Re: [MiNT] XaAES current resource file issues

[Paul Wratt <paul.wratt@gmail.com>]

On Sat, Dec 5, 2009 at 5:21 AM, Peter Slegg <p.slegg@scubadivers.co.uk> wrote:
> On Fri, 4 Dec 2009 14:39:40 , Paul Wratt <paul.wratt@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I have new XAAES.RSC after making the changes according to bug 157
>>
>> xkeramik
>> http://www.isource.net.nz/afros/skins/xaaes/
>>
>>
>> Paul
>>
>
> I use a very basic, bland set-up in 1.16.3
>
> It would be nice to be able to preview the various options
> in XaAES and select one on the fly.
>
> Peter
>
way ahead of you there Peter, well, I had the same idea at least

I'm am currently having issue with load the kernel module, as posted
elsewhere, once that is ironed out, this is what you can expect in the
near future (dynamically - on the fly):
 loading of gradients
 loading of textures
 loading of widgets (xaaeswdg.rsc
 loading of extened widgets (xa_xtobj.rsc)
 loading of "skin" (all of above)

At the moment I have the source including gradients from a single file
when compiled (no patch for this yet). ATM until I get the "pixel
format issue" sorted on aranym, I wont be releasing it for 1.17,
simply because I can't test the results. As soon as a fix for that
become available I start releasing for 1.17 also

You can get an "extend texturing" KM binary from the AFROS-update SF
page, in the files section:
http://afros-update.sf.net/

I have an updated EcoGreen skin on my skins site:
http://paulwratt.110mb.com/afros/skins/xaaes/

I will release a patch file (diff) after I have created and tested
(read: have screen shots of) some other gradient schemes, at which
point I will make a source download available also. I will also supply
a "gradient rebuild" script, to allow for simple changing of color
schemes. This is just a hard coded gcc build command, which allows a
color scheme as an option (different c include file).

One issue re:dynamic reloading of resources (inc textures an
gradients), is the need for an interface of sorts. Also I have yet to
decide how to create the gradient structures, as there a multiple
different "versions" of them, according to what gradient method is
used, and how many steps and gradient changes are required. It should
not be too differcult to, just a lot of testing.

In going over the code for gradients, and rendering, I have found the
parts where the widget layouts are, so I will be looking at supplying
a similar "separate include" for widget placement too.

I have already expanded the config file to allow for "xa_xtobj.rsc" to
be loaded in exactly the same way WIDGETS is used, so with XWIDGETS
you can load a different file (no more renaming). Also SKIN_DIR is
added to allow switching between themes in a flash, again without
having to copy or rename anything in IMG folder. As a side affect of
this you can have widgets and x-widgets with default names in this
folder, along with "other variations" that can then use the respective
WIDGET option in the config.

The SKIN_DIR will also be used for gradient loading, which will only
be available when the structure issue is sorted.

I will looking in to the following also:
 menu bar texture
 menu hi-lite texture
 alert title texture

all to which are having gradients applied.

As part of all this "gee-whiz" stuff, I will document Gradient
Methods, and try to determine what are the possible uses, as they seem
quite flexible.

One change I forgot to make to the above mentioned XaAES release, is
to change "Beta Test Release" to "Beta Release", as I have change the
code to reflect is "beta" status instead of "alpha".

Have fun

Paul