getting started questions

[paddy]

This is a great GUI system, I have a few questions about what to expect when using it though.

I am trying to build a gui system for an Ogre based application. I took a quick look through the api reference but I couldn't find any manual docs or tutorial examples - will these be released soon?

Also, how do you recommend I tackle drawing primatives like lines, curves, and basic filled shapes inside a canvas type widget?

How is resizing handled? Can I use fixed pixel placement relative to edges?
(such as, keep a close button exactly 10 pixels from the right edge, etc)

Will I have to recode a lot of custom widgets I make?

I hope these aren't too redundant of questions, I tried to search but found nothing on tutorials and such.

It is a great GUI system

tia
Paddy

[CrazyEddie]

This is a great GUI system, I have a few questions about what to expect when using it though.

Thanks I'll do my best to answer your questions.

I am trying to build a gui system for an Ogre based application. I took a quick look through the api reference but I couldn't find any manual docs or tutorial examples - will these be released soon?

All I'm going to say about this is "hopefully". The first set of additional documentation will accompany the Beta-1 release that I'm struggling with at the moment. Every time I try and be more specific as to when the release will be made, something happens and I miss the target date by large amounts (I had originally said June, but you're all still waiting)

Also, how do you recommend I tackle drawing primatives like lines, curves, and basic filled shapes inside a canvas type widget?

The best way would be to render those items onto a texture externally (maybe using Ogre for example), and then use the resulting texture as the basis for a Gui 'imageset' that can be used to put imagery onto UI elements.

How is resizing handled? Can I use fixed pixel placement relative to edges?

Metrics can be specified as relative or absolute (pixels).

(such as, keep a close button exactly 10 pixels from the right edge, etc)

Right edge and bottom edge alignment are on the TODO list, at the moment it's all based on the top and left edges.

Will I have to recode a lot of custom widgets I make?

Recode? I'm not sure I understand the question. If you mean do you have to code widgets to change thier appearance, it depends on exactly what you need to achieve.

I hope these aren't too redundant of questions, I tried to search but found nothing on tutorials and such.

Not at all The forums are still relatively young, so they're still building up a useful archive of information.

Hopefully I've addressed your questions, if you need more elaborate or in-depth answers, let me know which areas you need explaining

CE.

[paddy]

Thanks for answering so quicky Eddie.

Regarding positioning from the left or bottom edges, is it possible for me to grab resize events and figure out how it should be handled from inside my code?

If the api supports that this can work well.

Regarding the recoding, I mean that if a) I make new widgets will I likely have to recode them due to changing shifts in the classes they are derrived from, and b) will the external definitions for gui styles format change and need saved files to be updated for compatibility?

[CrazyEddie]

Regarding positioning from the left or bottom edges, is it possible for me to grab resize events and figure out how it should be handled from inside my code?

Yes, this is possible. You can subscribe to various events for the widgets/windows including sizing and also 'parent sizing' (which would be more useful for what you want to do).

Regarding the recoding, I mean that if a) I make new widgets will I likely have to recode them due to changing shifts in the classes they are derrived from, and b) will the external definitions for gui styles format change and need saved files to be updated for compatibility?

For recoding as you describe, I try to minimise the impact of any changes and enhancements as much as I can, so in general the answer is that tere should be little to no recoding of widgets required. With regards to external files, the same kind of thing applies really, I tend to extend and add alternatives rather than remove old things, the only thing you ever really have to update is the XML schema files (though there have been cases where newer code has required updated data files, these were always supplied by me anayway. To the best of my knowledge I've never broken anybody elses files).

Now, having said all the above, I have recently been making changes all across the board for beta1, some are small and have no effect, others are bigger and are breaking changes. I basically decided that I'd try to get as many of these changes done in one go to minimise disruption for later releases. Some changes can be worked around by using features of the system, other changes will require people to fix their code. I am very much hoping to have these changes finished today or tomorrow, and at that point the gui system code in beta1-devel branch of CVS will be frozen except for bug fixes (this will be put on the front page when it's done); so for a new user, waiting for the beta1 code freeze would possibly be the approach to take to minimise disruption later on.

CE.