Messages

21

Works in progress / Re: M3 Screen - Modern 1024x768 optimized for Touch Screen

« on: August 04, 2010, 02:45:35 PM »

It has possibilities but,
Now no Wizard buttons?
Noticed a truncation of the status message on the Program page.

I'd always wanted to be able to color code the status message's Font, based on Importance.
but haven't even had time to look into if it is possible.

I love my "Search M06" button, (looks for the next tool change in my gcode)
I would have replaced one of the wizard buttons with that one first.
I have a screen tab of 28 buttons on doing just gauging, touch offs and alignments.

Post the screen set and graphics to see what others come up with.
Screens sets are always a work in progress.
I am sure yours has some future for many users.

I don't think I will be using wizard too often so I'm not sure if they will be included on these pages.  I may create a User page similar to the new MachStdMill screenset.  Then users can do whatever they please.  You are right about "always a work in progress"  I'm sure I'll tweak it more.  The wizards and M06 buttons could be placed just to the right of the g-code screen on the program run page.  I'll give it some thought.  The status text isn't truly truncated, that just the ticker and it was simply captured that way.  

To all, this screen isn't ready for general consumption as of yet.  I'll see if I can get it up and going in the next day or so and post back here.

22

Works in progress / Re: M3 Screen - Modern 1024x768 optimized for Touch Screen

« on: August 03, 2010, 01:39:29 PM »

Here are some updates with some screen captures of it running.  I've been using it for a few days now and I like the overall feel of it as well as the functionality.

Positive and negative feedback appreciated. 

23

Works in progress / Re: M3 Screen - Modern 1024x768 optimized for Touch Screen

« on: July 21, 2010, 05:41:23 AM »

So what would you suggest?

24

Machscreen Screen Designer / Re: What am i doing wrong?

« on: July 20, 2010, 02:27:40 PM »

Thanks.  That makes sense.  I've posted a screen capture of my mockup in the Under Development forum.  The DROs I was referring to are the Axis position and corresponding scale.  There is a slight variation in shade to differentiate the controls.  I'll have to figure out a way to make them work.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,15407.0.html

25

Screen designer tips and tutorials / Re: Can anyone make a "normal" windows screen design please? 0:-)

« on: July 20, 2010, 01:02:19 PM »

Here's one that I am working on.  Let me know what you think.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,15407.0.html

26

Works in progress / M3 Screen - Modern 1024x768 optimized for Touch Screen

« on: July 20, 2010, 12:46:09 PM »

In response to several requests for modern looking screens and my own personal preference I've decided to develop my own screen called M3.  I have a 19" Elo touch screen and didn't think any of the available screens my my needs.  I still have some major tweaking to do.   I would really like to hear any comments or suggestions for improvement.  This is my first screen and very new to Mach3 so please be kind.

27

Machscreen Screen Designer / Re: What am i doing wrong?

« on: July 20, 2010, 12:33:42 PM »

Thanks for the quick replies.  In the case of the screen I'm creating, there are several different background colors for different areas of interest.  The DROs also have different background colors.  It's not a terribly dramatic change in colors (shades of gray) so I may be able to live with it.  A lot of my design concerns could be solved by allowing the global DRO and label background to be nothing or transparent.  I'll post my new mockup in the Under Development forum and you'll see what I mean.  In response to a lot of requests for a modern interface and my own personal preferences, I've started to create my first skin.  Thanks for all your help.

28

Machscreen Screen Designer / Re: What am i doing wrong?

« on: July 20, 2010, 08:57:52 AM »

Hi dotScott

1) One thing that is really bothersome is the clicking on the background image even though the background image has locked for mouse set under properties.  Eliminate the items marked as locked from mouse as being selectable. If you need to make a modification to it, have an option field in overview that would allow you to select an object from the list.
    If I would protect items from being selected, you wouldn't have a change to unlock single items in the design view. When Machscreen is started, it sets the selection type "multiple/single" selection. Multiple selection selects all items 'laying' under the cursor and shows them in a list. Moving the cursor over an item shows the control with a highlighted frame. Single selection selects just one control. You can toggle this behaviour in the toolbar icon M / 1. (M = multiple, 1 = single).
    I was suggesting that an option would be to allow the user to unlock an object in the overview page.  This would allow you to lock an object such as a background graphic and never touch it again while you're manipulating the smaller objects that sit on top of it.  When I set the background, I never want to select it again.
2) there are inconsistencies in the interface.  Some image buttons display a black border and others do not.
      Image buttons are displayed as they are designed. Could you please give me an example?
    I noticed that some of the image buttons had the word 'None' entered in their Path.  These controls had a black box around them while other image buttons paths that were empty showed no border
3) the Save to Custom Colors doesn't save.  This is really frustrating when you have A LOT of custom colors.  Is there a way to have no background color?
      How do you change the color? Do you change it in the property dialog, or in options -> settings? At the moment changing colors in options -> settings doesn't work.
BTW you cannot set different colors for the same control type. The color setting for a certain control type applies to all pages. What do you mean, having no background color?
    I wasn't aware that you could not apply a different background color to the same controls.  I'll have to figure out a way to live with that.  I don't understand why there is a color selector under the individual object properties then.  You should set it in options -> settings and leave it alone.  By no background color I mean transparent.  This would allow a DRO Or label to simply show text rather than a box around it.  Is it possible to use a transparent PNG file as the background?  I also vaguely remember reading somewhere that Mach 3 interprets RGB 254,254,254 as transparent.  I'll give both of those approaches a try
4) Swap Layers isn't working.  The dialog appears when 2 objects are selected but doesn't change the layers
       Swapping layers work only on same controls-types .
    OK
5) Is the source code for MachScreen available?
       No, I will not publish the source code
    I completely understand.  I didn't know if this product was open-source or not and you were working on it with others.  I have been programming for 33 years and thought I might be able to help.

Thanks again for all your hard work and your quick response.
Klaus

29

Machscreen Screen Designer / What am i doing wrong?

« on: July 19, 2010, 02:39:02 PM »

First let me start off by saying thank you for developing the best screen editor out there for Mach3 and I appreciate your hard work.  With that I am finding some "features" of this program extremely frustrating.  

• One thing that is really bothersome is the clicking on the background image even though the background image has locked for mouse set under properties.  Eliminate the items marked as locked from mouse as being selectable.  If you need to make a modification to it, have an option field in overview that would allow you to select an object from the list.
• there are inconsistencies in the interface.  Some image buttons display a black border and others do not.
• the Save to Custom Colors doesn't save.  This is really frustrating when you have A LOT of custom colors.  Is there a way to have no background color? 
• Swap Layers isn't working.  The dialog appears when 2 objects are selected but doesn't change the layers

Is the source code for MachScreen available?