Slider behavior

markd · Post by **markd** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:00 am

I'm trying to use a slider for the first time- it doesn't really act like I expected- am I missing something?

1) Moving part disappears as I slide it
2) Property does not update until I let go of the moving part

I could live with 1), but two is kind of a bummer. . .

Post by **Richard Naninck** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:11 pm

Nr two is indead not showing a value while updating.

Post by **ScottBot** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 10:37 pm

It isn't designed to send PV changes when the slider is moving. Only when the mouse clicks up. This is due to the fact that it would have to send a slew of network messages that would probably result in a slew of RS-232 if you dragged a slider from 0 to 500. It could probably be a little smarter and just send one every 1/2 sec or something.

The repainting of the slider is an ongoing issue. I keep fixing it, but it keeps showing up again.

markd · Post by **markd** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 12:15 pm

In my case, the property is going to a null device, and I am time filtering it in a script. It would be nice if we had an option to let the changes flow. Would this be a big change?

I was going to use one for a volume control too, but without the feedback of hearing how loud a setting is until releasing, I'm not sure it will be usable/useful. Not sure what I will do for this situation.

Markd

Post by **Richard Naninck** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 2:59 pm

Another nic add-on would be to be able to click left and right of a horizontal sliders moving part to decrease or increase th sliders value. While doing that now, nothing happens. This would make fine adjustments an lot easier and small sliders can be controlled better while using a touchscreen.

markd · Post by **markd** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:16 pm

So what are the chances of seeing any of these changes?

Thanks

Markd

Post by **ScottBot** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:06 pm

markd wrote:So what are the chances of seeing any of these changes?

I've added this to my todo list, so the changes are good that you will actually see something. I think the bigger question would be "when". And my only honest answer would be, considering other plugins and features that are being developed at the present, it will be some time before the next release.

markd · Post by **markd** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:52 pm

Ok, thanks for the straight-up reply.

Markd

Steve Horn · Post by **Steve Horn** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:13 pm

Since we're on the subject of sliders, what are the requirements for the image of the slider itself, not the background? I tried to increase the size so it would work better with fingers on a touch screen, But that only worked to a degree, and not large enough to make it usable. What is the max size?

markd · Post by **markd** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:05 pm

Mine is 41 pixels high- I haven't got it on the touch screen yet, but clicking it with the mouse anywhere along the length seems to work.

When I move it, most of the slider disappears- a small random chunk stays visible.

I also notice that the Color Adjustment doesn't seem to affect it- does it need to be colored for that to work? I made it gray. (see attached)

Steve Horn · Post by **Steve Horn** » Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:32 pm

Well, playing with it again... The stock slider value image I was using is 21x11. I created another that is 50x20. (This is a vertical slider.). When I first created it on 10/5 I could not find it - it was not listed - when I tried to select that image for the "value image" of the slider. Now it is available. I guess I needed to restart HB? Anyway, now its selectable. But its viewable width is limited to the width of the slider background. I guess I need to make it larger too.

markd · Post by **markd** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:03 am

markd wrote: I also notice that the Color Adjustment doesn't seem to affect it- does it need to be colored for that to work? I made it gray. (see attached)

I tried adding color to it- but it still is not affected by the Color Adjustment. The Background Image is, but the Value image is not.

I did not have to restart HB to see my new Value images, btw.

Steve Horn · Post by **Steve Horn** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 8:00 am

markd, neither did I (have to restart HB server). I realized last night that I was looking for the newly created slider value image in the wrong subdirectory

I also thought that to get around the "width of the slider will equal the width of the background image" that I could create a background with a transparent area. But I have not tried that yet. As is, I have a nice fat slider sitting on an equally fat background. Works fine; looks goofy.

Post by **Richard Naninck** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 9:43 am

Would be nice to have some standard sliders added to HB with bigger width and height. I find the standard sliders too small for use with a touchscreen and big fingers as well.

markd · Post by **markd** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:01 am

Steve Horn wrote:markd, neither did I (have to restart HB server). I realized last night that I was looking for the newly created slider value image in the wrong subdirectory
I also thought that to get around the "width of the slider will equal the width of the background image" that I could create a background with a transparent area. But I have not tried that yet. As is, I have a nice fat slider sitting on an equally fat background. Works fine; looks goofy.

Been there, done that. Can't tell you how many times I have re-opened a save window to find out where the &*^&^% the program stashed my data.

I hope the transparent thing works too- I want just a thin line under my slider handle, like the look of an old mixing board.

My handle is sized to my average sized finger on a 10" 800x600 panel. I have no problem with it being added to the standard download. I'll even throw in the horizontal one for free. All I ask is that the slider update issue get fixed.

Markd