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package com.karlockhart.util.config.configurator;

import java.io.*;
import java.io.Serializable;
import java.util.Hashtable;

public class Configurator implements Serializable{

 /**
  * This class is a simple configuration manager designed and built for
  * the management of the configurations of simple projects. This class
  * only allows for one configuration file and is implemented as a singleton
  * in order to share this file for the the entire project.
  *
  * @author Karl Lockhart – karlockhart.com
  *
  *
  */
 private static final long serialVersionUID = -3699362344368245416L;
 private static Configurator instance;
 
 //Hashtablse to store the configuration values
 private Hashtable<String, Boolean> booleanMap;
 private Hashtable<String, Integer> integerMap;
 private Hashtable<String, String> stringMap;
 
 //Dummy private constructor for Singleton pattern
 private Configurator(){
  
  booleanMap = new Hashtable<String, Boolean>();
  integerMap = new Hashtable<String, Integer>();
  stringMap = new Hashtable<String, String>();  
 }
 
 //Constructor for the singleton pattern
 private Configurator(String filename){
  
  booleanMap = new Hashtable<String, Boolean>();
  integerMap = new Hashtable<String, Integer>();
  stringMap = new Hashtable<String, String>();
  
  File test = new File(filename);
  if (test.exists())
  {
   FileInputStream fis = null;
   ObjectInputStream ois = null;
   Configurator temp = new Configurator();
  
   try{
    fis = new FileInputStream(filename);
    ois = new ObjectInputStream(fis);
    temp = (Configurator) ois.readObject();
    ois.close();
   } catch (Exception ex){
    /*
     * This error handling is almost certainly not the best
     * for your project
     */ 
    ex.printStackTrace();
   }
   this.booleanMap = temp.booleanMap;
   this.integerMap = temp.integerMap;
   this.stringMap = temp.stringMap;
  }
 }
 
 /**
  * This is the getInstance method of the Singleton Configurator.
  * The Configurator does not allow the user to instantiate the base
  * object. This is the only way to access the global instance of the
  * Configurator. 
  */
 
 public static Configurator getInstance(){
  if (instance == null){
   instance = new Configurator(“.//configurator.cfg”);
  }
  return instance;
  
 }

 //Boolean Properties 
 
 /**
  * Returns the value of the property referred to by this key.
  * This method is for boolean properties.
  *
  *@param key The text key that refers to the property you wish to retrieve
  *@return the value of the property referred to by the key
  */
 public boolean getPropertyBool(String key){
  return booleanMap.get(key);
 }
 
 /* Sets the value for the provided key. This method is
  * for boolean properties.
  * @param key The text key that the value is to be set for.
  * @param value The value to set in the property.
  */
 public void setPropertyBool (String key, boolean value){
  if (booleanMap.containsKey(key)){
   booleanMap.remove(key);
  }
  booleanMap.put(key, value);
 }
 
 /**
  * Returns true if this key exists and false if it does not.
  * This method is for boolean properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  */
 public boolean isBoolSet(String key){
  return booleanMap.containsKey(key);
 }
 
 /**
  * Deletes the property related to this key.
  * This method is for boolean properties.
  * @param key The key whose property will be deleted.
  */
 public void removeBoolKey(String key){
  if (booleanMap.containsKey(key)){
   booleanMap.remove(key);
  }  
 }

 /**
  * If the value contains the key return it and if not set the
  * passed value.
  * This method is for boolean properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  * @param value The value to set if this key does not exist
  * @return the value of the key
  */
 public boolean getExistOrDefaultBool(String key, boolean value){
  if(!booleanMap.containsKey(key))
   booleanMap.put(key, value);
  return booleanMap.get(key);
   
 }  
 
 //Integer Properties
 
 /**
  * Returns the value of the property referred to by this key.
  * This method is for integer properties.
  *
  *@param key The text key that refers to the property you wish to retrieve
  *@return the value of the property referred to by the key
  */
 public int getPropertyInt(String key){
  return integerMap.get(key);
 }

 /**
  * Sets the value for the provided key. This method is
  * for integer properties.
  * @param key The text key that the value is to be set for.
  * @param value The value to set in the property.
  */ 
 public void setPropertyInt (String key, int value){
  if (integerMap.containsKey(key)){
   integerMap.remove(key);
  }
  integerMap.put(key, value);
 }

 /**
  * Returns true if this key exists and false if it does not.
  * This method is for integer properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  */
 public boolean isIntSet(String key){
  return integerMap.containsKey(key);
 }

 /**
  * Deletes the property related to this key.
  * This method is for integer properties.
  * @param key The key whose property will be deleted.
  */
 public void removeIntKey(String key){
  if (integerMap.containsKey(key)){
   integerMap.remove(key);
  }  
 }
 
 /**
  * If the value contains the key return it and if not set the
  * passed value.
  * This method is for integer properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  * @param value The value to set if this key does not exist
  * @return the value of the key
  */
 public int getExistOrDefaultInt(String key, int value){
  if(!integerMap.containsKey(key))
   integerMap.put(key, value);
  return integerMap.get(key);
   
 } 
 
 //String Properties
 
 /**
  * Returns the value of the property referred to by this key.
  * This method is for string properties.
  *
  *@param key The text key that refers to the property you wish to retrieve
  *@return the value of the property referred to by the key
  */ 
 public String getPropertyStr(String key){
  return stringMap.get(key);
 }

 /**
  * Sets the value for the provided key. This method is
  * for string properties.
  * @param key The text key that the value is to be set for.
  * @param value The value to set in the property.
  */ 
 public void setPropertyStr (String key, String value){
  if (stringMap.containsKey(key)){
   stringMap.remove(key);
  }
  stringMap.put(key, value);
 }

 /**
  * Returns true if this key exists and false if it does not.
  * This method is for string properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  */
 public boolean isStrSet(String key){
  return stringMap.containsKey(key);
 }

 /**
  * If the value contains the key return it and if not set the
  * passed value.
  * This method is for string properties.
  * @param key The key to check for existence.
  * @param value The value to set if this key does not exist
  * @return the value of the key
  */
 public String getExistOrDefaultStr(String key, String value){
  if(!stringMap.containsKey(key))
   stringMap.put(key, value);
  return stringMap.get(key);
   
 } 
 
 /**
  * Deletes the property related to this key.
  * This method is for string properties.
  * @param key The key whose property will be deleted.
  */ 
 public void removeStrKey(String key){
  if (stringMap.containsKey(key)){
   stringMap.remove(key);
  }  
 }
 
 /**
  * Writes the configuration file to disk using serialization of
  * the Configurator object.
  *
  */
 public void writeConfiguration(){
  FileOutputStream fos = null;
  ObjectOutputStream oos = null;
  
  try{
   fos = new FileOutputStream(“.//configurator.cfg”);
   oos = new ObjectOutputStream(fos);
   oos.writeObject(this);
   oos.close();
  }catch (IOException ex){
   /*
    * This error handling is almost certainly not the best
    * for your project
    */    
   ex.printStackTrace();
  }
  
 }
}

 function getCopyright($copyrightHolder){

//Copyright Start Date
$buildDate = 2009;

if (date(‘Y’) > $buildDate)
{
  $copyright = ‘Copyright &copy; ‘.$buildDate.’-’.date(‘Y’).’, ‘.$copyrightHolder.’. All rights reserved’;
}
  else
{
  $copyright = ‘Copyright &copy; ‘.$buildDate.’, ‘.$copyrightHolder.’. All rights reserved’;
}
  return $copyright;
}

Very simple code that means on Jan 1, 2010 I won’t have to mess with this webpage. The rest of LazyLib isn’t this trivial. It actually contains everything I need to build a simple page with PHP includes. But I thought I would share.

ATMega168 MCU as setup for Nerdkits.com

There is a thrill that is hard to explain the first time you burn your code to a microcontroller. Excitement and apprehension abound as you plug in the power supply for thr first time. My first solo microcontroller (MCU) experience came recently, and something has changed inside of me. As with everything, the best place to begin is at the beginning.

I had been tracking the box all day online, and the text that had once said ‘at unit’ was finally replaced with ‘delivered’. I knew that this was something I wanted, and it was finally here. I pulled up in front of my mailbox and got the key to the package locker. The key stuck a little and I smiled to myself at the metaphor; I had spent this long to open this part of my feild and the only thing holding me back was a sticky lock.

I had decided to go with the kit provided by nerdkits.com, mostly because I had heard nothing but good stuff and they seemed to be pretty helpful to the MCU noobs. I registered quicky on their website and downloaded their users’ guide. In about an hour, I had the device wired up in their original configuration, i.e. MCU and LCD wired together. Holding my breath, I connected the battery for the first time and the LCD spit out a nice message from the nerdkits.com team.

It all started that day, and this has been one of the biggest revolutions in my programming since I learned object oriented programming. I am loving good olde procedural c, yup c, programming. At d+21, I am still enjoying this quite a bit. I have started messing with the pulse width modulation function of the MCU to drive servos as well as play music on the provided piezo buzzer. I have used the analog to digital converter to measure temperature and do rangefinding using a Sharp IR sensor. In short, I am feeling very engaged in this and wish I had picked it up before. I love the idea that I can program a circuit to do complex behaviors. In the 19 years since I first played with BASIC, I have always wanted something tangible from my programming. I believe I have found it in embedded.

I will post my experiments and experiences on here as I play with new stuff.

XNA Model of my Jupiter C

I have started with a simple goal for now, model the crafts and locations to dynamically generate the Explorer I mission, not necessarily to real life spec. But to a decently realistic and good looking level of detail. To this end, I am working on modelling the Jupiter-C launch vehicle using correct dimensions weights etc. I will use this to create a pretty basic simulation in XNA and build on it adding stuff like the engine sounds I am also working on Here is a preview of some of the stuff I have coming

Audio:
The audio was created in Audacity using a high pressure cigarette lighter as the base sound, then I pretty much massaged it down a bit to get a nice roar. The start just uses reverb and amplitude changes to give the feeling of that initial surge at rocket startup. Pretty simple sounds to create so far. Kinda fun to be playing with audio again .
Engine Start
Engine Run

Images:

Jupiter-C RocketDyne Booster Tail Section

For fellow BARIS lovers, the game has been open-sourced and can be found here

GVSS - My First XNA attempt

So, once again I have started playing with a new technology, Microsoft’s XNA. Thus far, I think it is one of the cooler things I’ve played with.

The download was pretty painless and after a few community tutorials, I have a decent grasp of the power that XNA gives the developer. XNA seems to work with both the Direct X ‘.x’ format as well as Autodesk’s ‘.fbx’ both of which Blender 2.49 exports. Blender, being free, is the perfect complement to XNA. I will definitely post more experiences later.  

My Toolset

• XNA framework 3.0
• Blender 2.49
• Audactiy
• Gimp

I am still working on finding a free physics package I can use on XBOX360 as I am now seriously considering getting a creator’s club account. So far, I have no complaints.

Edit: Added Video