Hi All,

Another preview of the upcoming editor.
The screen shown below demonstrates the following :

1. Some LEDs have been selected in the screen being edited.

2. The image property is selected in the property grid,  and
the dialog button [...] was pushed to bring up the Image dialog.



The Image Properties Dialog

1.  Because the selected items are LEDs,  the editor allows
you to select 2 images (Led ON and Led OFF).
Some image properties are NOT displayed in the dialog,
because they do not apply to LEDs.

2.  Images are selected from a thumbnails list which is loaded
from the current screen project images directory.

3.  You can add new images to the project images
directory by clicking the "Add Image" button.  This copies the
image file you select into the current project's images directory.
This also makes new images available in the thumbnails selector.

4.  The On/Off Led images shown here,  are "built into" the editor,
and so are always available for LEDs.

5.  If you choose NOT to assign images to LEDs,  then the renderer
will render LEDs as colored boxes (as in the existing screen editor).









regards

Stan

Stan, how hard would it be to have a dropdown and scrollable selection for the Control function and OEM codes ?
Besides been a lot of typing which I can do for you if you want. Is it possible the dropdown menu reads from a txt file with all the OEM and Control function codes ?
That way we can just replace the txt file when new stuff is added etc.

 

Looking great there Stan. Can't wait to have a play! Led's are looking great and extermly easy to use. Having an editor with such features, but at the same time being easy to use will make screen designe a breeze!

One question - Between the properties and the screen window there are some buttons. Are these buttons gonna remain as letters or will they use icons like in the original designer? My only concern may be that new users might not get the meanings - whereas icons may give them a better idea.

Keep up the good work

Cheers

Dave

Benny,

Control Functions

Although you can't see this in the screen shots,
Control function is already a drop down and the drop
down displays functions relevent to the selected
item(s).  ie LED control functions are not the same
as Button control functions,  so the drop down displays
the appropriate list.


OEM Codes

I want to do the same for OEM codes,  but have no idea
what needs to be in the drop down.  I may implement this
as I did format strings (see below).


Format Strings

This is already a drop down,  and there is a setup
screen where you can enter your own list of useful
format strings.


David,

The toolbar that show's letters,  is the same toolbar as in the
existing editor.  I just haven't put the images on the buttons
yet.

Users will ALWAYS know the meaning of a button,  because
all buttons have popup hints when you hover the mouse over them.



Additional Information
=====================
1.  Images can now be transparently stretched.  This could not be done
in the original editor.  A transparent image in this case is one that has
areas that are completely transparent,  making the image look non
rectangular.  For example : The round LEDs are transparent
images because the 4 corners are omitted when an led is drawn to
the screen.

2.  Background image (including tiling) has now been implemented.

3.  I will post another screen shot showing various imaging capabilities,
later.  (probably not today as there is loads more work to be done).



regards

Stan

Hi Stan

OEM Codes

I want to do the same for OEM codes,  but have no idea
what needs to be in the drop down.  I may implement this
as I did format strings (see below).

The ability to customise this list would be great. If you could set it up the same as your new format strings that would be great.

One other question - with LED's and images, will it be possible to use LED's of different shapes for each state. E.g. when an LED is on it is a circle, when it is off then it changes to a cross? Or will it only support 'morphing' between images of the same shape?

Stan, I know I keep saying it but thank you so much for doing all this work on the editor. This is going to be a revolution in the way screens are developed. As always if there is anything I can do to help just give me a shout.

Cheers

Dave

Hi David,

LED ON/OFF images

Each LED image is unique.
And that automatically implies,  anything can be on the
images you use. It is you,  the user who decides what images
you will use for the LED on/off states.

Furthermore, they don't even have to be the same size,  BUT,  in this
case, the editor will apply appropriate scaling to make them the same size.
It's best however to keep things simple and use the same size image
for both states.

So,  to answer your question,  yes,  LEDs can be different shapes.
But the definition of a shape really implies that the shape of the
LED is drawn differently on each image.




best regards

Stan

Benny,

I've just finished implementing the "OEM Code" drop down.
This includes the setup for defining your own drop down
list of codes to be displayed.


Editor Setup Screen





regards

Stan

Hi Stan

Looking good - would it possible to have a way to include names with the OEM and format codes ? e.g

1001 - Pause
1002 - Rewind

and

%.4F - DRO Setup 1
%.3F - DRO Setup 2

I'm thinking that with a descriptive name it is theoretically possible to supply all the OEM codes and then just select the name of the control you want - no need to look up any code numbers at all then after the inital setup.

Also does the setup window support pasting text into it from the clipboard? i.e. you could have a standard text file used as a library and simply copy the text and paste it inot your setup screen.

We're (well mainly me !) a demanding bunch ! Hope you don't mind me putting in so many comments - a shame we aren't getting more input from some of the other users....

Cheers

Dave

David,

Yes,  descriptions can be added.  I'll take care of that later.
If I do this for OEM codes,  I will also do it for format strings.

Yes,   you can paste you existing text into the setup.

regards

Stan

David,

Hope you don't mind me putting in so many comments

That's no problem.
As long as you don't mind waiting longer for the release,
you can ask for anything you want.

Writing this editor is certainly not trivial.
The only real question is,  how long do you want to wait.

regards

Stan