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-   -   Marine Aquarium 3 Comments & Appreciation (https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4382)

Yodelking 02-09-2009 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tormod (Post 110632)
Would it be possible for the calendar machinery to pick up the settings from Windows i.e. if my clock is 24.00 hour use it and if the first day of the week is Monday use that ?

This is a great suggestion! First day of the week in Sweden is Monday.

/Peter

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 01:22 AM

Where are you guys seeing a way of changing the display of 24-hour mode and changing the start-day for the week in Windows?

tormod 02-09-2009 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110650)
Where are you guys seeing a way of changing the display of 24-hour mode and changing the start-day for the week in Windows?

In the regional options setting you set the clock using the time format My
format is set to: HH:mm:ss. HH Means I want a 24 hour clock.

But the start of week is locked to the country selected I believe.

Time format...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\sTimeFormat

The first day of the week is hidden here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International\iFirstDayOfWeek

0 = Monday, 6 = Sunday

tormod

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 01:56 AM

Yes, I read your previous post, but how does the average user change these settings? I can't find an interface anywhere in XP.

Also, I'm not sure if I want to assume that those Registry Keys will be valid for all operating systems.

tormod 02-09-2009 03:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110652)
Yes, I read your previous post, but how does the average user change these settings? I can't find an interface anywhere in XP.

Also, I'm not sure if I want to assume that those Registry Keys will be valid for all operating systems.

ControlPanel->Regional And Language->Regional Options->Customize->Time

Will allow you to set the time format. This is normally set automatically
when you set region and location.

I believe the start of the week is controlled by the locale you have
selected. I.e. Norway

Googling the issue, shows that the only way to override it is via
the registry.

The start of week iFirstDayOfWeek key is present in Windows 2000, XP & Vista.

tormod

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 03:38 AM

1 Attachment(s)
In Win2k it's ... Start\Settings\Control Panel\Regional Options\Date ... (or Time) ... - (I think XP is the same)

Surferminn 02-09-2009 04:06 AM

1 Attachment(s)
XP is close but slightly different from 2k - pretty much as Tomod described in words above. Here it is described in a pic. :)

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 04:20 AM

:TU:

Yodelking 02-09-2009 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110652)
Yes, I read your previous post, but how does the average user change these settings? I can't find an interface anywhere in XP.

Also, I'm not sure if I want to assume that those Registry Keys will be valid for all operating systems.

If the registry isn't found on some systems you can view your "Sunday" as first day of the week...

rctneil 02-09-2009 07:19 AM

When will Ma3 with the clocks/calendar be available in the installer version?

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 07:46 AM

From earlier today! - on the thread called, "MA3 - READ THIS FIRST!"...
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110643)
The "Official" Beta on SereneScreen.com defaults to the Statistics display being OFF. My "Beta-Betas" here will always default to ON. They also have a 14-day lifespan, while the official versions live forever.

Every couple of weeks, if a test version is stable enough, it will become the official download.


Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 10:47 AM

Wow, that interface for changing those settings is nearly as obscure as going into the Registry directly. I was hoping for something more along the lines of right-clicking the time readout.

The reason this is imortant is that if get into an area which the average user is not familiar with, we suddenly become responsible for teaching them. If there are 50 million copies of a program out there, and just one person in 1000 is wondering why his clock is showing 24-hour time, that's 50,000 emails. So if I'm going to support other time/date modes, I think that the user will need to be able to set it from within the program, and I shouldn't get the settings from the Registry.

Dale 02-09-2009 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110665)
Wow, that interface for changing those settings is nearly as obscure as going into the Registry directly. I was hoping for something more along the lines of right-clicking the time readout.

The reason this is imortant is that if get into an area which the average user is not familiar with, we suddenly become responsible for teaching them. If there are 50 million copies of a program out there, and just one person in 1000 is wondering why his clock is showing 24-hour time, that's 50,000 emails. So if I'm going to support other time/date modes, I think that the user will need to be able to set it from within the program, and I shouldn't get the settings from the Registry.

I understand that reasoning.

Of course, it means that you would have to code one more set of "pickers" with user interface, and presumably handle all of the added complexities of 31.12.1999, 1999/12/31, 12/31/1999, 31 DEC 99, December 31, 1999, etc. Not to mention the appropriate names (and single-character abbreviations) for the days, and names of the months (associating them with various choices of language). And explain that somewhere.

There would be significant complexity to doing that, rather than just reading the registry settings - or just saying "No, that's the only way MA3 works".

I just (quickly) counted 11 applications on my PC that display some form of day/time. I'm personally thankful that I don't have to change each of them.

There could be some advantage to being able to tell 50,000 people "It's Microsoft's fault - go ask them".

tormod 02-09-2009 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale (Post 110666)
There would be significant complexity to doing that, rather than just reading the registry settings - or just saying "No, that's the only way MA3 works".

I just (quickly) counted 11 applications on my PC that display some form of day/time. I'm personally thankful that I don't have to change each of them.

There could be some advantage to being able to tell 50,000 people "It's Microsoft's fault - go ask them".

I agree with Dale, this is the localization interface in Microsoft Windows I
think it makes sense to use them. What about date and time functions in
the libraries are none of them locale aware ?

tormod

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 12:48 PM

Just for the record, my system's clock has always been set to display 12:00 hour time. - Beta9a is displaying it the same way. ie, It's now 6:48pm.

Therefore, think of it this way, Jim....

If those 50,000 people are keen enough to have changed their display to or from 24 hour time, then they must already have found out how to do it.
And if they wish to change it again for MA3... (And if my system is anything to go by, they won't need to!)... Then they will know what to do.

I don't personally consider the style of clock/calendar display to be an important detail. - And I don't think you should waste your time on it!

I'm not bothered when I see a clock or a calendar in a bank or in a railway station, etc, I accept it for what it is. - I don't ask them to change its style! ;)

..... Let's all move on!


ps, - Did you say there was a reason, why the MA2.6+Time system can't be used in MA3 ? ... :confused: ... (Was it the DirectX version?)

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 01:07 PM

It was written by Will or Edgar, so it's incomprehensible to me. Had to start from scratch.

rps 02-09-2009 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale (Post 110666)
I understand that reasoning.

Of course, it means that you would have to code one more set of "pickers" with user interface, and presumably handle all of the added complexities of 31.12.1999, 1999/12/31, 12/31/1999, 31 DEC 99, December 31, 1999, etc. Not to mention the appropriate names (and single-character abbreviations) for the days, and names of the months (associating them with various choices of language). And explain that somewhere.

There would be significant complexity to doing that, rather than just reading the registry settings - or just saying "No, that's the only way MA3 works".

I just (quickly) counted 11 applications on my PC that display some form of day/time. I'm personally thankful that I don't have to change each of them.

There could be some advantage to being able to tell 50,000 people "It's Microsoft's fault - go ask them".

Why has this gotten so complicated? The original request (fairly reasonable, IMHO) was "would it be possible for MA3 to pick up the user's time/calendar settings?" [emphasis added]

There is nothing in that request that implies Jim needs to add an interface to modify Windows' time/calendar settings, nor is it implied that Jim has to worry about how easy/difficult it is for the average user to navigate those settings. The only issue is, IF a user has modified those settings, can MA3 reflect those settings? The settings are easy to pick up from the registry key, which should remain unchanged for Win2k - Win7; and if the registry key isn't there, then MA3 should fall back to 12-hour/Sunday first display

That's not a lot of coding to handle that request, and I don't think that anything else should be read into it.

~Ralph S.

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 01:24 PM

Is the Registry Key the same in Vista?

Edgar 02-09-2009 02:07 PM

Any little request will mean a feature. Also means it will need documentation. Any feature will mean a test on all versions. Any bugs will mean all will complain. :)

Edit: There goes the clams from moving. :)

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 02:27 PM

I agree! ... So why do we need it? ... Can we have a vote?
Quote:

Originally Posted by cjmaddy (Post 110672)
.... I don't personally consider the style of clock/calendar display to be an important detail. - And I don't think you should waste your time on it!

I'm not bothered when I see a clock or a calendar in a bank or in a railway station, etc, I accept it for what it is. - I don't ask them to change its style! ;)

..... Let's all move on! ....

A clock is a clock! ......... And this is supposed to be an Aquarium!

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 02:50 PM

The only reason it's important is because MA2.6 had it. Users complain loudly when a new version is missing something a previous version had. A lot of executives liked to be able to just glance at the screen to see what time it was.

Rick Simon 02-09-2009 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110679)
Is the Registry Key the same in Vista?

Yes.

Jim Sachs 02-09-2009 03:06 PM

OK, I'll use the Registry Key to change the 24-hour time format, because that's pretty easy. But changing the start day of the week is more difficult, so that will have to wait. It will be quite some time before international versions of this program come out, because it's changing so rapidly.

cjmaddy 02-09-2009 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110682)
.... A lot of executives liked to be able to just glance at the screen to see what time it was.

Jim, I didn't mean remove the clock completely! - I meant don't waste time changing 12 hour to 24 hour, or changing what day the week starts, - it's just not that important. - The executives will be able to see what time it is, ... if they can read a clock! ;)

feldon34 02-09-2009 03:45 PM

I concur with figuring out how the date/time should be displayed by reading the user's locale settings.

It is only if that user goes out of their way to change things that will notice any difference.

tormod 02-09-2009 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110679)
Is the Registry Key the same in Vista?

It's the same in Vista :D

tormod

Andrew Jenkins 02-09-2009 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjmaddy (Post 110681)
I agree! ... So why do we need it? ... Can we have a vote?

A clock is a clock! ......... And this is supposed to be an Aquarium!


I have to say I agree with cjmaddy. For me it's about aquatics. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the scene with a clock. Personally I'm much more interested in other developments within MA3 and I would hate the clock to get in the way of those.

snorkler 02-09-2009 08:15 PM

We need live clams!!! If you want to know the time, buy a clock! What day it is, put a calendar next to your computer! Don't need music, time, calendar ...... NEED clams, anemones, an eel!! an octopus!!!!

iMark 02-10-2009 06:23 AM

hey, I know...perhaps Jim could strap a watch around one of the fish as he redoes them, and it could just swim along with the scrolling... same with a calendar, just pierce a dorsal fin and it could carry it along, or maybe some sort of crab could just carry it around... or perhaps the time could pop out of a clam as it opens...see...easy enough to get this ball rolling...... *wink

iMark 02-10-2009 06:30 AM

someone mentioned eels before....I viewed a "live" plasma aquarium tv program, you know, one of those things you put on when you aren't watching telly( I much prefer MA and DreamAquarium for that)....it had an eel inside those pink/maroonish striped things that the bubbles emerge from in MA3...that might be another optional home/hiding place for Jim's future fun critters, along with the cave...

Jim Sachs 02-10-2009 10:23 AM

Yes, that's one reason for the hollow barnacle shells. Critters will be able to hide in them.

clifdene 02-10-2009 10:52 AM

Hopefully we will all live long enough to see a critter.

cjmaddy 02-10-2009 11:06 AM

I am regrettably beginning to think that we won't! :sad:

It's rapidly approaching that point where I fear that the lunatics may have taken over the asylum... ;)

Jim Sachs 02-10-2009 12:49 PM

Sorry, I haven't been paying attention. Working on the clams, you know.

bullfrog 02-10-2009 01:44 PM

Clams.....clams...,.clams.....clams.....clams....: )

Jim Sachs 02-10-2009 02:30 PM

I'm still not quite clear on what Windows does with the 24-hour clock info.

I put in code to read the Registry settings for 12-hour/24-hour display mode. When I fired up MA3, the clock was in 24-hour mode. So I used the Control Panel / Regional and Language interface to change it to 12-hour mode. MA3 adjusted itself to that mode.

So it appears that the setting on my computer had always been 24-hour mode, which I can't understand, since the time readout in the lower-right corner of the screen has always been in 12-hour mode.

zeeric 02-10-2009 03:57 PM

hello even if it s not important, i disagree with some comments : this is NOT an aquarium but a screensaver, and having the hour is something good. at work or at home, it can help, rather than having a clock and otherthings on your desk :) and it s not because of marine 2.6 ;) but the most important is to have fun with our sceen saver ;) my only complaint, and i m surely the only one , it's rhe back which is too ... clean :) no problems for me with beta9a except it doesn't ask me for the key 2.6. surely because i have enterd it for a previous beta ...

Jim Sachs 02-10-2009 04:04 PM

It's a marine aquarium simulation. People can use it as a screensaver if they wish.

henemly 02-10-2009 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snorkler (Post 110718)
octopus

Wow, that would be nice. But first:
http://i42.tinypic.com/iw6hae.gif

jroseone 02-10-2009 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 110805)
It's a marine aquarium simulation. People can use it as a screensaver if they wish.

Word, I wish more people thought the actual aqarium details were more important than the crystal/clock. :nag:


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