AIM - Version 2.0 changes

AIM - Automatic Image Manipulator Version 1.0 is written in C++. We now? a new version (Version 2.0) with some changes and minor additional features. We require assistance to produce our Version 2.0 release of the product. ## Deliverables *BackGround We have some servers that our staff put photos onto. These photos are too big and only need to have a maximum size of 800x600 dpi. Getting users to re-size the images themselves does not work. They are too lazy and often put photos that are 5Mb and larger on the server. We created a Windows service Called "AIM" that can be started on Windows machines that continually watches for the addition/creation of image files. When the service sees a new image file, it will reduce the size of the image straight away automatically to a size set by the user. The service and general name of the program is “AIM?? for Automatic Image Manipulator. Platform: BASIC COMPONENTS OF AIM AIM has 3 main parts: 1. INSTALLER - an installer for the project that creates the service and install the application gui 2. GUI - a gui with forms for setting various settings that the service will use 3. SERVICE - the Windows service itself. (The service and GUI should be able to be installed on Windows XP Pro, Vista (all versions), Windows 2003 Server, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008) *V1.0 was created by a programmer in Russia called Rostovsoft who responded to Lyndons post on "[[login to view URL]":[login to view URL]][1]. The V1.0 documentation and original code can be found on Lyndons Rent-A-Coder login.* Before doing any work on this project you will need to install a copy of the program and experiment with how it works. I can provide a License key for your computer. THINGS WE NEED CHANGED FOR VERSION 2.0 of "AIM" * We want 2 versions of AIM - a "Business Edition" and a "Professional Edition" Currently the software does a lot of things. We want a basic version that we will call "Business Edition". Business Edition will allow a user to create folders that AIM will watch. What we need removed from the current version is any features in addition to this. This includes the "contect" feature that actually changes the size of photos based on the "-w" included in a folders name. If you read the "Help" file you will understand what I mean. The "Professional Edition" will retain this feature as well as include some new features that you will see below. * Profile default location issue The problem is as follows: AIM runs as a service. When AIM is installed on a machine were user profiles are located in the default location of c:\documents and settings then AIM service operates correctly. If profiles are stored in an alternate location then the AIM service will start but will not change any files. The location of where profiles are stored on the operating system volumes is determined by a registry entry: "My_Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList" Name: ProfilesDirectory Type: REG_EXPAND_SZ Data: c:\documents and settings If this is changed to : Data: p:\documents and settings then AIM service does not change image files. I can provide access to servers where this is a problem to help fix the problem. I believe the problem is easily solved if the AIM software takes into account the value of the registry key - "ProfilesDirectory". * Folders that AIM watchers should be called "Root Folders" * If a sub-folder of a root-folder has the "-w" (Professional Edition) switch attached to the end of the folders name without stating any width size, AIM changes the photos to 120 dpi instead of the default dpi set for the root folder * "About" button needs to contain links to the AIM website and show relevant contact details etc. * To protect the host computer that AIM is installed on, key folders essential to the stability of the host operating system (and their sub-folders) can not be created as Root-Folders in the AIM GUI - example would be the System directory - this can be found at the cmd prompt by typing %windir% - the "c:\Program Files" should also be excluded as being a root folder. The root of the Boot Volume should also be excluded and not allowed. The "Profiles" directory and its sub-folders should also be excluded (eg: c:\documents and settings) * Professional Mode (Professional Edition only) - a Root-Folder will have a new option created for it called "Professional Mode" (select bu a tick box - maybe!?) - in this mode the Root-Folder and its sub-folders becomes aware of folder renaming and as soon as a folder is renamed that has had a change of the "-w" switch then those changes are effected instantly. In addition if you add SF to the switch (eg: -wsf 150) then the subfolders of the changed folder also inherit the settings otherwise those sub-folders maintain the root-folder default setting * (Professional Edition) System-Wide context menu settings - you should be able to right click on a folder or file in windows explorer and select the AIM entry which expand and gives you an option of widths and qualities. If the object is a folder then any of these global settngs that has the "SF: sub Folder" button active for a setting will show up as being available for selection SO in the AIM GUI there should be a new section for this to define the system wide settings avilable. Create a new setting Set the width (dpi) eg: 640 Set the quality with the slider: 75% Set Sub-Folders should be processed: Yes When you right click on a folder for instance then you will see AIM - W640,Q75%,SubFolders(Yes) * Quality slider - should show in percentages as the measurement metric with a picture that shows the change in quality to the user as a guide as to how much the quality will be changed * Pimp the Interface - I want the application to look awesome - at the moment it looks very plain and boring. I would like a better control system for Starting and Stopping the AIM service. I want better window forms and fonts to be used. I want the inclusion of the AIM logo. see <[login to view URL]> for the logo * Assist with any improvements or bug fixes including re-affirming the licensing algorithm we use and the License Key generator (in both GUI and Console modes) * I see this program having additions and features added to it in the future so whoever takes on this project must commit to be available in the future to do more work on the project