help with animation - i'm new here

[LuciferVisuals]

Anyway, like I told you, see how nice is to start from scratch and add little bits progressively, one at a time? Much easier to build something that works, understand why it works, and then expand it on a healthy basis, compared to having to sort out a (longer) code already written, possibly by someone else.

Yes, I learnt that part about starting with a small empty skin for building a new part. DEFINITELY!

But I will point out that every single line of this was actually written by me...... Which why its so long winded and repetitive and all very basic, (just a lot of it). I would do it total different if starting afresh now, but in total my entire project has now about 10,000 lines of "finished working code" in it, and god knows how much experimental code, that I need to sort through, and remove (but save for other potential use). I wrote all of them from scratch, with help from you and Balala, but none was from anyone else's skins, except that child lock, which I re-wrote. And your Iris code, which I am going to use as it's better than my version, (But I am keeping mine it might be useful at some time in the future for something I have not thought of yet). Basically it's too late to really start over on what I have so far. But is part of the reason I want to totally restructure it, to make it more "modular" so that different parts, or sub projects, like the upcoming Star Gates, or the existing Oracle' which does not do anything yet apart from having been used to Play with by putting experimental code for the gates in it, (none of which is staying in there). it will be an optional help screen when finished.

So building the first actual Star Gate should be easy as now I have all the code for it (its all in the Oracle). Literally just need a couple of different images, so easy I have not bothered doing one yet. But will probably do one before the re-organisation, because it will help having something which should clearly be in a different "module" separate from the remote controller itself to use in the restructure.

And the Star Wars part will be a "Credits"section for all the parts I am about to add that will at least be inspired by other peoples work. The Star wars text just being a rolling intro, to the main credits that will follow it, the Star wars text itself just there for dynamic effect. To make the credits look interesting, I'm redoing that now.

Code: Select all

The #CURRENTSECTION# / measure value in the IfCondition will never be greater or equal to 8, because it only goes from 0 to 7 (or 7 to 0, depending on direction).

Yeah I did that based on Balala's original suggestion, it was intentional as it forces the animation to stop on fully closed, or fully open. It actually works perfectly, even if its not the best way to achieve that. I understand what it does, which was what I changed it.

Anyway have moved on to making a twinkling star-field background (without using an animation) for my new star wars text , which being 200 png files with a transparent background, is massive atm, but I hope and expect to get it down to 4 megs, today (starting over again )

Keith

[Yincognito]

But I will point out that every single line of this was actually written by me......

It was a logical assumption based on those 936 very old !Rainmeter... bangs that wouldn't be used by a presumably, recent, beginner in Rainmeter. But then, maybe I got that wrong and you talked about other codes then.

Yeah I did that based on Balala's original suggestion, it was intentional as it forces the animation to stop on fully closed, or fully open. It actually works perfectly, even if its not the best way to achieve that. I understand what it does, which was what I changed it.

If you both say so, who am I to disagree?

Anyway have moved on to making a twinkling star-field background (without using an animation) for my new star wars text , which being 200 png files with a transparent background, is massive atm, but I hope and expect to get it down to 4 megs, today (starting over again )

Maybe based on this? Regarding the 4 MBs, if a perspective font existed, then you could have saved that space and write each line using String meters. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be such a font.

[LuciferVisuals]

It was a logical assumption based on those 936 very old !Rainmeter... bangs that wouldn't be used by a presumably, recent, beginner in Rainmeter. But then, maybe I got that wrong and you talked about other codes then.

As I said I found them in the manual, when trying to forst do this, there was an example in there, I didn't notice the depreciated bit, and they worked, so been using them ever since, not knowing any better until it was pointed out to me some 960 uses later, I think it was from memory.

If you both say so, who am I to disagree?

I am the last person to argue, I still feel I have no idea what I'm doing, but most of it's working now, either luck, or the good old subconscious supercomputer that works things out for you while you sleep, if you train it to... (really, its a technique). But back to that code, in Balala's suggested code, it worked but always went back to the first frame of the animation, so it seemed logical to try adding 1 to the count and see if that worked, my theory being it might force it to stop on the last frame. It worked, with no error codes so it stayed.

That said in the light of your comments, I re-tried it as you would expect it to be, but it still went back to first frame of the animation, so my version is back as it was, can I explain.... NFI.... but as I said it wasn't a mistake, it was intentional, I had a theory it might work, I can't explain why, but I tried it and it worked. What can I say????

Maybe based on this?

No..... not seen that, didn't need to as I had an original idea (well prob been done before, everything has, but I still have not really looked at others stuff much yet). Anyway done that it was piece of cake.

Basically, have a PNG of a star field, I actually made it, with the stars in the transparent color. also made a purpose made color wheel, the star field rotates in front of the color wheel, which rotates in the opposite direction. Code below, and images attached. If you want to see it.. Also attached the new star.wars text for same reason, Got it down to 5mb.

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[MeterStarColour]
 MeasureName=MeasureTime2500
 Meter=ROTATOR
 X=93
 Y=100
 W=750
 H=750
 ImageTint=224,224,224,255
 ImageName=#@#ColourWheel2.png
 StartAngle=6.2832
; CLOCKWISE     RotationAngle=6.2832
 RotationAngle=-6.2832
 ValueReminder=50
 OffsetX=334
 OffsetY=334

 [MeterStarBack]
 MeasureName=MeasureTime2500
 Meter=ROTATOR
 X=93
 Y=100
 W=750
 H=750
 ;ImageTint=224,224,224,255
 ImageName=#@#star-background.png
 StartAngle=6.2832
; CLOCKWISE     RotationAngle=6.2832
 RotationAngle=6.2832
 ValueReminder=2500
 OffsetX=334
 OffsetY=334
; Hidden=0
;**********************************************************************************
;**********************************************************************************

[ImageNumberCalc]
Measure=Loop
StartValue=0
EndValue=203
Increment=1
LoopCount=1
IfCondition=(#CURRENTSECTION#>=203)
IfTrueAction=[!DisableMeasure "#CURRENTSECTION#"][!Redraw]
;Disabled=1


[ImageMeter]
Meter=Image
ImageName=#@#Starwars-png\Credits[ImageNumberCalc].png
x=220
y=400
w=500
h=300
AntiAlias=1
DynamicVariables=1

Regarding the 4 MBs, if a perspective font existed, then you could have saved that space and write each line using String meters. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be such a font.

Watch this space..... LOL


Keith

[LuciferVisuals]

you could have saved that space and write each line using String meters. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be such a font.

Keep that code and the graphics I sent you, I am anticipating a problem with some new code, which will interest you, but I want to keep it as a surprise, unless I cant make it work, the problem is going to be it wont play nicely with the code I have already sent you.

As I said..... watch this space!

Keith

[Yincognito]

As I said I found them in the manual, when trying to forst do this, there was an example in there, I didn't notice the depreciated bit, and they worked, so been using them ever since, not knowing any better until it was pointed out to me some 960 uses later, I think it was from memory.

As a rule of thumb, in the manual there shouldn't be any example using the older, obsolete syntax, and if it is, this can be pointed out to the developers for correction. Do you happen to recall what example was that, maybe a link to it (this way, you'll learn how to post links too)?

Keep that code and the graphics I sent you, I am anticipating a problem with some new code, which will interest you, but I want to keep it as a surprise, unless I cant make it work, the problem is going to be it wont play nicely with the code I have already sent you.

For the record, I always delete the code I work with, irrespective of scenario - I just don't like to have more stuff than needed on my system. At most, in some special cases where getting to a conclusion in the thread takes more time, such code is able to "survive" for one or two days on my laptop, but that's it - I'm very selective with everything, that's just me. Even some of my skins have the same fate, with only 2 or 3 remaining permanent at all times in my skins folder (some of the rest are stored on another drive). In other words, if you need help on something, you should either post a simplified version in a code box, or, if it involves other resources, either link to the post where you uploaded them or attach them directly in the post where you're asking for help. What I'm saying is that for me, it makes little sense to mention things in advance as I never bother with them until everything related to the subject is ready.

Other than that, I like surprises, so I look forward to that potential problem. Will see the degree at which it will interest me when the time comes, but the fact that it's a "problem" already captures my interest to a certain level.

P.S. If you're wondering how to link an internet address, it is done by clicking on the link button (that says Insert URL:... as the tooltip) in the button row where the code tags are as well. The result will be something like [​url=https​://www​.google.com/]some description text here[​/url]. To link a post or reply on this forum, you right click on the Re: ... blue title above the said reply / post and select Copy link address to paste it in place of the Google address example above, like [​url=https​://forum​.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?t=40444#p214197]some description text here[​/url].

[LuciferVisuals]

As a rule of thumb, in the manual there shouldn't be any example using the older, obsolete syntax, and if it is, this can be pointed out to the developers for correction. Do you happen to recall what example was that, maybe a link to it (this way, you'll learn how to post links too)?

In fact I have been through this with Balala, who explained that the reason it was still in the manual was for "backwards compatibility", and it's in a section that's specifically for depreciated code, which at the time I didn't realize, as you can imagine I was stumbling around looking for a solution to a problem, found one (albeit with an out of date reference), it worked ... and you know the rest..... Apparently its still supposed to be there, though it was literally only a couple of weeks ago, that feels like a lifetime, and TBH I cannot remember.

Other than that, I like surprises, so I look forward to that potential problem. Will see the degree at which it will interest me when the time comes, but the fact that it's a "problem" already captures my interest to a certain level.

You will like the finished result, think I can promise you that.

I have posted the problem, I think, I say I think because I interrupted this reply to have quick look for the [!rainmeter... etc page, but couldn't immediately find it, and have now got confused as to whether the problem should be in this post or whether I already sent it in another post to you.... I wont be able to see till I send this.

If I lost it I'll post it again,

Keith

[Yincognito]

In fact I have been through this with Balala, who explained that the reason it was still in the manual was for "backwards compatibility", and it's in a section that's specifically for depreciated code

I believe the balala you are talking about here was actually me, if I recall correctly (not that it would matter much, it's easy to get lost in so many posts with so much info)...

Point is, I don't think there are examples using those forms in the manual anymore, the only place I'm aware they are mentioned is, as explained before, in the deprecated bangs section.

[LuciferVisuals]

I believe the balala you are talking about here was actually me, if I recall correctly (not that it would matter much, it's easy to get lost in so many posts with so much info)...

Quite possibly, that was from memory, I do remember complaining at the time when it was all fresh in my mind saying "Well why is it still in there?" or words to that effect, as you rightly said, its a few post ago, and its equally possible I suppose that I was googling how to do it and thought I was in the manual, and was in fact at the North Pole with Santa, LOL. At the time I would not have had the faintest idea what a depreciated bang was, I would have thought it was someones old girl friend. LOL....... That seems so long ago..... but its only a couple of weeks, because I have only been at this

FOR ONE WHOLE MONTH..... TOMORROW..... YEA !!!


Keith

[Yincognito]

That seems so long ago..... but its only a couple of weeks

In two years time it'll be a decade for me since I've registered on the forum yet it feels like yesterday, so you have plenty of time for more weeks yourself.

[LuciferVisuals]

In two years time it'll be a decade for me since I've registered on the forum yet it feels like yesterday, so you have plenty of time for more weeks yourself.

Well the time certainly flies, it just zips by. I think I can get away with saying I'm new to this for another month.... LOL

Keith