DTX [Beta]_3.49[b].009_6.18.2007 object alignment

from WinCustomize Forums
This happen to anybody else?

I updated from DTX 3.20.044_07.31.2006 to Beta 3.49b 009 6.18.2007. I have objects consisting of images which are right-aligned, and they change from a smaller image to a larger image upon mouseover, thus giving the effect of growing/popping to the left at mouseover.

After I did the update, those objects remained right-aligned in the mouse away state. However, upon mouseover, the new larger image reverted to the default left alignment; i.e., instead of growing/popping to the left, they grew/popped to the right. I fooled around with them for awhile, trying to reload images, etc., and I never did find a way to make them pop to the left.

I've already reverted back to 3.20.044, and I've realized I didn't try creating a new object from scratch to see if it worked that way, nor did I try anything that would tell me if the vertical "align bottom" would hold.

I did see, however, that if the mouseover image was the same image as the mouse away image, the right alignment held. I didn't try replacing the mouseover image with a different image the same size as the mouseaway image.

A particularly annoying trait if your objects are on the right edge of the monitor.

Thanks.
6,250 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
package it and ill take a look
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I just checked it out on a machine with a brand new (as in yesterday) installation of object desktop with the beta DTX loaded on it, different hardware, and I just created a simple little layer object to check it. The DTX behaves the same way.

No need to package an object. Here's all you need to do:

1. Create an object, you can just leave it defined as a layer.
2. Assign the mouseaway state an image, say 100 pixels square.
3. Assign the mouseover state an image, say 400 pixels square.
4. On the summary tab, define the alignment as "Right".
5. Apply it.
6. Move your mouse over it and watch.

Depending on precisely where you've rested the mouse, it'll either hop to the right instead of the left, or it will sit there and flicker as it alternates between mouseover and mouseaway while you don't move the mouse (because since the alignment shifts between states, the mouseover state (improperly Left Aligned) becomes the mouse away state (right aligned) when the image changes and the software just starts high-speed alternating between the two states).

At least that's what it's doing to me. (Both machines run XP Home SP2 with current patches).
ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I see this behavior still exists in the new non-beta DTX release 3.49[rc]. I'm guessing this isn't a bug so much as the result of software streamlining, as it would after all reduce overhead to fix the image placement only once from the mouse away state image instead of fixing it each time for each mouse state image.

So, since I brought it up, I now feel obligated to post the resolution so that someone else who wants to right align different sized images between mouse states doesn't read this string and decide "oh, it just doesn't work".

To make a right aligned 128 pixel width mouse away state image switch to a 420 pixel wide mouseover state while maintaining the screen position on the right side of both images:

1. The "Mouse Away" state image needs to be the same width as the "Mouse Over" image (all the states likely need to be the same width): Change the 128 width pixel image to a 420 width pixel image, changing the canvas size width only, not the height. Either anchor the original 128 image on the right side or move it to the right side. End result you're creating: A 420 pixel wide by 128 high image with 292 pixels of empty transparency on the left side and the original 128x128 image on the right side. Save it as a format that retains transparency, such as .png (not .jpg or .bmp).

If your object has a label and you want it centered under the mouse away image, you need to do the adjustments in #2 and #3 below. Otherwise you can skip them both.

2. For the "Mouse Away" state only- Within the DTX object properties, States tab, Mouse Away state, Appearance Tab, Advanced button options: Set the Image Offset for "X" to "-146". This gets the object label to align with the visible 128x128 image. The math on this, so you can adjust for your actual image sizes: (Total image size of 420 wide) - (Visible image size of 128 wide) = (292 transparent width; then (292 transparency width) / 2 = 146 (to get the image centered where the object label will appear).

3. If you want the objects to show on your screen where they were before the update, you'll need to increase the "X" position of the entire object (in the "Summary Tab" or within Object Navigator) by the same amount as the image offset you created for the mouseover state, 146 in this example. For example, if you want your object to be on the right edge of the monitor running at 1280 by 1024, instead of the obect's "X" position being at 1280 ("Before Update") it will now need to be at 1426 (1280+146). Yes, that's actually off the screen, but that's how it works.


Don't need to make any adjustments to the larger image itself.

If you're using 3 different sized state images, you'd likely need to go through the same process for each of the 2 smaller images to get them the same width as the largest one, and adjust the DTX mouse state alignment for each of the smaller ones accordingly, and the object's overall position for the amount of the largest mouse state adjustment amount.

The same issue applies to "Bottom Aligned" objects, so if you wanted a 128x128 image changing to a 420x420 image bottom/right aligned your new 128 image size would be 420wide x 420tall with the original image in the bottom right corner. The DTX state alignment for the Mouse Away state would need to be similarly adjusted for the "X" placement only to center the label (as in step 2 above), wouldn't need to adjust the "Y" placement. If you center the label, you would need to increase the overall object "X" placement to compensate again (step 3 above).

So hopefully that gets the idea across. Like everything else, most likely more than one way to do it, but that's how I ended up compensating for the new behavior after putzing around with it for quite awhile.

I realize I may very well just be typing to myself based on the response to this string - maybe I'm the only person who'd created popping objects to go on the right side of the screen? or maybe I'm the only one that didn't use consistent image dimensions between states? If you haven't tried it, try it - it creates a nice little effect for those of us that are script-ignorant. (And if you leave it left/top aligned you can leave the images their original sizes, don't need to fool with all of this adjusting and compensating, and it's fine as long as you keep them off the right or bottom edges of the screen.) Anyway, I've passed the ammo, fire at will.
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I second this 'change' as affecting numerous objects I have created. Adjustments of width and height of an object which was top, center, right (whatever) aligned would occur from the anchor point. As you would expect. This made it very easy to create auto centering, expaning animation etc effects. I agree it could be for cutting down processing, but the places where I used it had minimal resource usage effect and the changes I have to make to implement this functionality back into objects is more complicated and I would bet more resource intensive itself! Maybe turn this back on as an option for developers to specify?

Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wow, fished this one up from the deep, eh?  :LOL: 

Ya I miss the old anchoring as well. It used to be such a nice simple way to create a nice simple little effect.