stack vs. exe behavior in altSplash deployment

[Chipp Walters]

Hi Mark,

see below for answers:

On 11/26/06, Mark Powell <mark_powell at symantec.com> wrote:

> Anyway, a couple of questions
>
> -1-  Cursor idiosynracies:
> Rev's built-in cursors aren't available (e.g. instead of hand and busy,
> I get the hourglass).  How do I ensure that cursors port over correctly
> when a stack is deployed as a non-executable?

I believe you can always embed a cursor in a stack and use it by
setting the cursor ID to it. Perhaps Jacque can help out more here.

>
> -2-  Saving state:
> When deployed as a non-executable, is it accurate to say that saving
> state (i.e. preferences, last state of checkbox, etc) is as
> straightforward as asking whether to save when the stack is closed?

Certainly, that's one way. I prefer to separate my GUI/Business Logic
with content and data..and in that end I prefer using small XML files
to store prefs, and invisible stacks to store content-- I copy the
content from the inv stack over to the Biz stack for editing, then
close the stack. When I save, I generally create a new stack from
scratch (or use a 'template stack') and write OVER the older stack.

>
> -3-  Alpha channels:
> When used in the context of altSplash, is "alpha channel" synonymous
> with "transparency layer".  I am getting transparency to work, but am
> wondering if I am not capitalizing on the effects available in the
> engine.

Some PNG's have an 8 bit alpha channel. altSplash, built before alpha
window effects came in 2.7+, faked it's own soft window effects. It
still works in 2.7+.