Meterz Request

[t_journeyman]

Plover,

What are the chances that the next Meterz will allow gradients for the different colors?

[plover]

Hmm... I'm not sure. I expect constructing the interface I want for configuring that will be a fair chunk of work, and is mostly separate from the main things I'm trying to accomplish for the next version. I may be able to add it in as a kind of "unofficial" option that has to be edited by hand in the configuration file though. Also, I haven't really started work on v0.9 yet since I've had something else to finish up, and so I don't have any idea yet of how long the next version will take. However, I will keep this in mind.

(And here's you probably just wanting a simple answer, not a whole paragraph of waffling.... :) )

[Young Twig]

Hmm... I'm not sure. I expect constructing the interface I want for configuring that will be a fair chunk of work, and is mostly separate from the main things I'm trying to accomplish for the next version. I may be able to add it in as a kind of "unofficial" option that has to be edited by hand in the configuration file though. Also, I haven't really started work on v0.9 yet since I've had something else to finish up, and so I don't have any idea yet of how long the next version will take. However, I will keep this in mind.

(And here's you probably just wanting a simple answer, not a whole paragraph of waffling.... :) )
What about allowing for bitmap backgrounmds instead? Geez. People really ought to be able to make gradient bitmaps.

[Paul]

plover, maybe you know this or not, but you can request the vis background of the current skin to be drawn into the current raster (use opFillRaster). That may help you in your quest for best skin compatibilites.

[plover]

youngtwig:
Bitmap backgrounds are planned for the next release. But I was assuming t_journeyman was talking about color spectra for the meters themselves (like PyroMeterz).

[plover]

Paul:
Yeah, I used opFillRaster in a demo vis I posted in the old forum a while back (posted here (http://www.quinnware.com/cgi/discus4/show.cgi?tpc=3&post=19901#POST19901)). The reason I've been writing all that stuff about accessing skin files though is that I wanted to allow skinners to include configurations in the skin .ini file that could be read in automatically when a skin change is made.

[Young Twig]

youngtwig:
Bitmap backgrounds are planned for the next release. But I was assuming t_journeyman was talking about color spectra for the meters themselves (like PyroMeterz).


cool. Now my question is... can you make it so that MeterzPak auto-detects a bitmap background in the skin file?

What I'm trying to say is... it would be cool if Meterzpak looked for a file like "meterzbg.bmp" in the skin file. If it found it, it would use it as the background. If not... it would use a flat fill. I think that would just be a cool feature to ease up the per skin customization.

[plover]

youngtwig:
Reading a bitmap from the skin file would probably not be a problem ... if I could actually get the correct skinfile, which is currently impossible under some circumstances (namely when the skin browser is open...). I don't know yet whether Paul is willing to add something to the interface which solves this. If not I'll have to think how I might want to scan the skin folder to load configurations. However, these configurations would have to be chosen from the menu just like ordinary ones.

[Young Twig]

youngtwig:
Reading a bitmap from the skin file would probably not be a problem ... if I could actually get the correct skinfile, which is currently impossible under some circumstances (namely when the skin browser is open...). I don't know yet whether Paul is willing to add something to the interface which solves this. If not I'll have to think how I might want to scan the skin folder to load configurations. However, these configurations would have to be chosen from the menu just like ordinary ones.


Actually, I have a few feature requests... Bear with me.

1. Adding on to the background thing. Perhaps the skinner could just add a file called "meterz.ini" to the skin file. This would contain peak color, background color/bitmap file, unlit/lit color, etc. This could be contained in one MeterzPak configuration called "Skin's Defaults" or something along those lines.

2. The ability to toggle a part of the meterzpak on/off. what I mean is, the ability to not use a background or not use unlits or not use lits. Kinda like the show/hide thing in WaveFumes. This would be especially important after adding the bitmap background thing.

3. Kinda' what t_journerman was poking at. You could have bitmap fills also for things like lits and unlits. I say bitmap as opposed to gradient, because if you wanted a meter like the attached image, you'd need a bitmap.

[Young Twig]

Um, yeah. It helps to make an image and attach it. :rolleyes:

[Young Twig]

plover?? :confused:

[plover]

youngtwig:
Sorry. I never saw your previous posts.

1) Before I decide what the appropriate configuration setup might be, I first need to be able to find the correct skin file. That's what is currently impossible.

2) Is there something you're trying to do that can't be accomplished with copying colors into different slots? I added the eyedropper tool to make copying colors simple. See the "Bananas", "Inversion Layer", and "Peak Experience" configurations for examples. I do realize that a setting that uses the skin vis window bitmap is necessary.

3) Yes, I want to include a way to provide for segmented colors like those in your image. I wasn't planning on using bitmaps however.

The configuration dialog for the next version is unlikely to be a simple evolution of the current one. I expect I will need a tabbed interface to provide all the functionality at a size that can be used at low resolution.

[Young Twig]

youngtwig:
Sorry. I never saw your previous posts.

1) Before I decide what the appropriate configuration setup might be, I first need to be able to find the correct skin file. That's what is currently impossible.

2) Is there something you're trying to do that can't be accomplished with copying colors into different slots? I added the eyedropper tool to make copying colors simple. See the "Bananas", "Inversion Layer", and "Peak Experience" configurations for examples. I do realize that a setting that uses the skin vis window bitmap is necessary.

3) Yes, I want to include a way to provide for segmented colors like those in your image. I wasn't planning on using bitmaps however.

The configuration dialog for the next version is unlikely to be a simple evolution of the current one. I expect I will need a tabbed interface to provide all the functionality at a size that can be used at low resolution.

1) Yeah. I understand. You had already said that... I just decided to put all of my requests in one post.

2) If a bitmap/gradient is ever used, colors will not suffice... Although it works now, in the future, it probably will not. Plus, it is much easier just to hit "off" rather than makiing a different color. This seems as if it would be easy for you to implement since you already have this option for the "Peaks."

3) Cool... Do whatever you want... You're making it.

[Young Twig]

Also, when do you expect to be releasing the next version of meterzpak?

[plover]

Also, when do you expect to be releasing the next version of meterzpak?
I'm afraid it won't be for a while. I haven't really started work on it yet as I have another project that I'm finishing up.

[Young Twig]

I'm afraid it won't be for a while. I haven't really started work on it yet as I have another project that I'm finishing up.
What other project?? :)