OWB splash window

http://bugs.os4depot.net/?function=viewcomments&issueid=32

Anyone interested in creating a launcher for OWB as joerg suggests in the link above?

The splash image should be a replaceable image in the same directory (PROGDIR:) as the launcher.

Edit:
salass00 uploaded his program to os4depot:

http://os4depot.net/index.php?functio ... y/misc/splashlauncher.lha

Thanks Fredrik!

@orgin

If someone makes the splash image I can write the launcher.

@salass00

I'll ask klesterjr if he's interested.

Though you could start by just opening an image specified in the icon tooltypes. "SPLASHIMAGE=splash.png". And center it on the screen using a borderless window.

@orgin or whom it may concern

I have been wondering why OWB does not have some sort of splash window to let you know you have actually clicked its icon. I was going to suggest it but I don't need to now !

The delay before any user response is given is far too Windows like. Nothing seems to haoppen for ages before the main window opens.

Opening a small centered window is not too difficult is it - sort of the next level in any Amiga C tutorial from the "Hello World" example


Another request, could OWB be made to open its own screen rather than going via the rather hacky way of setting up a screen entry in the Screens prefs. The latter is a much slower way of doing theings than the normal Amiga way.



Bill.

@BillE

Quote:

I suggest that you post that in the tracker at:
http://bugs.os4depot.net/?function=viewsoftware&softwareid=1

@orgin

i just had a minute of inspiration, i bundled this from memory.

feel free to improve/publish, whatever, i can't spend time making docs,publishing it,etc.

http://ami603.kicks-ass.net/open/owblaunch.lha

the image is just my avatar in big size.

edit: OS4.1 executable making profit of the new transparency features:

http://ami603.kicks-ass.net/open/owblauncher.OS41

(i'm not sure if i can publish the sourcecode modifications for this as there's no sdk that i know that supports these).

@salass00

Or even do it totally generic.

Tooltypes:
SPLASHEXE=owb
SPLASHIMAGE=owbsplash.png


That way you can reuse it for any application.

call it "splashstart" perhaps? And then the user can rename it to whetever (s)he wants.

I have a suggestion to everyone. Open any text editor like Notepad f.ex. Type the following lines but replace all file names and their paths with correct ones. You don't have to write comment lines which start with ";":

; This will open your splash window
Run >nil: Multiview MyDataPartition:MyPictures/MyPreferredSplashPic.pic PORTNAME SPLASH
; Wait 1 sec so starting OWB doens't slow down opening the splash window
Wait 1 sec
; Start OWB with WBRun command so OWB can find its tooltypes
WBRun Internet:OWB/OWB
; Wait for the OWB.1 message port to appear so we will know it's running
WaitForPort OWB.1
; Close the splash window
rx 'address SPLASH QUIT

Enable "Create icons" from Notepad's settings menu and save that script you just wrote. Make that icon executable (possible to run). Then use that icon (script) to launch OWB from now.

@orgin

Quote:

I have the launching code itself done already. I just need to add some code for opening/closing the window and reading the tooltypes. This should be relatively so I'll probably get it finished tomorrow already.

@salass00

nobody tried the source and exe i pointed before? it has already what you need.

@Ami603

I tried it, and it does work well. Thanks!

Thank you also for including the source code. I did change one thing:
Line 57
IDOS->SystemTags("wbrun OWB",

(Just having "OWB" gave me shell output that I didn't like.)

@salass00

Quote:Mason created one for OWB:

@TSK

Cool If only multiview had an option to remove window title...

@Ami603

Quote: I tried it, and ran it from ram:, but once the eye picture loaded my whole system locked up. I presume it has to be in the OWB directory?, but I haven't sorted it out yet.

@joerg

Nice

@orgin

@salass00

Upload to the depot when done :)

@orgin

I have it working now. Now I just need to write a .readme file and upload it.

I had originally intended to just use NP_EntryCode to signal my program when OWB has been run but it seems there is a long time between this and the OWB window opening and very little time (a fraction of a second) between SystemTags() and the EntryCode function being run so I've added a WAITFORPORT functionality for waiting for OWB's public message port. It's written to work even when running several instances of OWB and is working quite nicely in the tests I've done here.

@salass00

Cool, does that mean that it's locked to OWB though or can it be used for other software?

Edit: Ohh btw, make sure that the license allows joerg to include it in his archive if he wants to, if that's okey with you.

@all

Salass00 uploaded his program to os4depot:

http://os4depot.net/index.php?functio ... y/misc/splashlauncher.lha

Thanks Fredrik!