BlockZ - Bitcoin Block and Price Announcer [Overlay, Tray Icon]

[LsHallo]

BlockZ - Bitcoin Block and Price Announcer



What is the Bitcoin Block and Price Announcer?

• It's a lightweight java application, that runs in the background and notifies you if a new bitcoin block is found or the price dropped below a user specified limit.
• It features a tray icon in the windows tray that has popup notifications for the price and when a new block has been found.
  
• It also  features an overlay display that is show if you klick on a little rectangle in the middle of your upper screen.
  Hovering the rectangle brings up a red identifier:
  
  
  If you click and hold the rectangle, the overlay window appears:
  

(The connection error is the fault of the outage of blockexplorer.com. I may implement a backup api soon.)

• It also features a transaction viewer:
  
  
• You are able to customize nearly everything
  
  
  

The application uses the blockexplorer.com API.
The block status is checked every minute by default, to not abuse the api from blockexplorer. You can customize this time to fit your needs.

Please note, that the application is still in development!

--Translation--
!If you want to help the project and translate it to your native language click this link: Crowdin Project Page!


Download

• Version Alpha V1.5.1
  Dropbox
  Google Drive
• Version Beta V1.4.2
  Dropbox
  Google Drive
• Version Beta V1.4.1
  Dropbox
  Google Drive
• Version Beta V1.4
  Dropbox
  Google Drive
• Version Beta V1.3
  Dropbox
  Google Drive
• Version Beta V1.2
  Dropbox
  Google Drive

Changelog

V1.5.1 Alpha

• Added the ability to save your settings.
• Improved some of the API code to improve speed
• Redone all windows/interfaces, but i'm not satisifed!

[avatar_kiyoshi]

Nice project.
so, the application can notice bitcoin price too?

Where the link which can download this application?

[LsHallo]

Nice project.
so, the application can notice bitcoin price too?

Where the link which can download this application?

I want to add the feature of displaying the bitcoin price. It's not added yet. The app is still in development. But if you want i can send you a pm with the download link and you say what you think about the application.

[LsHallo]

I made some progress today! I added a menu to select some features and added the bitcoin price to the overlay display.





Notice, that the Overlay is gone in the second image!

I also added a button to exit the program in an easy way.

Now i'm working on the alert, if the bitcoin price drops/rises x dollars in y minutes.
Looking forward to your feedback.

[avatar_kiyoshi]

Interested, can you give me an application? or maybe share with us here.

For bitcoin price notification, from where you use a bitcoin price? bitstamp? or what?

[LsHallo]

Interested, can you give me an application? or maybe share with us here.

For bitcoin price notification, from where you use a bitcoin price? bitstamp? or what?

I am using the Coindesk API, because it was the first i found, i could use in my program. At the moment i don't want to spread my program, because it's still in development. I'm giving it to some people for bug testing purposes. Also some variables are not relative so the tray icon image won't load at your computer.

[unhappyuser]

I am do not know where from Google receives Bitcoin USD price but you can get this value there:

https://www.google.com/finance/converter?a=1&from=BTC&to=USD

Maybe this helps a bit.

[LsHallo]

I am do not know where from Google receives Bitcoin USD price but you can get this value there:

https://www.google.com/finance/converter?a=1&from=BTC&to=USD

Maybe this helps a bit.

I already implemented that feature. I prefer using an api to get the numbers. You found a website it's hard to extract the numbers from there. Amd i think coindesk is a reliabke place to get a proper bitcoin price.

[unhappyuser]

I already implemented that feature. I prefer using an api to get the numbers. You found a website it's hard to extract the numbers from there. Amd i think coindesk is a reliabke place to get a proper bitcoin price.

Yes, you are right. You also can get prices from a different places. Have a nice day!

[Mitchell]

Drop blockchain.info and get a more reliable service, as Blockchain.info quite goes offline/misses blocks/lags/etc. Also, if you want a good price API, use BitcoinAverage, instead of using the price of one exchange.

[LsHallo]

Drop blockchain.info and get a more reliable service, as Blockchain.info quite goes offline/misses blocks/lags/etc. Also, if you want a good price API, use BitcoinAverage, instead of using the price of one exchange.

I'm not using blockchain.info at all. Yes i thought about BitcoinAverage aswell. But at first i wanted to have the program running and then edit some details to get the best out of it. Actually i'm working on a way to save the settings if you restart the program.

[Mitchell]

Drop blockchain.info and get a more reliable service, as Blockchain.info quite goes offline/misses blocks/lags/etc. Also, if you want a good price API, use BitcoinAverage, instead of using the price of one exchange.

I'm not using blockchain.info at all. Yes i thought about BitcoinAverage aswell. But at first i wanted to have the program running and then edit some details to get the best out of it. Actually i'm working on a way to save the settings if you restart the program.

Oh whoops. I read blockexplorer.com as blockchain.info. No idea how that happened. Nevermind my comment about that then. And that sounds awesome. Good luck!

[KimNam]

Have you ever wanted to know, when a new block is found?


Here is the solution:

(I'm not into image editing, don't blame me )

The application is written in Java. As far as i gotten it features a little transparent display in the upper left corner and a tray icon. If a block is found a red text appears in the transparent window and the tray icon has a notification about it.



The application uses the blockexplorer.com API.
The block status is checked every minute, to not abuse the api from blockexplorer.

I want to implement more features and i'm hoping for your feedback:

• Options (disable the transparent window, diable the notifications)
• Sound notifications if a block is found
• Notification if the bitcoin price drops by x amount of dollar (in y amount of time).
• Option to close the application other than via the taskmanager
• Your idea here...

Tell me your thougts about it and wheter you would download it and use it or not.

assuming source code will be provided.  correct?

[LsHallo]

Have you ever wanted to know, when a new block is found?


Here is the solution:

(I'm not into image editing, don't blame me )

The application is written in Java. As far as i gotten it features a little transparent display in the upper left corner and a tray icon. If a block is found a red text appears in the transparent window and the tray icon has a notification about it.



The application uses the blockexplorer.com API.
The block status is checked every minute, to not abuse the api from blockexplorer.

I want to implement more features and i'm hoping for your feedback:

• Options (disable the transparent window, diable the notifications)
• Sound notifications if a block is found
• Notification if the bitcoin price drops by x amount of dollar (in y amount of time).
• Option to close the application other than via the taskmanager
• Your idea here...

Tell me your thougts about it and wheter you would download it and use it or not.

assuming source code will be provided.  correct?

Sure i don't want to spread viruses. Maybe i'll make it open Source.

[LsHallo]

Currently i'm working on a efficient way to save the settings... Or is that unnecessary for you?

If not, please answer this questions: Where should the settings be saved? (AppData, Folder of the jar?)

How should the alarm system for the bitcoin price work? Fully variable price or some radio buttons to choose?
Or maybe another way to set a specific price and get a notification if the price is below the certain price?

[LsHallo]

Pretty sweet will keep my eye on this on

Could you tell me your expectations of the software? So  i can make it even better for you...

[LsHallo]

I'm not able to make any progress in the program for the next 2 weeks. But i want you to share all of your ideas so the program is going to be the one, that you want. The more ideas you provide, the better the program is going to fit your needs.

I'll upload the program with source code tomorrow. Do you can try it out amd get a better view of what is missing or if there are some bugs.

[LsHallo]

Nice.
I think you should find a way to monetize it so you can make some money dude. Every while you could have the block feed or price feed popups display a text advertisement from bitcoin related sites for example possibly. And when someone clicks on the ads it takes them to the ad makers site. You could charge the ad makers on a per-click bases.

Here are some suggestions:

Would be cool if there was an option for the program to start when the computer starts.

If you enter a transaction ID in it, it tells you the status of the transaction and the amount of the transaction.(Amount and Confirmed, Unconfirmed 0/3, Unconfirmed 1/3, or Unconfirmed 2/3)
If you enter a bitcoin address in it, it tells you the status of the latest transaction coming to/from that address and the amount of the transaction.(Amount and Confirmed, Unconfirmed 0/3, Unconfirmed 1/3, or Unconfirmed 2/3)

Settings people make for the program should definitely be stored somewhere and used every time the app starts. A button to reset the setting to the default settings should also be available.

Options to choose where the program gets its price feed from. Having many options for that is better.
Some people like to get their price feed from Huobi in CNY. others might like to get it from Bitstamp in USD for example.
Double clicking or clicking(?) on the popup that says the price should take them to a live price chart where they can see history, for example it could take them to a bitcoinwisdom.com chart.

Wow amazing ideas. I defenately going to add them. Making money of a program where the source code is provided is difficult. I thought about a donation button and a maybe a way to download the program via satoshibox or another(better) way.

[Indianacoin]

Op, this is the best idea and it must get implemented soon
BTW, in my opinion,  it would be best if you add the bitcoin price announcer alongwith the block announcer. This would help the active traders to become aware of the current bitcoin price, live on his dashboard so that no one will have to waste his time on exchange sites rather than missing his trade opportunities!

Also users will be able to set a sound notification which will alarm him as soon as the price increases or decreases accordingly.
BTW, all the best for your work

[LsHallo]

Op, this is the best idea and it must get implemented soon
BTW, in my opinion,  it would be best if you add the bitcoin price announcer alongwith the block announcer. This would help the active traders to become aware of the current bitcoin price, live on his dashboard so that no one will have to waste his time on exchange sites rather than missing his trade opportunities!

Also users will be able to set a sound notification which will alarm him as soon as the price increases or decreases accordingly.
BTW, all the best for your work

I started over again because the old code got too messy. I'm right now implementing the exchanges and i'm adding some more options to choose. A damn text field isn't going to work in any way... I have to figure out a solution in the next days.


Keep on the good ideas! I'm trying as much as possible to get it into the program.


Current status:
-2 Exchanges: BitcoinAverage(EUR,GBP,USD,CNY,AUD,...) and CoinDesk(EUR,GBP,USD)
(The huobi api is to hard for me to get it running. Sorry for that.)
-Onscreen display is total or patial disableable (Checkboxes)
-Price check every minute at selected exchange with chosen currency. (Price alert to be re-implemented; already working)
-Display the last block time (to clarify: the time used to mine the block; not when it was created)
-Display the current block's age in minutes

To be implemented:
-Price alert at certain price
-Save settings button
-Get last transactions of an address
-Get transaction status (confirmed/unconfirmed) of a txid
-Get the balance of an address

You decide about these:
-Get the number of currently unconfirmed transactions?
-Choose the overlays text color (maybe important for readability)
-Get the best possible fee(blockexplorer.com feature)? (http://blockexplorer.com/api/utils/estimatefee?nbBlocks=3)

BTW, in my opinion,  it would be best if you add the bitcoin price announcer alongwith the block announcer.

This is one single program already. I never thougt about two different ones.

I already thougt about your sound idea. But it's not that easy to add a sound into java. To use an mp3 file you need some extra libraries. That's my last priority at the moment. Sorry for that too.

But sadly i have to say, that i have to pause developing the program for two weeks starting next monday. After i got back home i'm moving straight back into the development.