New ScriptImage/InfoImage/InfoText functions - DOWNLOAD !!

[Chuft-Captain]

I agree with you, but a lot of users will use the image overlay as an overlay texture that will have to suit very precisely the background scene... The non-scaling option would be a problem for them...

I suspect it may actually be impossible to satisfy all requirements with regard to this, because I have a strong feeling that Celestia sizes the screen automatically to the users screen aspect, so as well as the standard 4:3 aspect ratios 1600x1200, 1280x1024, 1024x768, 800x600 there may be people who want an image to fit 16:9 widescreen format such as 1600x900, etc...
(In my case, 1024x768 ---> Celestia sizes it to 1024x744)

SORRY -- another potential complication.

You might need to get some feedback from people with widescreen computers, as I may be wrong about this (hopefully )

So, your aim to match precisely the background may only be achievable for a given aspect ratio.
I think you've got the positioning well sorted. What you've done so far will work really well for those who want to use it as a narration tool etc, in scripts, but, if I'm right about the aspect ratio issue, then you might have to make it the user's responsibility to get the image size and aspect right for their particular purpose. (or maybe 4:3 and 16:9 equate to separate 'platforms')

This is all looking good though Vincent. Great work

[Vincent]

Ok, here's a new test version in which xoffset and yoffset are defined in relation to Celestia-window's dimensions. Xoffset and yoffset define the position of the image's center. They can take values from -1 to 1 relatively to the center of Celestia-window :
> if xoffset = 0.0 and yoffset = 0.0, your image is centered on Celestia-window
> if xoffset = -1 your image is centered on the left border of Celestia-window => You can only see half of it.

I've also fixed some bugs :
- The script overlay Image is not displayed anymore when you exit the script with the [ESC] key. In the previous version, the image was still displayed until the 'duration' had elapsed.
- The InfoImage is not displayed anymore when no object is selected or when the selection is a star, a deepsky object or a location. (InfoImage for these objects will be integrated later.)
- If the same image is called several times in a row, Celestia only loads it once.

Here are the links :
- Windows (.exe): http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_3.zip
- Modified source files for compilation : http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_3.zip
> If you want to check the changes, just make a search for 'Vincent'.

I've updated the links in my first post.

[Vincent]

The overlay image function for script seems to work very well and to fit a real need for the educationnal use of Celestia. So, it will be integrated as such in the next Celestia_patch release.

As for the InfoImage function, I'm not sure the current version is really handy and pertinent. When building it, I thought it would be mainly useful to addons creators. It can be a good thing to add a photo, a graph, or another image that adds some more information about the addon... And this can be simply done by adding a InfoImage line in the ssc (or stc or dsc) definition and the corresponding image file in the 'images' folder. But as I could read it in the devs mail, the InfoURL function already allows the user/creator to do that. That's why I still need some more feedback to know whether the InfoImage function can be integrated to the next Celestia_patch release or not :

1- Do you think the current InfoImage function fit a real need from addons creators/users ? Is it still worth working on it ?
2- Do you think the image aid is really handy/sufficient ?
3- Would it be interesting to add a little text window in which the addons creator could display a few lines from the ssc/stc/dsc file ?

[Vincent]

I've added an InfoText function to the InfoImage function previously described. This is the version that will probably be included to the next Celestia_patch version (InfoText + InfoImage + Overlay Image for scripts).

InfoText works in the same way as InfoImage. For example, if you want to display an InfoText and an InfoImage for Saturn's moon Titan, just add these lines in the .ssc definition of Titan in solarsys.ssc :

Code: Select all

InfoImage "info_Titan.jpg"
InfoText "
Discovered by Christiaan Huygens
Date of discovery 1655
Mass (kg) 1.35e+23
Mass (Earth = 1) 2.2590e-02
...
"

Or just add this .ssc file in your extras folder :

Code: Select all

Modify "Titan" "Sol/Saturn"
{
InfoImage "info_Titan.jpg"
InfoText "
Discovered by Christiaan Huygens
Date of discovery 1655
Mass (kg) 1.35e+23
Mass (Earth = 1) 2.2590e-02
...
"
}

Here's a screenshot for Titan :


I haven't updated the link on my first post. But if some of you are interested in testing this feature on their system, just ask...

[Ramón]

Hello Vincent, this is Ramon from Mexico.
I'm interested in try the new future of the info text for celestia. I'm using windows primary because I can't compile the sound patch and the image pacth using linux.
I'm also looking forward for the new patch with all the new features (sound, image, info text, etc.) included.
Boy, the educational posibilities are enormous!
Thank very much for your effort on making this possible.

[ANDREA]

Hello Vincent, this is Ramon from Mexico.
I'm interested in try the new future of the info text for celestia. I'm using windows primary because I can't compile the sound patch and the image pacth using linux.
I'm also looking forward for the new patch with all the new features (sound, image, info text, etc.) included.
Boy, the educational posibilities are enormous!
Thank very much for your effort on making this possible.

Hello Ramon, I absolutely need to contact you privately, but Celestia PM gives me the error "This address doesn't exist", and your email address gives me error in any way I'm doing it.
Can you please send me privately an email address where to send the requested informations?
Thank you. and beg your pardon to Celestia members for this message.
Bye

Andrea

[Paolo]

Hi Vincent!

I think that you are branching Celestia in a very intresting and useful way, especially for educational purposes.

The extension to the data-model through the items InfoImage and InfoText souds me interesting and useful.
IMHO since it seems that you are familiar with the development of additional data management in ssc, I think that instead of a unique InfoText string should be better to implement an Info filed with related data-structure like:

Code: Select all

Modify "Titan" "Sol/Saturn"
{
    info{
        Images ["info_Titan.jpg" , ""info_Titan2.jpg", ...]
        Discoverer "Christiaan Huygens"
        DiscoveryDate "1655"
        Mass 1.35e+23
        RelativeMass 2.2590e-02  #Earth = 1
        ...
        RawText [
        "... any other unstructured info 1 or description/credits for image1... "
        "... any other unstructured info 2 or description/credits for image2... "
        ...
        ]

    }
}


Having an array of images and rawTexts it should be possible to cycle automatically between them every e.g 4/5 seconds or manually using a key combination.
Having structured additional info it should be possible to implement an ultra verbose mode for the infotext through 'v' key. But this was discussed many times before and someone for understandable reasons do not agrees with this.
On the other hand the infotext or rawtext fields opens another front on the multilanguage handling capabilities of Celestia. So educational add-on creators should translate these kind of text creating different versions of the files. This shoud open again another front against add-on management capabilities, and so on... its a neverending story: a long wish-list and a lack of developers.

I hope that your patch will be included in a future official release of Celestia, and that your work will help in keeping alive the Official Celestia Development that at present time (excluding the Fridger's work on PNG/PTS galaxy points) seems stuck again.

Good Job!

Kind regards

[Vincent]

Ramon,
I have quite a lot of work at the moment for my job. But I will update the whole overlay pack as soon as possible. I'll let you know when it is done, so that you can download the last version for testing.
As for the compilation of the image overlay feature under Linux, I'm surpised it doesn't work with the modified source files I posted... Did you try it with the default 1.4.1 official version ?

I think that instead of a unique InfoText string should be better to implement an Info filed with related data-structure...

Salve Paolo !
Yes, of course, and I already thought about it. I'm making it very simple for now to show other users the possibilities that feature could bring to educational puproses... But IMHO, what you described is a really good way to improve the info overlay feature. And I can tell you I already have an idea about how to do that "technically"...

Having structured additional info it should be possible to implement an ultra verbose mode for the infotext through 'v' key.

That's exactly what I have already done. You can read the previous posts on this thread to have more information about it...

On the other hand the infotext or rawtext fields opens another front on the multilanguage handling capabilities of Celestia.

I wouldn't worry on that point, Paolo, since a lot of teachers have already translated many educational scripts in french... The educative community is very active. They're just waiting for new projects to test in their classroom.

Paolo, Ramon, thanks a lot for your support !

[Vincent]

Ramon,

Here are the links to download the Celestia_overlay_4 test version (ScriptImage/InfoImage/InfoText functions) :
- Windows (.exe): http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_4.zip
- Modified source files for compilation : http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_4.zip
> If you want to check the changes, just make a search for 'Vincent'.

I've added some InfoText examples for Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, and Titan, and some InfoImage examples for the Moon, Mars and Titan. All the images I used are from the NASA website > not copyrighted for an educational use

To avoid posting a new topic, I've updated the links in my first post, along with the general information about the ScriptImage/InfoImage/InfoText functions : http://celestiaproject.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9123

[Vincent]

With the new xoffset definition (relatively to the Celestia-window's size), it is easy to place an image in the center of the Celestia-window : xoffset = 0 ; yoffset = 0. But it is a tiny bit more complicated to place an image against the left hand side or the right hand side of the Celestia-window... Here are the maths to do that, whatever screen dimension you're using...

Since you need to get Celestia-window's width, this can only be done with celx script.

Code: Select all

-- Place your image against the left hand side of the Celestia-window :

image_width = 512 -- replace this value with your own image width
screen_width = celestia:getscreendimension() -- get the width of the Celestia-window
xoffset_left = (image_width/screen_width) - 1
celestia:overlay (3, xoffset_left, 0, 0.5, "image.jpg")
wait(3)


-- Place your image against the right hand side of the Celestia-window :

image_width = 512 -- replace this value with your own image width
screen_width = celestia:getscreendimension() -- get the width of the Celestia-window
xoffset_right = 1 - (image_width/screen_width) -- xoffset_right = - xoffset_left
celestia:overlay (3, xoffset_right, 0, 0.5, "image.jpg")
wait(3)

The following celx script uses these values. It makes the image scroll and bounce on the left and right sides of your celestia-window. You can try it with different screen resolutions/sizes...

Code: Select all

-- Make the image scroll and bounce on the left and right sides of your celestia-window :

image_width = 512  -- replace this value with your own image width
screen_width = celestia:getscreendimension()
xoffset_min = (image_width/screen_width) - 1
xoffset_max = - xoffset_min

for n = 1, 5 do

for xoffset = xoffset_min, xoffset_max, 0.01 do
celestia:overlay (0.01, xoffset, 0, 0.5, "image.jpg")
wait (0.01)
end

for xoffset = xoffset_max, xoffset_min, -0.01 do
celestia:overlay (0.01, xoffset, 0, 0.5, "image.jpg")
wait (0.01)
end

end

[Vincent]

With Joe's help, I've fixed the issue with the 'Ultra Verbose' radio button in the 'Render > View options... > Information text' Menu.
It looks like there's no more bug in the InfoImage, InfotText and ScriptImage features.

All the concerned downloadable files have been updated.

[Joe]

It is a wonderful effort by Vincent who deserves a big applaue

[Vincent]

Here's the final release of Celestia_Overlay. The InfoText and InfoImage functions can now be applied to any type of object in Celestia :
- Bodies (planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecrafts)
- Locations
- Stars (and barycenters)
- Deepsky Objects (galaxies, nebulae, open clusters)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the links to download the needed files :
- Windows (.exe): http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_5.zip
> As usual, just unzip and paste the content of the celestia_win32_overlay_5 folder into your main Celestia folder. No file will be overwritten.

- Modified source files for compilation (gtk and kde files included) : http://vincent.gian.club.fr/celestia/ce ... rlay_5.zip
> If you want to check the changes, just make a search for 'Vincent'.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- InfoText examples are available for Mercury, Venus, the Earth, the Moon, Mars, Titan, Apollo 11 landing site, the Sun and the Milky Way.
- InfoImage examples are available for Mars, Titan, Apollo 11 landing site, the Sun and the Milky Way.

Here are some screenshots :



I've updated the links in my first post, along with the general information about the InfoImage/InfoText functions : http://celestiaproject.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9123

[ANDREA]

Here's the final release of Celestia_Overlay. The InfoText and InfoImage functions can now be applied to any type of object in Celestia :
- Bodies (planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecrafts)
- Locations
- Stars (and barycenters)
- Deepsky Objects (galaxies, nebulae, open clusters)
I've updated the links in my first post, along with the general information about the InfoImage/InfoText functions : http://celestiaproject.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9123

Hello Vincent, before downloading the new release, can you please confirm me that this doesn't allow the sounds from script, and if this is the actual situation, do you think that in the future you'll release a "complete" patch, including all together Scripts, Images, Sounds, InfoImages and InfoTexts?
Thank you for all what you doing, very appreciated.
Bye

Andrea

[Vincent]

Hello Andrea,

This version indeed only integrates the Text/Image Overlay feature. But as I told you in a previous post, I will soon build a new experimental version that will gather all the features of the last Celestia_patch (sound,...) and Celestia_overlay (InfoScript/InfoText/InfoImage) versions. I was just waiting for Fridger and ElChristou to release their new extended Hubble scheme/PNG templates feature for galaxies. This way I will be able to remove the SBbc model of the Milky way I've added to the previous celestia_patch version.

I might be wrong, but there is something in the air that makes me think this release may come quite soon...

I know you were working on educational scripts using the ScriptImage function. Since I made quite a lot of changes in the ScriptImage function (like the relative positionning of the image...), I suggest you to download this last Celestia_overlay_5 version and check if your script are still uptodate.

Andrea, spero che questa verzione ti sar?  molto utile nei tuoi projetti futuri...

Ciao.

[ANDREA]

Hello Andrea, This version indeed only integrates the Text/Image Overlay feature. But as I told you in a previous post, I will soon build a new experimental version that will gather all the features of the last Celestia_patch (sound,...) and Celestia_overlay (InfoScript/InfoText/InfoImage) versions. I was just waiting for Fridger and ElChristou to release their new extended Hubble scheme/PNG templates feature for galaxies. This way I will be able to remove the SBbc model of the Milky way I've added to the previous celestia_patch version. I might be wrong, but there is something in the air that makes me think this release may come quite soon... I know you were working on educational scripts using the ScriptImage function. Since I made quite a lot of changes in the ScriptImage function (like the relative positionning of the image...), I suggest you to download this last Celestia_overlay_5 version and check if your script are still uptodate.

Very well, Vincent, thanks a lot both for explanation and for your upgrade, that I have already downloaded and I'm going to test.
BTW, I'm thinking about the eventual possibility to insert in the future developments the possibility to launch within cel scripts some little video clips.
To simulate this, as I told you, I'm using little series of images shown with small time intervals, but this stresses a lot my graphic card, alas, so that the second sequence shows only some of the images.
Any opinion on the matter, Vincent?

Andrea, spero che questa verzione ti sar?  molto utile nei tuoi projetti futuri...
Ciao.

Vincent, grazie!
Bye

Andrea

[ElChristou]

... I was just waiting for Fridger and ElChristou to release their new extended Hubble scheme/PNG templates feature for galaxies. This way I will be able to remove the SBbc model of the Milky way I've added to the previous celestia_patch version...

Hey Vincent, I think you should go on, because Fridger and I are almost very busy, so the release of the whole bunch of templates won't be for next week (unfortunately)...

[BrainDead]

Just wanted to add MY two cents worth here...

Many thanks Vincent. Your enhancements to Celestia are very much
appreciated by some of us.

Take care, Bob

[Vincent]

Andrea,

BTW, I'm thinking about the eventual possibility to insert in the future developments the possibility to launch within cel scripts some little video clips.

Well, a Video Library would be needed to play video without using an external player, like the OpenGL and OpenAL libraries already does respectively for graphics and sounds.... But I'm not aware of the existence of such an Open Video Library at the moment...

To simulate this, as I told you, I'm using little series of images shown with small time intervals, but this stresses a lot my graphic card, alas, so that the second sequence shows only some of the images.

I've optimized the image management in the last Celestia_overlay_5 version :
1- If the same image is called several times in arow, it is only loaded once.
2- If a new image is called, the previous one is deleted.
That second point should make your series of images less stressing for your graphics card since only one image at a time is kept in memory... So, please let me know if you can notice some improvement on that point with the last Celestia_overlay_5 version...

Bob,

Many thanks Vincent. Your enhancements to Celestia are very much appreciated by some of us.

Many thanks to you for your support, Bob. And I'm really looking forward to downloading your scripts....

Hey Vincent, I think you should go on, because Fridger and I are almost very busy, so the release of the whole bunch of templates won't be for next week (unfortunately)...

OK Chris, so let's go !!!

[ANDREA]

Andrea,

I'm using little series of images shown with small time intervals, but this stresses a lot my graphic card, alas, so that the second sequence shows only some of the images.

I've optimized the image management in the last Celestia_overlay_5 version :
1- If the same image is called several times in arow, it is only loaded once.
2- If a new image is called, the previous one is deleted.
That second point should make your series of images less stressing for your graphics card since only one image at a time is kept in memory... So, please let me know if you can notice some improvement on that point with the last Celestia_overlay_5 version...

Wow, Vincent, now it's like a movie, no slow downs, no jumps, veeeeery nice!
Moreover I have seen that you released the new patch, including all the features of the various releases. I downloaded it and I'm going to test it.
I cannot imagine my studends faces when, falling the asteroid on Jucatan Peninsula, will listen to the falling rumble, the explosion, and to the Dinosaurs roaring, with the fire growing up and the sky darkening more and more.
Well done, Vincent, thank you very much, indeed.
Bye

Andrea