We need a programmer to develop a new Automated TICKET MAKER!

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...t=ticket+maker

I have used this one with great success.

While we're at it, we need a programmer to work with SuperTal to complete the final updates and bug fixes on MyPreMovie which automates slides, trailers, and custom intros for the Pre-show movie experience.

Anyone up for that too?

Instead of excel couldn't you just use open office? It's free.....

What does an automated ticket maker have to do? I haven't looked at the Excel based one - I'll look later tonight. I'm assuming a GUI based app?

I'm willing to work on it - just need some ideas on requirements. I'd prefer working in Java then it wouldn't be tied to an OS.

Wow! Did you do that with the Excel version of the program?

ND23 did that I think. He used to do them for others.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...highlight=nd23

Nah, that was BugMan72's creation. Very inspiring!

Spent some time thinking about this and I have a plan of attack. It will be Free Software written in Java (so you will need to install Java first). Not sure how long it will take but I'll try to get a real start on it this weekend.

I'll let you all know when there is something to play with.

Thanks for taking this on!

Just wanted to let everyone know I have made some progress. Still LOTS to do but I wanted to post a couple of screen shots so you can get an idea of what I had in mind for the program.

The first one shows the UI with what I call a "raw" ticket. Since the layout is inspired by bugman72's ticket, I call it a Bugman Ticket "style". Here you see it totally unedited.

The second screenshot shows an edited ticket by using the UI for a specific movie. As you can see most things are customizable. What is customizable is defined by the "ticket style". I figure on making enough "styles" to keep everyone happy. These ticket styles are "plugins" so they can be easily added to the program in the future. I would guesstimate a couple of hours of work to make a new ticket style.

Still not sure when I'll have a releasable version that is usable by you all. Still lots to do like I said. I'll keep you updated.

kewl!

Looks good... thanks for the effort!

If you need any java-on-Win7 testing, let me know.

-sc

What about adding the option to include the DVD cover graphic like the Excel version

Yes that can be done. That would be a second "ticket style".

The plan is to allow search/image download from themoviedb.org. I haven't written the code to access themoviedb.org yet but I have received an API key giving access to their images. Adding that functionality is one of the "LOTS" of stuff left to do! The Wizard of Oz image I used above is from themoviedb.org.

This looks very promising. Thanks for doing this, djb61230.

How hard would it be to add a "custom style" ticket to fit ticket stock with the stub pre-perfed? Or any ticket stock you can buy? You know, like createing a custom size paper in the printer options?

Mr Logan: You remind me of a question I wanted to ask everyone. If you used the excel version, how did you print it from there? Was there a way to print many tickets on a page? What paper did you use?

The other day I stopped by Staples to see if they had "ticket stock". They didn't but I hadn't taken the time to see if it was available online somewhere. Do you think it is?

scaesare: Definitely can use your testing on win7. I run Ubuntu and have XP in a virtual box so I can test there. Also could use a Mac tester at some point.

I have to say that I have some questions about the printing functionality. Java is very cross-platform but if I'm to run into an issue, it would be printing. Then again the "ticket" ends up as just an Image so it seems like there shouldn't be too much of a problem. In the next day or so I'm going to add "Export to an Image File" function and just use the system tools to print out the image to get an idea on the quality. Hopefully it will be good.

It's been a while since I used the excel version (and I was the one working on a Word version) but if I remember...

The excel version printed 5 tickets per page. There was really no ability to alter the size of the ticket. I just printed on card stock and cut them out. I had a fancy rotary cutter with a perf blade and I could perf the stub portion.

I found ticket stock under the Office Depot brand, but haven't looked lately so don't know if it is still available. Those tickets had a perf'ed stub, but were also prenumbered. So I figured I could just print on the "back" of the ticket. The problem is that that ticket stock has different dimensions than what the excel was printing. When I was working on the Word version I just tried to create a page definition and a table to fit the ticket stock. Liek when you apply a "paper type" from Avery. I was using VBA to create a means (maybe it was macro, I forget) to specify all the same things as the excel version.

It's no big deal if it's too hard, I just thought that maybe in JAVA it would be easier to define the ticket size and then apply the text and images to that defined size. I've had SOME JAVA training, but I've been in the software biz long enouhg to know that the things that "seem" the easiest are usually the hardest.

Thanks for working on this.

I checked and found those forms at OfficeDepot. Unfortunately they are out of stock when I went to buy some. So for now I'll concentrate printing on Letter size sheets where we will have to manually cut them. But supporting these forms (or others we find) will be the long-term plan.

i would write it in C# so it's a windows program, hate java

These look great--thanks again!

Well we are even then because I hate windows.

Anyway...work continues.

1) I have the "editing" done, or at least good enough for a first release (when it happens). The last thing added was a "transparency slider" for all the items on the ticket.

2) Started working with printing. I've been writing Java code for 12 years now and printing is something I haven't dealt with much. And Java printing has changed a lot over the years. I was able to figure out enough to print out a page of tickets. Six tickets on a page. Attached is an picture of a printout. Printing still needs work.

What do you all think of the size of the ticket? What size is desirable? These measure 4 5/8 x 1 5/8. I think they are a tad small as they look they are getting scaled down a bit. Impossible to see on the image you have though, but I see it with my eyeballs here at my desk.

Major functionality left:

1) Saving a "project".
2) Loading previously saved project.
3) User Settings - so things like Theater name get pre-filled in.
4) More work on printing
5) Integrate themoviedb.org. Right now you can use your browser to grab images and then load them on your ticket. Be nicer to just all be in the program.
6) More ticket styles
7) Support ticket forms like the one from Office Depot.

I think I have to accomplish the first 4 tasks before having you guys bang on it.

If you need more testing, let me know. I have Windows 7 here... Otherwise, looks great. Might want to have the tickets start printing a little lower on the page... some printers do not like the edges. :-)