Re: Yet another random backdrop chooser released
Peter Naulls
> The first release of MBBack has now escaped from development hell, and
> may be found at:
>
> http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
>
> MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
> myriad selection on the Internet. What makes this one unique? Well,
> the headline features are:
>
Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
Dr Peter Young
> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
It may well be that I haven't looked far enough. Mr Naulls will
confirm that most of my posts contain nothing but confusion. :-)
With best wishes,
Peter.
--
Peter, \ / \ Prestbury, Cheltenham, Glos. GL52
Anne \ / __ __ \ England.
and / / \ | | |\ | / _ \ http://pnyoung.orpheusweb.co.uk
family / \__/ \_/ | \| \__/ \______________ pny...@ormail.co.uk.
Grahame Parish
Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
I did try, but I get 'invalid source path' error from RiscPkg.
--
Grahame Parish
Aylesbury, Bucks. HP19 (UK)
maillistDOTparishATmillersHYPHENwayDOTnet
Kevin Wells
Dr Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>On 4 Nov 2009 Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
>
>> Martin Bazley wrote:
>>> The first release of MBBack has now escaped from development hell, and
>>> may be found at:
>>>
>>> http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
>>>
>>> MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
>>> myriad selection on the Internet. What makes this one unique? Well,
>>> the headline features are:
>>>
>
>> Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
>
>> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
>
>I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
>what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
>icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
>any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
>backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
>
[snip]
My Bdrop keeps the pinned icons when the backdrop changes.
Mind you I use Organizer to call it up once a month as it is a monthly
backdrop changer.
<http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/>
>
--
Kev Wells http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/
http://kevsoft.co.uk/ http://kevsoft.co.uk/AleQuest/
ICQ 238580561
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
Vince M Hudd
> Martin Bazley wrote:
> > http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
> > MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
> > myriad selection on the Internet.
> Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
Not forgetting Quantum's offering - CamPins - available from:
http://quantumsoft.riscository.com
--
Vince M Hudd - Soft Rock Software
http://www.softrock.co.uk
http://misc.vinceh.com
Peter Naulls
> On 4 Nov 2009 Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
>
>> Martin Bazley wrote:
>>> The first release of MBBack has now escaped from development hell, and
>>> may be found at:
>>>
>>> http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
>>>
>>> MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
>>> myriad selection on the Internet. What makes this one unique? Well,
>>> the headline features are:
>>>
>
>> Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
>
>> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
>
> I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
> what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
> icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
> any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
> backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
I'm not sure why any of them would do that. The pinboard image
handling is independent of pinning itself; although in the
case of various pinboard enhancements, that might be a different
matter - but that's really a different class of program.
In any case, Decor hasn't had anything wrong with it which has
warranted a change in many years.
Dr Peter Young
> In message <5a7662b55...@pnyoung.ormail.co.uk>
> Dr Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
[snip]
>>I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
>>what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
>>icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
>>any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
>>backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
>>
> [snip]
> My Bdrop keeps the pinned icons when the backdrop changes.
> Mind you I use Organizer to call it up once a month as it is a monthly
> backdrop changer.
> <http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/>
Looks a very neat app, but I was after something that changed the
backdrop every hour or two, not every month!
Dr Peter Young
> Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
>> Martin Bazley wrote:
>>> http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
>>> MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
>>> myriad selection on the Internet.
>> Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
>> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
> Not forgetting Quantum's offering - CamPins - available from:
> http://quantumsoft.riscository.com
Looks interesting, but:
1) I would use my files, not those from the internet.
2) I've tried quite a number of its Obey files, and have had nothing
but errors :-(
Vince M Hudd
[...]
> > Not forgetting Quantum's offering - CamPins - available from:
> > http://quantumsoft.riscository.com
> Looks interesting, but:
> 1) I would use my files, not those from the internet.
Can it not also use local files? It's been a long time since I used it
myself - at least as long as the last time I used a RiscPC, in fact. (I've
never set it up on the Iyonix because I don't use the Iyonix that often -
only when I have time to do any RISC OS development work).
<looks>
Oh. Ha!
There's also "BgrdImage" which operates on a supplied directory of images.
> 2) I've tried quite a number of its Obey files, and have had nothing but
> errors :-(
Could that be because the websites they refer to are no longer there?
Dr Peter Young
> Dr Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 5 Nov 2009 Vince M Hudd <sp...@softrock.co.uk> wrote:
> [...]
>>> Not forgetting Quantum's offering - CamPins - available from:
>>> http://quantumsoft.riscository.com
>> Looks interesting, but:
>> 1) I would use my files, not those from the internet.
> Can it not also use local files? It's been a long time since I used it
> myself - at least as long as the last time I used a RiscPC, in fact. (I've
> never set it up on the Iyonix because I don't use the Iyonix that often -
> only when I have time to do any RISC OS development work).
> <looks>
> Oh. Ha!
> There's also "BgrdImage" which operates on a supplied directory of images.
I hadn't noticed that, thanks. I downloaded it, and have had a brief
play. It looks encouraging, and it does preserve my "pinned" icons.
I'll have more of a play some other time.
>> 2) I've tried quite a number of its Obey files, and have had nothing but
>> errors :-(
> Could that be because the websites they refer to are no longer there?
In some cases yes, but all sorts of other errors too, none of which I
understood :-(
Martin Bazley
>
> Looks a very neat app, but I was after something that changed the
> backdrop every hour or two, not every month!
>
To which the obvious answer is, as stated above, load !Alarm and set a
'Task alarm' to repeat the command 'Run <MBBack$Dir>' every hour.
--
__<^>__
/ _ _ \ You always find something in the last place you look.
( ( |_| ) )
\_> <_/ ======================= Martin Bazley ==========================
Martin Bazley
Well, from a brief glance at that page:
MBBack can support backdrops of any filetype supported by
ImageFileConvert (not just JPEGs, but not GIFs, sadly);
MBBack can also recalculate the current backdrop on a mode change (but
it's not automatic, you have to type 'SameBack' at the 'New task' menu);
MBBack has beautiful sprite scaling facilities (so your JPEGs don't have
to be scaled to fit the screen beforehand with something like ChangeFSI,
and can also be recalculated from their original size on a mode change);
MBBack can be launched from !Alarm, should you really want to. :-)
--
__<^>__ === RISC OS is a work of art. Some people adore it, ===
/ _ _ \ === others can't see the point of it, and it's really ===
( ( |_| ) ) === expensive. ===
Martin Bazley
> On 4 Nov 2009 Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
>
> > Martin Bazley wrote:
> >> The first release of MBBack has now escaped from development hell, and
> >> may be found at:
> >>
> >> http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
> >>
> >> MBBack is yet another random backdrop chooser program to pick from the
> >> myriad selection on the Internet. What makes this one unique? Well,
> >> the headline features are:
> >>
>
> > Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
>
> > http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
>
> I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
> what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
> icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
> any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
> backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
>
Mine does. Well, it should do.
Personally, I never use the Pinboard except to display pretty pictures,
because of previous difficulties in revealing said icons in a busy
desktop. Hangover habit from RO3.7, I suppose...
Martin Bazley
> On 5 Nov 2009 Vince M Hudd <sp...@softrock.co.uk> wrote:
>
> > There's also "BgrdImage" which operates on a supplied directory of images.
>
> I hadn't noticed that, thanks. I downloaded it, and have had a brief
> play. It looks encouraging, and it does preserve my "pinned" icons.
> I'll have more of a play some other time.
>
In fact, that program was one of the main inspirations for MBBack -
principally its never-repeat system. MBBack has several advantages,
though, not least being the ability to refer to images in more than one
directory!
That said, YMMV, and I know some people have a pathological terror of
script files - and I did say there were a *lot* of alternatives
available! :-)
--
__<^>__ Red sky in the morning: Shepherd's warning
/ _ _ \ Red sky at night: Shepherd's delight
( ( |_| ) ) Mince and potatoes: Shepherd's pie
\_> <_/ ======================= Martin Bazley ==========================
Kevin Wells
Dr Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>On 5 Nov 2009 Kevin Wells <kevin...@talktalk.net> wrote:
>
>> In message <5a7662b55...@pnyoung.ormail.co.uk>
>> Dr Peter Young <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>[snip]
>
>>>I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do
>>>what I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
>>>icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
>>>any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
>>>backdrop is changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
>>>
>> [snip]
>
>> My Bdrop keeps the pinned icons when the backdrop changes.
>
>> Mind you I use Organizer to call it up once a month as it is a monthly
>> backdrop changer.
>
>> <http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/>
>
>Looks a very neat app, but I was after something that changed the
>backdrop every hour or two, not every month!
The reason I created it in the first place was because the World
Superbikes web site had backdrop images as a calendar with the races
highlighted, so I thought it would be a good idea to automatically
change the image each month.
The trouble was they only did it for that year.
--
Kev Wells http://riscos.kevsoft.co.uk/
http://kevsoft.co.uk/ http://kevsoft.co.uk/AleQuest/
ICQ 238580561
And did the countenance divine
Rosemary Miskin
<pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
> Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
> icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
> any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
> backdrop is changed?
I use Decor to change my backdrop image every hour, and it preserves my
icons.
I arrange my pinned icons round the edges of the screen, using left, top and
right for different topics, and choose the centred backdrop option. A
suitable selection of background images - mostly family photographs - means
they display on the clear middle of the screen, leaving my icons untouched
on a plain background for clarity.
I've just checked, and although I'm curently only displaying 15 icons, the
scheme allows for 24.
Rosemary
--
Rosemary Miskin ZFC Sm mis...@orpheusmail.co.uk
Loughborough, UK http://miskin.orpheusweb.co.uk
Peter Naulls
> In article <5a7662b55...@pnyoung.ormail.co.uk>, Dr Peter Young
> <pny...@ormail.co.uk> wrote:
>> Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer
>> icons "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do
>> any of the current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the
>> backdrop is changed?
>
>
> I use Decor to change my backdrop image every hour, and it preserves my
> icons.
>
> I arrange my pinned icons round the edges of the screen, using left, top and
> right for different topics, and choose the centred backdrop option. A
> suitable selection of background images - mostly family photographs - means
> they display on the clear middle of the screen, leaving my icons untouched
> on a plain background for clarity.
Yes, I've done something very similar in the past. And as an extension,
you can drag a directory of photos to it, and it will slide show them
on the pinboard.
Steve Fryatt
> On 4 Nov 2009 Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
>
> > http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
>
> I can't compare, as I'm yet to find a backdrop changer which will do what
> I need. Like I suppose, many others, I have quite a few filer icons
> "pinned" to the pinboard, and make extensive use of these. Do any of the
> current backdrop changers preserve such icons when the backdrop is
> changed? If so, I haven't found any yet.
I can't imagine any of them *not* doing this: all they're doing is changing
the image on the pinboard, so it shouldn't affect the pinned icons. I can
confirm, after many years' use, that Decor definitely does not move pinned
items around.
--
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England
Joyce Haslam
> Martin Bazley wrote:
> > http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
> Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
> http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
I use Steve Potts' BgrndCtrl
www.blastzone.demon.co.uk/software.html
BgrndCtrl is good because it will tell me which image is being used
and will allow me to choose an individual image to change to. Like
Decor and unlike MBBack, it generates a new psuedo-random number
each time instead of crossing each image off a list as it is used.
I've been meaning to ask for that feature for some time now.
The image I found that did not display well with MBBack was
displayed properly by both BgrndCtrl and Decor.
Joyce.
--
Joyce Haslam pendle atte boulsworth dotcodotuk
Powerbase Support http://www.boulsworth.co.uk/
running Select 4.37 with 64M RAM plus 2M VRAM on SA RPC
learning Ubuntu and Debian
Martin Bazley
> Peter Naulls <pe...@chocky.org> wrote:
> > Martin Bazley wrote:
>
> > > http://www.starfighter.acornarcade.com/mysite/utilities.htm#mbback
>
> > Hm, competition. Anyone care to compare with Decor:
> > http://www.riscos.info/index.php/Decor
>
> I use Steve Potts' BgrndCtrl
> www.blastzone.demon.co.uk/software.html
>
Yep, there's a lot of them. :-)
> BgrndCtrl is good because it will tell me which image is being used
> and will allow me to choose an individual image to change to. Like
> Decor and unlike MBBack, it generates a new psuedo-random number
> each time instead of crossing each image off a list as it is used.
> I've been meaning to ask for that feature for some time now.
>
MBBack will tell you which image is being used - type 'Show
MBBack$CurBack'. Not quite as user-friendly, perhaps, but better than
nothing.
I'm not quite clear what your last sentence means. Did you mean to
ask me to 'generate a new pseudo-random number every time' (I assure you
MBBack already does) or did you mean to ask Steve to 'cross each image
off a list'?
As for your point about 'choosing an individual image' - perhaps a
random backdrop chooser is not quite what you want?
> The image I found that did not display well with MBBack was
> displayed properly by both BgrndCtrl and Decor.
>
Which image was that? And in what way did it 'not display well'? I
need this info to improve my programs!
--
__<^>__ "Start off every day with a smile and get it over with."
/ _ _ \ - W.C. Fields
( ( |_| ) )
Joyce Haslam
> The following bytes were arranged on 8 Nov 2009 by Joyce Haslam :
> > BgrndCtrl is good because it will tell me which image is being
> > used and will allow me to choose an individual image to change
> > to. Like Decor and unlike MBBack, it generates a new
> > psuedo-random number each time instead of crossing each image
> > off a list as it is used. I've been meaning to ask for that
> > feature for some time now.
> >
> MBBack will tell you which image is being used - type 'Show
> MBBack$CurBack'. Not quite as user-friendly, perhaps, but better
> than nothing.
> I'm not quite clear what your last sentence means. Did you mean
> to ask me to 'generate a new pseudo-random number every time' (I
> assure you MBBack already does) or did you mean to ask Steve to
> 'cross each image off a list'?
I meant to ask Steve to ensure that all pictures were used once
before any were repeated. I hadn't thought up a how-to.
> As for your point about 'choosing an individual image' - perhaps
> a random backdrop chooser is not quite what you want?
Some days I have more time than others, and I go through the images
randomly or sequentially, removing ones that I no longer want, and
settling on an Image Of The Day. Steve's program is ideal for that.
> > The image I found that did not display well with MBBack was
> > displayed properly by both BgrndCtrl and Decor.
> >
> Which image was that? And in what way did it 'not display well'?
> I need this info to improve my programs!
I'll send it to you by email. It is a jpeg which has been enlarged
quite a lot.