Request for feedback

[Ralph DiMola]

Mike,

Thanks You! I'm a + 1 on this. We need to be able to reliably calculate
field/line geometry especially on mobile. I've been wrestling getting this
correct since the new field object was introduced. I have 2 related bugs on
this: http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=12176 and
http://quality.runrev.com/show_bug.cgi?id=13551

It looks like you have all the bases covered. Let's see when RR and anybody
into the sources has to offer on this. Button labels should have this
property also.

Ralph DiMola
IT Director
Evergreen Information Services
rdimola at evergreeninfo.net

-----Original Message-----
From: use-livecode [mailto:use-livecode-bounces at lists.runrev.com] On Behalf
Of Michael Doub
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2014 11:57 AM
To: How To use LiveCode use LiveCode
Subject: Request for feedback

I would like the lists assistance in flushing out a enhancement request
proposal that I would like to make to the development team. Because of a bug
in the pageranges function where it did not take into account the spaceabove
and spacebelow properties, i attempted to do this manually.  
I quickly learned that there is no easy way to understand where a line is
actually wrapped.  I was using the formatted size functions measuring each
character and run and getting different answers when measuring the same
text.  This was attributed to kerning and letter spacing issues by the
support folks.  This was not a very satisfying answer.

After working on this for several weeks, I have come to the conclusion that
we can not accurately reproduce the algorithms of the field object with the
current tools available to us.  I would loved to be proven wrong here, but I
threw in the towel and starting thinking about the the information that is
really needed to understand what is actually being displayed within a field.

I am proposing that a property or function be added to livecode field
object.  It would be similar to styled text, but it would provide a PERFECT
representation of what is being displayed within a field.  The structure
returned would include all attributes needed to understand exactly how a
field is laid out and how the text was flowed within the field.

For the purposes of this discussion a field is made up of lines.
A line is a string terminated by a return.  A line is made up of softlines.
A line may contain a single softline or multiple softlines.  
A softline is single row of text that fits in the visual area within the 
field.  SoftLines are made up of runs as defined in styledtext.   A tab 
character is considered a run.

Ok to be clear, a softline is each segment of a line that was wrapped to fit
in to the field.  ;-)


put the formatedStyledAttributes of fld "foo" into rArray

rArray:
     "height":
     "width":
     "dontwrap":
     "borderwidth":
     "leftMargin":
     "topMargin":
     "rightMargin":
     "bottomMargin":
     [line_Nbr] --  a number for each string terminated by a return
         "borderwidth":
         "leftIndent":
         "rightIndent":
         "padding":
         "spaceAbove":
         "spaceBelow":
         [softline_number]  -- this the segment of the line on a row 
within a field
             "MaxformattedHeight":  -- of the softline including all runs
             "MaxformattedWidth":   -- of the softline including all runs
             "leftIndent":
             "firstIndent":  -- only applicable to the first segment of 
a paragraph
             "rightIndent":
             "padding":
             [run_number]      -- this is the run within the soft line
                                        -- a tab character is considered 
a run
                 "textSize":
                 "textFont":
                 "textStyle":
                 "text":
                 formattedHeight:
                 formattedWidth: -- when text = tab, this is the length 
of space
                                            -- allocated to the tab
             [run_number + 1]
         [softline_number + 1]
     [pgh_Nbr + 1]


I added the MaxFormatted Height/Width so it would be easer to calculate 
the scroll positions.  A function that would tell you the softline 
number of a given chunk would also be a huge help.

I look forward to hearing your comments about this proposal.   I am 
specifically looking for suggestions on how lists should be handled.

Regards,
   Mike


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