Aqua-Soft ForumsI'm sure we've all seen and love the new expose feature in the soon to be released Panther. I was curious if anyone was working on developing this for PC? It would be great if someone made one that was hardware accelerated so that there was not very much strain on the CPU. I know some of the excellent programmers here at AquaSoft could do a great job on this.
[Request] Expose
hmm yes... that would be interesting.. or if not close someone near to expose.. cause thats a neat feature!!!
-bolero
I was thinking about making one but, the problem is, in windows, you can only resize the windows, not the content of them. If you see in panther, the content is sized too.
So that's wouldn't be "as cool" as on panther.
yea true i noticed that how expose resizes the WHOLE window.. hmmmm well..... it could be a start though.....
-bolero
What you would probobly have to do is take snapshots of all the windows, and the resize those pictures. Resizing the actual windows would probobly be too slow.
That's what I was thinking contrasutra. I think screenshots would be the best way to go.
Sounds good.
Why is goku moving to Texas?
Originally posted by contrasutra@Jun 29 2003, 12:43 AMWhy is goku moving to Texas?
Because Texas repealed the sodomy law.
Laws never stopped him before.
It is a cool feature. The only way I could see it being implemented is if a program took snaps of all open windows, saved them as a transparent png, and then blitted them onto the screen (in their proper co-ordinates). Then of course each mini window would have to have their regular actions assigned to the png. It would be alot of work, and I bet alot of strain on the cpu. Sure DX could do the graphics part, but there is still alot of calculations being done. You would prolly need a TOP of the line PC - Which I have, so let's get it on 
I know Objectdock sort of does this, it takes snaps and adds them to the dock, so it is feasible at least.
Chris
Originally posted by contrasutra@Jun 29 2003, 01:07 AMLaws never stopped him before.
If he lives in Texas they won't arrest him for it anymore - only for the animal stuff he's into.
Originally posted by deadzombie@Jun 28 2003, 06:50 PMIf he lives in Texas they won't arrest him for it anymore - only for the animal stuff he's into.
LoL
I'm planning on moving to texas because of Activision.
They need a new talented animator.
Im going to throw my hammer all the way to activision-texas, in advance so they wont forget me.
If you get there. PLEASE tell them to stop "Pitfall Harry". They are ruining a classic series.
OK, so im a loser. I've accepted that.
Originally posted by Goku@Jun 29 2003, 02:58 AMLoL
I'm planning on moving to texas because of Activision.
They need a new talented animator.
Im going to throw my hammer all the way to activision-texas, in advance so they wont forget me.
If Goku moved to texas that would be nice, because then maybe I could have more than the single friend I have now.
Wow, I can only dream...
Originally posted by contrasutra@Jun 29 2003, 01:24 AMWhat you would probobly have to do is take snapshots of all the windows, and the resize those pictures. Resizing the actual windows would probobly be too slow.
Actually, this would be slower 
I'm pretty sure it can be done using the screenshot method. You could hide and then animate the window to a smaller window. Of course since the 2d display in XP doesn't render offscreen windows it wouldn't be live (no chance of seeing a small video window or web page in progress in the small version). It also doesn't do windows in 3d so again... yeah.
With a 3d accelerated interface you can scale the actual window. But only if it's low level. I mean, not like windowfx where it scales a screenshot of the window but the actual window it'self because the window is on a polygon. It's thinks like this is where longhorn will have the advantage if you want to do them in windows.
In longhorn for example when you put your mouse over the taskbar there is a feature to show a small version of the window and the alt+tab has live previews.
Anyway this would perform or work about as good as windowfx transitions. Trying to do it on XP.
Well then Siwu, I shall believe you. Or smoke, whoever is right.
Maybe ill just stay out of this 
All alone in Texas DZ? Im sure theres SOMEONE in texas that knows how to use a computer. 
Taking snapshots is not as easy as with ObjectDock or Mobydock, for example...
Docks take a snapshot of a window that is about to be minimized, hence the foremost window when minimized button is pressed.
An Expose-clone though should have available snapshots for every window on the desktop and the most efficient way would be to take a snapshot just before a window loses its focus (and something else comes to front). This requires capturing a window's picture when an event on another window occurs, which becomes a little too complex.
Good luck to everyone who will give it a try!
Ken
Okay, I gave a try last night on the screenshot method which appears to be the only way of making a Expose clone.
I'll release a beta of the effect soon
going right on the track siwu. You rock!
Ok, the "clone" does this for the moment:
- It takes a screenshot of all opened windows and hides them
- It scales the screenshot at 75% of the original size
- Each screenshot is displayed in a window which title is the original window's
- When you click on a window, all windows reapear with the one you clicked in the front.
Also it doesn't organize the screenshot windows on the desktop, for the moment
I'm thinking about a good looking method with playing with scale and placement
the exe is joined
remember it's only an effect preview, not a fully working app, it's just to show you
To use it, click on Button 1, and press F9 (i know it's not that easy, but i'm working on key hooking, that's why
enjoy