[paraslash.git] / NEWS

NEWS
====

------------------------------------------
0.3.0 (to be announced) "solar saturation"
------------------------------------------

paraslash.0.3.0 -- 'WWDBND --what would databases never do?'.


Usually one might expect lots of new features AND a big increase in size
for a major release like 0.2.x to 0.3.x.

However, this release is smaller than the latest 0.2.x releases. The
decrease in size is mostly due to the removal of some graphical tools
(which were only afternoon hacks anyway). But also the fact that the
mysql code is gone cuts down the size a bit.

Being independent of mysql comes at a cost: The ((stripped)  binary
size of para_server increases about 50K in i386.



        - no more restrictions on unique basenames.

        - independent of mysql: The new self-contained object
          storage layer (osl) replaces the mysql database.

        - Lyrics support.

        - Reliable audio file move/rename detection.

        - the new osl-based audio file selector (afs) replaces the random,
          playlist and the mysql selector of paraslash-0.2.x.

        - paraslash-0.2.x streams are now called "moods". Writing
          0.3.x-mood definitions should be both easier and more
          powerful than writing 0.2.x-stream definitions.

        - para_krell, para_slider, para_para_sdl_gui, para_dbadm have
          been removed. The world is a better place without them. However,
          para_gui is still there.


        - afs tracks audio file selection also in playlist mode.

        - few easy-to-use afs commands replace the many not-so-easy-to-use
          mysql commands ((and are available also in playlist mode).

----------------------------------------------
0.2.17 (to be announced) "isotropic threshold"
----------------------------------------------

Mainly bugfixes and cleanups in this version which marks the end of
the 0.2.x series if no serious bugs show up after the release.

        - mysql_selector: fix a locking bug.
        - universal chunk queueing.
        - dccp sender uses chunk queueing if write() returns EAGAIN (thanks
          to Gerrit Renker).
        - be more carful wrt. signed vs. unsigned argument passing.
        - cleanup error.h and fix some references to invalid error
          codes.
        - update to gengetopt-2.21.
        - update to ortp-0.13.1.
        - autoconf: extend checks for headers, library functions and
          compiler characteristics.

--------------------------------------
0.2.16 (2007-04-05) "neural discharge"
--------------------------------------

The main change in this release is the major audio format handler
cleanup which removes some similar/duplicate code and makes it easier
to implement plugins for other audio formats. Of course, the usual mix
of other improvements/changes/bugfixes also made it into the release.

        - simplified audio format handlers (most of the handling functions
          were moved one layer up to the virtual streaming system).
        - para_server uses mmap to read audio files
        - repositioning of mp3 streams is much faster, in particular for
          jumping near the end of large mp3 files.
        - permission flags DB_READ,DB_WRITE have been renamed to AFS_READ
          and AFS_WRITE.
        - fix a bug in para_filter that caused decoding of aac files
          to start only after a few seconds.
        - fix osx_writer hangs
        - simplified dccp code (thanks to Gerrit Renker)
        - the compress filter works also on big endian systems (ppc)

-----------------------------------------
0.2.15 (2007-02-16) "inductive resonance"
-----------------------------------------

Minor improvements, more documentation and a bunch of bug fixes.

        - para_server: The server.users file is only read once on server
          startup rather than for each connection
        - mp3dec: Fix decoding of corrupt mp3 files
        - afs (audio file sender) is now called vss (virtual streaming
          system). Consequently, the permission flags specified in
          ~/.paraslash/server.users have also changed: AFS_READ and AFS_WRITE
          become VSS_READ and VSS_WRITE respectively.
        - para_audiod/para_filter: Fix a bug that caused the last chunk
          of audio data not being written under certain circumstances
        - audiod: compute the difference of server time and local time
          correctly
        - para_server/para_audiod: Fix some memory leaks
        - documentation improvements
        - configure.ac: fix checks for para_krell
        - new man pages

-------------------------------------------
0.2.14 (2006-10-15) "transient singularity"
-------------------------------------------

The only major enhancement of this version is the osx writer which completes
the Mac OS Port and was originally planned already for 0.2.13 but had to wait
until now for reasons beyond the scope of this changelog entry.

        - new output plugin for Mac Os: the osx writer
        - rename configure command line options from --enable-xxx-headers to
          --with-xxx-headers and  --enable-xxx-libs to --with-xxx-libs
        - configure: new command line options: --with-mad-headers,
          --with-mad-libs, --with-oggvorbis-headers, and --with-oggvorbis-libs
        - some robustness fixes
        - dymamic audio format recognition for audiod
        - para_server: new command line option: --autoplay_delay
        - para_audiod: new command line option: --clock_diff_count

---------------------------------------
0.2.13 (2006-07-14) "sonic convolution"
---------------------------------------

A bunch of new features and core changes.

        - the new paraslash scheduler, short and sweet.
        - Support for m4a/mp4 files via the new aac audio format
          handler/filter (requires libfaad).
        - each writer has its own command line parser, just like
          para_recv and para_filter.
        - para_client and para_audioc use the error subsystem
        - writers are integrated in para_audiod (currently linux-only)
        - para_client is integrated in para_audiod
        - random/playlist selector: improved info strings
        - new audiod commands: tasks, kill
        - update to libortp-0.10.1
        - para_fade: wake time defaults to 8 hours from now
        - update to autoconf-2.60


------------------------------------------
0.2.12 (2006-05-12) "oriented abstraction"
------------------------------------------

Many user-visible changes in this release and lots of new
features:


        - the new optional dccp sender/receiver. It uses the datagram
          congestion control protocol. You'll need a fairly new kernel
          for this.
        - paraslash works on Mac OS X (thanks to Gerd Becker)
        - para_play renamed to para_write
        - modular output plugin design (writers) for para_write
        - new file_writer output plugin for para_write
        - compress filter speed improvements
        - update to libortp-0.9.1
        - update to gengetopt-2.17rc
        - para_client no longer depends on libreadline (as the
          code for the interactive mode was removed).
        - gcc-2-95 is no longer a supported compiler. It may still
          work, but it gets no more testing.
        - the tarball no longer contains the screenshot images which
          reduces its size quite a bit.
        - configure: new command line options: --enable-mysql-headers
          and --enable-mysql-libs

------------------------------------
0.2.11 (2006-03-11) "atomic duality"
------------------------------------

Here it is, the first paraslash release developed with git. There
are fairly many user-visible changes in this release. As two out of
the three "database tools" of paraslash don't use a database at all,
they are now called "audio file selectors" instead.


        - the cdt command (change database tool) becomes chs (change
          selector)
        - no more colon separators: The syntax of some options of
          para_audiod and para_filter have changed. Use --help for
          more info (and some examples).
        - update to gengetopt-2.16 (thanks to Lorenzo Bettini)
        - switch from cvs to git (should've done that earlier)
        - the new ipc subsystem
        - new audio file selector: playlist
        - para_server: the dopey selector is now called "random",
          and is the default selector. Use the --selector option to
          choose another selector at startup, or the chs command to
          change the selector at runtime.
        - X86_64 fixes (thanks to Steffen Klassert)
        - para_play fixes


--------------------------------------
0.2.10 (2006-02-17) "cyclic attractor"
--------------------------------------

Huge documentation update, a scrollable window for para_gui, ortp
improvements, and of course many small fixes not mentioned here.
The diffstat below is rather misleading as most insertions are due
to the new source documentation.

        - autoconf cleanup
        - para_server also uses the new error subsystem
        - lots of new documentation (UTSL)
        - gui improvements:
                - keysyms for cursor keys and for next/previous page keys
                - scrollable output window
                - new internal commands: scroll up/down, page up/down
                - fix color of command output.
        - ortp: the --chunk_time and --header flags are no longer needed
        for para_recv/para_audiod as this information is now encoded in
        each rtp packet sent by para_server.


-------------------------------------------
0.2.9 (2006-01-24) "progressive turbulence"
-------------------------------------------

Internal audiod receivers/filters, the new error subsystem and
a lot of small improvements.

        - para_recv and para_filter are integrated into the para_audiod
          binary, i.e. audiod no longer spawns a new process for
          each receiver/filter. As para_recv and para_filter might be
          useful as standalone programs, they still get built (linked
          against the same object files that are also used for audiod).
        - further ortp timing improvements should reduce the CPU usage
          of the ortp receiver.
        - improved audio grabbing. The 'grab' command of para_audiod
          has its own set of command line options. Read the output of
          "para_audioc help grab" for more info.
        - oggdec: configurable input prebuffer size.
        - the new error subsystem gives better error diagnostics
          and reduces code size.


-----------------------------------------
0.2.8 (2006-01-02) "dynamic accumulation"
-----------------------------------------

The new modular filter design and the para_play-hangs bugfix.

        - new executable: para_filter. It combines para_mp3dec,
          para_oggdec and para_compress. It also adds a further filter
          type, wav, that just inserts a wave header at the desired point
          of the filter chain. All 'piping' is done in-memory (i.e. no
          read/write operations are used).
        - para_play: fix a stupid bug that caused it to hang under
          certain circumstances.


-------------------------------------------
0.2.7 (2006-12-27) "transparent invariance"
-------------------------------------------

Not many user-visible changes but a fair amount of internal improvements.


        - The http sender buffers data if it can not be sent
          out immediately (because the socket is not writable). This
          should prevent para_server from shutting down the connection
          too early on a loaded network.
        - para_play also prebuffers data if it is told to start at a
          future time by the --start_time option.
        - The return of para_recv: It combines para_ortp_recv and
          para_http_recv. Use the --receiver option to switch between
          the two. para_recv builds without libortp, but contains
          only the http receiver in this case.
        - update to ortp 0.8.1. As this ortp release contains incompatible
          changes, para_recv-0.2.7 won't link against older ortp libs.
        - improved ortp timings.
        - use of gcc-extensions that #define away for non-gcc and
          gcc < 3.0.


-------------------------------------------
0.2.6 (2005-10-29) "recursive compensation"
-------------------------------------------

Transparent session encryption (uses openssl's Alleged RC4 cipher),
the internal find command and several other improvements and cleanups.

        - Encrypt the session if encryption is requested by the client
          (default for para_client 0.2.6). This is backwards
          compatible, so older clients can still connect to para_server
          0.2.6. Use the new client option --plain to request an
          uncrypted session (off by default, must be set to on in
          order to connect to para_server 0.2.x with 0 <= x <= 5).
        - para_server uses an internal function to locate audio files
          rather than calling find(1). The server option
          --mysql_audio_file_dir replaces --mysql_find_cmd.
        - documentation update
        - man pages
        - header file cleanup
        - para_client code cleanup
        - para_gui: faster display of output of display commands


------------------------------------------
0.2.5 (2005-10-13) "aggressive resolution"
------------------------------------------

This release adds internal senders, i.e. no more external programs are
spawned for sending out the audio data. There are two different senders
available: The http sender and the ortp sender (former para_send which
is no longer needed).

The new sender code has a plugin-like design so it can be easily
extended should there be be any future need for supporting another
network streaming protocol. All senders are completely independent of
each other. In particular, the http and the ortp sender can operate
in parallel.

        - new server command: sender to control senders at runtime.
          Read the output of "para_server -h" and "para_client help
          sender" for more information.
        - para_recv renamed to para_ortp_recv
        - new executable: para_http_recv, a simple command line
          http receiver.
        - major afs/mp3/ogg code simplifications due to internal
          senders.
        - ogg timing improvements
        - fix several minor memory leaks (found by valgrind)
        - empty stream definitions work again
        - com_ne(): ignore errors on remove
        - audiod: fix segfault on server restart


---------------------------------------
0.2.4 (2005-09-21) "toxic anticipation"
---------------------------------------

Several small improvements, fixes and the new grab command.

        - audiod:
                - new command: "grab" to grab the output of the stream reader
                  or any filters. Read the output of "para_audioc help grab"
                  for more information.
                - fix memory leak
                - code cleanup
        - audioc: new command line option: --bufsize to specify a
          buffer size different from the default size 8192.
        - improved error diagnostics for para_play.
        - new configure option: --enable-ssldir so search for openssl in
          non-standard places
        - sdl_gui: Make it look nice again for 1024x768
        - server: report total size of memory allocated with sbrk by malloc,
          new command line option: --announce_time


-----------------------------------------
0.2.3 (2005-09-01) "hydrophilic movement"
-----------------------------------------

Two new executables and major feature enhancements.

        - audiod filters: It is now possible to specify arbitrary many
          (including none) filters for each supported audio
          format. This can be used e.g. for normalizing volume,
          transforming or grabbing the audio stream, or for using
          visualizers.  Read the output of "para_audiod -h" for the
          syntax of the new --filter_cmd option.
        - new executable: para_play, a tiny alsa player. It
          can play wave files or raw pcm (16 bit little endian)
          from stdin.
        - new executable: para_compress, a dynamic range compressor
          intended to keep audio output at a consistent volume. Derived
          from AudioCompress, http://trikuare.cx/code/AudioCompress.html.
        - audiod: New option: --stream_delay. This can be used in
          a local network to syncronize the audio output of all
          clients that play the same stream.


------------------------------------------
0.2.2 (2005-08-19) "tangential excitation"
------------------------------------------

Mostly internal changes in this release, but also some new commands
for the mysql database tool.

        - cleanup exec.c, fix para_exec bug
        - compile time loglevel (log messages below the given level
          won't be compiled in, which reduces the size of the
          resulting binaries)
        - new log macros that shorten the size of the source code.
        - workaround a gcc-4.1 bug (?) that caused send_cred_buffer()
          to send only zeros. With this workaround, para_audioc works
          again.
        - avoid gcc-4 warning: conflicting types for built-in function 'clog'
        - new mysql commands: "rm" (remove entry), "mv" (rename entry) "ne"
          (new entry), "snp" (set numplayed). Read the manual for more
          information.


---------------------------------------
0.2.1 (2005-08-15) "surreal experience"
---------------------------------------

Here comes paraslash-0.2.1. It contains a couple of new features and,
surprise, only minor bug fixes.

        - kill noisy mp3 debug message
        - cleanup of the build system
        - para_server and para_client directly use the crypto routines
          of the openssl library rather than invoking the openssl command
          line utitlity
        - server/audiod: new option --user to switch to the given user
          when invoked as root. Read the output of "para_server -h" for
          more information.
        - gui/sdl_gui: new option --stat_cmd to be used to retrieve the
          status. Default: "para_audioc stat"
        - sdl_gui: new option --pic_cmd to be used to download the picture.
          Default: "para_client pic"
        - audiod: 5 slots ought to be enough for everybody
        - audiod: new status item: Uptime, kill hup command



------------------------------------------
0.2.0 (2005-08-06) "distributed diffusion"
------------------------------------------

After several month of increased development activity, paraslash-0.2.0
has arrived. It contains many new features and is much more
self-contained than the old 0.1.x series. Enjoy!


        - para_server: fix hang on song change and crash on sighup.
          Speed up mysql queries. The DIR_LIKE macro is gone.
        - new executables: para_audiod, the local audio daemon that
          starts playback (uses SCM_CREDENTIALS socket magic) and
          para_audioc, the corresponding client.
        - new executables: para_mp3dec/para_oggdec, two really teensy
          decoders. para_mp3dec is based on libmad, para_oggdec requires
          libvorbisfile.
        - ovsend/ovrecv are capable of streaming ogg as well as mp3, so
          they are now called para_send and para_recv respectively.
        - documentation updates
        - para_gui is themable. For now there is the default theme that
          looks as before and the simple theme: blue and easy.
        - gui: audio streaming is now handled by audiod. Time display shows
          playback time rather than streaming time
        - slider: update to libzmw-0.2.0
        - para_krell: fix crash on server shutdown
        - switch from gzip to bzip2


----------------------------------------
0.1.7 (2005-04-18) "melting penetration"
----------------------------------------

The main change in this release is clearly the oggvorbis rewrite,
but there are also lots of smaller changes. If you intend to use both
the mp3 and the ogg plugin, it is recommended to use software mixing,
e.g. the dmix plugin which is provided by ALSA.

        - new executables: para_ovsend and para_ovrecv for sending/receiving
          oggvorbis files via rtp. Requires the open rtp library. Get it at
          http://www.linphone.org/ortp/
        - rewrite of the ogg_vorbis core code
        - configure detects libzmw and, if detected, includes
          para_slider to the list of binaries to be built by make
        - server stream writers read from their associated fifo rather
          than from stdin
        - slider: two new sliders, lastplayed and numplayed
        - fix nasty double free bug which caused random segfaults in case of
          mp3 files with invalid header information
        - gui: new command line option: --stream_timeout=seconds  to
          deactivate a slot if it is idle for that many seconds (default=`5')
        - diffstats


---------------------------------------
0.1.6 (2005-03-05) "asymptotic balance"
---------------------------------------

Only little user-visible changes in this release. Mainly bugfixes and
core code cleanup. This is probably the most stable version ever if you
stick to mp3...

        - fix several memory leaks
        - rename default name of mysql database from "music" to "paraslash".
          Use para_server's  --mysql_database option if you do not want to
          rename your old database.
        - rework ogg vorbis code
        - make update command work on mysql servers with LOCAL_INFILE
          disabled
        - gui: improved stream I/O (slots)
        - simplified audio format API
        - para_pob_ogg is gone

------------------------------------
0.1.5 (2004-12-31) "opaque eternity"
------------------------------------

Let's slide gently into the new year.

        - new: para_slider (not built automatically, type "make
          para_slider" to build). A toy for those who always felt that
          creating stream definitions is difficult. See screenshots,
          README and FEATURES for more info.
        - improved signal handling. Fixes server segfault on SIGHUP
          for linux kernels newer than Aug 24 2004 and makes para_gui
          race-free.
        - reload database tool on SIGHUP
        - improved help message for sl
        - do not log "broken pipe" messages as errors. They are
          perfectly ok.
        - fix wrong error message on permission errors

-----------------------------------------
0.1.4 (2004-12-19) "tunneling transition"
-----------------------------------------

Bugfix release. As expected, 0.1.3 introduced a bunch of new bugs.
Hopefully, most of them got wiped out with this release. Some
enhancements went also in.

        - improved error diagnostics for all commands
        - stradd/picadd: overwrite previous contents if entry already
          exists, rather than returning errors
        - stradd: use current stream if invoked without args
        - faster (and hopefully more stable) ogg-vorbis handling
        - para_krell: reap children to avoid zombie-flooding in case
          no server is running
        - si: report also server pid
        - server: don't busy-loop if dbtool reports only invalid files.
        - gui: CTRL+C works again, fix stream_read command line option
        - fix pic_add, hist
        - fix mysql dbtool startup in case no database exists
        - many small fixes and cleanups

---------------------------------------
0.1.3: (2004-12-10) "vanishing inertia"
---------------------------------------

Starting from this release, the database tools are integrated in the
server binary. This decreases server startup time, reduces code size
and speeds up database commands. However, the layout of the underlying
mysql database changed only slightly and 0.1.3 should be backwards
compatible in that respect.

Visible changes:

        - If mysql is not detected at compile time, or fails to init
          at runtime, fall back to the dopey database tool which should
          always work.
        - para_dbtool and dbtool.conf are gone. All mysql specific
          options are read from server.conf and are prefixed by 'mysql_'.
        - new command: cdt (change database tool)
        - new command line option: dbtool (choose startup database tool)
        - The name of current stream is now stored in the database,
          so paraslash remembers its current stream when restarted.
        - new command: csp (change stream and play)
        - para_gui also reports current database tool and server uptime


-------------------------------------------
0.1.2: (2004-11-28) "spherical fluctuation"
-------------------------------------------

Point release before the big dbtool changes go in.

        - dbtool: rename ca to cam (copy all meta data). It now also
          copies numplayed and lastplayed time as well as the picture
          id.
        - fix endless-loop-bug caused by mp3 files with invalid header

-----------------------------------------
0.1.1: (2004-11-05) "floating atmosphere"
-----------------------------------------

        - gkrellm plugin
        - new dbtool command: mbox. Browse your sound-file collection
          with your favorite mail reader.
        - several small fixes

-------------------------------------
0.1.0: (2204-10-22) "rotating cortex"
-------------------------------------

        - fix logging bug for loglevel > VERBOSE
        - fix skip command
        - correct timings for vbr mp3s
        - modular audio format support
        - ogg-vorbis support (experimental)
        - new server option: autoplay

-----------------------------------------
0.0.99: (2004-07-25) "harmonic deviation"
-----------------------------------------

        - rename projectname from icc to paraslash (play, archive, rate
          and stream large audio sets happily)
        - paraslash is no longer restricted to one particular audio
          streaming software
        - new dbtool commands (stradd, strq, strdel) for easy stream
          managment w/o configuration file. That obsoletes stream_defs
          file/config option for dbtool.
        - picadd accepts jpeg data from stdin
        - new server commands: ps (select previous stream), sc (song change)
        - new default pictures for sdl_gui
        - gui: new key_map option for binding commands and internal
          functions to arbitrary keys, nice help screen, rip out
          soundcard/linux specific stuff, avoid noise artefacts while jumping,
          show silly logo on startup
        - new executables: para_fade for fading volume, para_dbadm for
          manipulating attributes
        - cdb adds _all_ tables to mysql database
        - revised and beautified documentation
        - sample dbtool rewritten in C
        - autoconf

---------------------------------------------
0.0.98: (2003-12-26) "incremental smoothness"
---------------------------------------------

        - kick icecast in favour of poc. That removes some races and reduces
          core code considerably.
        - cbr/vbr is displayed by stat and gui/sdl_gui. New status flags
          give finer info on afs' status.
        - gui can start decoder (see config options). Further new gui
          commands: refresh (^L), jmp (F1-F10)
        - gui rereads conf on SIGUSR1 instead of SIGHUP. SIGHUP
          terminates gui. This fixes dead instances consuming memory
          continuously.
        - new dbtool command: verb for sending verbatim sql queries.
        - fix pid_list races (by removing pid_list)
        - codename funnies

--------------------
0.0.97: (2003-10-26)
--------------------

        - installation prefix now defaults to /usr/local
        - new commands for gui: snozze, sleep and reread config
        - config file for gui and sdl_gui
        - fix problems with filenames containing funny characters
          (reported by Thomas Forell)
        - improved signal handling for gui, now it rereads conf on SIGHUP
        - new dbtool command: cdb (create database)
        - switch from argtable to gengetopt
        - major code cleanup and speed improvements
        - fix several potential buffer overflows
        - many small fixes and cleanups

-------------------
0.0.96 (2003-08-30)
-------------------

        - easy stream_defs syntax
        - sdl_gui can display images associated to the file being played
        - Major feature enhancements for icc_gui including dynamic text
          placement and the top/bottom window design
        - vrfy/clean now also checks for NULL values in attributes as
          well as for invalid picture pointers
        - fix long outstanding case sensitivity bug
        - many small fixes and cleanups

-------------------
0.0.95 (2003-06-29)
-------------------

        - sdl gui runs much faster
        - new dbtool command: ca (copy attributes)
        - count and display number of times the song has been played
        - new feature: scoring
        - command line options for sdl_gui
        - simpler syntax of streams file
        - decrease network traffic of stat
        - fix zombie bug
        - many small fixes and cleanups

-------------------
0.0.94 (2003-05-04)
-------------------

        - new server command: ns (next stream)
        - new icc_gui command: c (change stream)
        - internal mp3info
        - stat shows also id3 tag info
        - new sdl based gui
        - log flodding bug fixed
        - many small fixes and cleanups

-------------------
0.0.93 (2003-03-28)
-------------------

        - colors for icc_gui
        - icc_gui sets volume directly (linux only)
        - proper locking that fixes some races
        - fix security bug that caused commands to be executed even
          with unsufficient permissions
        - new command: hup to make all servers reread their configuration file
        - icecast meta data streaming
        - many small fixes and cleanups