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Inside: SereneScreen Fan Forum (https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/index.php)
-   Marine Aquarium 3 for Windows (https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46)
-   -   [Feature] Crystal and Clock (https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4561)

cjmaddy 11-24-2008 08:18 AM

LB, I think you just name it the same as the .png file in the 7e folder, then press the 'L' key. - Almost ANY picture file will apparently do it

loub516 11-24-2008 09:28 AM

Thanks, it's working now.

The logo is not as translucent in MA3 as it is in 2.6. I can see the fish swim behind it in 2.6 but can barely see them in MA3.

If it starts as a screen saver pressing the L key does nothing. If I start from the exe in the folder the L key works.

Jav400 11-24-2008 10:06 AM

If it's the exact same file I would have thought it would show up the same, but as far as transparency goes you need to set that parameter before-hand as you are working with the file.

Jim Sachs 11-24-2008 10:27 AM

MA2.6 put some transparency into the picture, but MA3 leaves all the Alpha up to the user. At least so far (I'm still experimenting with the whole concept).

When you let it come up as a screensaver, it's probably using the copy in your System32 directory, in which case the picture would also have to be in that directory.

Jim Sachs 11-24-2008 10:33 AM

I'll need to remove the ability to convert JPEGs. They are no good because thay can't do transparency and the addition of the centering bytes at the end of the file would have an unknown effect.

feldon34 11-24-2008 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Sachs (Post 107856)
I'll need to remove the ability to convert JPEGs. They are no good because thay can't do transparency and the addition of the centering bytes at the end of the file would have an unknown effect.

I would think a lot of people would use the logo feature if they could put a JPEG. I know it would look ugly with the lack of transparency. You could disable the movement keys if they are loading a JPEG.

jedware 11-24-2008 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mith (Post 107836)
OK... I'm making progress. I figured that if I rename MY file with the name of the logo, i'm able to get it into the tank. I have to figure out the proper size (which is easy) and also make it more transparent. But I'll keep ya posted.


BTW... my seam issue is still there


I cannot get the logo to swap. I have the logo file in the windows directory with MA3 named by the same name. I thought maybe my PNG file was formatted incorrectly so I opened the included PNG file and made some changes to see if they showed up. Pressing the "L" key does nothing. What am I doing wrong?

Jav400 11-24-2008 12:00 PM

Right now as far as I know, there is no included code in the aquarium yet to handle logo's. People are just hacking things to get them to work.

The only way currently you can get something displayed is to get the latest version, install your logo, delete the one Jim has there, and then rename yours to exactly what Jim's was. You can't change between multiple personal logo's yet, because the only one that can display so far is using the name of Jim's until code is programmed to allow more than one.

You can change between the MA3 logo, and your "one" personal logo by hitting the "L" key, which works fine for me.

feldon34 11-24-2008 12:08 PM

We had THREE different threads about Crystal/Logo development. I've merged them here.

rps 11-24-2008 12:21 PM

My $0.02...

I really liked the way that MA2.6 converted b/w images to a nice "cut glass" look in the crystal; as pretty as the colored logo is on the crystal, it doesn't look real to me (unless you assume that the logo is painted on the crystal, which somehow seems less elegant).

Just a thought.

~Ralph S.

Jim Sachs 11-24-2008 12:24 PM

I may put that effect back in, but I'm leaning toward letting the customer create any effect they want. Could be cut glass, full-color, semi-transparent, etc.

jedware 11-24-2008 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jav400 (Post 107863)
Right now as far as I know, there is no included code in the aquarium yet to handle logo's. People are just hacking things to get them to work.

The only way currently you can get something displayed is to get the latest version, install your logo, delete the one Jim has there, and then rename yours to exactly what Jim's was. You can't change between multiple personal logo's yet, because the only one that can display so far is using the name of Jim's until code is programmed to allow more than one.

You can change between the MA3 logo, and your "one" personal logo by hitting the "L" key, which works fine for me.

It works for you but does not work for me. Apparently there is something wrong with the code or I am missing something obvious. Are you running XP or Vista? Do you have your personal logo in the windows directory?

Jav400 11-24-2008 12:29 PM

I was just looking and trying to figure out the differences before posting again. I am using XP Pro, I can switch between the MA3 and any personal one using the "L" key, as long as it is named exactly like Jim's was. Mine is NOT set up in windows though, its just a file on my system.

feldon34 11-24-2008 12:30 PM

Ok, I put MA3Beta7e.scr and the logo file SSLogo256d.png in C:\Windows\System32\.

I double-click on MA3Beta7e.scr to start the Aquarium. When I press L, it toggles between the logo built into the Aquarium and the external file SSLogo256d.png. You can see this is working instantly because the external logo has been darkened by Jim.

I replace SSLogo256d.png with some other valid PNG logos and as long as the filename was SSLogo256d.png, it works perfectly. I'm able to swap between the built-in logo and the external file with no problems.
  • If the filename is SSLogo256d.png it works.
  • If the filename is SSLogo256d it does not work.
  • If the filename is SSLogo256d.jpg it does not work.
I am also able to grab any JPEG off the Internet, rename it SSLogo256d.png, and it works perfectly too. I think a lot of people will use this feature if it will accept JPEG files of any size right out-of-the-box. I think most people will do logos that just take up the whole crystal so they don't have to worry about transparency.

feldon34 11-24-2008 12:31 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by rps (Post 107872)
My $0.02...

I really liked the way that MA2.6 converted b/w images to a nice "cut glass" look in the crystal; as pretty as the colored logo is on the crystal, it doesn't look real to me (unless you assume that the logo is painted on the crystal, which somehow seems less elegant).

I always found the quality of the converted logo be so awful I tested it a couple times and never used it again. But maybe I am just really picky.

A side-by-side comparison of Converted BMP vs. PNG logo:

Jim Sachs 11-24-2008 12:35 PM

Regarding the SereneScreen logo in the external file being darker - that's the whole point. It demonstrates the swapping of the files by turning the light on and off.

feldon34 11-24-2008 12:37 PM

Ah. :)

jedware 11-24-2008 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jav400 (Post 107877)
I was just looking and trying to figure out the differences before posting again. I am using XP Pro, I can switch between the MA3 and any personal one using the "L" key, as long as it is named exactly like Jim's was. Mine is NOT set up in windows though, its just a file on my system.

Ahh. I tested on my desktop and it DOES work. It doesn't work from my WINDOWS or Windows\System32 directories. Is there a missing permission needed?

Jim Sachs 11-24-2008 01:18 PM

Sorry, I have no idea how permissions work.

cjmaddy 11-24-2008 02:06 PM

After placing the renamed file into WINNT\System32 (or wherever), try re-booting.


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