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Button Animation

ChiefsmokeChiefsmoke Posts: 10
in AMX Design Tools
Do any of you create buttons that spin/turn to a new color? if so what application do you use to create the "frames" for the animation?

Gary

Comments

  • VLCNCRZRVLCNCRZR Posts: 216
    Hello,

    90% of the time, I use Paint Shop Pro for my graphic work.
    It is very simple to use, and gives very good results. JASC Animation Shop is also a very useful application that I use.

    Recently, I converted an AVI file of a rotating earth into individual frames. I then imported them (140 frames) into a multistate button on a Modero panel. Through the properties in TPD4, I was able to set the animation time and have it repeat until the panel is touched.

    I use the particular page as a "screen saver" type of application.
    Now the customer has a cool rotating earth in a starfield to look at on their panel. There is also a space shuttle that occasionally shoots across the screen with a fiery roar.

    I realize this takes alot of time, but the results are worth it,
    especially if your client appreciates the graphical capabilities of the touch panels.

    Even without importing graphic images into the panel, you can create some very impressive color changing buttons and effects that appear as motion.


    If you are not going to utilize the capabilities of the Modero panels, you might as well just use the G3 series.

    That is just my opinion of course.

    VLCNCRZR
  • enelsonenelson Posts: 5
    another option

    I also tend to uses JASC paintshop Pro and Animations Shop, however Xara 3d also allows you to quickly create and preview spinning animations. the version I have is quite old so I do not know how user friendly the current version is.




    Erik
  • ubernyakoubernyako Posts: 12
    VLCNCRZR wrote: »
    I use the particular page as a "screen saver" type of application.

    Thank for good idea! That will look cool, but if you could tell me how do you make it start the animation? And is it better to make popup, so when you touch the panel, it will close the popup, or you make page, and button flips to previous?
  • PhreaKPhreaK Posts: 966
    ubernyako wrote: »
    ...but if you could tell me how do you make it start the animation? And is it better to make popup, so when you touch the panel, it will close the popup, or you make page, and button flips to previous?

    If you want to simply have a button that loops an animation you will find a property called 'Auto-Repeat' in the 'General' tab of the property editor. Setting this to yes will cause the animation to loop.

    As far as popup vs page goes both will work equally as well, it's really depends on the effect you are trying to acheive. If you are wanting to impliment a screen saver-esk animation using a full screen popup with a semi-transparent animation frames works well as the user can still get info from the screen without having to turn off the animation. You can also then hook into the motion sensor so that as the user approches the panel the animation will automatically shut off and the appropriate controls will display, or if it's a lockable system an auth screen can display ready for unlocking.
  • ubernyakoubernyako Posts: 12
    Yes, but how to call the button or show the popup at the time I need (e.g. after 3 minutes of idling)??
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    ubernyako wrote: »
    Yes, but how to call the button or show the popup at the time I need (e.g. after 3 minutes of idling)??
    One way is to monitor all button events with the 0 channel code and after 3 minutes of no activity you can do your thing.
    DEFINE_DEVICE

dvTP = 10001:1:0

DEFINE_EVENT

BUTTON_EVENT[dvTP,0] {

   PUSH: {
   
      CANCEL_WAIT 'ShowAnimation'
      WAIT 1800 'ShowAnimation' {
	 //show popup or whatever after 3 minutes of idling
      }
   
   }


}
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    Joe Hebert wrote:
    One way is to monitor all button events with the 0 channel code and after 3 minutes of no activity you can do your thing.
    You would have to do that in every button event for every TP port used.
  • VLCNCRZRVLCNCRZR Posts: 216
    button / page animation

    The method I use is to have my animation page designated as the "inactivity page" on the touch panel itself. No code necessary. Create a full-screen button on the animation page that when touched, returns back to normal control. The animated buttons are set up as "auto-repeat" & "always on" feedback, so there is no activation or deactivation needed. They are always there, always on. You only see them when you need to. I dont usually use the motion sensor, because people dont get to appreciate the animation if it's gone before the user gets to the panel.
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    vining wrote: »
    You would have to do that in every button event for every TP port used.
    All you need is 1 BUTTON_EVENT with an array of touch panels/ports and a SWITCH CASE inside the PUSH.
    VLCNCRZR wrote: »
    The method I use is to have my animation page designated as the "inactivity page" on the touch panel itself. No code necessary.

    I take it a step farther and don?t do anything at all. :) I usually just let the panel go to sleep.

    From my POV, the inactivity/screen saver pages don?t actually do anything other than let the backlight burn and shorten the life instead of save it.

    But I?m looking at it from a resi standpoint since that is 99% of what I do. I let my own TPs sleep as much as possible so I don?t have to dish out cash for no reason to have them replaced/repaired.

    I?m sure there are commercial settings where leaving the screen on is mandatory but even in those cases you can add some intelligence by writing a little code instead of leaving it all to the touch panel. For example, most places aren?t open 24/7 so it would be better on the hardware to let it sleep if it?s between x PM ? y AM and show the animation/saver/information page during working hours.

    Even in a resi setting one might want to enable a family photo slide show during inactivity while in a certain mode/time of day or else just let it sleep. I should do that for my place but as the norm, the cobbler always wears the worst shoes.

    I?m not trying to promote any right answer other than the one that makes sense for the job at hand. It?s always good to know what all your options are.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    Joe Hebert wrote:
    All you need is 1 BUTTON_EVENT with an array of touch panels/ports and a SWITCH CASE inside the PUSH.
    Tis the same thing isn't it? Well regardless that's the point I was trying to make, you have to do that for every port used not just port 1. I know in my early days of programming I would have made that assumption and then banged my had against the wall wondering what I did wrong.
    From my POV, the inactivity/screen saver pages don?t actually do anything other than let the backlight burn and shorten the life instead of save it.
    I used to think the PictureFrame app (or home rolled) was a good idea for clients when idle but now I do the same and just let the sleep.
  • Joe HebertJoe Hebert Posts: 2,159
    vining wrote: »
    Tis the same thing isn't it? Well regardless that's the point I was trying to make, you have to do that for every port used not just port 1.
    Sorry, I misinterpreted your post. Tis the same thing.
  • VLCNCRZRVLCNCRZR Posts: 216
    ????

    Gee...here's a question:

    What is the "Official AMX ACE Certified Preferred Method"?

    Sorry, I couldnt help myself. :)
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    Joe Hebert wrote:
    Sorry, I misinterpreted your post. Tis the same thing.
    That's ok, I get misinterpreted alot.
  • viningvining Posts: 4,368
    VLCNCRZR wrote:
    "" ""
    I'm not allowed on the same thread as that topic so if you could please refrain from further reference of that subject I'd appreciate it.

    Thanks, Dan
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