Revolution and screen savers, writing real quartz transitions externals

[Richard Gaskin]

Jim Witte wrote:

> This doesn't really have anything to do with Revolution (well maybe),
> but I just poted this to the Apple StudentDev list after enquiring
> about the new 'slideSaver' type that has appeared in Jaguar:
> 
> --
> Wouldn't it would be nice if you could make a nice programming
> language to make them that would go like:
> 
> show image "Initial" with visual dissolve 4 seconds for 5 seconds
> repeat 5
> put random( "dissolve slow", "dissolve", "zoom in very slow") into
> visEffect
> show image (randomImageNotShown()) with visual visEffect for (random
> 3) seconds
> end repeat
> repeat 5
> if (random(1)) -- 0-based random function
> show image (randomImage()) with visual dissolve slow and
> shrinkTransition to randomPoint() for (4+random(2)) seconds
> else
> show image (randomImage()) with visual dissolve and expandTransition
> from randomPoint()
> end if
> end repeat
> 
> (Can you tell I like HyperTalk/Transcript?)
> 
> Kinda like the new Smart Playlists.  "(Extra) Smart ScreenSavers.."

With a few custom Transcript handlers and some slight modification of
syntax, the above snippet could be executable.

One of the trickier handlers would be the shrinkTransition command, but
remember that Rev supports all QT transition effects:

  answer effect
  put it

The string returned by the answer effect command could be stored in a field
or custom property, and accessed like this:

  on mouseUp
    visual GetFX("ShrinkThang")
    go next
  end mouseUp

  function GetFX pEffect
    return the fx[pEffect] of this stack
  end GetFX

Variants of the above could be used to hide/show images and other controls
in addition to card-to-card transitions.

Transcript is very powerful. Nearly anything you can dream up can be
scripted, even a multimedia slide show/screen saver engine as you describe.

-- 
 Richard Gaskin 
 Fourth World Media Corporation
 Custom Software and Web Development for All Major Platforms
 Developer of WebMerge 2.0: Publish any database on any site
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