Shoutbox

Hi,

I have a suggestion for the skinning part of Plus!:
A tag to allow the skin developer to use ratios in their window dimensions.
I think it'd be something like this:

code:

---

<SkinInfo>
  <Dimentions>
    <ChatWnd>
      <Size>
        <WidthHeightRatio>1.333</WidthHeightRatio>
      </Size>
    </ChatWnd>
  </Dimensions>
</SkinInfo>

---

This would allow the user to resize their windows, but along  certain "line".
So your windows can have a resolution of (e.g.) 1024*768  or  1280*960  (because 1024/768=1.333 and so on)..

Any opinions?

If implemented, it should be done in the more usual '4:3' style.

Anyway, I think it's a bad idea, as people expect to size a window however they want, or not size it at all.

But threr are skins with Minimum and Maximum tags, so this doesn't allow users to resize windows 100% as they want..

I understand his point, and for some skins, especially shaped skins this would really make a difference, but it is incredible advanced/difficult to achieve correctly

And.. Who is "he"?

You SmokingCookie

Think of it like this RP;

Imagine a shaped skin, shaped like a pair of boobs in a bra

\(_)(_)/

now lets say that that as a square |_____| is 16:9
you want to be able to make those boobs bigger without making them into ovals by squashing them sideways.

So defining the resize aspect ratio would enable you to enlarge the window whilst still keeping graphics, shapes and borders in the right shape, size and aspect ratio

Okay

Now, I am not a programmer (though I have tried it..), but why would it be so difficult to acieve correctly?

quote:

---

Originally posted by SmokingCookie
why would it be so difficult to acieve correctly?

---

It may not be hard for Patchou to implement it (I don't know this), but it'd be more hard figuring out the size dimensions that you would need for your skin, and you may still need a Maximum and minimum sizes

Remembering some monitors can stretch pixel ratios out anyway etc

Divide the length value by the width value and there you go..

Maybe combining Min and Max with the ratio thing would be something.

I think it'd give something like this:

code:

---

<SkinInfo>

(...)

<Dimensions>
<[Some window]>
<Size>
<Width>
<Minimum>X</Minimum>
<Maximum>X</Maximum>
</Width>
<Height>
<Minimum>X</Minimum>
<Maximum>X</Maximum>
</Height>
<WidthHeightRatio>1.333</WidthHeightRatio>
</Size>
</Dimensions>

(...)

</SkinInfo>

---

I definitely would like to see this as I have indeed come across a use for it when using custom background images and custom shapes.

The <WidthHeightRatio> tag suggested by SmokingCookie would be good, but something which would be much nicer (yet more complex from a programming stand-point) would be to have something like:

code:

---

<Size>
    <Width>
        <Minimum>579</Minimum>
        <Maximum>988</Maximum>
    </Width>
    <Height><Fixed>2*Width</Fixed></Height>
</Size>

---

That is, allow strings defining relationships between width/height, this would in theory allow simple and more complex relationships should the need arise

Interesting(ish) scenario:

code:

---

<Height>
    <Minimum>Width*1.5</Minimum>
    <Maximum>Width*2</Maximum>
</Height>

---

eg. If Width = 100, then Height min = 150 and max = 200.
This would cause the height to remain in a certain range (between 150 and 200) unless width is changed.

Of course you would (should) be able to define relationships in terms of Height (eg. <Width><Fixed>2*Height<Fixed></Width>) as well as in terms of Width (eg. <Height><Fixed>2*Width</Fixed><Height>). Whilst the necessity may not be apparent from a Fixed standpoint, the 'interesting scenario' above could be used to limit width to a certain range depending on height just as well as it did limit height depending on width.

Either way, I hope to see some form of constrained proportions in place. I probably should have suggested this earlier but the idea kept slipping my mind