@ bernd

Hi, great release, thanks for this! I had some trouble installing it - it was missing files like readme.txt and a few others. I manually created those files in the AFA root directory and then the install worked...

After that I rebooted and it was fine :)

I will test out the themes, but I am already using visualprefs/birdie, I guess I will read the documentation on what to change.

_________________
AmigaOS 4.x Beta Tester - Classic Amiga enthusiast - http://www.hd-zone.com is my Amiga Blog, check it out!

Great release Bernd!

Actually, I saw the post on amiga-news.de and was considering posting a news article here.

I assume the GUI themes support is compatible with the new AROS theme engine, yes?

I shall look forward to experimenting with this later today. I wonder what the benefits are to using the AfA themeing engine instead of VisualPrefs+Birdie+TitleShadow? Perhaps speed or improved compatibility/stability? Indeed, it may be possible to remove VisualPrefs altogether.

Great stuff, keep up the good work!

Cheers,
James
x

Is there a download link, and can a moderator possibly fix the Screenshot and Themes links in the news item.
Thanks

_________________
Peter Swallow.
A1XEG3-800 [IBM 750FX PowerPC], running OS4.1FE, using ac97 onboard sound.

"There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't."

oh the important is forget. A download link

http://amidevcpp.amiga-world.de/AfA_Binaries/AFAOS_4finalbeta.lha

>I assume the GUI themes support is compatible with the new AROS theme engine, >yes?

The AFA Skin system is not compatible with AROS skin system.
This is because AROS use the OS4 skin System Features.

The OS4 MOS Skin system miss lots feature i like and Skin Designers ask me to add and the Author of AROS skin system dont enhance features of OS4 kompatible AROS skin system.

also i dont like that there must be a .amap or .omap file.AFA skin use simple Icons (.info) files

When you look on feature list you can see whats new in compare to MOS OS4.

I dont know MOS OS4 exact,(i only look in MOS OS4 skin files) but i think near all Features of AFA Skin system in this newmessage OS4 or MOS dont have.

also intern developer release of AFA have far more features, buttons checkboxes and cyclegadgets can have too own 3 Part skin images that are scale depend on Button size.

The AFA skin system is not only plan to draw window borders, it is plan to draw any kind of GUI Elements.

The 7 Skins release now i hope are not the only that the new skin system get.
Ken have 4 more skins, but they are not release yet , because the scroller and screen title are miss.

I am no Fanatic and i need not want force the user/developer to a specific Hardware, i think AOS should see as Linux a platform independent OS and coders on diffrent platforms work together independent what Hardware somebody love.

currently the powericons, visualprefs(now on OS4) or birdie(now in MOS) Authors ignore all my mails about questions of source or some technical stuff.

Without support of the Authors, i take lot more time to develop that, because i must begin from 0.

But i dont do that, if i can help, if somebody want the skin features in MOS or OS4 or wrote a tool as birdie visualprefs for OS4 MOS i help if possible.

AFA is design to run on any amigaOS.
Simular as windows3.11, this can run on several DOS Versions.

only what done in host os is add a rectfill and a text Setfunction call to new routines.

There is too a bugtracker (dont work currently) here can add wishes what features the skin system or AFA should get.

http://www.amiforce.de/main.php (klick on bugtracker)

AFA miss now some small OS4 API calls that are too always here in the OS4 emu from MOS

In next days, i write a mail to Author , maybe i can get here support or source, if not i must begin too from 0 ,but i do then wait if a OS4 function is really need by a developer.

If a function is need, can add to the bugtracker

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Last edited by bernd_afa on 19-Nov-2007 at 12:14 PM.

Bernd, thank you for the detailed response.

I am surprised that the VP author has not responded to your emails - I believe he is a member of this website (or amiga.org), under the nick 'padrino'.

Keep up the great work,
James
x

nope, VP author is not "padrino". I don't even know if he is registered here

_________________

@bernd_afa

First of all thank you for developing AfA and also for updating it. It has great features!!!

Although AfA Skin system looks great I would suggest adding compatibility with MOS/OS4 skins even if MOS/OS4 skins have less features. Having so many skin systems is not a good idea and I understand that you want to improve it, but since OS4/MOS system is less advanced maybe it wouldn't be difficult to add compatibility with OS4/MOS. The bonus feature is that you could access a lot of skins for both MOS/OS4.

Keep your more advanced system, but please add compatibility with OS4/MOS so the user can access AROS/OS4/MOS skins.

_________________
The only spanish amiga news web page/club: CUAZ

@Crumb

I think that writing a converter would be a better idea. Adding support for a complete different skin system could be a mess or cause a need to rewrite lots of already working things.

@yak:

The difference is only the prefs file format (more accurate: the number of different prefs files needed to form an OS4 skin). The features are nearly pair, it is possibe to change all windows parts in AfA as well as OS4 skin system (including bitmaps for scrollers, containers, window title bar, window bottom bar, sides, arrows, gadgets, border thickness etc.).

OS4 has the only disadvantage that it isn´t able to change things immediately (e.g. for the bitmaps used by scrollers or window parts sometimes a reboot is needed, all other changes forces the workbench screen to be closed and reopened first).

I really think the technique used is nearly the same for both (based on VisualPrefs/Birdie ways to alter the appearance of windows), so it shouldn´t be a big problem to use a converter later on when GUI skin handling in OS4 is done by one prefs editor. Today it is some work to import/export skins to/from OS4/AfA, but it is possible.

If there will be one skin format in the future, well, we will see.

Regards

>If there will be one skin format in the future, well, we will see.

because afa skin use png, the OS4 files need lots extra code
I need code, that load the iff files and load the .imap and .omap files and merge together.

use MOS images is more easy, images need only rename, because MOS use alphablendet png images.

But i think easiest solution is to enhance afa skin to read a whole picture of a window in lets say 200*200 pixel.then also KDE gnome or windows or mac skins can use with less work

Then a Coordinate file can create and read in that the images are snap out of the picture.
I enhance the iconlib icontrol getimagedata to use positions IA_Left, IA_Top and IA_Width, IA_Height too.

then with few codelines the icons can create on the fly.

this also increase the load speed of slow systems.

and maybe new afa skins are design as full image, this have the advanatge, that a skin designer can easy tint his skin and need not always snap out diffrent pieces and save

>The difference is only the prefs file format (more accurate: the number of different >prefs files needed to form an OS4 skin). The features are nearly pair

try this in OS4, copy the titlewindow image of a OS4 skin so that it is show on bottom border rotate it about 90 degree to show on right border.

Now set the border size of title to 16 and then to 28 without draw new images.

now set bottom border size to 13 and 26 also without draw new images
now change in a OS4 skin the slider so that it look as the x1 skin with the blue glass slider.

If you can do that, then i believe you that OS4 can do this.

AROS have OS4 skin system implement, so i see that it is not possible.

Last edited by bernd_afa on 19-Nov-2007 at 05:20 PM.

visualprefs Author is the same which develop OS4 skin system and do SAM as far i remember and OS4 png icon support.

the OS4 png iconsupport add more tags because MOS png odrmat miss many features.

I and a AFA beta tester have ask him about the new tag numbers add in OS4 to make AFA and scalos compatible to OS4 png extension.

but we get no answer.
but luckily a Scalos author know a OS4 user, he tell what settings the OS4 user must set, and send the icons.

Now we figured out what the OS4 png Tag extensions do.here they are

#define ATTR_VIEWMODES 0x8000100c //OS4 PNG use that
#define ATTR_DD_CURRENTX 0x8000100d //OS4 PNG use that
#define ATTR_DD_CURRENTY 0x8000100e //OS4 PNG use that
#define ATTR_TYPE 0x8000100f //OS4 PNG use that
#define ATTR_DRAWERFLAGS2 0x80001107 // store full drawerflags dopus magellan need this

for visualprefs source i give up after seinding 1 mail and get no answer then.

Last edited by bernd_afa on 19-Nov-2007 at 05:32 PM.
Last edited by bernd_afa on 19-Nov-2007 at 05:32 PM.

here is new screenshot that show arteffect with new skinned buttons, checkboxes and cyclegadget.

its only a test and use the scroller images

http://amidevcpp.amiga-world.de/AfA_Screenshots/136.png

@bernd_afa

Hi Bernd, looking great :) Thanx!

Wouldn't it be awesome to have an integrated installer that installs all of the latest OS 3.x patches into a single installer, sets up anti-aliased fonts and a theme? :) We can call it boing bag 3 :) I guess AmiKit kind of does that....but it does not work on Amithlon or a real amiga as far as I know!

_________________
AmigaOS 4.x Beta Tester - Classic Amiga enthusiast - http://www.hd-zone.com is my Amiga Blog, check it out!

I dont like installers that change a system config, so i do no installer.

Quote:

currently the powericons, visualprefs(now on OS4) or birdie(now in MOS) Authors ignore all my mails about questions of source or some technical stuff.

Birdie doesn't have anything to do with MorphOS skinning system.

Quote:

use MOS images is more easy, images need only rename, because MOS use alphablendet png images.

Not quite true. The skins are loaded with datatypes, therefore one can use jpg/ilbm/gif or any other format datatypes can load.

bernd_afa, il you have some free time, see on amiforce forum, the afa-os thread.

I dont success to use afa-os on my system untill now. snoopdos allways complain after icon.library V53, but is V44-v45 on aos3 ??? the theme on the prefs is ghosted as visible results about the problem.

Maybe I havent seen something on the doc/faq or Im too bad

_________________
BTW, what you have done for the amiga today ????

-A1200+Mediator+VooDoo3+060/50+96mo+SCSI-KIT
-SAM440EP-667mhz-on MapowerKC3000+AOS4.1

Amiga Docs Disks Preservation Project

>Not quite true. The skins are loaded with datatypes, therefore one can use >jpg/ilbm/gif or any other format datatypes can load.

i guess that too, but when i look on the MOS skins all have png images that can only rename and work with AFA.png is best choose when use alpachannels

OS4 images cant rename because this seem iff images with no alpha include and with additional .amap .omap file that contain alphadata.

This is unnescessary additional work for skin designer

>Birdie doesn't have anything to do with MorphOS skinning system.

I write 3 Mails to the birdie author (address in readme)
no answer, then i ask what the birdie author do now, i get from 1 user the answer he is on MOS and has develop MOS skin system.

>I dont success to use afa-os on my system untill now. snoopdos allways complain >after icon.library V53, but is V44-v45 on aos3 ??? the theme on the prefs is ghosted >as visible results about the problem.

you have not add in your startup-sequence morelibspace.
this you must done before setpatch.only when the library space of teh libs can increase new AFA libs can use

in readme.txt is this.

"""

++++++++++++++++++ I don't want to code, read not much, bla bla - I want to use it!

For a complete list of the features, see the file featurelist.txt.


Installation:

Typically user-startup and startup-sequence are located in the "s:" directory

Use the installer to install. It would be best if you do not add AfA_OS_Loader to user-startup
to start it on boot time, instead insert the line:

AfA_OS_Loader

after the "addatatypes" command in your "startup-sequence"
Tools as visual prefs birdie should start later as the "AFA_OS_Loader" or text centering will not work.

There is a little difference on what OS 3.5/3.9 and OS 3.1 users have to do now-so watch carefully ;)

OS 3.5 and 3.9 users please insert:

c:morelibspace

before "setpatch" in your "startup-sequence".

OS 3.1 Users should add:

c:morelibspace REBOOT

before "setpatch" in their startup-sequence,
because OS3.1 does not reboot the AMIGA after the first call
of setpatch as OS3.5 and OS3.9 will do.

Now do a cold reboot (switch of your amiga or restart winuae)

If you want do it manuel to understand what AfA_OS do this steps are done.

- copy the dir AfA_OS_Libs to your sys: Amigadrive Bootpartition.If you dont like it here
you can add too a assign AfA_OS: to your directory where the AfA_OS_Libs are
- copy Libs:freetype2.library in your sys:libs directory
- copy C:AfA_OS_Loader to your sys:c directory
- copy Fonts: to your sys:fonts directory. If you want to have more fonts, use the Fonts
from AROS or MOS
- copy prefs: to your sys:prefs dir


If the "AFA_OS_Loader" is started with the parameter:

MOUSESTART (must be written uppercase)

You must press the left mousebutton during boot time to load the modules, instead of skipping them.
"""

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Last edited by bernd_afa on 22-Nov-2007 at 11:41 AM.

Quote:

i guess that too, but when i look on the MOS skins all have png images that can only rename and work with AFA.png is best choose when use alpachannels

The images can also have a pink 1/0 mask (extracted from the image itself). Anyway, I somehow doubt AFA supports all possible titlebar skinning modes of MorphOS.

Quote:

This is unnescessary additional work for skin designer

Write a converter :)

Quote:

no answer, then i ask what the birdie author do now, i get from 1 user the answer he is on MOS and has develop MOS skin system.

Well... it seems someone gave you incorrect information. If you want any help, contact me on the #morphos irc channel (freenode).

hello,

morelibspace at beginning of my startup sequence not work, mean for afa_os.

- skin not available.
- lots of morelibspace not start on snoopdos.
- when reboot, the amiga not reboot. need to use the reset switch ONLY one time of the tower to reboot normally.


I have JUST and ONLY enabled my blizzkick command and add morelibspace as module and:

- afa_os work.
- skin work and are showed on screen.
- reboot and the amiga reboot fine.


enabled all my patch again and all continue to work.

don't know why, I just explain my tests and hope that could help....

Thanks for the verry great AFA_OS tool for the Amiga classic

_________________
BTW, what you have done for the amiga today ????

-A1200+Mediator+VooDoo3+060/50+96mo+SCSI-KIT
-SAM440EP-667mhz-on MapowerKC3000+AOS4.1

Amiga Docs Disks Preservation Project

>I have JUST and ONLY enabled my blizzkick command and add morelibspace as >module and:

you mean that you now use blitzkick or have you use ot before too.

Have you run OS3.1 or 3.9 ?

if you run OS3.1 you need morelibspace REBOOT add