AniDB Applet DEV

Goal

A very simple to use Java Applet which is directly integrated with the AniDB website and enables users to easily add files on their local harddrive to their AniDB mylist.

Requirements

  • Extremely simple user interface
    • Usage should be as intuitive as possible for novice users
    • No options which are unlikely to be of interest to a large majority of users
      • Advanced mode for everything else
  • Tight integration with the AniDB website
    • Directly available via a link in the AniDB navbar
    • No additional login/authorisation
  • Use of the UDP API
  • Sun Java plug-in 1.5 compatible
  • Open Source

Possible Implementations

Suggestion 1

Wizard style interface with 4 dialogs.

Dialog 1 - Directory selection

Allows the user to select the file or directory which should be scanned for new files.

  • Short two sentence introduction to applet
  • File/Directory selection element which allows selection of a file or directory (with ctrl/shift also multiple elements)
    • optional: support drag and drop of files/directories under windows
  • Buttons
    • Advanced Mode (jumps to different UI for advanced users, not specified here)
    • Next

Dialog 2 - Hashing

Hashes the selected file or all media files located within the selected directories (or their subdirectories...) and identifies all files via a FILE command of the UDP API. No mylist modifications are made at this point.

  • One sentence explanation of current activity
  • Directory/Name of currently processed file
  • Progress
    • Per file progress bar
    • Overall progress bar
  • Some statistics
    • i.e. files already hashed, files left to hash, size, speed, time elapsed, estimated time left, ...
  • Buttons
    • Back
    • Next (deactivated while hashing)

Dialog 3 - Identified files

Displays an overview of all hashed files to the user together with their current status. This page/phase does not interact with the UDP API.

  • One sentence explanation
  • Tree or list view of hashed files and their status
    • Unknown / Known / Already in mylist
    • Optional: right click context menu in tree/list view, i.e. to remove a file/entire (sub)directory from the list
  • Checkbox: "[ ] Rename known files according to AniDB naming scheme"
  • Buttons
    • Back (jumps to dialog 1)
    • Next

Dialog 4 - Adding Progress/Finished

Executes the actual mylist adding via the UDP API. Initially displays the progress of the adding process and later displays an "All done" message.

  • One sentence explanation
  • Overall progress bar
  • Some statistics
  • All done message after all known files which weren't yet in the users mylist have been added
  • Buttons
    • Back (jumps to dialog 3, handling of already partly executed actions is undefined)
    • Restart (jump to dialog 1, clear file/directory selection)
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