Eavesdropper

Version 0.3
Released on Wednesday, 23 June 1999

Created by Matthijs Hollemans
matthijs@weirdexperiments.com
http://www.weirdexperiments.com

What is it
Eavesdropper is a tool that allows BeOS programmers to inspect the various Media Kit nodes that are installed and/or running on their system.

Eavesdropper runs on BeOS R4.5 or better for Intel and PowerPC.

How to install it
Because Eavesdropper comes in source code form only, you need to compile it into an executable program before you can use it. Open a Terminal window and cd to the Source folder inside the Eavesdropper package. Type make and wait a few minutes while your computer tries to compile Eavesdropper.

After make finishes, you can run Eavesdropper by double-clicking its icon from the obj.x86 folder (on Intel machines), or the obj.ppc folder (on PowerPC machines).

How to use it
Eavesdropper uses two windows: the main window and the information window.

The main window shows which Media Kit nodes are currently active (the so-called live nodes) and the connections between them. It also shows which nodes can be created from the Media Kit add-ons that are installed on your system (the so-called dormant nodes).

The information window gives detailed information on the selected live node, dormant node, input connector, or output connector.

The icons inside a node describe what kind of node it is:

Eavesdropper also has a menu bar that contains the following pull-down menu:

After you start up or tear down nodes, or make or break connections, you need to select the Refresh option to make Eavesdropper reload all nodes and figure out the connections between them.

The Clean up option makes the nodes fit the window.

Known problems
Eavesdropper won't automatically recognize nodes being started or torn down, or changes in the connections between them.

The Clean up option from the pull-down menu isn't very smart.

Although it should be enough in most cases, Eavesdropper is unable to show more than 50 inputs, outputs, file formats, and so on for a node.

There is no support yet for parameters and parameter webs of controllable nodes.

The information window doesn't show details on multistream formats yet.

Legal stuff
This version of Eavesdropper is public domain, so you may do anything you like with it. No warranties expressed or implied. I am not responsible for whatever may happen to whomever, whenever.

History
Version 0.1 (Saturday, 15 May 1999)

  • First version.
Version 0.2 (Wednesday, 26 May 1999)
  • Now shows all connections correctly.
  • Improved automatic placement of the nodes, although it still is a pathetic algorithm :-)
  • Added the pull-down menu with Refresh, Clean up, About, and Quit options.
Version 0.3 (Released on Wednesday, 23 June 1999)
  • Added dormant nodes.
  • Added selectable inputs and outputs on live nodes.
  • Added the information window.