DEV Community: Phil Espinoza

Workflow Wednesday - Background Music

Phil Espinoza — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 03:57:16 +0000

Welcome back to Workflow Wednesday! In this installment I discuss BackgroundMusic, a MacOS volume control app.

The Problem

I often have various sounds going on in the background while working, such as notifications and music. Some applications, like Youtube or Spotify, offer app-specific volume control. Some apps, like Slack, aren't so convenient to control in this way.

If you're the type of person who enjoys listening to music or podcasts while working, it's critical to have a careful control over volume to avoid developing tinnitus over time. As a guitarist who used to spend the weekends on recklessly loud band practices back in high school, I'm always very careful to avoid making my tinnitus worse. However, this can be challenging when different apps offer different tools for volume control, or none at all. For example, I've often found myself being caught off guard by notifications going off at full volume because my music app was at reduced volume. As a long-time Windows user, I was used to having some kind of built-in system volume mixer functionality, so I knew there had to be something out there for MacOS.

The Solution

Background Music is a free, open-source MacOS app that provides an impressive array of audio-related functionality. My main point of interest is its mixer function: after installing Background Music, the user is able to individually control the volume for active apps, such as browsers, media players, and chat apps. There is also support built in for auto-pausing media players like Spotify or iTunes when another app plays audio, as well as for recording system audio.

As a huge fan of effective documentation, I want to point out how much I enjoyed reading through the app's README. Everything from features to setup is covered thoroughly, and not only does the author freely point out existing issues with the project but there's even a sizable, nicely organized list of other apps that offer similar functionality!

The Results

Using Background Music has been a breeze. I find myself frequently and effortlessly navigating up to the controls to make adjustments when the system volume control won't cut it. It was easy to set up, does exactly what it claims, and integrates seamlessly into my workflow.

One issue that I have come across is when trying to use Background Music with iTerm2. I'll have to do further investigating to see where the issue is coming from, but since I don't usually have much sound coming from iTerm2, it thankfully hasn't been a problem for me.

I generally keep system volume at a minimal level and then use Background Music to further adjust volumes on an app-specific basis, but it's also handy to be able to boost particular app volumes when the need arises. I feel at ease knowing I can adjust volumes to the exact levels that I want, and make sure I'm protecting my hearing. I don't record system audio or use auto-pause very often, but I do find the inclusionof these additional features to be a nice bonus.

Closing Remarks

I'd like to give out a sincere thanks to all the people who read and commented on my previous post, as well as to those who've followed me on dev.to. This series has already been helpful in many ways, from finding a way to connect with the dev community to more closely examining the tools I use and the way software tools are crafted. As always, if you have any recommendations or comments, please feel free to share! In the meantime, I'll be prepping for my next installment of Workflow Wednesday.

Workflow Wednesday - Spectacle

Phil Espinoza — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 04:02:15 +0000

I've spent a lot of time reading blogs, following users, watching videos, &c online, and have really come to appreciate the encouraging and collaborative atmosphere of the software world. As part of my ever-ongoing goal of improving my skills and understanding, and of finding ways to participate in and contribute back to the online community, I'm going to start with something I know and have a lot of interest in: productivity and workflow tools!

The Problem

A common situation while working on a computer is having to manage content and information on the screen. This can quickly become tedious and time-consuming, especially as the number of active windows increases or as a task spreads across multiple windows. Furthermore, minimizing repetitive actions and making a workspace more keyboard-friendly can be helpful in cases of injury or mobility limitations. Thankfully, there’s an excellent tool for this need.

The Solution

Spectacle is a free, open-source MacOS app that offers excellent window management features. This tool allows one to position and resize windows, as well as to change displays and undo or redo actions. What makes this really convenient is that each action is controlled by a customizable shortcut, allowing Spectacle to disappear into one’s workflow and offer simple and intuitive functionality.

My Spectacle config offers a natural and comfortable way to move windows around, without conflicting with shortcuts defined by other applications I use. All action shortcuts are based on the CTRL+OPT+CMD key combo, which is easy to remember and requires little strain on the left hand by using the 3 strongest fingers in an ergonomic position. For window positioning, I use a grid of keys based around the home row keys and the 3 strongest fingers, again in the interests of ergonomics and reducing strain. With the base key combo, the keys u o m . move the window to the top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right respectively; the keys i , j l move the window to the top half, bottom half, left half, and right half respectively; finally, the keys k h respectively move the window to the center of the screen and maximize the window.

My less common shortcuts wander outside of the home row setup, but follow the same idea of the base combo with an intuitive key. [ and ] perform next third and previous third, respectively; n and p perform next and previous display respectively; arrow up and arrow down perform size up and size down respectively; and z and y perform undo and redo respectively.

The Results

After 8 months of using Spectacle, I’ve come to really appreciate its consistency and effective simplicity, especially as a free and open-source application. Since figuring out a config that works for me, I’ve been able to manage windows quickly and effectively, saving a hefty amount of time and tedium that would’ve added up over almost a year. Not only that, but Spectacle even comes in handy during niche issues, such as if a mouse is momentarily unavailable.

Closing Remarks

I’ve heard of other similar tools such as Moom, so I’m interested in trying them out and seeing how they compare to Spectacle. If you have any favorite productivity tools or recommendations, please feel free to share! In the meantime, I'll be prepping for my next installment of Workflow Wednesday.

DEV Community: Phil Espinoza

Workflow Wednesday - Background Music

The Problem

The Solution

The Results

Closing Remarks

Further Reading

Workflow Wednesday - Spectacle

The Problem

The Solution

The Results

Closing Remarks

Further Reading