Hi All,

Progress Update

The image below shows the following :

1.  Hot Keys view option in action.
When the option is turned on,  Hot Key values
are overlayed onto all controls that have one.

2.  OEM Code (and Format String)
The setup screen shows how to define look up
OEM codes and Format Strings with optional
messages.

If you create a message for a code,  then it is the
message that is displayed in the drop down.

Use "//" as a delimiter between the code and the
optional message.








Regards

Stan

At the risk of repeating myself too often, I am impressed at the thought and planing you are putting into this Stan. I can imagine a heap of people using this designer in the future.
All your posts are sort of teasing, I am wondering if you could give us a rough estimate of when it will be published ? If it works as well as it sounds like its going to, I will make sure every one hears about it. I would be happy to host it and put counters on it so you can see how many people your work has helped.

Hi Benny,

All your posts are sort of teasing

This is not my intention.  I am letting MACH users follow the development
of the editor,  in order to give everyone a chance to submit ideas or
requests.  It is much easier for people to think of things they need when
they can see what is being developed and how.

I can understand that it seems like teasing,  but I can't think of everything
that's needed on my own because I am not a MACH user.

I would be happy to host it....

Excellent,  I'd like that.
Just before the release,  I'll be in contact with you
regarding hosting.


Progress Update :

1.  Well,  I've just ported over the button rendering
code (from the existing editor) for producing the "Shine"
and "Interlace" effects.  I have to say,  it's looking great.


Next items to do :

Shadows and Button Glyphs (Icons).

A button can have a background image and an icon.
The background image part is done,  and will allow you
to create buttons of absolutely any shape using the
masking properties.

I'll post a screen shot of exactly what can be achieved as soon
as the renderers are complete.




best regards

Stan

Hi Guys:

  I just wanted to jump in here. As most of you know , I rarely get here unless
pointed on a slow day. I have seen the  "Stan" editor grow over time, and I
wanted to duck in long enough to express my gratitude to Stan. Stan has a platinum
card with me, so anything he needs I will try to provide.
   The original screen editor is woefully inadequate for many things, since it was
written as an "Egg before the chicken" tool to create Mach3. I can see Stans
work allowing many more to create great screens, other than those who have
had the nerve to learn the old ones pecadillo's. Thanks to all who have contributed
to Stans questions and requests for suggestions. Its that spirit that allows for such things.

  Im working on future features that will help everyone, and work like Stans is what allows me
the time to do so. I suspect few really  know exactly how much work is involved in such a thing,
and a screen designer with the power that Stan is creating is he;lping to push the hobbiest into
new territory. 

 Keep up the great work, its more an art form than a program.

Art (no pun intended. )

Progress Update,

I've been working on the renders in order to be
able to produce the same kinds of effects as are
available in the existing editor.

The image below shows some of the property
settings combinations that can be applied to
buttons.  Note : Shadows currently only work
if the button is rectangular.

I improved the shadow renderer,  as the original
editor simply drew a gray box.

This image was captured from the editor's new Preview mode.



Comming up

Buttons will get a glyph (icon) property for those
that want windwos style iconic buttons or buttons
with an icon and text.  An icon is separate from the
button background,  so a button can have an image
as a background and an icon as well.

Password protection for MACH screen files.
(Almost complete).

The editor files themselves don't need protection
as you never have to ship those when releasing
set files.

If anyone out there has one or two button images I
can use for testing,  I'd appreciate it.  I'd rather work
and test with end user files to get a better appreciation
of what types of images I could expect.

Note : The button images do not have to represent a
properly rectangular button.  In fact I would prefer they
didn't.



Stay Tuned

regards

Stan

Hi Stan

As always looking great 

I've attached one awkward shaped button, an arrow. I often use these in wizards etc.

The second is a 2-state button. I.e. is it possible to make the image change based on the button state? That consists of images test1a and test2a.

Finally a tool selection buttom

If you want some more buttons just let me know.

Cheers

Dave

David,

Thank you very much.  That's a nice selection you provided.
I see that you only have single images for buttons.
(You do not have an image for "Up" and and image for "Down").

Is this a problem that the editor should be able to solve?
If so,  I can't be sure about what can be done.


2 State Buttons

I may need to talk to Art about this unless you yourself can tell
me if the MACH software supports 2 state buttons (and if so,
how they are setup). 

If anyone else out there has sample buttons,  I'd love to see them.


regards

Stan

Hi Stan:

 It doesnt. Though one can use an invisable button, and a two state LED on top of it to do the same thing. Buttons themselves merely shrink when pressed.
But two state LEDs act just like a two state button.. Just more of a pain to set up cuz you need script in the button to toggle the LED state, unless the LED is a system LED so it changes by itself.. For example, a Reset/Safe button can be done by using a two state ESTOP led, one that says Safe, one that says RESET, an invisable reset button will then work as a two state button..

Art

Hi Stan

Art beat me to it 

As Art said, images are simply shrunk to represent the down state - personally I think this works fine.

A lot of 'fudges' have been employed in the original editor by using transparent buttons to get around problems. Stan, would it either be possible to create a new ' Button LED' that combined LED images with a transparent button mask over the top, while at the same time having access to both sets of options ?

Alternatively, you may have mentioned this before, but is is possible to have grouped items in the new editor. i.e. you could group an LED image and transparent button together to keep them together. Also would it be possible to have a way to edit the properties of items within the group without having to group them? e.g perhaps you click on a group and press ctrl-alt-1, ctrl-alt-2 etc to bring up the properties of each item in the group?

If your at all familiar with realdraw pro i am thinking of something along the lines of their 'packages', that could be easily implemented.

Cheers

Dave

Cheers

Dave

David,  Art,

Well, Dave,  this time you beat me to it.
Here's what I am already proposing.


I want to get away from the scenario where users are having
to edit screens in non intuitive ways,  because this gets difficult
for new users.

COMPOSITE COMPONENTS

Led Button combo
This is a button and an LED combined in such a way
that the user sets this up and works with it as a single
"composite" item in the editor.

The editor then will automatically "split out" the button and
LED into separate components when exporting to MACH.

Clicking the button will toggle the LED state.  The button
will move down and up when clicked.  The LED will light
depending on state.



Click LED
I will also add a new composite item type : a "Clickable" LED.
This will employ the Invisible button over an LED,  but to the
user,  it will be a single composite item that again is spit apart
when the screen is exported to MACH.


Button Shrinking
That has to go.  There's no way I will be able to handle good button
representation if MACH does it's own thing when rendering.  I'll work
out a way to solve this with Art in such a way that existing screens don't
get affected by changes.

Art,  I will provide "proper" support for non-rectangular buttons
rendered onto a rectangular bitmap surface using Chroma-Keyed transparency.
This involves combining the background properly,  and MACH can't be allowed
to mess with the bitmap size of a button if the underlying background is not
resized also.


Group Items
David,  I am not at all familiar with Real-Draw and only partially understand
some of what you are asking.  Believe me,  you will not need grouping
in order to setup screen items if I implement composite components.

I don't know how realistic it would be to support composite items in time
for the next release of the editor.  I will see what I can do.


Automatic Script Generator
I also intend to provide an automatic script generator for
LED toggling when creating and editing the above Led/Button
composite components.

My thinking is that the generator will create the basic
script,  which you can then edit and change as necessary.
The script generator will support basic On/Off toggling and
Radio Button type toggling,  (where turning on a led,
results in turning off other leds).




regards

Stan