CompuServe Thread

VistaPro 2 enhancements

10 messages in this thread
#17165From: Homer MooreMar 9, 1992 6:26 AM
Clint: After playing with VP2 for a week, I have some suggestions to make for the next enhancement: First, and this is sort of trivial, I think that the documentation for Viewer could use some enhancement. At least you point to the area of the keyboard to experiment with. I would also like to see comand line switches to control looping/single shot playing of the VANIM. Since I doubt that I would ever have VANIM as an end product, it is not vital, but would be nice. Secondly, the new scripting tools make me feel as if I have sat down a banquet and been told that I can have all the salad I want. The add command still uses the old format, saving only the camera positions and headings. I can see supporting the old format for compatability's sake (tho I would handle that issue with a utility), but feel that VP should generate scripts in the new format. The script writer should also support the full range of script commands. Thirdly, there are great holes in the Arexx script commands. Although I can set any varriable I want, there is no way to 'get' current settings. I would like to be able access the elevation of any point in the DEM, the rgb settings of the color map, whether CLOUDS, SKY, OAK etc. are on, etc. I would also like access to the file's Header data. I realize that these issues all fall into the area of metascripts, but that is the direction you all are pointing, isn't it? Knowing VRLI's great customer support, I trust that you all have had John working on these very issues for weeks now, and that a timely release was the only reason that they were not included in the upgrade. This is not a complaint, it's just that you ahve gotten me wanting MORE. Consider me greedy… -Homer
#17195From: Clint H. WoeltjenMar 10, 1992 1:48 AM
Homer: Actually I have been thinking along the line of a VANIM editor to supliment the Viewer, but haven't gotten very far along that path yet. A case of too many projects and too little time and manpower. The scripting is also being looked at. We haven't settled on a solution yet, but we know that writing scripts by hand can be a pain. Suggestions are always welcome. The ARexx scripting had to wait until the VP script language was defined, which left too little time before release to do more than accept commands and process them. Handing information back to the ARexx programmer will be dealt with in the next release. We would rather have greedy customers than bored customers any day. <grin>
#17226From: Robert WilcoxMar 10, 1992 9:45 PM
One feature I would like to see is directory defaults: load dem actually g going to the landscape directory, load scripts going directly to the scripts directory, etc.
#17240From: Clint H. WoeltjenMar 11, 1992 2:32 AM
Robert: We are looking into using the ASL and/or Khalid's kd_freq as a file requester for all file i/o. This would allow such defaults as you are asking for. Clint <VRLI>
#17247From: Steve AhlstromMar 11, 1992 10:56 AM
Clint, PLEASE DO!!! I've got VistaPro 2.02 and love it! However, I'd find it a bit more functional if you used ASL — then I could bypass it! -sja
#17262From: Denny Atkin [COMPUTE/AmiMar 11, 1992 5:18 PM
Clint, Please use ASL, rather than Khalid's. Then folks can use one of the bypass programs to pick the file requester of their choice…
#17275From: Clint H. WoeltjenMar 12, 1992 12:41 AM
Denny, that would be what we would have in mind, but we would include Khalid's on the disk as the 'default' unless it were removed, in which case ASL would become the default. Khalid's has some features that lend themselves quite nicely to the type of directory manipulation that users of VP find themselves frequently doing. Clint <VRLI>
#17228From: Douglas BullardMar 10, 1992 10:40 PM
Hey, Clint, sorry to break in on the thread, but I just got my Firecracker board in today, and I had to tell you just HOW GREAT Vista looks in 24 bits! Keep up the good work! Douglas Bullard
#17241From: Clint H. WoeltjenMar 11, 1992 2:33 AM
Doug: Glad you like it! Clint <VRLI>
#17362From: David KieltykaMar 14, 1992 5:58 PM
Douglas, I second that…VistaPro's 24-bit images are sumptuous, the visual equivalent of eating Screaming Yellow Zonkers. 8^) -Dave-