Transformation matrix?

[Jkon]

I'm trying to apply a matrix to a string meter in order to fake some perspective.I need to achieve roughly the following shape

Sample#1.png

As you can see,this involves a non parallel skew along the y axis and all i can achieve is a parallel skew.I have spent several hours trolling through info on matrices online today and to be honest most of it is double dutch to me.Is it possible to achieve the shape i want with rainmeter and if it is could someone please,please point me in the right direction.

[Alex2539]

Transformation matrices cannot do that.

[Jkon]

Thats what i figured,having dug around a bit more,from what i can gather a perspective matrix is different.Might we see that ability incorporated into rainmeter in the future?

[Chewtoy]

Doing that would demand an implementation of a graphics engine.
Believe me, I've already been on the devs for this. And that's the answer I got. Which really is a more nice way of saying "No".

[Jkon]

I didnt realize it would involve such a drastic step.Cant blame them for wanting to skip that idea.

[limpet]

Doing that would demand an implementation of a graphics engine.
Believe me, I've already been on the devs for this. And that's the answer I got. Which really is a more nice way of saying "No".

From what I understand, Rainmeter uses GDI+ which is quite capable of doing this, just not with a transformation matrix. It could be possible to create a new polygon meter type which would fill in the area between 3 or more points. But this would require adding to the Rainmeter code and I don't think that's priority for the 1.3 release.

[jsmorley]

Hardly a priority, and really, how could we just add polygon and not the other hundreds of drawing routines in GDI+? To be honest I can't see any reason for it (unless we want to really do a LOT of work on Rainmeter to add full drawing capabilities with all that entails) other than to scratch some weird itch for someone who just doesn't want to be bothered firing up Gimp or Paint.Net or something.

I'm not opposed to it certainly, feel free to download the source and let us know when it is ready for testing!

[limpet]

Hardly a priority, and really, how could we just add polygon and not the other hundreds of drawing routines in GDI+? To be honest I can't see any reason for it (unless we want to really do a LOT of work on Rainmeter to add full drawing capabilities with all that entails) other than to scratch some weird itch for someone who just doesn't want to be bothered firing up Gimp or Paint.Net or something.

I'm not opposed to it certainly, feel free to download the source and let us know when it is ready for testing!

Haha, give me a year and I just might be able to make that announcement. Assuming nobody else has it done first.
And for that matter, if you're going to do that much work rewriting Rainmeter, might as well redo it with OpenGL or D3d, right? Maybe OpenGL or Qt would be better.

Actually, you've got me curious as to how hard that might be. I'm off to get VS Express (no officer, I left my legit IDE in my other computer).

[Jkon]

"other than to scratch some weird itch for someone who just doesn't want to be bothered firing up Gimp or Paint.Net or something."

I totally agree with that but it was actually a string meter i wanted to use it on.It would be a handy function to have for personalizing string meters to go with wallpapers or things like that,but as it involves so much work to implement it i would definitely agree that it's just not worth the effort.