Scrolling text

[balala]

Edit: I also don't want it to seem like I'm just asking others to do it for me, I do want to understand and learn the process of what I'm doing for future refrence

Ok, let's start with my approach on this: I rewrote the code of the skin, below you can find it. Please try it out. If it's more or less alright, I'll explain later what have I did.
Take into account the followings:

• I added two variables Width and Speed:
  • Width is the largest width of the title and artist which doesn't makes them to be scrolled. If the width of the title /artist goes above this value, you get them scrolled. You can adjust this freely.
  • Speed determines the speed of scrolling if this goes on. Again, you can play with it
• For now the title and the artist are scrolled together, accordingly to the width of the artist. Obviously this later can and must be improved, to get distinct scrolling of the artist only if it has a long name and scrolling of title if this one is long. This first approach has a checking purpose, to see if this is a good approach for you.
• I commented out the original [TopText] and [BottomText] meters and used those posted by you previously (left there the commented out meters).
• I removed the [!UpdateMeter *] bangs from the MouseOverAction and MouseLeaveAction options of the [Rainmeter] section, because they are not needed. Redrawing the skin when meters are shown / hidden is alright (that's why I left the [!Redraw] bang, to get the skin redrawn with the shown / hidden meters), but updating the meters doesn't worth.

The code:

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
Update=1000
MouseOverAction=[!ShowMeterGroup Hover][!ShowMeterGroup #stowAwayName#][!Redraw]
MouseLeaveAction=[!HideMeterGroup Hover][!HideMeterGroup #stowAwayName#][!Redraw]
AccurateText=1
DynamicWindowSize=1
SkinHeight=(#skinSize#*0.25)

ContextTitle=Open Settings panel
ContextAction=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext\Settings"
ContextTitle2=Use Cleartext Pure
ContextAction2=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext"

[Metadata]
Name=Cleartext
Author=Redsaph
Description=Displays track information from various media players.
Version=5.2
License=Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0

[Variables]
@include=#@#base.ini
currentlySetAlign=right
Width=300
Speed=5

; STYLES ==========================================
[styleTextControls]
FontFace=#controlsFont#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.027)
AntiAlias=1
FontColor=#translucent#
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
DynamicVariables=1
Hidden=1
Group=Hover | Visible
MouseActionCursor=1

[styleTextMini]
FontFace=#controlsFont#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.0175)
AntiAlias=1
FontColor=#opaque#
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
DynamicVariables=1
Hidden=1
Group=Hover | Visible

[styleTextMajor]
H=(#skinSize#*0.085)
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.0625)
FontColor=#opaque#
AntiAlias=1
Group=Visible

; =================================================
; Meters

[LuaSettings]
Measure=Script
ScriptFile=#@#settings.lua


[mTopTextWidth]
Measure=Calc
Formula=[TopText:W]
OnChangeAction=[!WriteKeyValue Variables topTextWidth "[mTopTextWidth]" "#@#variables.inc"]
IfCondition=(#CURRENTSECTION#<#Width#)
IfTrueAction=[!DisableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
IfFalseAction=[!EnableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
DynamicVariables=1
Group=AlignmentMeasure

[mBottomTextWidth]
Measure=Calc
Formula=[BottomText:W]
OnChangeAction=[!WriteKeyValue Variables bottomTextWidth "[mBottomTextWidth]" "#@#variables.inc"][!CommandMeasure "LuaAlign" "alignRightOnUpdate()"]
DynamicVariables=1
Group=AlignmentMeasure

[LuaAlign]
Measure=Script
ScriptFile=#@#align.lua
UpdateDivider=8
DynamicVariables=1

[Background]
Meter=Image
X=0
Y=0
W=((#skinSize# > #lastSetWidth#) ? (#skinSize#+(#skinSize#*0.35)) : (#lastSetWidth#+(#skinSize#*0.35)))
H=(#skinSize#*0.25)
SolidColor=0,0,0,1
DynamicVariables=1
Group=Visible

[Now]
Meter=String
Text=Now
StringCase=Upper
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.03)
FontColor=#opaque#
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.09)
AntiAlias=1
FontFace=#controlsFont#
UpdateDivider=-1
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[Playing]
Meter=String
Text=Playing
StringCase=Upper
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.03)
FontColor=#opaque#
X=r
Y=(#skinSize#*0.125)
AntiAlias=1
FontFace=#controlsFont#
UpdateDivider=-1
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[Hairline]
Meter=Bar
MeasureName=mProgress#MusicSwitch#P
X=#hairlinePositionHor#
W=(#skinSize#*0.005)
H=(#skinSize#*0.25)
BarColor=#over#
SolidColor=#opaque#
BarOrientation=Vertical
ToolTipText="Progress Bar"
UpdateDivider=4
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[MeterContainer]
Meter=Image
SolidColor=0,0,0,255
X=#topTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.14-60)
W=#Width#
H=104

[MeasureScroll]
Measure=Calc
Formula=(( MeasureScroll + #Speed# ) % #Width# )
Disabled=1

[TopText]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
MeasureName=#topText##MusicSwitch#
X=(-[MeasureScroll])
Y=(#skinSize#/10)
;X=#topTextPositionHor#
;Y=(#skinSize#*0.14)
ClipStringW=#Width#
ClipStringH=(#skinSize#/10)
ClipString=0
FontFace=#thinFont#
Text="%1" 
StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#
;SolidColor=255,0,0,80
Container=MeterContainer
DynamicVariables=1

[BottomText]
Meter=String 
MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
MeasureName=#bottomText##MusicSwitch#
X=r
Y=R
ClipStringW=#Width#
ClipStringH=(#skinSize#/10)
ClipString=0
FontFace=#thickFont#
Text="%1" 
StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#
;SolidColor=255,240,0,80
Container=MeterContainer

;[TopText]
;Meter=String
;MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
;MeasureName=#topText##MusicSwitch#
;X=#topTextPositionHor#
;Y=(#skinSize#*0.14)
;FontFace=#thinFont#
;Text="%1" 
;StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#

;[BottomText]
;Meter=String 
;MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
;MeasureName=#bottomText##MusicSwitch#
;X=r
;Y=R
;FontFace=#thickFont#
;Text="%1" 
;StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#

[Time]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
MeasureName=mPosition#MusicSwitch#
MeasureName2=mLength#MusicSwitch#
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.02)
Text="%1/%2"
UpdateDivider=4

[Progress]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
MeasureName=mProgress#MusicSwitch#W
X=r
Y=(#skinSize#*0.0465)
Text="%1%"

[Play]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
MeasureName=mStateButton#MusicSwitch#
X=#playCtrlPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.2)
Text="%1"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "PlayPause"
UpdateDivider=4
SolidColor=0,0,0,1

[Previous]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.17)
Text="previous"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "Previous"
UpdateDivider=-1

[Next]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.2)
Text="next"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "Next"
UpdateDivider=-1
SolidColor=0,0,0,1

[Settings]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
FontColor=#translucent#
X=#settingsTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.0465)
Text="settings"
MouseActionCursor=1
LeftMouseUpAction=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext\Settings"
UpdateDivider=-1

So, what you think, is this matching your needs / desires?

[balala]

Maybe balala or eclectic-tech can help with ActionTimer, as they are more proficient in that than I am...

Thanks for the trust, but I think in this case there is no need to use the ActionTimer plugin, because the skin from the beginning has a low Update value, no need to use the plugin.
And now here I have to admit: you had right that is not needed to get a second String meter to know if the "main" meter is wider or not than certain value (although tried to find our discussion, couldn't identify it, but hope you remember). Hope you remember what am I talking about. We had a discussion a while ago about this subject and I mistakenly sustained something you proved not to be true. It was my fault and you was right. Just now working with the above code I realized you had right. Congratulations, good job done.
Sorry again...

[Yincognito]

[*]For now the title and the artist are scrolled together, accordingly to the width of the artist. Obviously this later can and must be improved, to get distinct scrolling of the artist only if it has a long name and scrolling of title if this one is long. This first approach has a checking purpose, to see if this is a good approach for you.

Nice job. By the way, adding the same

Code: Select all

IfCondition=(#CURRENTSECTION#<#Width#)
IfTrueAction=[!DisableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
IfFalseAction=[!EnableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]

to [mBottomTextWidth] has the nice effect of starting the scroll if either the title or the artist are greater than #Width#. The OP is obviously deciding, but I think this would be the best approach to handle both together.

[Yincognito]

Thanks for the trust, but I think in this case there is no need to use the ActionTimer plugin, because the skin from the beginning has a low Update value, no need to use the plugin.

Really? I didn't realize that, as I saw Update=1000 at the start of the skin, so I assumed a 1 second update...

And now here I have to admit: you had right that is not needed to get a second String meter to know if the "main" meter is wider or not than certain value (although tried to find our discussion, couldn't identify it, but hope you remember). Hope you remember what am I talking about. We had a discussion a while ago about this subject and I mistakenly sustained something you proved not to be true. It was my fault and you was right. Just now working with the above code I realized you had right. Congratulations, good job done.
Sorry again...

Don't worry, balala - it's ok, no need to apologize for it, and certainly no need for big fonts to emphasize that. That's the point of discussions, debating ideas. Sometimes someone is right, other times the other one is.

And yes, I remember what you are talking about ... however I would like more to be convinced of my custom tooltip simplicity instead... Just joking, of course.

[balala]

Nice job. By the way, adding the same

Code: Select all

IfCondition=(#CURRENTSECTION#<#Width#)
IfTrueAction=[!DisableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
IfFalseAction=[!EnableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]

to [mBottomTextWidth] has the nice effect of starting the scroll if either the title or the artist are greater than #Width#. The OP is obviously deciding, but I think this would be the best approach to handle both together.

Yes, the intent is to get scrolling the title only if it is wider than certain value and get scrolling the artist only if that one is again wider than the same value. The posted code, as described, has only a checking purpose, it has and must be improved.

[balala]

Really? I didn't realize that, as I saw Update=1000 at the start of the skin, so I assumed a 1 second update...

Yes, but there is a @include=#@#base.ini option into the [Variables] section and that file has a [Rainmeter] section with Update set to Update=50. In this case the skin uses that value (Update=50), being updated so frequently.

Don't worry, balala - it's ok, no need to apologize for it, and certainly no need for big fonts to emphasize that. That's the point of discussions, debating ideas. Sometimes someone is right, other times the other one is.

But yes, I felt I have to say this.

[Yincognito]

Yes, but there is a @include=#@#base.ini option into the [Variables] section and that file has a [Rainmeter] section with Update set to Update=50. In this case the skin uses that value (Update=50), being updated so frequently.

Indeed - didn't notice that. If I knew, I would have probably went ahead with implementing the scrolling in the skin - but it's fine either way, as I got some time to tweak my own skins a little, in the meantime.

[balala]

but it's fine either way, as I got some time to tweak my own skins a little, in the meantime.

[Crash]

Ok, let's start with my approach on this: I rewrote the code of the skin, below you can find it. Please try it out. If it's more or less alright, I'll explain later what have I did.
Take into account the followings:

• I added two variables Width and Speed:
  • Width is the largest width of the title and artist which doesn't makes them to be scrolled. If the width of the title /artist goes above this value, you get them scrolled. You can adjust this freely.
  • Speed determines the speed of scrolling if this goes on. Again, you can play with it
• For now the title and the artist are scrolled together, accordingly to the width of the artist. Obviously this later can and must be improved, to get distinct scrolling of the artist only if it has a long name and scrolling of title if this one is long. This first approach has a checking purpose, to see if this is a good approach for you.
• I commented out the original [TopText] and [BottomText] meters and used those posted by you previously (left there the commented out meters).
• I removed the [!UpdateMeter *] bangs from the MouseOverAction and MouseLeaveAction options of the [Rainmeter] section, because they are not needed. Redrawing the skin when meters are shown / hidden is alright (that's why I left the [!Redraw] bang, to get the skin redrawn with the shown / hidden meters), but updating the meters doesn't worth.

The code:

Code: Select all

[Rainmeter]
Update=1000
MouseOverAction=[!ShowMeterGroup Hover][!ShowMeterGroup #stowAwayName#][!Redraw]
MouseLeaveAction=[!HideMeterGroup Hover][!HideMeterGroup #stowAwayName#][!Redraw]
AccurateText=1
DynamicWindowSize=1
SkinHeight=(#skinSize#*0.25)

ContextTitle=Open Settings panel
ContextAction=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext\Settings"
ContextTitle2=Use Cleartext Pure
ContextAction2=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext"

[Metadata]
Name=Cleartext
Author=Redsaph
Description=Displays track information from various media players.
Version=5.2
License=Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0

[Variables]
@include=#@#base.ini
currentlySetAlign=right
Width=300
Speed=5

; STYLES ==========================================
[styleTextControls]
FontFace=#controlsFont#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.027)
AntiAlias=1
FontColor=#translucent#
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
DynamicVariables=1
Hidden=1
Group=Hover | Visible
MouseActionCursor=1

[styleTextMini]
FontFace=#controlsFont#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.0175)
AntiAlias=1
FontColor=#opaque#
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
DynamicVariables=1
Hidden=1
Group=Hover | Visible

[styleTextMajor]
H=(#skinSize#*0.085)
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.0625)
FontColor=#opaque#
AntiAlias=1
Group=Visible

; =================================================
; Meters

[LuaSettings]
Measure=Script
ScriptFile=#@#settings.lua


[mTopTextWidth]
Measure=Calc
Formula=[TopText:W]
OnChangeAction=[!WriteKeyValue Variables topTextWidth "[mTopTextWidth]" "#@#variables.inc"]
IfCondition=(#CURRENTSECTION#<#Width#)
IfTrueAction=[!DisableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
IfFalseAction=[!EnableMeasure "MeasureScroll"]
DynamicVariables=1
Group=AlignmentMeasure

[mBottomTextWidth]
Measure=Calc
Formula=[BottomText:W]
OnChangeAction=[!WriteKeyValue Variables bottomTextWidth "[mBottomTextWidth]" "#@#variables.inc"][!CommandMeasure "LuaAlign" "alignRightOnUpdate()"]
DynamicVariables=1
Group=AlignmentMeasure

[LuaAlign]
Measure=Script
ScriptFile=#@#align.lua
UpdateDivider=8
DynamicVariables=1

[Background]
Meter=Image
X=0
Y=0
W=((#skinSize# > #lastSetWidth#) ? (#skinSize#+(#skinSize#*0.35)) : (#lastSetWidth#+(#skinSize#*0.35)))
H=(#skinSize#*0.25)
SolidColor=0,0,0,1
DynamicVariables=1
Group=Visible

[Now]
Meter=String
Text=Now
StringCase=Upper
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.03)
FontColor=#opaque#
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.09)
AntiAlias=1
FontFace=#controlsFont#
UpdateDivider=-1
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[Playing]
Meter=String
Text=Playing
StringCase=Upper
StringAlign=#interfaceTextAlignment#
FontSize=(#skinSize#*0.03)
FontColor=#opaque#
X=r
Y=(#skinSize#*0.125)
AntiAlias=1
FontFace=#controlsFont#
UpdateDivider=-1
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[Hairline]
Meter=Bar
MeasureName=mProgress#MusicSwitch#P
X=#hairlinePositionHor#
W=(#skinSize#*0.005)
H=(#skinSize#*0.25)
BarColor=#over#
SolidColor=#opaque#
BarOrientation=Vertical
ToolTipText="Progress Bar"
UpdateDivider=4
Hidden=#stowAway#
Group=Stow | Visible

[MeterContainer]
Meter=Image
SolidColor=0,0,0,255
X=#topTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.14-60)
W=#Width#
H=104

[MeasureScroll]
Measure=Calc
Formula=(( MeasureScroll + #Speed# ) % #Width# )
Disabled=1

[TopText]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
MeasureName=#topText##MusicSwitch#
X=(-[MeasureScroll])
Y=(#skinSize#/10)
;X=#topTextPositionHor#
;Y=(#skinSize#*0.14)
ClipStringW=#Width#
ClipStringH=(#skinSize#/10)
ClipString=0
FontFace=#thinFont#
Text="%1" 
StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#
;SolidColor=255,0,0,80
Container=MeterContainer
DynamicVariables=1

[BottomText]
Meter=String 
MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
MeasureName=#bottomText##MusicSwitch#
X=r
Y=R
ClipStringW=#Width#
ClipStringH=(#skinSize#/10)
ClipString=0
FontFace=#thickFont#
Text="%1" 
StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#
;SolidColor=255,240,0,80
Container=MeterContainer

;[TopText]
;Meter=String
;MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
;MeasureName=#topText##MusicSwitch#
;X=#topTextPositionHor#
;Y=(#skinSize#*0.14)
;FontFace=#thinFont#
;Text="%1" 
;StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#

;[BottomText]
;Meter=String 
;MeterStyle=styleTextMajor
;MeasureName=#bottomText##MusicSwitch#
;X=r
;Y=R
;FontFace=#thickFont#
;Text="%1" 
;StringAlign=#mediaTextAlignment#

[Time]
Meter=STRING
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
MeasureName=mPosition#MusicSwitch#
MeasureName2=mLength#MusicSwitch#
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.02)
Text="%1/%2"
UpdateDivider=4

[Progress]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
MeasureName=mProgress#MusicSwitch#W
X=r
Y=(#skinSize#*0.0465)
Text="%1%"

[Play]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
MeasureName=mStateButton#MusicSwitch#
X=#playCtrlPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.2)
Text="%1"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "PlayPause"
UpdateDivider=4
SolidColor=0,0,0,1

[Previous]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.17)
Text="previous"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "Previous"
UpdateDivider=-1

[Next]
MeterStyle=styleTextControls
Meter=String
X=#nowTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.2)
Text="next"
LeftMouseUpAction=!CommandMeasure "m#playerController#" "Next"
UpdateDivider=-1
SolidColor=0,0,0,1

[Settings]
Meter=String
MeterStyle=styleTextMini
FontColor=#translucent#
X=#settingsTextPositionHor#
Y=(#skinSize#*0.0465)
Text="settings"
MouseActionCursor=1
LeftMouseUpAction=!ActivateConfig "Cleartext\Settings"
UpdateDivider=-1

So, what you think, is this matching your needs / desires?

I tried this out but I can't seem to get the artist or music name to show up at all, I tried messing with the Container but I can't seem to get it to show up at all, the settings on the side do seem to work and so do the play, pause, and next buttons with Itunes...

[balala]

I tried this out but I can't seem to get the artist or music name to show up at all, I tried messing with the Container but I can't seem to get it to show up at all, the settings on the side do seem to work and so do the play, pause, and next buttons with Itunes...

It does for me, I'm surprised if it doesn't for you.
Ok, here is the Cleartext.ini, packed (doesn't include the @Resources, nor the Settings and nor the Cleartext Pure.ini). After you make a backup of the old one, overwrite it with this one and let me know if it does work.