Acemuzzy’s Positronic Blog

Just to document my main upcoming aims for the project, in vague order

• textures 
• models
• basic storyline (for a demo) & improve scripting
• sound fx & music

• Not much
• Tidying up my code using FxCop
• Playing New Super Mario Brothers on my new DS
• Getting my brain age down to 23
• Deciding whether to write a platformer for a bit, not my adventure game
• Meeting old friends [photo to follow]?
• Realising I need to print my photos, integrate them into my blog, and sort out my app to cope with portrait photos and be more easily configurable.

Right, well my photo program is pretty much finished now!  I’m not going to upload it quite yet, but I thought I’d at least point you at the photos which are now up.

So, HERE’S MY PHOTO ALBUM!

In terms of my wish list, it provides a slideshow & album view, as selected from a database, but it doesn’t yet give any commentary on the photos [or albums] or allow you to choose any ‘favourites’.

Next challenge - final beefing up of the program & getting some photos into my travel blog!

OK, in this post I challenged myself to write an album-producing GUI in C#.  This blog attempts to document my attempts to do so!

What I did!

C# stuff

• Cranked up Visual Studio C# 2008, and sketch out some UI.
• Discovered some (for me) new controls (including tabs, progress bars etc., and browsing to the desired directory.
• Got it to read in all the (relevant - i.e. jpg / bmp) filenames
• Decided to use my own UI technique for displaying the pictures, which allowed me to load additional photos in the Application.OnIdle event.
• Had some issues along the way
• Got it producing thumb nails thanks to this article.
• Saved them off to a new directory.
• Dump a long list of html containing all the thumbnails, with links to a php file

HTML / PHP Stuff

• Currently very simple HTML, but I want to get this into a database and use PHP
• I did use PHP for a simple photo displaying page, but need to beef this up

The output

• You can see the thumbnails HERE, which link through to the full pictures
• I haven’t uploaded all the full pictures yet though, as they’re BIG!  I might need to downscale them or something
• You can download the source and .exe file here.  Please view as v0.001.

I’ve finally bought VS PHP.  I like it!  Great UI for writing PHP code.

Right, well I’m back home.  Flight uneventful, though the general low quality of service won’t be encouraging me back onto Iberian Airlines any time soon.

So, what have I been up to since I got back?

• Fundamentally, not much
• Have got all my photos onto my laptop, so time for my challenge
• Logged onto my PS3 and discovered a Trophy section, which aroused my interest
• I decided to make Positronic Arts my core homepage URL, finally solving a debate from a while ago.  I ended up posting a ticket on the Support page for my hosting (Televi).  They were really helpful and said I had to park the domain name and forward the DNS to a given nameserver.   This worked, but I have had to overwrite the content at www.acemuzzy.com not www.games.acemuzzy.com.
• As part of that transition, I had some fun with upgrading and moving my blog (see here).  I also needed to change some internal links, including some stuff I’d hacked into the Header of the blog pages.

So yes, next up, more photo work.  Then XNA!

Day 22 (Monday 21 July) - Arequipa to Santiago

We were glad we’d booked the earlier flight, as we got bored pretty quickly in Arequipa.  It was a nice enough place, with great views of the nearby volcanoes, but it was too hot and we just weren’t loving it.

Eventually it was time for our flight, so we headed off to the airport.  We were flying via Lima and had to re-check our luggage, but it wasn’t actually too bad.

Landed just after midnight and took a cab to our hotel (Hotel Foresta).  The feel of the city was really different to what had gone before, but seemed nice and more European.  Nevertheless, straight to bed.

Day 23 (Tuesday 22 July) - Santiago

We did quite enjoy Santiago, though didn’t actually do much our first day there.

We wandered into the centre and mozied around, before heading North to Bellavista via what seemed like the world’s largest clothing district.  We were peckish by the time we’d made it so stopped off for some slow food.

We then got chatting to a tourist information guy and set up a wine tour for the following day.  We were going to head up the furnicular but the queue was massive so we left it for later in the week.

Instead, we attempted to track down a starbucks which took hours (literally: two, including internet research) but was well worth it.  Dinner was a banana.

Day 24 (Wednesday 23 July) - Santiago

We headed off to the Concha y Toro vinyard first thing, for an interesting tour, nice wine, and complementary glasses.  The weather was great, under blue skies, and gave the best aspect of the surroundnig snowy peaks.

We went to a huge shopping centre in the afternoon. Lunch was spagghetti (bibs provided!), followed by the latest Batman movie (Dark Night).

We got a loony (and expensive) cab ride back into the centre, where after some deliberation we agreed on fast food for dinner.

Day 25 (Thursday 24 July) - Santiago

Our last full day

We finally did head up the fernicular, with good views at the top, at the feet of the Virgin Mary.  We walked down (the long way) into a different shopping area where we changed some cash (which took ages) and had some italian food. 

We then got the cab back into the centre of town, paid our hotel bill, and wondered around town for the final time.  Flight at 12.15pm tomorrow, so not too early, but packing beckons…

Day 16 (Tuesday 15 July) - Cuzco

We had to move hotels to Niños, probably my favourite of the trip, but otherwise had an empty day.

We lazed around in the morning, hit the Inca museum and had a tasty calzone (though Liv wasn’t so hungry and didn’t eat anything).

Otherwise, nothing much to report.

Day 17 (Wednesday 16 July) - Andean Express

Up early for our 8.00am train to Puno on lake Titicaca.

Lots of screaming french kids in our carriage, and confusion over seats (our ‘table for two’ initially had us not at the same table…) but OK once we were off.

Lots of reading and card games and enjoyable views out the window.

We finally arrive at 6pm (after dark) and head for the hotel.  We booked a tour for the next day and had a disgusting meal of pizza.

Day 18 (Thursday 17 July) - Puno & Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is an interesting place. 

Our first stop were the fascinating floating islands of Uros where unbeliveably people actually live on reeds on the lake.  Very surreal.

We then headed on to Taquile (an actual island) and lunch.  We met some locals and even had a dance.  Walking up the hill was tough due to the altitude (4,000m or so - despite seemingly being at sea level!).

Liv was pooped in the evening, but we sorted out transport to Arequipa and a tour of the Colca Canyon.

Day 19 (Friday 18 July) - to Arequipa

We had the morning in Puno and got our coach to Arequipa at 3.00pm.  Very inefficient check-in system.

On arrival, we were met and taken to our hotel, the luxurious Casa Andina. 

Day 20 (Saturday 19 July) - Colca Canyon Day 1

Up early for the tour, driving up to 4,900m (!).  Lots of vicuñas, llamas and alpacas on the way.  Nice volcanic scenery.

We descended into Chivay where our hotel was.  Quick walk, then some hot springs which were ‘lush’.  Liv discovered she can swim.

Day 21 (Sunday 20 July) - Colca Canyon Day 2

Great morning, where we got to see nine or so giant condors in their native environment.  These really were big birds!  They flew very close and gave some (I hope) good photos.

The drive back was exhausting, but we hit Arequipa before sundown and started to think about our next steps and journey to Chile.

It turned out flights were expensive, with a cheapy leaving on Wednesday afternoon. After some debate we decided to pay the extra a booked a flight for the following day (Monday).

Day 11 (Thursday 10 July) - Sacred Valley

Up pretty early to head to the Sacerd Valley, our one-day stop en-route to the start of the Inca trail.

We got a public bus from Cuzco, which was pretty crowded - to the extent that we felt we were knicking the locals seats which was a bit unforunate.  We had a nice empanada for elevensies, then headed off the main road to a small school in the mountains.

The kids enjoyed us being there, but the teachers didn’t seem to quite know how to use us to help with the lessons, so it all felt slightly forced.  But the kids were fun.

After an hour, we met some local women who did weavings to earn a living.  I bought a traditional peruvian hat, a bargin at 10 soles (2 quid).

Lunch was a struggle.  A huge bowl of potato soup, followe by a huger plate of rice and vegetable stew.  It was hard to stomach either, so both went back far from empty.

We then headed back to Pisac (where we’d first left the public bus) and got another for one more hour.  We then had a minibus on to Ollantaytambo, a really nice old Incan town. Highlights included meeting (not eating) a LOT of guinea pigs, before dinner at a delicious restaurant which served, amongst other things, ‘The Best Burger Ever’ (it was, according to those who had it!). 

Day 12 (Friday 11 July) - Inca Trail Day 1

First thing, and we were off!

Except we weren’t, as our sleeping backs were still on their way from Cuzco.  Bobby the guide got in a rant.  Finally we drove off to km 82 and the start of the wark.  We had to sign in (with a different group due to an admin mix-up), accross a bridge and away we went.

Things were pretty flat to start with, at under 3,000m.  The first ruins were down below us at Llaqtapata and looked great.  We then started uphill for lunch at 3,000m or so where we were met by the porters clapping us!  Food was good!

The afternoon was harder, an uphill graft till camp 1 at 3,300m.  Slept pretty well after a beer and more nice food.

Day 13 (Saturday 12 July) - Inca Trail Day 2

The hardest day of the walk.  Up at 5.00am an straight onto a 900m assent to 4,200m.

We bought more water at 3,800m and could see the pass above us.  Going was tough due to the altitude.  Finally we got to the pass and realised… it wasn’t the pass, which was in fact still above us.  It then got really tough for the final stetch, but at about 9.30 we were there! 

The other side was easier on the longues, but just as tough on the legs.   Down 800m to 3,400m and lunch (couldn’t have tasted better!).

The afternoon, though lower and less long, was pretty hard work.  We passed by a set of ruins in a blur, then hit the second pass and descended to some more ruins by which point everyone was knackered.  We were there for a while, getting cold, but the place was interesting.  At last we hit the 20min walk through to camp 2.

Day 14 (Sunday 13 July) - Inca Trail Day 3

A much shorter day, we had a slight rise in the morning to the third pass, with the rest of the day dominate by a 1,000m descent to camp 3.  It wasn’t quite as bad as we’d feared. 

There was lots of interesting terracing, but we were mainly interested in reaching the bar and warm shower’s that greeted our arrival.

We had a final dinner & thanked the porters, before talknig ghost stories with Bobby, Ryan and Roishin and hitting the sack before the last night.

Day 15 (Monday 14 July) - Inca Trail Day 4

Up at 3.45am (!) for the short dash to the sungate!  I was feeling chirpy so sprinted ahead, managing to be the first there out of all groups!  Quite a sight - Machu Picchu clearly visible below us.

The group caught up, we took photos, and walked into the site itself.

Things had cleared up from overnight rain, and the weather was perfect blue sky.  It really helped give a magic feeling to the place - fascinating buildings and history with the most stunning of backdrops.  Hard to say more in words, so I won’t attempt to!

We then bussed down to Aguas Calientes and lunch, before a train back to Ollyantaytanbo and bus back our Cuzco hotel.   Tastiest dinner of the trip, followed by a sleep and a hard-won lie-in!

I’ve set myself two photo-related challenges for when I get back home

1. use iPhoto or some such to produce a hard-bound photo album of the trip (with the travel blog as text) and
2. write a Windows program (in Csharp I expect) to
   • produce thumbnails of the images
   • produce sql for databases to hold the image names & descriptions
   • produce sql statements to insert the particular photos into the database
   • produce PHP files for a choice of album, then thumbnail view of the album, then individual photos & descriptions
   • all with a nice UI

I don’t think either should be too tough, but we’ll see!