(Note – this is a Mac OS app)
Please join in the free Beta test to let me know what you think, and help me put the final polish on the new app.
Download from the beta-testing forum post
I have been meaning to build this app for years!
I built VLC Remote when I got fed up having to get up of the sofa to change what was playing on VLC.
For the last few years – I have been using Netflix and Amazon Prime more than VLC – so now I’m back to getting off the sofa to control my computer.
Chill Remote finally fixes that 🙂
If you’re watching Netflix, Amazon Prime or YouTube using Chrome on a PC or Mac – Then Chill remote gives you remote control.
Chill Remote is currently in Beta. You can sign up to use it for free at https://ChillRemote.tv
When I connect my projector, I want my mac to switch to 1080p.
When I connect my TV, I want it to run at 720p
When hdmi audio output is available, I want my mac to use that (and to use all the channels too!)
Previously, my Mac mini didn’t do a great job of switching, so I wrote AV Rules to take charge.
iOS 10 brings the ability to use apps within iMessage.
You can read all about how it works here
What better way to make use of the new animated stickers – than with some charming animated poops!
You can get them at the store for $0.99
enjoy!
File Getter makes it really easy to get files onto your iDevice.
iOS makes it fairly easy for apps to send files to other apps – but can be a massive pain getting those files onto your device in the first place.
File Getter makes that easy.
Now you simply install a helper on your PC or Mac. When you’re on your home wifi, File Getter can connect to that helper and access any file.
Once you have the file on your device – it’s easy to send it to other apps.
You can send a book to iBooks, a movie to VLC, an image to facebook, or a powerpoint file to Pages.
No cables, no fuss.
File Getter is initially available for only $0.99
2 Minute timer was my first app.
It is a very simple timer app which aims to work with a minimum of fuss.
You can now start a timer and pick the timer length on new devices using force touch.
More info here
I just released Go Away!
It is not a subtle or complex application, but I hope it will be fun and useful for some folks.
If you’re trying to work and you wish people would leave you alone – just fire up ‘Go Away!’
When people pester you, tap on the screen and it will tell them to go away!
For added utility, you can record your own message and display your own image.
It’s free at the Apple Store:
My new app ‘Right Click Booster‘ is now available on the Mac App Store.
Like many of my favourite apps – this one springs out of an annoyance that I wanted to fix.
If you have used windows, then you may well have used one of the many right click commands in the finder. Some of these are built in, and some are added by third party apps.
Two that I particularly miss are
Mac OS has had the ability to use custom scripts as services – but they’re too far from the right click to be useful (right click, scroll down hover over services, skip right, find the command you need).
Finally – with the advent of Yosemite and finder extensions, Mac OS has an approved way for me to fix this.
Enter the Sandbox…
The app sandbox is designed to make sure that apps you download from the App Store can only interact with a limited selection of files (mostly within your own app sandbox).
The app I wanted to build lets you add, open or update files anywhere in the system.
If you want your app to be in the App Store – then it has to use the sandbox!
There is a (clunky) solution
Right click booster is a developer tool, and I wanted developers to be able to integrate their own scripts.
There is actually a way that Apple lets you do this.
Scripts can be run from the User Script Directory (every app has it’s own user script directory).
This seems like a great solution, but the app isn’t allowed to put scripts in that directory.
In my first submission, the app asks the user to open the directory – thus giving permission to the app to read and write files there. Apple didn’t like that.
In my next submission, I included the scripts in a .dmg file. My app can include the .dmg, open it and let the user drag scripts to the symbolic link to the user scripts file. Apple didn’t like that either.
In my final submission – the app takes you to my website where you can download the default scripts (as a dmg). Open that dmg, and install the scripts yourself.
There were many other issues along the way – but finally, Apple have allowed this solution.
Now you can run scripts with a right click
I use my app all the time!
The ones I use the most are Pod Update, and Update version (this runs ‘avgtool next-version -all’ which bumps the version number for all my targets in an xcode project)
My other favourites are the two I built the app for. ‘Open this directory in the terminal’ and ‘Create untitled.txt’ here.
Of course, other users will have other scripts and other ideas.
If they’re generally applicable, then I’ll add them to the default script list – so please do share them at the forum!
You can get Right Click Booster (currently free!) at the Appstore.
Apple’s new Beta Testing service is now live.
If you have an iOS8 device, then I can now add you to my list of beta testers and get your input on new features (and possible new bugs!)
If you’re interested in getting involved in testing and developing VLC Streamer, VLC Remote and Off Remote, then I’d love to have you in the group.
To sign up – please just apply to join this google group.
Or go to http://HobbyistSoftware.com/beta on your desktop.
Make sure to sign up with the email address you use for your apple id.
I’ll add you to the group and look forward to your input!
Thank you!
