** Logo Wishlist! **

feldon34 · 03-18-2004, 03:58 PM

If you have some logos you'd like to see or other suggestions for Marine Aquarium Time 2 which are specific to the product, please post them here!

I've posted a list of logos I've created so far in the MAT2 announcement thread.

If you want to suggest fish species or changes in the background, you should put those in the Saltwater forum.

James · 03-19-2004, 02:40 PM

Do we have to remain the original BMP or TGA file in the directory for MAL to run properly?
Does MAL produce it's own file after importing the log?

What I really want is once the logo has been imported, I hope I can export the whole MAL as a single .src file with all logos embedded in it. So I can just share the .src file to other computer or other people, but in order to let others to run MAL, those "other" computer must have keycode or else they can only use demo with larger .src file size.

It's convenient when a company has many computers, they can just copy the .src file without copying other logos and setup each MAL on each computer.

IS this customisation possible?

feldon34 · 03-19-2004, 10:11 PM

Originally posted by James
Do we have to remain the original BMP or TGA file in the directory for MAL to run properly?
Does MAL produce it's own file after importing the log?

Actually we've been discussing this.

If you use the BMP method, which lets you use 1 logo only, then it generates a data file.

<strike>If you use TGA files, then they are converted in memory each time MAT2 loads. This actually causes what I consider to be a problematic delay with 10 or more logos -- it's quite slow. I've offered some suggestions including a logo cache which is re-generated each time a new logo is dropped in the folder or an old one deleted.</strike>
MAT2 now uses PNG files, which load rather quickly, even if you have 20-30 logos.

Originally posted by James
What I really want is once the logo has been imported, I hope I can export the whole MAL as a single .src file with all logos embedded in it.

I do not think we will see logos being folded into the .SCR file, however. When I put logos on my website, they will all be self-installing programs which drop the file into the correct folder.

Originally posted by James
But in order to let others to run MAL, those "other" computer must have keycode or else they can only use demo with larger .src file size.

We certainly won't see a way to "get around" any limitations of logo selection by bundling logos into the SCR file. I imagine when MAT2 is unregistered, it will only display the Prolific logo.

Originally posted by James
It's convenient when a company has many computers, they can just copy the .src file without copying other logos and setup each MAL on each computer.

It is painless to Zip up all the Logos and set them to self-extract into the correct folder.

James · 03-20-2004, 04:25 AM

thanks for reply Morgan, so let me get this right, according to your "correct folder" explanation, if the folder is setup correctly with .tga files in it, the user doesn't need to go into the setting to set them up since the folders has been correctly placed!?

too bad the logo can't embedded in to SRC file, but I think generating the data file is better than load up the tag everytime MAL fires up.

I also wish the transition between logos and calander become more creative rather than just fade in and fade out, maybe morphing or doubling transition(first logo remains while second logo appears, eg. I put a photo logo with my brother on right, when the second logo comes in with myself on the left, the crystal shows WITHOUT losing my brother on the right) I hope you understand my saying! :P

feldon34 · 03-20-2004, 10:05 AM

When you install the Aquarium, the Aquarium SCR file itself goes into your Windows/System32 directory, but the Readme file and uninstall info goes into c:\program files\serenescreen\marine aquarium time\. That's where you drop the PNG files.

Great suggestion about other possibilities with the logo transitions. Course what would be really funny is if a hand came down and ripped the logo crystal out of the coral, a little dust fell off the sides, and then the same hand came down inserting the new logo crystal into the coral. I think Jim would have a stroke though.

patscarr · 03-27-2004, 07:20 PM

When you drop in your logo, then use the "Page Up," "Page Down," and "Alt-Arrows" keys to get your logo positioned just right, it works great. But then when it cycles to the calendar and clock, if you continue to press the "Page Up," "Page Down," and "Alt-Arrows" keys nothing happens to the calendar or clock, but when your logo comes back up, it is all out of whack.

Perhaps once you get your logo just right, there could be a "Lock in Position" key combination or checkbox. When using multiple logos, it could either be "Lock all Logos" or just "Lock this Logo"

feldon34 · 03-28-2004, 01:09 PM

Pat,

Keeping in mind that you have downloaded an old version of Logo off the test site.

I don't think anyone here is using that version, and any and all things you're seeing in the product may change. For instance, the arrow keys no longer work in the test version I'm using.

When Marine Aquarium Time 2 is ready to test, you'll see an announcement.

patscarr · 06-07-2004, 06:18 PM

Okay, I just got the latest Marine Aquarium Time 2 version from the SereneScreen website and the small problem that I described above is still there.

After importing my .bmp logo, then using Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows to position my logo perfectly within the crystal, if I continue to press Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows while the crystal cycles through the clock and calendar, nothing happens to the calendar or clock, but when my logo comes back up, it is all out of whack.

So, my origional wish for some kind of "lock in position" still stands.

feldon34 · 06-07-2004, 08:03 PM

It's not preserving it's position? That's not good. And that only happens if you accidentially press the arrow keys on the calendar or clock? Or that always happens?

patscarr · 06-07-2004, 08:08 PM

It only happens if you press Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows while the crystal cycles through the clock and calendar.

Quick Death · 06-08-2004, 05:52 PM

control+arrows - do not seem to move the logo in the crystal
page up/down - do not seem to increase/decrease the size of the logo

Both of these are in the help, neither seem to work.

feldon34 · 06-08-2004, 11:44 PM

QD,

You are trying this with a BMP logo you imported with the "Import Logo" button?

Quick Death · 06-10-2004, 11:36 PM

morgan -- tried it with a png and a imported logo, neither work.

feldon34 · 06-11-2004, 11:07 AM

the arrow keys should work with BMPs that you import with "Import Logo".

The arrow keys will not work with PNGs. The designer of the PNG is expected to position the logo how he or she sees fit.

patscarr · 06-12-2004, 12:44 AM

You know what would be great?

Right now the Crystal cycles like this:
Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo1
Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo2
Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo3

Would it be possible to cycle the crystal like this:
Day-Date-Time, Logo1, Analog, Logo2, Calendar, Logo3

BigCheese · 07-21-2004, 02:13 PM

What would be good is if you have like a long box in the configure panel, with icons for the logos, calendar, analogue and day-date-time.
Then you would drag these icons into the box in the desred sequence. That way you could choose only two things to cycle, such ast the logog and day-date-time.

feldon34 · 07-21-2004, 10:16 PM

Unfortunately, the amount of programming effort required to add this feature probably surpasses any amount of revenue they'd earn from the work.

BigCheese · 07-26-2004, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by feldon28
Unfortunately, the amount of programming effort required to add this feature probably surpasses any amount of revenue they'd earn from the work.

Why is everything about money and not about quality anymore?

Tiny Turtle · 07-26-2004, 08:33 AM

Perhaps because those programmers do just that full-time and become oh-so-happy at the end of the month when they receive a paycheck...

glenhny · 08-31-2004, 07:03 PM

My attached log is saved as a monochrome bmp but it is not legible on the crystal. Can someone help? It was done in Paint.

Thanks

03-18-2004, 03:58 PM	#1
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Logo Wishlist! If you have some logos you'd like to see or other suggestions for Marine Aquarium Time 2 which are specific to the product, please post them here! I've posted a list of logos I've created so far in the MAT2 announcement thread. If you want to suggest fish species or changes in the background, you should put those in the Saltwater forum. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 05-19-2004 at 11:28 AM.

03-19-2004, 02:40 PM	#2
James Principal Engineer as SDET Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Was in Auckland, New Zealand, Now in Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 1,406	Do we have to remain the original BMP or TGA file in the directory for MAL to run properly? Does MAL produce it's own file after importing the log? What I really want is once the logo has been imported, I hope I can export the whole MAL as a single .src file with all logos embedded in it. So I can just share the .src file to other computer or other people, but in order to let others to run MAL, those "other" computer must have keycode or else they can only use demo with larger .src file size. It's convenient when a company has many computers, they can just copy the .src file without copying other logos and setup each MAL on each computer. IS this customisation possible? James C Chen Principal Engineer as SDET, Connected Services HTC Corporation 88 Section 3. Zhongxing Road Xindian District, New Taipei City 231, Taiwan www.htc.com

03-19-2004, 10:11 PM	#3
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by James Do we have to remain the original BMP or TGA file in the directory for MAL to run properly? Does MAL produce it's own file after importing the log? Actually we've been discussing this. If you use the BMP method, which lets you use 1 logo only, then it generates a data file. <strike>If you use TGA files, then they are converted in memory each time MAT2 loads. This actually causes what I consider to be a problematic delay with 10 or more logos -- it's quite slow. I've offered some suggestions including a logo cache which is re-generated each time a new logo is dropped in the folder or an old one deleted.</strike> MAT2 now uses PNG files, which load rather quickly, even if you have 20-30 logos. Originally posted by James What I really want is once the logo has been imported, I hope I can export the whole MAL as a single .src file with all logos embedded in it. I do not think we will see logos being folded into the .SCR file, however. When I put logos on my website, they will all be self-installing programs which drop the file into the correct folder. Originally posted by James But in order to let others to run MAL, those "other" computer must have keycode or else they can only use demo with larger .src file size. We certainly won't see a way to "get around" any limitations of logo selection by bundling logos into the SCR file. I imagine when MAT2 is unregistered, it will only display the Prolific logo. Originally posted by James It's convenient when a company has many computers, they can just copy the .src file without copying other logos and setup each MAL on each computer. It is painless to Zip up all the Logos and set them to self-extract into the correct folder. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 05-19-2004 at 11:30 AM.

03-20-2004, 04:25 AM	#4
James Principal Engineer as SDET Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Was in Auckland, New Zealand, Now in Taipei, Taiwan Posts: 1,406	thanks for reply Morgan, so let me get this right, according to your "correct folder" explanation, if the folder is setup correctly with .tga files in it, the user doesn't need to go into the setting to set them up since the folders has been correctly placed!? too bad the logo can't embedded in to SRC file, but I think generating the data file is better than load up the tag everytime MAL fires up. I also wish the transition between logos and calander become more creative rather than just fade in and fade out, maybe morphing or doubling transition(first logo remains while second logo appears, eg. I put a photo logo with my brother on right, when the second logo comes in with myself on the left, the crystal shows WITHOUT losing my brother on the right) I hope you understand my saying! :P James C Chen Principal Engineer as SDET, Connected Services HTC Corporation 88 Section 3. Zhongxing Road Xindian District, New Taipei City 231, Taiwan www.htc.com

03-20-2004, 10:05 AM	#5
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	When you install the Aquarium, the Aquarium SCR file itself goes into your Windows/System32 directory, but the Readme file and uninstall info goes into c:\program files\serenescreen\marine aquarium time\. That's where you drop the PNG files. Great suggestion about other possibilities with the logo transitions. Course what would be really funny is if a hand came down and ripped the logo crystal out of the coral, a little dust fell off the sides, and then the same hand came down inserting the new logo crystal into the coral. I think Jim would have a stroke though. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 05-19-2004 at 11:29 AM.

03-27-2004, 07:20 PM	#6
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	When you drop in your logo, then use the "Page Up," "Page Down," and "Alt-Arrows" keys to get your logo positioned just right, it works great. But then when it cycles to the calendar and clock, if you continue to press the "Page Up," "Page Down," and "Alt-Arrows" keys nothing happens to the calendar or clock, but when your logo comes back up, it is all out of whack. Perhaps once you get your logo just right, there could be a "Lock in Position" key combination or checkbox. When using multiple logos, it could either be "Lock all Logos" or just "Lock this Logo" Patrick

03-28-2004, 01:09 PM	#7
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Pat, Keeping in mind that you have downloaded an old version of Logo off the test site. I don't think anyone here is using that version, and any and all things you're seeing in the product may change. For instance, the arrow keys no longer work in the test version I'm using. When Marine Aquarium Time 2 is ready to test, you'll see an announcement. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 05-19-2004 at 11:31 AM.

06-07-2004, 06:18 PM	#8
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	Okay, I just got the latest Marine Aquarium Time 2 version from the SereneScreen website and the small problem that I described above is still there. After importing my .bmp logo, then using Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows to position my logo perfectly within the crystal, if I continue to press Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows while the crystal cycles through the clock and calendar, nothing happens to the calendar or clock, but when my logo comes back up, it is all out of whack. So, my origional wish for some kind of "lock in position" still stands. Patrick

06-07-2004, 08:03 PM	#9
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	It's not preserving it's position? That's not good. And that only happens if you accidentially press the arrow keys on the calendar or clock? Or that always happens? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-07-2004, 08:08 PM	#10
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	It only happens if you press Page Up/Page Down and Crtl+Arrows while the crystal cycles through the clock and calendar. Patrick

06-08-2004, 05:52 PM	#11
Quick Death Registered Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: New York Posts: 106	control+arrows - do not seem to move the logo in the crystal page up/down - do not seem to increase/decrease the size of the logo Both of these are in the help, neither seem to work.

06-08-2004, 11:44 PM	#12
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	QD, You are trying this with a BMP logo you imported with the "Import Logo" button? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-10-2004, 11:36 PM	#13
Quick Death Registered Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: New York Posts: 106	morgan -- tried it with a png and a imported logo, neither work.

06-11-2004, 11:07 AM	#14
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	the arrow keys should work with BMPs that you import with "Import Logo". The arrow keys will not work with PNGs. The designer of the PNG is expected to position the logo how he or she sees fit. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-12-2004, 12:44 AM	#15
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	You know what would be great? Right now the Crystal cycles like this: Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo1 Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo2 Day-Date-Time, Analog, Calendar, Logo3 Would it be possible to cycle the crystal like this: Day-Date-Time, Logo1, Analog, Logo2, Calendar, Logo3 Patrick

07-21-2004, 02:13 PM	#16
BigCheese Registered Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: England Posts: 5	What would be good is if you have like a long box in the configure panel, with icons for the logos, calendar, analogue and day-date-time. Then you would drag these icons into the box in the desred sequence. That way you could choose only two things to cycle, such ast the logog and day-date-time. Last edited by BigCheese; 07-22-2004 at 05:02 AM.

07-21-2004, 10:16 PM	#17
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Unfortunately, the amount of programming effort required to add this feature probably surpasses any amount of revenue they'd earn from the work. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

07-26-2004, 07:54 AM	#18
BigCheese Registered Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: England Posts: 5	Originally posted by feldon28 Unfortunately, the amount of programming effort required to add this feature probably surpasses any amount of revenue they'd earn from the work. Why is everything about money and not about quality anymore?

07-26-2004, 08:33 AM	#19
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Perhaps because those programmers do just that full-time and become oh-so-happy at the end of the month when they receive a paycheck... Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.