New TwoToneDetect in the works - Python based

[aaknitt]

Hi all,

I've started work on a ground-up rewrite of my TwoToneDetect software (website of existing program and forum thread) using the Python language instead of the LabView language that it was originally written in. I'm doing this to make the code more accessible to other developers out there, as Python development doesn't require any expensive tools or programs. I'm also hoping this new version will be more stable (not crash every few days), although that remains to be seen. Finally, the new version handles stacked pages, which is something I know a lot of people really wanted. Development of this new version is still in its infancy, but I'm looking for a few people to start testing it. If you have experience with Python programming, all the better. Right now the basic functionality is there but it's really bare-bones, with no real GUI to speak of. Here's a snapshot of my "to do" list:

Supported Features

• QuickCall2 format decoding
• Stacked page handling
• Email as mp3
• Configurable record time
• Configurable email
• Configurable tone tolerance

Features still to add

• Send to multiple email addresses
• Add time of detection to email subject
• Long tone support
• Selectable sound card for recording, playback
• Playback while recording after tone detection
• Configurable audio file directory
• Configurable squelch threshold
• Level meter
• Record delay
• Exclude email during certain time of day
• Scanner HOLD/SCAN control via serial port
• GUI
• Tone offset
• Tone set detection display or log
• Status on GUI

Once the program is a little further developed I'll create a new page on my website for it with instructions, etc. In the meantime, an zip file that has the EXE version of the program can be downloaded from SourceForge here:

Once you download the zip file, extract it and read the README.txt file for instructions on how to get the program configured and operating. Once I get a little more familiar with SourceForge, I'll also post the source code there so others can add features or make improvements. This is my first experience with Python, so development may be a little rough, but hopefully we'll end up with an improved version of the program. I've got a lot on my plate right now, so development might also be slow, but I wanted to get something released so people can start playing around with it and get some feedback in the pipe.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Regards,

Andy

[aliby19]

Hi Andy,

Great to hear! I will be more than happy to test (and do have some limited python experience), so whatever I can do to help, just let me know!

Thanks!

[aaknitt]

For now, I'd say download it and see if you can get it working. If it runs ok, try letting it run for several days and let me know if any issues pop up.

Thanks,

Andy

[aaknitt]

I just uploaded a new version to SourceForge (what I'm calling version 40). The zip file contains both the EXE and the Python source code. Here's the link to get it. Here's a list of what's in this version:

Supported Features
- QuickCall2 format decoding
- Email as mp3
- Configurable record time
- Configurable email
- Configurable tone tolerance
- Send to multiple email addresses
- Selectable sound card for recording
- Selectable sound card for playback
- Record delay
- Add time of detection to email subject
- Playback while recording after tone detection
- Long tone support
- Configurable squelch threshold

Features still to add
- Configurable audio file directory
- Level meter
- Exclude email during certain time of day
- Scanner HOLD/SCAN control via serial port
- GUI
- Tone offset
- Tone set detection display or log
- Status on GUI

I've had it running for a day without any issues so far. Anyone else have any feedback yet?

Thanks,

Andy

[asmith136]

I tried the new Two Tone 40 but I am unable to get the program to run. Every time I open it it just keeps closing. When I use the Two Tone 30 it works fine. Is there a problem with the new one or am I missing something in the set up. I used the same setting for both.

[aaknitt]

Try opening a command prompt window and running the program from there (as opposed to just double clicking on the EXE file). That way if it spits out an error you'll be able to see what it is. If it does give you an error message, let me know what it is.

Thanks,

Andy

[aaknitt]

Also, just so you're aware, a few new items have been added to the config file from v30 to v40, so if you're trying to use the same config file that you downloaded with v30 that may give you some problems. Just open the v40 config file to see what new lines are, and copy those over to your v30 config file to avoid re-entering all of the info.

Andy

[Jay911]

I get home from vacation tomorrow afternoon. I have 0.21/0.24/0.25 chugging away on my home PC right now. I'll try to download 40 and give it a shot when I get back.

Any thoughts on whether this will perform any better/worse than the above, on Windows 7 and/or Windows 98 or XP?

[johnmac]

I had no luck with the first version. A cmd window opened and various numbers just scrolled forever.

Will give the new version a try tomorrow..

[aaknitt]

Originally Posted by johnmac

I had no luck with the first version. A cmd window opened and various numbers just scrolled forever.

Will give the new version a try tomorrow..

Sounds like it may have been grabbing sound from the wrong sound card. In the first version it only used the default sound card. In the new version you can select which card to use.

I'm having some issues with the program crashing and causing a restart, trying to figure out if it's the sound card I'm using (which I've had similar issues with in the past) or the program.

Andy

[asmith136]

Ok I tried to open the new program in the command prompt and get an error her it is.

Traceback<most recent call last>:
File "<string>" , line 61 , in <module>
File "E:\Python\build\pyi.win32\TwoTone4\out PYZI.pyz/configParser" , line 322 , in get
configPasher. nosectionError: no section: ' section 1 '

[aaknitt]

Originally Posted by asmith136

Ok I tried to open the new program in the command prompt and get an error her it is.

Traceback<most recent call last>:
File "<string>" , line 61 , in <module>
File "E:\Python\build\pyi.win32\TwoTone4\out PYZI.pyz/configParser" , line 322 , in get
configPasher. nosectionError: no section: ' section 1 '

Ok that means it's not finding the config file info. Make sure that the config.cfg file is in the same directory as the program. If it is, make sure the first line of the config file is: [Section 1]


Andy

[aaknitt]

Originally Posted by aaknitt

Ok that means it's not finding the config file info. Make sure that the config.cfg file is in the same directory as the program. If it is, make sure the first line of the config file is: [Section 1]

Aha! I just looked at the contents of the .zip file that got uploaded and I realized I forgot to rename the two config files before zipping them. Rename sampleconfig.cfg to config.cfg and rename sampletones.cfg to tones.cfg

That should do the trick. Sorry about the oversight, I'll upload a new .zip file with corrected filenames.

Andy

[asmith136]

That worked. Thanks

[Forts]

I just gave the new version a try... When it starts up all I get is a box that I can select my audio input and output devices with. And an Exit button at the bottom. Don't seem to see anything else at all....

[aaknitt]

Originally Posted by Forts

I just gave the new version a try... When it starts up all I get is a box that I can select my audio input and output devices with. And an Exit button at the bottom. Don't seem to see anything else at all....

Yep, that's about all you'll get right now until the GUI is better developed. It should still be functional though as long as you have the config.cfg and tones.cfg files set up properly. Read the README.TXT file for more info.

Andy

[johnmac]

I have mine downloaded and set-up. Changed my sound card OK and updated the config files. Now just waiting for some activity. Will report back as soon as I get some activity, also converted my email password with no problem.

[Forts]

Originally Posted by aaknitt

Yep, that's about all you'll get right now until the GUI is better developed. It should still be functional though as long as you have the config.cfg and tones.cfg files set up properly. Read the README.TXT file for more info.

Andy

Ahhhh ok! I was expecting something along the lines of the older version. Thanks!

[aaknitt]

You can do a limited check on functionality by unsquelching the scanner. You should then see some "random" numbers being displayed above the buttons on the GUI. What's being displayed is the most dominant frequency in the signal, but this only shows up when the audio level exceeds a certain level (as set in the config file).

Andy

[aaknitt]

For those doing testing, let me know if you get any double detections of the same page. I've had this occur a couple times but I haven't sat down to troubleshoot it yet. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the stacked page handling, and it's not a huge problem, but it is a bug. I end up getting two emails for the same page sometimes, but not always.

Thanks,

Andy