium 3 comes out of beta and possibly for years to come.

There will be some add-ons like Creatures (Coral Shrimp, Eels, etc.) at some point down the road which will cost a little bit extra.

Jim, IMO, you really need that button/message to tell new buyer's of MA3....

Otherwise, I think you may be inundated with posts like the above.

My idea of having a message "This Marine Aquarium 3 beta was released 37 days ago. Would you like to check for the latest version?" was not implemented. I don't expect anything like it to be used.

Yeah, we'll probably go with something like that. Been busy - I've got three things going right now.

Just Checking
 

Thank you for the swift response. I found it very difficult to find the answers to my question in the thousands of other posts. I copied a link to the beta test download to keep it up to date with the most recent version, and I'll be keeping an eye on the forum to see the new features that come out. Thanks again for all the help.