GUI Menu Creator Progess Report

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:04 am

First small steps have been taken towards a complete save/load system. I am copying images from wherever picked into your project directory, including your cropped button images, and I have successsfully loaded a background and save button back into the window when the desired project is selected. I am happy, but tired. I am heading to bed.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:32 pm

**CRITICAL UPDATE**

I may be changing the entire interface of the project. Not sure yet, but I believe I could make it much much better. Well, actually, it'll look pretty much the same, but what do you think of a tabbed interface, rather than window after window?

I know I like it much better.

Post by **bernie** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:16 pm

Personally I would prefer a tabbed interface, it's a much neater finish, easier to understand and quicker to get to the bit you want, especially if you just want to make a minor change on a particular page. Better all round really. Anyway see what other folk want how about doing a poll?

MakerOfGames · Post by **MakerOfGames** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 3:16 pm

So it will be similar to firefox and how it can tab webpages instead of opening them in now ones? Sounds good to me. I think it will help keep your computer screen much more clean that way. And make it much more user friendly than awkward window after window.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:45 am

Okay, it's almost 2 am, and I have to go to bed now. I finished the drag and drop coding for the character selction menu, and decided to make a splash screen.

What do you think?

Juutis · Post by **Juutis** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:26 am

Looking great! Did you make the picture yourself?

Cynical Gaming · Post by **Cynical Gaming** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:29 am

haha i love the splash screen.
great job man.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:06 pm

Looking great! Did you make the picture yourself?

No, my friend. I searched the web for royalty free sky photos until I found the most soothing one. At 2am, it seemed most appropriate. I still think it looks good this morning, though.

Thanks guys!

MakerOfGames · Post by **MakerOfGames** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:46 am

Nice work steven8!!! Looks great!
EDIT:
Sorry to have to edit to give negitive feed back but I just noticed this. I think it is unessicary to have "GUI" written on the title on the splash screen.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:10 am

It's the title of the program.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 3:15 am

I spent some time today placing controls on windows and working it out so the user can resize his character image on the player selection screen. I placed a static image up there to represent an image for placement on the menu, but I thought it might be nice if the user could change the size to what they want their image(s) to be.

I have not been able to disable the multiplayer tab itself, so I've decided to disable the multiplayer related controls on the main menu screen, and just disable all of the controls on the multiplayer tab. I don't want to take it out altogether, because when it comes time, I want to be able to just enable all the controls and rerelease the program. Drop and go!

I am still working on a save/load system for the program. This will be the biggest sticker of all, but I will work it out.

Juutis · Post by **Juutis** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:39 am

Would it be possible to make the saving/loading system deal directly with the menu.ini file(s)?
I know nothing about programming, but could it be done so that loading reads a specified .ini file and loads the menu information from that?
And saving would save the file directly to a .ini file.
As I said... I'm not a programmer, but this way you wouldn't have to create an extra filetype for the saved menu projects. You wouldn't have to export them either.

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:08 am

Don't worry, I'll take care of it. Creating a new filetype is no problem. making sure you get your images and positions and text in the right places is what's important.

Right now it works like this:

In your installation folder is another folder called Projects. When you create a new project, it creates a new folder within the projects folder named for your project. As you select bitmaps and crop bitmaps for buttons, it copies those bitmaps and cropped areas over to the project's folder. When you save the project, it writes a sort of ini file leading to the bits and bobs you made in your project. When you load a project, it reads the 'ini' file to retrieve said items back into your project. it's the reading back that I am having some trouble.

I just had a brain sprinkle (I used to have storms. . .but not anymore.

). I think I may know how to solve the problem.

Thanks for making me think, juutis!!

Juutis · Post by **Juutis** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 5:14 am

Ah, ok. Sounds good!

steven8 · Post by **steven8** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 2:03 pm

I got it!! I got it. After beating my head all over the place, it struck me. Then it struck me again. And I said, "Stop it, cousin IT!"

Seriously, I solved my whole ding-danged dilemma with one line of code. Crazy, man!!