Version 1.8.0 PreReleased!

[marwatk]

Hi all,

It's been a while, but I just released a new version to the prerelease site.

This version should be much less crashy for those with lots of podcasts.

I also added the ability to disable thumbnails (in the general settings). I *highly* recommend this if you're having hourglass problems, the thumbnails easily take up 10x the memory of the entire rest of the application, and there's no way (yet?) around that fact.

Other major features:
- Major changes to playlists:
---They're now saved across restarts (though only saved when you exit
---There's a setting in each podcast to auto-add new episodes to the playlist
---Sort settings are saved
---Setting (in general settings) to auto-resort playlist when new items are added
-Podcast emailing
-Lot's of stability tweaks
-Bug fixes

With the playlist changes it should be possible to never have to add things to the playlist. Ideally you'd set your sort settings and add your initial batch, set the Podcasts you want to auto-add to do so, and set the playlist to auto-sort, then you should just always be able to go into the playlist and start the current item. Everything should just work. Definitely let me know if you run into issues with it.

I've tested almost everything, but I'm sure you guys will prove me wrong

-Marcus

[MrSimmonsSr]

This is great news, Marcus! So far I haven't gotten a "unexpected exception, app not responding" message yet..

I am, however, still plagued with the IO error when trying to download using the desktop downloader. ("Exception Caught: java.io.IOException/Invalid http response" is shown in my failure log on the Blackberry). I can't seem to get through a single download session without this cropping up within the first 5-10 downloads. Any chance we might get a more stable version of the Desktop Downloader anytime soon?

Also, the link to the Desktop Downloader on the prerelease page if giving me a 404 error now, so I'm working off of an old version that was in my downloads folder locally from a few weeks ago. Has there ever been an update to the Desktop Downloader?

Thanks!

MrSimmonssr

[MrSimmonsSr]

Dang.. It looks like I spoke a bit too soon..

Just got this: Uncaught exception: Application podtrapper(148) is not responding; process terminated..

As an FYI, it's been about 3 weeks or more since I've actually had a copy of podtrapper that was usable.. Ever since then I've been plagued by these errors and the io errors I mentioned above. I even turned off the podcast thumbnails and restarted to try to save memory..

I miss my PodTrapper!!

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help..

[kchow84]

Any modifications to the desktop downloader stability?

[marwatk]

Dang.. It looks like I spoke a bit too soon..

Just got this: Uncaught exception: Application podtrapper(148) is not responding; process terminated..

Hmm, ok, so I missed a spot somewhere. Can you tell me what was happening around the time it happened? (Were podcasts downloading, were you playing a podcast, one had just ended, not even in podtrapper, etc). Hopefully this will help me find the spot I missed.

Any modifications to the desktop downloader stability?

Not yet, but I'm preparing it for release when I fully release PodTrapper later this week.

-Marcus

[MrSimmonsSr]

Well, I had done the following things:

1. Wiped all podcasts data (used reset option in menus)
2. Added 5 podcasts back (from my list of 20 or so I usually have) to see if that helped memory issues
3. Seen your update to 1.8.0 prerelease and installed that (with device reboot)
4. Disabled podcasts thumbnails (they are cool, but not worth the memory consumption, based on your comments here) and restarted PodTrapper
5. Tried downloading those podcasts (I have attached an export so you can see the feeds. Maybe there is something in one of my favorite feeds that is causing a problem.)
6. Suffered from the io error, after a few successful downloads, as mentioned above.
7. Restarted the Desktop client and PodTrapper to try again..
8. Suffered same io issue after another few successful downloads..
9. Gave up at that point because I had a meeting to go to (I'm trying this at work), but left my USB cable plugged into my BB to charge it.
10. Came back to the uncaught exception error and PodTrapper terminated..

Hope that helps!

I copied and pasted the OPML export of my feeds I was testing with. The servers all seem relatively solid. I can pull up their RSS feeds with no problems in my browser.

The attachment mechnism wouldn't let me upload and XML file for some reason..

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<opml version="2.0">
<head>
<title>PodTrapper Feed Export</title>
<dateCreated>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:25:36 GMT</dateCreated>
</head>
<body>
<outline text="Cato Daily Podcast" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://feeds.cato.org/CatoDailyPodcast" />
<outline text="Cato Institute Event Podcast" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://feeds.cato.org/CatoEventPodcasts" />
<outline text="IBDeditorials.com Daily Podcast - Read by OutloudOpinion" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://podcast.outloudopinion.com/ibd/ibd.xml" />
<outline text="Stratfor Daily Podcast" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://www.stratfor.com/reports/podcast.xml" />
<outline text="Uncommon Knowledge on National Review Online" type="rss" xmlUrl="http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/audio.xml" />
</body>
</opml>

Let me know if there is anything I can do to get you some more detailed debugging information. I'll be happy to do whatever is needed to help resolve the problem..

Thanks for all you do!

MrSimmonsSr

[MrSimmonsSr]

On a side note, I'd be thrilled if you added a "Verbose Mode" to the desktop downloader application, that would allow you to see literally everything that goes on..

Ok, maybe not EVERYTHING, but a lot!

I think that would be most helpful for debugging issues with the app. I have a crappy EDGE network device, so Desktop Download is about my only option, and the main reason I decided to buy PodTrapper and drop my older solution..

Thanks!

[MrSimmonsSr]

As an FYI: I've tried downloading both short and long podcast records, varying in size from 3-4MB up to 50MB or more.. and I'm getting the io errors on all of the above..

[diffused]

I am still having those run-on issues when trying to listen to an episode; where half way through, it goes clear to 100% listened. I then backup and try to find the place where it left off, and continue with no problems. This doesn't always happen with each episode. So what can this be caused by? This is the third upgrade where I have had this issue. What could I be doing?

[StormDoc]

trying 1.8.0 but none of my podcasts will download, went back to 1.7.x and worked fine. No idea what is going on here. I didn't change any settings when loaded 1.8 and went in a looked at settings and all appear OK?? Know this doesn't help much but let me know if something in particular you need might help . . .
Thanks

[Neuroxic77]

trying 1.8.0 but none of my podcasts will download, went back to 1.7.x and worked fine. No idea what is going on here. I didn't change any settings when loaded 1.8 and went in a looked at settings and all appear OK?? Know this doesn't help much but let me know if something in particular you need might help . . .
Thanks

Same here Ive tried it twice.

[MrSimmonsSr]

When you guys say it won't download podcasts, what exactly do you mean? I'm just curious.. Does it give an error at all? Are you guys using the desktop downloader or just trying to download over the cell network?

Thanks!

[StormDoc]

Over cell, no error just doesn't download, I'll select "(re) download episode" and doesn't do anything, the EV-DO arrows flash once or twice then nothing. I try "Update Podcast" and nothing. I've added new podcasts just to test and again nothing. Do this in 1.7.x and there is no problem.

[Neuroxic77]

same deal with the desktop DLer Nothing happens. mIve use DD pleanty so I know all the tricks to reset it. Nothing worked.

BTW I am using a BB Storm

[marwatk]

Hey guys,

MrSimmons: I'll have a new version of desktop downloader to try tomorrow, should fix your I/O errors.

Everyone else (at least not using the desktop download), can you shoot me a copy of your logs and a brief note on what you're seeing?

Thanks for all the reports, guys, I really appreciate it.

-Marcu

[MrSimmonsSr]

Thanks for all your hard work, Marcus! I'll keep my eye open for the new version of the desktop downloader and will let you know how it works for me..