Improvements for ZgeViz

alphanimal · Post by **alphanimal** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:47 pm

Hi!

Working with ZgeViz recently I discovered some things that could be improved:
- the "Stay on top" checkbox in the viewport window is not working like I expect it to. When enabled, as soon as you focus another non-FL window it jumps in the background. The best solution, if possible, would be to host the Viz output in an FL-internal window - like the plugin-settings windows itself. It should have the "Detach" option like every other FL window.

- If the visualization takes a lot of CPU that slows down FL. It would be better if the Viz would be processed in it's own thread, not in FL's UI thread. Maybe even in it's own process so if it crashes it doesn't take down FL too.

- The UI design could use some pimping

Compare recent plugins by IL

- Switching the output to FL's background is a nice feature, but I'd prefer to do it with a dedicated button, rather than automatically when the plugin windows is closed.

- A button/menu item to reload the effects list would be handy

- An option to save custom effects (.zgeproj files) with the preset (.fst file). So there could be a mode that doesn't use the file-based project list but stores the project in RAM and only saves it temporarily for compiling/editing purposes.

StevenM · Post by **StevenM** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:21 pm

The way I see it - with the UI design is - too many on going changes still, that is a good thing - it leaves the door wide open for new features.

The other plugins kind of get released and they are done, aside from bug fixes. That is why they have the nice looking interfaces. If you noticed when GOL was developing Harmor the UI wasn't in place until everything was practically carved in stone.

It would be nice to refresh the preset list to open new presets or new preset versions.

Stay on top issues started to happen to me -once in a while - not often. I don't know what causes it. Not sure if it's the same for you, but for me the output window disappears when it loses focus, and it's a bit tedious getting it to show again. I fix this by toggling "stay on top" off and back on again - then it behaves like it should.

Not sure if there is a need for a detach option on the output window though - It's already detached or attached to the plugin.

Post by **VilleK** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:24 pm

These are all good suggestions.

About pimping the UI, I agree it looks terrible compared to other plugins. I don't possess the skills to make that kind of graphic design myself though so it would have to involve another person. And Stevens got a point that since the UI and functionality isn't yet finalized keeping it simple at the moment makes it very easy to move things around, adding buttons etc.

alphanimal · Post by **alphanimal** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:14 pm

Indeed it keeps things simple to add and change things, but then ZgeViz should be still alpha or beta version.

I think if it is a full version it should be "finished".

But the UI is the least of my problems

Fixing the focus issues or threaded processing would be much more useful...

cheers