how to start offscreen and "state" question

[Carel]

I have been trying various tricks to make the map appear and disappear in a way that will be understandable to visitors. How do I start my map mostly offscreen. so that only a small strip is visible that looks like a menu? Whenever I place my map (parents and children) at some Y=-(negative number) setting, it pops back when I save it. A related question would be how to make elements appear and disappear, so that one could have a map or series of thumbnails that are toggled in or out of view.

My other question is about "state" (such as mouseovers or selects): I assume one can cause some action with "state", but don't understand how to use this.

Carel Struycken

[Roy Reed]

Open the .ggsk in WinZip (a .ggsk is just a renamed .zip) and edit the skin.xml file in any text editor to give a negative value to the 'x' and/or 'y' values of the entity you need. e.g.:

Code: Select all

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<skin>
  <elements>
    <element>
      <id>Background</id>
      <x>-286</x>
      <y>-35</y>
      <width>430</width>
      <height>26</height>
      <anchor>6</anchor>
      <image>img_0_n.png</image>
      ...

Then re-save the file into the zip.

You'll find the .ggsk file (by default) in C:\Documents and Settings\your id\Application Data\GardenGnomeSoftware\Skins

And an example in this thread: http://gardengnomesoftware.com/forum/vi ... f=13&t=891

[thomas]

I have been trying various tricks to make the map appear and disappear in a way that will be understandable to visitors. How do I start my map mostly offscreen. so that only a small strip is visible that looks like a menu? Whenever I place my map (parents and children) at some Y=-(negative number) setting, it pops back when I save it. A related question would be how to make elements appear and disappear, so that one could have a map or series of thumbnails that are toggled in or out of view.

This is a bug (or better I was over careful with the value limits) in beta4, in beta5 you will be able to set negative values directly.

My other question is about "state" (such as mouseovers or selects): I assume one can cause some action with "state", but don't understand how to use this.

Currently you can only use a different image with a state change but you can not trigger an action. But this sounds like a good idea, and I will think of a way to incorporate this.

[Carel]

Thanks Roy for the zip trick. Now The "map" slides in and out like I wanted. I will be able to show my first test this evening, after having read through and viewed the tutorials mentioned in the other recent post. Still have to figure out how to switch to another image with "state".

Thomas, it seems that you are very close to providing the same functionality for building an interface as Flashpanoramas in your skin GUI. Might as well go all the way... . With all due respect for the video-pano pioneers, I think that being able to build a classy interface is more important for those of us who are trying to find some paying clients. I have a few potential big ones who are "on the fence" at the moment and a well functioning interface might just get them to commit.

Carel Struycken

[thomas]

Thanks Roy for the zip trick. Now The "map" slides in and out like I wanted. I will be able to show my first test this evening, after having read through and viewed the tutorials mentioned in the other recent post. Still have to figure out how to switch to another image with "state".

Just change the state, select and image, and choose "Apply Image" from the menu. You can also drag & drop the other image over the current version in that state.

Thomas, it seems that you are very close to providing the same functionality for building an interface as Flashpanoramas in your skin GUI. Might as well go all the way... . With all due respect for the video-pano pioneers, I think that being able to build a classy interface is more important for those of us who are trying to find some paying clients.

I know.... the video thing was just for me to have some fun. It was more a Christmas present . I will add more features to the skin editor soon.