RTCIP : a tool to get RTC Items Position values (v0.4)

[linflas]

Get current version here : http://linflasdm.blogspot.fr/2008/02/rt ... items.html

i'm working on a simple graphic tool which gives RTC coordinates for flooritems (depth 0 and 1) and wallitems (front and side).
but i need to know the absolute x and y values for each fixed point from which the coordinates are calculated.
actually, i think these 2 first ones are correct :
front 0 center for flooritems : 224, 272
front 1 center for flooritems : 224, 208
front center for wallitems : ???, ???
side center for wallitems : ???, ???

here's a preview screenshot, i can load PNG files but blitz3d can't display alpha channels correctly (however, the aim of the tool is to give values and not to be beautiful) :

[cowsmanaut]

this is exactly the tool I requested ages ago..

everything happens gradually I guess

Not Like I should be one to talk.. I do think I owe Kelly a side view of a fountain... oops!

[Gambit37]

Very cool indeed -- though I think supporting alpha channels would be quite important as currently the mask obscures the exact spot you want to put your image on!

[linflas]

Definitely agreed but i'm limited in blitz3d : the 2d *image* object doesn't support alpha channels while the *texture* object does.
So, to load a perfect 32-bit image with an alpha channel, the image must use a width and height that are equal to the power of 2 (squared).
I'll put a F2 key to load bitmaps with alpha flag on. For example, if your image is 100x50 and you want to load it while still preserving the alpha channel, you must have resized the canvas with transparent background in photoshop to at least 128x64 (Smallest possible squared image size to contain the original image).

anyway, i still need George's help to get the values for wall centers absolute coordinates !

[linflas]

wow ! i just re-coded the tool from a Blitzmax tutorial, and you know what ? Blitzmax supports alpha transparency !
I still need the coordinates... is George on holiday, skiing ?

To know if it runs well on your machines, you can download v0.1 here : [link removed]

[linflas]

v0.2 : the tool is now fully functional
RTC values and conversion algorithm for wallitems might be wrong but you can use it for flooritems without any problem (please give me feedback, maybe i'm wrong !)
Same download location : [link removed]

[THOM]

Cool Tool

some comments:
I like the Backgroundimage in your screencapture - couldn't it being implemented in the Programm?
What is a Backgroundimage of size 448x272 ? A screencapture of RTCs Mainscreen?
Could you implement a keybuffer - so that you hit an arrowkey and hold it till your image is at the point you like it to have?
An didn't you mentioned something about transparency?? If you meant the transparency of the background (the pink one, that has to bee opaque): I have a pink display.

Thats for now. But really a good Tool.

[linflas]

I like the Backgroundimage in your screencapture - couldn't it being implemented in the Programm?

if you talk about the blueish Star Trek thing, i did put it into the rar archive where the program is released as an example of DM perspective and i load it each you start the program. if you delete it, the program will crash or complain.
the wooden wallset example is a screenshot from my custom dungeon FoD.

What is a Backgroundimage of size 448x272 ? A screencapture of RTCs Mainscreen?

yes, but only the cropped part where the scene is displayed.

Could you implement a keybuffer - so that you hit an arrowkey and hold it till your image is at the point you like it to have?

no, you have to use the mouse to drag your bitmap near the place you want it to be and use arrow keys for thin placement.

An didn't you mentioned something about transparency?? If you meant the transparency of the background (the pink one, that has to bee opaque): I have a pink display.

i don't use power pink color but PNG transparency for all my RTC bitmaps : as this tool is made for me first and i don't want to spend too much time on it, i suggest you to do like me : convert all your bitmaps with pink mask to some PNG transparent ones.

[linflas]

thom : forget about my last answer, i'll be able to handle power pink as transparent color for the next release of the tool

[linflas]

thanks to George for the center values !
0.3 version is now out !
Get it at http://www.freewebs.com/linflas

[ian_scho]

you updated your website too!

[linflas]

exactly, that was necessary i think
v0.4 : added side flooritems (left and right)

[Gambit37]

This tool doesn't work for me. It runs, but it destroys my display (windows taskbar disappears and other windows elements are not -re-drawn so as I drag the RTCIP around, I end up with a "window trails" mess). Also, nothing shows up when I drag a graphic into the window (although it says it's loaded).

I suspect it's a driver problem for my graphic card, but RTCWM works and I don't really want to update this machine anymore as I'll be buying a new one soon.

I'm using an old Geforce 4600 with nVidia drivers 71.89

Any ideas?

[linflas]

none, i am afraid.. the way i call graphics in RTCIP is exactly the same as in RTCWM

[Gambit37]

I've been using RTCIP successfully with new display drivers.I was wondering if you might ever update it? It's missing the capability to tell us the position of FLOORITEM_SIDE_3.

[linflas]

oh ? i'm surprised i forgot the 3 distance views !
i still have the source code but haven't re-installed BlitzBasic when i upgraded to Vista. I'll see if i can find it somewhere on my old hard drives...

EDIT : ahh ! no need to recompile the program, you just have to add a line with the right values in tiles.ini ... I make few calculation and test it tonight.

EDIT : all right.. these lines should work. Edit your tiles.ini and paste them (not at the end because the program window height is fixed)

Code: Select all

FLOORITEM:LEFT3:94:142
FLOORITEM:RIGHT3:306:142

[Gambit37]

RTCIP is broken in Windows 7: It has to be run in compatibility mode to work, but even after doing that, it goes into some weird slow down which makes it impossible to position items over a background image. I don't suppose there's any way of fixing this for Win7?

[Chaos-Shaman]

i'm running it on windows 7, it works ok, i don't get any lag, or crashes. there must be something else involved causing it. my old computer bogged down with it when other applications were open.
it's a nifty little program for sure.

[Gambit37]

What graphics card do you have?

[Chaos-Shaman]

gf engtx 260 top, it's a year old, and it does not have a great windows rating, not bad, just not the best. are you running an i7 cpu

[Gambit37]

I'm running an AMD Dual Core processor on a motherboard with integrated graphics, very low end (ATI 4200). At some point next year I'll be getting a better standalone ATI card.

[Chaos-Shaman]

it may be the card. i am not fond of AMD/ATI, my son sent his back and bought a new notebook with intel and geforce, cause his sisters was faster, hehehe. this was a couple years back.

[Gambit37]

I think a few years back I would have agreed with you about ATI -- Nvidia cards seemed superior. I think it's the other way around now though. Nvidia driver software is better though, much nicer to use than the ATI catalyst control panel.

Anyway, I don't know why RTCIP is messed up for me. It's going to be a big pain in the bum though, it was a really handy tool for getting item positions and now I can't use it anymore

[linflas]

I noticed that Blitz3D has a real problem with laptops with integrated gfx card. Do you have lags with RTCWM as well on Win7 ?

[Gambit37]

RTCWM has always taken a long time to start, but after that, it seems to run fine. Only RTCIP has this issue. (Also, the issue involves all the number areas constantly updating with a flashing cursor running through all of them as you move the mouse.)

[linflas]

i wonder if i should try to improve an old B3D program or rewrite it entirely with a better language... and it would probably be useful to have DSB code generation too.


.. looks like another huge project !

[Gambit37]

And so it continues. That's what I love about computers: not the devices themselves, but the fact there's so much interesting stuff one can do with them... it's never ending...

[Chaos-Shaman]

i wonder if i should try to improve an old B3D program or rewrite it entirely with a better language... and it would probably be useful to have DSB code generation too.


.. looks like another huge project !

that would be fantastically kind linflas. i would also like to get the propper dimensions. i don't know how big, say where you have the save icon, sound icon, that little spot is what dimensions?, cause just having those would really help.

[linflas]

i think interface icons have unique size and position isn't included in RTC scene placement so RTCIP isn't needed. check original bitmaps coordinates in the editor ==> add/replace graphics / 1 scaling (smal) / bitmap_inventory_***

[Chaos-Shaman]

i did poke around there a bit a while back, i remembered i had difficulty with it. i must have another look, i can find/change them no problems, i want to know what the maximum size i can make it. i think it's a bar that goes right across the top 448 x 20 or something. i struggled with that part of changing every single changable RTC value i could change, a personal goal. your RTCIP works great linflas.