Looking for Implementation Advice

[Mike Doub]

Thanks Alex, I appreciate your input.  I was thinking about dynamically
creating some array of objects, but I did not made to connection to put the
data in the object itself.  It is so obvious now.  Setting the tool tip
property is really clever.

How would you recommend managing setting up the locations of the buttons? Do
I just pick an x,y location on the stack and just start making incrementing
the coordinates?  I guess I need to do some experimenting.  I am wondering
if it is possible to create a group, make it invisible, create all of the
buttons in the group, set the location of the group, and then make the group
visible.

Thanks again, you helped me solve the big problem of connecting the data.  

Regards,
   Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: use-revolution-bounces at lists.runrev.com
[mailto:use-revolution-bounces at lists.runrev.com] On Behalf Of Alex Tweedly
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 5:14 PM
To: How to use Revolution
Subject: Re: Looking for Implementation Advice

Mike Doub wrote:

>Hello List,
>
>I am looking for implementation advice on how best to solve a problem
>displaying a graphical representation of a matrix of data.  
>
>I have a variable that is set up with each line representing a row of
>information, and each item of the line a value.  There are a variable
number
>of lines and values.  I typically expect about 50 lines and 24 values.
>
>Something like this (as you can see I am thinking of using arrays with
split
>and combine):
>
>Label1|0,0,1,3,5,6...
>Label2|1,4,6,7,2,0...
>Label3|5,4,4,3,-1,1...
>.
>.
>.
>
>The graphic that I was envisioning was a group of small squares that would
>contain colors, green for 0 and higher, orange for -1, red for -2 add
below.
>The label would be next to each row of boxes.  I would also like the user
to
>be able to hover over one of the boxes and be able to see the actual value.
>
>I have multiple data sets to be displayed. Initially I was thinking that I
>would have one of this graphic per card, but having this as part of a
>scrolling field would be nice.  Anyway let's keep it simple and just assume
>that it will be on each card.
>
>I am a bit stumped at how to:
>1) Build this graphical thing dynamically to accommodate difference numbers
>of rows and columns
>2) How to connect the appearance of each box to the data, both to set the
>color and to get the hovering effect.
>
>I am totally open to suggestions at this point in how to better layout the
>data and to build this graphical control.  
>
>Thank you in advance for pointing me in a direction.
>  
>
Hi Mike - I'll point in a number of directions :-)
I'd probably do #3 myself, assuming the 50 lines x 24 values is a 
realistic estimate, and that the max size you need to handle isn't too 
much larger than that.

I can see three ways to get the colored squares - though there are 
probably dozens of other ways.

1. Use the "imageSource" for each character.
Create images (either in your stack, or as PNG files) each a square of a 
different color.
Set the text of the field to be something like
   Label 1 <tab> ABCD
   Lab 2<tab> AADEC
etc.
Set the images source of each character to the appropriate PNG or image.

2. (similar)
Do the same but instead of using imageSource for each character, use 
htmlText : set both color and bgcolor of each character in turn to the 
relevant color value as needed.

(e.g. some code vaguely like:

>   set the itemdel to TAB
>   repeat with tLine = 1 to the number of lines in fld "Field"
>     put the number of chars in item 2 of line tLine of fld "Field" 
> into tNum
>     repeat with tChar = 1 to tNum
>       put char tChar of item 2 of line tLine of fld "Field" into tt
>       put "<font bgcolor=" & theColor[tt] & "><font color=" & 
> theColor[tt] & ">" & tt & "</font></font>" into tHtml
>       set the htmlText of char tChar of item 2 of line tLine of fld 
> "Field" to tHtml
>     end repeat
>   end repeat
>  

where the array "theColor" has been set up ahead of time.

3. Use a number of buttons, all square.
Create a "template" button, with all the right characteristics (square, 
no border, etc. and hidden)
Then for each value in each line create a new button (clone the template 
one), set its position, set its color according to the value, and then 
make it visible.  [obviously, re-use buttons as needed]


For the "hover" value, in case 3 you can simply set the tooltip of each 
button to the actual value.

For cases 1 or 2, I think you'd need to do your own tracking of the 
mouse using a mouseMove handler and timer, then using mouse co-ords (or 
mouseChunk ??) to determine which char is the relevant one, and pop up 
the right value (maybe by setting the tooltip for the field - worth 
looking into whether you could do that).


Hmmm - it would be nice if there was a tooltip event, which would 
trigger a handler "pre-appearance" to allow you to adjust the text. 
Would that be a worthwhile enhancement request ?


-- 
Alex Tweedly       http://www.tweedly.net



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