Scratch

Jens · 2008-03-11 07:14:05

Now you can create your own Windows screensavers with Scratch!

Here's how:

1) Create a Scratch project and save it to the "Projects" folder.
2) Download and install Chirp: http://chirp.scratchr.org
3) Select "Chirp" in the Windows Screensaver panel

Have fun!

SimpleScratch · 2008-03-11 16:47:23

Great Idea but...
if I want a screensaver - I download a screensaver - not a programming tool smile

Could you remove it from Chirp and add it as a separate download please smile

regards

Simon

funkymonkey · 2008-03-11 17:18:53

Jens wrote:
Now you can create your own Windows screensavers with Scratch!

Here's how:

1) Create a Scratch project and save it to the "Projects" folder.
2) Download and install Chirp: http://chirp.scratchr.org
3) Select "Chirp" in the Windows Screensaver panel

Have fun!

does it work for Mac's?

Rukqo · 2008-03-11 17:48:44

No.

Jens · 2008-03-12 05:44:32

Simon,

Thanks for your thoughts on the screensaver idea. I'm not sure if I understand your objection concerning the Chirp screensaver plugin, and I'd like to discuss this with you for a moment.

I got the idea for the screensaver plugin after I changed the way Chirp responds to the "return" button and "Esc" key in presentation mode:

There has been some discussion mostly by teachers about not being able to "hide" code when showing project-stubs to students. So I thought It would be nice if you could just run a Scratch project like a "real" application when presenting it in class, without having to setup an html-file embedding the Java-player. That's why I changed Chirp, so that when you directly run a Scratch project in presentation mode it will not switch back to development mode when you press the return button or hit the "Esc" key, but instead terminate back to the OS without popping up any dialog boxes asking you to confirm if you really want to exit. This effectively turns Chirp into its own Scratch-"player". Using this feature teachers now can create batchfiles or shortcuts allowing students to run project-stubs without being able to either see the code behind them or to modify them. (If you need any instructions on how to accomplish this, I can elaborate some more). Also, you now can create slideshow-like full-screen presentations of project-sets (e.g. all projects of a class or a course), if you just want to show off your work to others (again, if you need instructions I'll be happy to elaborate).

Another thing that keeps coming up in the forums are complaints about not being able to share Scratch projects as executables. I don't think users are unhappy with a certain file-format, but rather about not being able to do anything "meaningful" with their Scratch projects. That's why it occured to me that if you could use Scratch to program your own interactive screensavers that would open up a new field in which children can show-off their Scratch projects as actual applications, which are nicely integrated into Windows.

Screensavers - while being utterly useless - have long been a very popular brand of software, and there has always been some sort of mystique about how to program one. To many amateurs this still is some sort of gnostic "secret" reserved for professional programmers. I realized that Scratch's presentation mode is actually almost all you need to turn Scratch projects into screensavers. The only thing missing is a plugin that lets you select this feature in the Windows control panel (aside from some other minor technical details).

First I considered making this screensaver plugin a separate download, but then I found out that I could compile it to just a single tiny 40 Kb executable file. That's why I decided to include it in the Chirp installation. By the way: The Chirp installation just adds this as an optional screensaver to Windows and doesn't change any System settings (Windows is left untouched), if you want to use it, you will have to activate it yourself.

What's wrong with that?

Jens · 2008-03-12 05:53:30

funkymonkey and Rukqo,

almost all of the Chirp screensaver features will actually work for Macs, because most of the functionality is included in the "chirp.remix" image-file. The only thing that's missing for Macs is a little executable that plugs into the OS allowing it to launch a single instance of Chirp in presentation mode whenever it times out. I have included the source code for this file in the Windows-download. It is so simple that I'm sure someone can port it to MacOS without any complications.

dsdude10 · 2008-03-12 08:56:11

This is pretty cool! I'll be using it

Llamalover · 2008-03-12 14:34:32

SimpleScratch wrote:
Great Idea but...
if I want a screensaver - I download a screensaver - not a programming tool

Could you remove it from Chirp and add it as a separate download please

regards

Simon

Jens is the Scratch and programming master, and Chirp is his own creation so he can put what he like on it (as long as it's legal, of course)

Last edited by Llamalover (2008-03-12 15:31:34)

S65 · 2008-03-12 15:42:47

it's good, but when I downloaded it I thought I would actually be able to compile it into a screensaver sad

would being able to compile it into a single screensaver be feasible? I imagine it would be as simple as attaching the screebsaver file to the end of the .scr plugin and having the application always load from there.

and .scr is good because there are .scr to .exe conversion programs out there.

SimpleScratch · 2008-03-12 15:55:05

The Chirp installation just adds this as an optional screensaver to Windows and doesn't change any System settings (Windows is left untouched), if you want to use it, you will have to activate it yourself.

What's wrong with that?

How do I know your not in the pay of the Mafia and trying to gain control of my PC smile

Its not "wrong" to give added bonuses - I'd just wouldn't do it in that way by bundling it in - I'd either have separate download or ask the user during install whether they wanted it or not smile

Of course its up to you smile

regards
Simon
PS You will tell us when you are root-kitting our machines smile

SimpleScratch · 2008-03-12 15:57:15

There has been some discussion mostly by teachers about not being able to "hide" code when showing project-stubs to students. So I thought It would be nice if you could just run a Scratch project like a "real" application when presenting it in class, without having to setup an html-file embedding the Java-player. That's why I changed Chirp, so that when you directly run a Scratch project in presentation mode it will not switch back to development mode when you press the return button or hit the "Esc" key, but instead terminate back to the OS without popping up any dialog boxes asking you to confirm if you really want to exit. This effectively turns Chirp into its own Scratch-"player". Using this feature teachers now can create batchfiles or shortcuts allowing students to run project-stubs without being able to either see the code behind them or to modify them. (If you need any instructions on how to accomplish this, I can elaborate some more).

Yes please smile

Also, you now can create slideshow-like full-screen presentations of project-sets (e.g. all projects of a class or a course), if you just want to show off your work to others (again, if you need instructions I'll be happy to elaborate).

Yes please again smile

regards

Simon

Jens · 2008-03-13 03:27:49

Hi Simon,

SimpleScratch wrote:
How do I know your not in the pay of the Mafia and trying to gain control of my PC

Trust me, I'm a laywer wink

Seriously, this is all open-source. The source code for my tiny screensaver plugin is included in the download. It's this mini nsis-script:

Code:

Name "Chirp Screensaver"
OutFile "Chirp.scr"
Icon Chirp.ico

!include "FileFunc.nsh"
!insertmacro GetParameters

Var PARM

Function .onInit
  SetSilent silent

  System::Call 'kernel32::CreateMutexA(i 0, i 0, t "Chirp.scr") i .r1 ?e'
  Pop $R0
  StrCmp $R0 0 +2
    Abort
FunctionEnd

InstallDir nil
InstallDirRegKey HKLM "Software\Scratch" "Path"

Section
  ${GetParameters} $PARM
  StrCmp $PARM "/s" +2 0
    Abort

  StrCmp $INSTDIR "nil" 0 +2
    Abort
  execWait '"$INSTDIR\scratch.exe" "$INSTDIR\chirp.remix" "presentation"'
SectionEnd

I decided to use NSIS instead of a "real" programming language like C, because the screensaver plugin can be done with just this minimal, straightforward piece of code. Besides, it's a very easy one-click compilation. I love simple stuff. Could someone please port this to MacOS, because I'm getting all kinds of requests in my e-mail.

SimpleScratch wrote:
I'd either have separate download or ask the user during install whether they wanted it or not

I like one-click installs. I'm not a big fan of installation options of the "standard, full, minimal, custom" kind. I think installation routines should mostly avoid user input, making it as easy as possible to just set up an application, without getting the impression that you have to be some kind of expert (or can select something "wrong" in the installation process). That's why I like the ScratchInstaller, which doesn't prompt you to decide which materials to install whereto.

Jens · 2008-03-13 05:06:06

re: presenting Scratch projects without being able to see the code or modify it

Simon, you can compose a single-line batchfile for Windows (let's call it "present.bat"):

Code:

if not %1 == "" start c:\programs\scratch\scratch.exe c:\programs\chirp.remix presentation %1

be sure to exchange the path with the one of your Scratch installation, put this batchfile into a folder with your Scratch projects. Then drag each project onto the "presentation" command.

If you don't want students to be able to edit Scratch projects at all (why would you?) don't install Scratch and Chirp, but download both files-only versions, extract them to the same "secret" folder and exchange the path in the batchfile with the "secret" folder.

You can also make a shortcut to the "present.bat" file to your desktop, assign your own custom icon to it and specify Windows to always open *.sb files with that batchfile. That way you can always double click on each Scratch project to run it in presentation mode without being able to edit it (again, why would you want that?).

midnightleopard · 2008-03-22 12:51:01

Thank you so much! I'm not an adminastrator! I'll have to try it as adminastrator!

InfernoFalcon · 2008-10-07 21:24:54

When I tried using it as a screensaver, it says "cannot read: bad header"

It says this when I try to open a project, as well.

dsdude10 · 2008-10-07 21:40:38

InfernoFalcon wrote:
When I tried using it as a screensaver, it says "cannot read: bad header"

It says this when I try to open a project, as well.

That's becuase Chirp uses the 1.2.1 scratch source code and it cannot read 1.3 projects, is the project 1.3?

Jens · 2008-10-08 03:12:29

dsdude10 is right, Chirp - which is the basis for the screensaver - cannot read Scratch v.1.3 projects yet.

InfernoFalcon · 2008-10-08 11:29:09

Hm, when is that going to change?

Jens · 2008-10-08 13:46:50

I'll update Chirp (and the screensaver and the compiler) when the source code for Scratch gets updated to version 1.3

SeanCanoodle · 2008-10-08 16:50:00

Does Chirp allow Scratch projects to run on the desktop? I still use Windows 2000 and am wondering if there is a way to run a Scratch application as the background (like fullscreen), possibly using Active Desktop. It comes with Windows 2000, but not XP or Vista. All I've gotten to do with it was display a static webpage as my background but it took a long time to connect to the interent using an outdated Internet Explorer (using Firefox now).

markyiscool · 2008-10-08 17:11:20

So wait, let me get this straight. Chirp can play Scratch Screen savers on your computer. Can it play a game, or just a movie?

keroro645 · 2008-10-08 18:00:08

I thimk any scratch 1.2 project

dsdude10 · 2008-10-08 18:26:54

Jens wrote:
I'll update Chirp (and the screensaver and the compiler) when the source code for Scratch gets updated to version 1.3

are you going to add your lists and files for scratch into the 1.3 source code of scratch? I've been working on this game in Lists and Files for a couple months now but I could program it easier by using scratch 1.3's lists, but the problem is with scratch 1.3's lists is that you can't read or write files which is a very helpful feature to the game I'm making

InfernoFalcon · 2008-10-08 19:22:24

Well do you know when scratch's source code will be updated to 1.3?

joeyman · 2008-10-08 19:35:09

great!

Scratch

archived forums

#1 2008-03-11 07:14:05

Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#2 2008-03-11 16:47:23

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#3 2008-03-11 17:18:53

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

Jens wrote:

#4 2008-03-11 17:48:44

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#5 2008-03-12 05:44:32

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#6 2008-03-12 05:53:30

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#7 2008-03-12 08:56:11

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#8 2008-03-12 14:34:32

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

SimpleScratch wrote:

#9 2008-03-12 15:42:47

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#10 2008-03-12 15:55:05

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#11 2008-03-12 15:57:15

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#12 2008-03-13 03:27:49

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

SimpleScratch wrote:

Code:

SimpleScratch wrote:

#13 2008-03-13 05:06:06

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

Code:

#14 2008-03-22 12:51:01

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#15 2008-10-07 21:24:54

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#16 2008-10-07 21:40:38

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

InfernoFalcon wrote:

#17 2008-10-08 03:12:29

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#18 2008-10-08 11:29:09

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#19 2008-10-08 13:46:50

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#20 2008-10-08 16:50:00

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#21 2008-10-08 17:11:20

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#22 2008-10-08 18:00:08

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#23 2008-10-08 18:26:54

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

Jens wrote:

#24 2008-10-08 19:22:24

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

#25 2008-10-08 19:35:09

Re: Using Your Scratch Projects as Windows Screensaver

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