1394 replies to this topic

[jpsalas]

Thanks koadic for compiling rev594 The layers works very well, and that "select none" will be very useful too

[Herweh]

I love the new layers, very very helpful.

Right now the layer settings aren't saved with the table (have assigned all the flasher stuff to layer 8 and the playfield GI images to 7 but after reloading all is in layer 1 once again). Should it be saved?

[fuzzel]

Sorry not at the moment. I'd like to add this but I have to study the whole loading/saving process a bit deeper until I can say something about that.

[jpsalas]

Sorry not at the moment. I'd like to add this but I have to study the whole loading/saving process a bit deeper until I can say something about that.

I have been using that old VP with layers to make many tables, and also it didn't save the layer information, so what I used to do was to make groups of the objects. When I wanted to put them in a layer, so I could hide them, I used to select the group. Those groups are saved with the table, so I actually didn't need that the layer information got saved too. Making groups of objects also is nice to do when you want to change some properties, like for example elasticity.

[fuzzel]

Yes. If I add saving the layer information feature, the file format would be incompatible with older versions of VP. So using groups is a nice workaround.

[Herweh]

Yes. If I add saving the layer information feature, the file format would be incompatible with older versions of VP. So using groups is a nice workaround.

 

I understand but please think about saving the layer infos with the table. This is such an awesome, so helpful new feature. Without saving a lot of this feature is going overboard. I don't want to sound ungrateful but I have to say for me "Grouping" is okay but just a "between solution".

The newer tables are made up of hundreds of objects, a lot are overlapping other objects, a lot GI or flasher objects are overlapping the whole or large parts of the table. I'm a pretty new VP author so I know how difficult it is to get into the standard procedure and the secrets of table creating (and I have a lot coding experience so the coding is no prob for me). With these layers (maybe plus the feature to rename the layers) the author is able to add so much structure info. This would help a lot guiding new authors into VP.

So, once again, please think about this improvement. Thanks!!!

[darquayle]

How about adding a button to "publish/save for legacy versions" which would only be used if you needed to save a copy for non-up to date versions? Have this saved version strip out the layer info. This would give the author the layers flexibility but also give them the ability to support older VP versions.

Edited by darquayle, 12 June 2013 - 01:22 PM.

[htamas]

Well, I'm not a table author, but if this is such a great help for those working on tables, then it shouldn't be a big deal for players to upgrade their VP to the newest version to play those tables. After all, older versions cannot be taken into account forever. VP9 tables don't work in VP8, for instance (yes, I realize this is a much bigger jump than just one or a few new features, but I used it only as as an example).

Just like people wanting to run newer tables with primitives have to upgrade to 9.15, those who want to run tables with saved layers have to upgrade to the latest VP version that can handle them. I don't see a problem there... being on the latest version is usually a good idea anyway.

Edited by htamas, 12 June 2013 - 04:57 PM.

[unclewilly]

Sorry not at the moment. I'd like to add this but I have to study the whole loading/saving process a bit deeper until I can say something about that.

I have been using that old VP with layers to make many tables, and also it didn't save the layer information, so what I used to do was to make groups of the objects. When I wanted to put them in a layer, so I could hide them, I used to select the group. Those groups are saved with the table, so I actually didn't need that the layer information got saved too. Making groups of objects also is nice to do when you want to change some properties, like for example elasticity.

what do you mean by making groups of objects.  do you mean collections

[toxie]

Yes. If I add saving the layer information feature, the file format would be incompatible with older versions of VP. So using groups is a nice workaround.

 

Actually no.. The cool thing about the file saving in VP is that adding new stuff doesn't break compatibility.. Only if you -change- existing save-data (like i had to do with the primitive saving back then)..

At least that was my understanding of it..

[fuzzel]

Toxie you're right...and therefore please try rev 595 because with that revision the layer information is saved to file

[jpsalas]

Perfect fuzzel!

 

@UW: yes, I meant collections

[Aaron James]

Everytime I try and play JP's nba fast break, the first time I load it it stutters and stalls. I then have to try and quit and exit the table cause it "froze" on me. Now the 2nd time I try and load it it works perfect. Is this because of the builds???? Anyone else have this problem????

[oooPLAYER1ooo]

does the new layers feature rearange the order objects are drawn when i hide/ unhide? 

im pretty busy i cant test this for a few days

[fuzzel]

You can get drawing order issues if you use layers. If you select elements to assign them to other layers you must be sure to select them in the same order they are defined in layer 1.
e.g. if you have two elements A and B, A overlaps B. If you select B first and assign it to layer 2 and then take A and assign it to layer 2 too, you have changed the drawing order (now B overlaps A).

To be sure that the order is correct try to multiselect elements especially if you have 100% overlapping elements.

Edited by fuzzel, 13 June 2013 - 06:29 AM.

[teppotee]

Unfortunately the new layer feature seems to cause some problems (most likely with the drawing order).

 

This problem happens when I added the "refresh lights" under the flashers to a layer and then hid that layer (in my SST MOD you can test this with just "light9"). When starting the table you get those missing textures at the top. Now if I unhide the layer (it is drawn in front) and try to set it to "draw in back" -> it does not work. The lights are drawn in the back in the editor at first but when I start the table (and still get the texture error) and return back to editor -> the lights on that layer are still on top of everything. 

 

Otherwise the layers seem to be a very helpful addition!

 

Attached Files

•  layerbugreport.png   672.67KB   56 downloads

[bosvrucht]

Everytime I try and play JP's nba fast break, the first time I load it it stutters and stalls. I then have to try and quit and exit the table cause it "froze" on me. Now the 2nd time I try and load it it works perfect. Is this because of the builds???? Anyone else have this problem????

 

What you should have done was test the same table in the normal VP915 exe.  You would probably have come to the conclusion that this is NOT a problem caused by these test/beta builds.   Next thing you should have done was search the forums.   There are multiple, recent topics regarding this problem.  

 

Please do this first. If this does not work out for you, then feel free to post about it. Also, if your problem is somehow different from these topics, and not nvidia driver related, then also: feel free to post about it in the right topic.

[fuzzel]

Yes that is exactly what I tried to explain I don't have a solution how to fix that yet....

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="teppotee" data-cid="229086" data-time="1371105370"><p>
Unfortunately the new layer feature seems to cause some problems (most likely with the drawing order).<br />
 <br />
This problem happens when I added the "refresh lights" under the flashers to a layer and then hid that layer (in my SST MOD you can test this with just "light9"). When starting the table you get those missing textures at the top. Now if I unhide the layer (it is drawn in front) and try to set it to "draw in back" -> it does not work. The lights are drawn in the back in the editor at first but when I start the table (and still get the texture error) and return back to editor -> the lights on that layer are still on top of everything. <br />
 <br />
Otherwise the layers seem to be a very helpful addition!<br />
 </p></blockquote>

[teppotee]

Sorry... didn't see that you replied while I was writing my message

 

Anyway... seems to work ok with most objects. Just those lights behaved weirdly. Thanks!!!

[Aaron James]

Everytime I try and play JP's nba fast break, the first time I load it it stutters and stalls. I then have to try and quit and exit the table cause it "froze" on me. Now the 2nd time I try and load it it works perfect. Is this because of the builds???? Anyone else have this problem????

 
What you should have done was test the same table in the normal VP915 exe.  You would probably have come to the conclusion that this is NOT a problem caused by these test/beta builds.   Next thing you should have done was search the forums.   There are multiple, recent topics regarding this problem.  
 
Please do this first. If this does not work out for you, then feel free to post about it. Also, if your problem is somehow different from these topics, and not nvidia driver related, then also: feel free to post about it in the right topic.

Thank you for showing me the error of my ways.