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[simarilius]

Was playing with the smoothboard last night, gotta start with great job! really nicely done bit of software.

I was wondering if in the whiteboard+presenter mode it would be possible to make use of the nunchuck? I'd was thinking about having the second wiimote in my pocket, holding the nunchuck in my left hand and using the stick to generate a psuedo pressure signal. (would be like pressing the button on top of a can of spray paint)
would put the pen in always on mode and just use the IR for mouse position, then the nunchuck can do a pressure axis, plus the 2 buttons as straight clicks or modifiers. (alt would be useful)
Guess the left and right of the stick could be put to use too, maybe as the a tilt axis.
Would be truly sweet if it would register as a wacom for software like inkscape

[raich]

Boon Jin:

Thanks for your wonderful effort, we are using this tool with great ease.
Can you please let us know when you plan to release Smoothboard 1.0.

Thanks again.

[dsgclan]

Hi Boon Jin, (or anyone who would like to help),

I have been using the Smooth board for a while, it works perfectly, the only problem I have had is, it does not work on 1 of my 3 computers, but it works well on the other 2, unfortunately, it is this unlucky laptop computer that I use most often, it is very inconvenient for me to have to change computer when I want to play with the wiimote whiteboard, so I have done some tests with the problem today:

This unlucky laptop runs windows VISTA home premium, the other 2 computers run windows XP and windows VISTA home premium on each.

On the unlucky laptop, I can connect to the wiimote with WiimoteConnect, and Smoothboard can find the wiimote without a problem. But as soon as I've done the calibration, the software crashes and an error message pops up saying "Wiimote Smooth Board has stopped working" blah blah, and quits itself.

After some tests today, I have found some clue:
I've placed the software in different folders at different location on my laptop, I did notice that occassionaly for some unknown reason, when I moved the software to a different folder, it suddenly worked, I could complete calibration and use the whiteboard, but only for a while, if I restart the software again and again, eventually the same problem happens and I could not use it anymore.

Another thing I have found out is, if I do not calibrate but exit the software by clicking on the cross button or using the menu "File ---> exit", the software does not just exit right away as it does on the "good" computers, a dialog shows up saying:

"Unhandle exception has occurred in your application, if you click Continue, ....... If you click Quit, the applicaiton will close immediately

The process cannot access the file ".....\Wiimote Smoothboard0.4.6\WhiteboardCalibration.dat" because it is being used by another process"
And the dialog gives 3 buttons, if I click on Continue, the software will stay on, if I click on Quit, it will close.

See the error message screen shot below:


I never see the same dialog on the other 2 computers, and on the rare occasions when it works on the laptop, if I exit the software it does not show the error either. So I'm pretty sure this is the key.

I'm not sure if any other users have experienced the same problem, I'm not sure either if it is a problem with my laptop or the software, but I hope this could help Boon Jin make the software more reliably.

Thanks again for sharing the great software with us!

[boonjin]

Hi Boon Jin, (or anyone who would like to help),

I have been using the Smooth board for a while, it works perfectly, the only problem I have had is, it does not work on 1 of my 3 computers, but it works well on the other 2, unfortunately, it is this unlucky laptop computer that I use most often, it is very inconvenient for me to have to change computer when I want to play with the wiimote whiteboard, so I have done some tests with the problem today:

This unlucky laptop runs windows VISTA home premium, the other 2 computers run windows XP and windows VISTA home premium on each.

On the unlucky laptop, I can connect to the wiimote with WiimoteConnect, and Smoothboard can find the wiimote without a problem. But as soon as I've done the calibration, the software crashes and an error message pops up saying "Wiimote Smooth Board has stopped working" blah blah, and quits itself.

After some tests today, I have found some clue:
I've placed the software in different folders at different location on my laptop, I did notice that occassionaly for some unknown reason, when I moved the software to a different folder, it suddenly worked, I could complete calibration and use the whiteboard, but only for a while, if I restart the software again and again, eventually the same problem happens and I could not use it anymore.

Another thing I have found out is, if I do not calibrate but exit the software by clicking on the cross button or using the menu "File ---> exit", the software does not just exit right away as it does on the "good" computers, a dialog shows up saying:

"Unhandle exception has occurred in your application, if you click Continue, ....... If you click Quit, the applicaiton will close immediately

The process cannot access the file ".....\Wiimote Smoothboard0.4.6\WhiteboardCalibration.dat" because it is being used by another process"
And the dialog gives 3 buttons, if I click on Continue, the software will stay on, if I click on Quit, it will close.

See the error message screen shot below:


I never see the same dialog on the other 2 computers, and on the rare occasions when it works on the laptop, if I exit the software it does not show the error either. So I'm pretty sure this is the key.

I'm not sure if any other users have experienced the same problem, I'm not sure either if it is a problem with my laptop or the software, but I hope this could help Boon Jin make the software more reliably.

Thanks again for sharing the great software with us!

Hi dsgclan
It looks like the Smoothboard could not access the folder on your machine. Have you tried placing the application on the root of your C drive?

From your description, the Smoothboard crashes everytime the settings is saved.

Regards,
Boon Jin

[hagoh88]

Hi dsgclan

Did you open the smoothboard via folder window? Did you close the window after activating?
I had similar problems before as the window explorer in the background was still accessing the folder hence the application could not write to it. If possible create a shortcut on the desktop and activate from there.

Hope that helps.

hagoh

[dsgclan]

Hi Boon Jin, Hagoh,

Hagoh is correct, I made a shortcut on the desktop and ran the software from the shortcut, it never crashes again! so it must be the same reason as Hagoh said, if the save folder is opened by explorer the calibration data can not be saved. but I'm curious why it has never happened on the other VISTA computer of me.

I'm not sure if this is a software issue but I think other people may have seen the same problem, if Boon Jin wants to make a FAQ in future, please do remember include this issue in it.

Thanks alot for the help Hagoh, now I don't have to switch computers when using the whiteboard!

[benpaddlejones]

dsgclan
I'm 10 steps ahead of you! (well 1 actually but 10 did sound better)

I'm in the process of writng a comprehensive Wiki for Smoothboard. I have alreay included 'Setup Instructions' that will advis ethe best place to store the application is in a Specific folder in '/program files/' then create a short cut to your desktop or start menu.

As soon as it is complete we will be promoting to all!

p.s. don't for get to buy Boonjin a beer for his awesome work you can donate through his home page. 

The reason it didn't happen on your other machines may relate to different setups/locations or just luck.

benpaddlejones

[Maik Jansen]

Hi

Would it be possible to add a 'deadzone' when right clicking?
I use FalconAF flightsim and can't right click because it's impossible to keep my IR pen abolutely still when rightclicking. The program interprets this as a mouse panning commando (holding the right mouse button and slewing the mouse lets you pan/change view in the cockpit).

Keep up the good work!

Maik

[benpaddlejones]

Mik Jansen
Try increasing the smoothing this will create your dead zone.

benpaddlejones

[boonjin]

Hi

Would it be possible to add a 'deadzone' when right clicking?
I use FalconAF flightsim and can't right click because it's impossible to keep my IR pen abolutely still when rightclicking. The program interprets this as a mouse panning commando (holding the right mouse button and slewing the mouse lets you pan/change view in the cockpit).

Keep up the good work!

Maik

Mik Jansen
Try increasing the smoothing this will create your dead zone.

benpaddlejones

Hi Maik,

You can try Ben's solution first.
Make sure when u click the right click quickly too. This will prevent the dragging.

Regards,
Boon Jin

[Maik Jansen]

Hi

Thanks.
Smoothing was already set to '9'. Seems like the problem is in the flightsim itself?
Thanks again.

Maik

[benpaddlejones]

Maik
I have really bad shakes (too much caffine). For me to get 100% right click I goto the location pause, then push a little firmer (not punching holes or anything) on the whiteboard to lock my hand and the IR position.

Doing this gives me 100% sucess (I think the pause makes the biggest difference), maybe worth a try.

benpaddlejones

[Maik Jansen]

Hi Benpaddlejones.

Thanks for your reply.
Rightclicking on the whiteboard in my classroom is no problem. Because those applications are 2D apps? Maybe the problem is the 3D environment in the flightsim? Strange thing is that right clicking in the cockpit using the mouse is no problem. I have to slew the mousecursor a few cm before the panning/looking around kicks in. With the IR pen and using Boojing's software though, it seems like the cursur jumps to another position.

I hope you all understand that I'm very enthousiastic about Wii moting and the effort of all you guys so far.

Cheers,
Maik

[benpaddlejones]

Maik
Perhaps you could post a youtube video that compares the same situation between a mouse & a Wiimote IWB. Help us understand the problem more.

benpaddlejones

[Maik Jansen]

GREAT idea!!
I hope I'll  manage doing that today.

CU
Maik