a4-jchengz-justin-cheng

README.md

@@ -1,72 +1,48 @@
-Assignment 4 - Creative Coding: Interactive Multimedia Experiences
-===
-
-Due: September 27th, by 11:59 PM.
-
-For this assignment we will focus on client-side development using popular audio/graphics/visualization technologies; the server requirements are minimal. The goal of this assignment is to refine our JavaScript knowledge while exploring the multimedia capabilities of the browser.
-
-Baseline Requirements
+Readme
 ---
 
-Your application is required to implement the following functionalities:
+## AudiViz - A digital audio visualizer
 
-- A server created using Express (you can also use an alternative server framework such as Koa) for basic file delivery and middleware. Your middleware stack should include the `compression` and `helmet` [middlewares]((https://expressjs.com/en/resources/middleware.html)) by default. You are not required to use Glitch for this assignment (but using Glitch is fine!); [Heroku](https://www.heroku.com) is another excellent option to explore. The course staff can't be resposible for helping with all other hosting options outside of Glitch, but some of us do have experience with other systems. It also never hurts to ask on Slack, as there's 99 other classmates who might have the experience you're looking for!
-- A client-side interactive experience using at least one of the web technologies frameworks we discussed in class over the past week.
-  - [Three.js](https://threejs.org/): A library for 3D graphics / VR experiences
-  - [D3.js](https://d3js.org): A library that is primarily used for interactive data visualizations
-  - [Canvas](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Canvas_API): A 2D raster drawing API included in all modern browsers
-  - [SVG](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Canvas_API): A 2D vector drawing framework that enables shapes to be defined via XML.
-  - [Web Audio API](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Web_Audio_API): An API for audio synthesis, analysis, processing, and file playback.
-- A user interface for interaction with your project, which must expose at least six parameters for user control. [dat.gui](https://workshop.chromeexperiments.com/examples/gui/#1--Basic-Usage) is highly recommended for this. You might also explore interaction by tracking mouse movement via the `window.onmousemove` event handler in tandem with the `event.clientX` and `event.clientY` properties. Consider using the [Pointer Events API](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Pointer_events) to ensure that that mouse and touch events will both be supported in your app.
-- Your application should display basic documentation for the user interface when the application first loads. This documentation should be dismissable, however, users should be able to redisplay it via either a help buton (this could, for example, be inside a dat.gui interface) or via a keyboard shortcut (commonly the question mark).
-- Your application should feature at least two different ES6 modules that you write ([read about ES6 modules](https://www.sitepoint.com/understanding-es6-modules/)) and include into a main JavaScript file. This means that you will need to author *at least three JavaScript files* (a `app.js` or `main.js` file and two modules). We'll discuss modules in class on Monday 9/23; for this assignment modules should contain at least two functions.
-- You are required to use a linter for your JavaScript. There are plugins for most IDEs, however it will be difficult to run the linter directly in Glitch. If you haven't moved to developing on your personal laptop and then uploading to Glitch when your project is completed, this is the assignment to do so!
-- Your HTML and CSS should validate. There are options/plugins for most IDEs to check validation.
+Link: https://a4-jchengz.glitch.me/
 
-The interactive experience should possess a reasonable level of complexity. Some examples:
-### Three.js
-- A generative algorithm creates simple agents that move through a virtual world. Your interface controls the behavior / appearance of these agents.
-- A simple 3D game
-- An 3D audio visualization of a song of your choosing. User interaction should control aspects of the visualization. 
-### Canvas
-- Implement a generative algorithm such as [Conway's Game of Life](https://bitstorm.org/gameoflife/) (or 1D cellular automata) and provide interactive controls. Note that the Game of Life has been created by 100s of people using <canvas>; we'll be checking to ensure that your implementation is not a copy of these.
-- Design a 2D audio visualizer of a song of your choosing. User interaction should control visual aspects of the experience. 
-### Web Audio API
-- Create a screen-based musical instrument using the Web Audio API. You can use projects such as [Interface.js](http://charlie-roberts.com/interface/) or [Nexus UI](https://nexus-js.github.io/ui/api/#Piano) to provide common musical interface elements, or use dat.GUI in combination with mouse/touch events (use the Pointer Events API). Your GUI should enable users to control aspects of sound synthesis.
-### D3.js
-- Create visualizations using the datasets found at [Awesome JSON Datasets](https://github.com/jdorfman/Awesome-JSON-Datasets). Experiment with providing different visualizations of the same data set, and providing users interactive control over visualization parameters and/or data filtering. Alternatively, create a single visualization with using one of the more complicated techniques shown at [d3js.org](d3js.org) and provide meaningful points of interaction for users.
+The application I built is an audio visualizer. I was inspired to create the visualizer with two concentric rings of rotating cubes, where the rings are 
+rotating in opposite directions for effect. There are three songs included: techno, musician, and pop. There is a feature to upload an MP3 file. **For best quality, use Microsoft Edge or Chrome and set the browser window to full screen and do not have the console open until after the page has loaded**
 
-Deliverables
----
-
-Do the following to complete this assignment:
+Controls for the user: 
+Menu: 
+- Play => Play audio
+- Pause => Pause audio
+- Reset => Set audio to play from start
+- Choose File => Click to upload MP3 file locally
 
-1. Implement your project with the above requirements.
-3. Test your project to make sure that when someone goes to your main page on Glitch/Heroku/etc., it displays correctly.
-4. Ensure that your project has the proper naming scheme `a4-yourname` so we can find it.
-5. Fork this repository and modify the README to the specifications below. *NOTE: If you don't use Glitch for hosting (where we can see the files) then you must include all project files that you author in your repo for this assignment*.
-6. Create and submit a Pull Request to the original repo. Name the pull request using the following template: `a4-gitname-firstname-lastname`.
+Dat.Gui:
+- cameraX => change the x position of the camera
+- cameraY => change the y position of the camera
+- cameraZ => change the z position of the camera
+- colorOuterRing => change the color of the blocks in the outer ring
+- colorInnerRing => change the color of the blocks in the inner ring
+- colorIcosahedron => change the color of the icosohedron (geometry in the center)
 
-Sample Readme (delete the above when you're ready to submit, and modify the below so with your links and descriptions)
----
 
-## Your Web Application Title
-
-your hosting link e.g. http://a4-charlieroberts.glitch.me
-
-Include a very brief summary of your project here. Images are encouraged, along with concise, high-level text. Be sure to include:
-
-- the goal of the application
-- challenges you faced in realizing the application
-- a brief description of the JS linter you used and what rules it follows (we'll be looking at your JS files for consistency)
+I had a lot of difficulty coming up with original ideas and ideas that would address all of the requirements of this project, yet also be a feasible project for me
+to complete with the allotted time. In particular, I had a lot of difficulting with the modularization of js files, as well as "installing" a linter. I searched for an online 
+JS linter and found JSHint:https://jshint.com/. Details on the specifics of the rules followed by this linter can be found at: https://jshint.com/docs/ , 
+but the linter checked for presence of semicolons, double quotes, and flagged extra spaces (spaces between and after lines) as well as proper selective importing. Additionally,
+this linter also checked for unused resources, improper construction of objects, as well as flagging for ES versions. Camel Case was accounted for externally. 
+One of the most difficult technical challenges was getting the cubes to rotate and appear as they do, as well as figuring out how to get the camera to be properly placed
+with the correct field of view. It's not perfect but it does the job. Similarly, it took a lot of time to figure out how to properly read a mp3 file in. I found an implemented 
+a solution that allowed me to be play the audio as well as process the frequency to be used for the animations. 
+**As a headsup: After having two other students test the application, it has come to my attention that for one student it worked on Chrome (after not working initially) and for the other student it worked on Edge. Of course for me and only me, it worked on both. As such, if you (TA/Prof) are experiencing similar troubles, please check between browsers as I literally have no idea how to fix this.**
 
 ## Technical Achievements
-- **Tech Achievement 1**: I wrote my own custom GLSL shaders to use as a material for my Three.js objects.
-- **Tech Achievement 2**: My audiovisualizer uses both FFT and amplitude analysis to drive visualization.
-- **Tech Achievement 3**: I optimized the efficiency of my reaction-diffusion algorithm by...
-- **Tech Achievement 4**: I visualized the dataset X using three different visualization technqiues provided by D3, andprovided
+- **Tech Achievement 1**: Orbital Controls enable the use of clicking and dragging to change view.
+- **Tech Achievement 2**: Three.js 3D shapes controlled by audio frequency
+- **Tech Achievement 3**: MP3 File uploading & data processing (to be analysed by the analyser)
+
 
 ### Design/Evaluation Achievements
-- **Design Achievement 1**: I ensured that my application would run on both desktops / mobile devices by changing X
-- **Design Achievement 2**: I followed best practices for accessibility, including providing alt attributes for images and using semantic HTML. There are no `<div>` or `<span>` elements in my document.
-- **Design Achievement 3**: We tested the application with n=X users, finding that...
+- **Design Achievement 1**: Bootstrap for styling buttons and formatting buttons + dropdown menu.
+- **Design Achievement 2**: Cross-browser utilization for popular browers like Chrome & Edge
+- **Design Achievement 3**: Play, Pause, and reset for music (with multiple music options) and gemoetry shading features.
+- **Design Achievement 4**: Application testing by two students (validation for Chrome & Edge, one each)
+