FillArea() ; Useless function ?

[Psychophanta]

FillArea() function is useless because it takes more than 20 millisecs when filling less than 1/5 of screen area, at least in my pc (Ati 9600)

[wilbert]

I don't know what you are trying to accomplish but if you use windows and want to create a custom filled shape, use paths. It's a lot faster.

If you wish you can use my lib ( http://www.geboortegrond.nl/pb/wb_Lib.zip ) but using api calls will also work fine.

[PB]

> FillArea() function is useless because it takes more than 20 millisecs when
> filling less than 1/5 of screen area, at least in my pc (Ati 9600)

Why don't you post some test code here so we can test it ourselves? Then
we can decide if it's really a bug, or, as you said, just your PC. Thanks!

[Psychophanta]

Code: Select all

bitplanes.b=32:RX.w=1024:RY.w=768
If InitMouse()=0 Or InitSprite()=0 Or InitSprite3D()=0 Or InitKeyboard()=0
  MessageRequester("Error","Can't access DirectX",0):End
EndIf
OpenScreen(RX.w,RY.w,bitplanes.b,"Masses")

Procedure Box1()
  DrawingMode(4)
  Box(111,111,333,333,$aaaaaa)
  DrawingMode(0)
  FillArea(222,222,$aaaaaa,$111111)
EndProcedure

Repeat
  ExamineKeyboard():ExamineMouse()
  StartDrawing(ScreenOutput())
  Box1()
  StopDrawing()
  FlipBuffers()
Until KeyboardPushed(#PB_Key_Escape)

Test speed yourself.

It's not a bug, but a notable deficiency.

[sec]

...and this function (FillArea() is not avail for PB Linux Version.

[PB]

> Test speed yourself

Yep, I agree, it does seem very slow (>150 ms on my old PC).

[GedB]

Of course fill area is slow for filling a square, that's not what its for.

Fill area is for filling arbitary shapes, not regular ones. When you have an arbitary shape it is invaluable.

Try doing this rather sickening effect without it

Code: Select all

bitplanes.b=32:RX.w=1024:RY.w=768
If InitMouse()=0 Or InitSprite()=0 Or InitSprite3D()=0 Or InitKeyboard()=0
  MessageRequester("Error","Can't access DirectX",0):End
EndIf
OpenScreen(RX.w,RY.w,bitplanes.b,"Masses")

Procedure Box1()
  DrawingMode(4)
  For i = 1 To 5
    Circle(Random(300) + 100, Random(300) + 100, Random(100), $AAAAAA)
  Next i
  Box(111,111,333,333,$AAAAAA)
  DrawingMode(0)
  FillArea(120,120,$AAAAAA,$FFFFFF)
  FillArea(120,300,$AAAAAA,$FF0000)
  FillArea(300,120,$AAAAAA,$00FF00)
  FillArea(222,222,$AAAAAA,$0000FF)
EndProcedure

Repeat
  ExamineKeyboard():ExamineMouse()
  StartDrawing(ScreenOutput())
  Box1()
  StopDrawing()
  FlipBuffers()
  ClearScreen(0,0,0)
Until KeyboardPushed(#PB_Key_Escape)

A more practical example would be if you had irregular colors around the border of an image and you wanted to set it all to a sinlge transparantly masked color.

It isn't a good idea to use it in your main drawing loop. You'd probably want to set up any images in buffers first.

[Psychophanta]

-First:

Fill area is for filling arbitary shapes, not regular ones

mathematically "regular shapes" are inside the joint of "arbitrary shapes"

-Second:
Your example demonstrates very good the truth of this post-thread. Comment the 4 lines with FillArea(), then uncomment it and compare speed.

[GedB]

mathematically "regular shapes" are inside the joint of "arbitrary shapes"

Yes, regular shapes is a set of all arbitary shapes where a fast fill method exists. You can do it the slow way if you want, but its stupid.

What does suprise me is that there doesn't appear to be a method for filled circles.

Having to use FillArea for circles, that is wrong.

[Psychophanta]

Filled circles?

Use DrawingMode(0)

[Fred]

It just uses the windows API, I don't know why it's reported under bug reports..

[sec]

I don't know why it's reported under bug reports..

...and this function (FillArea() is not avail for PB Linux Version.
maybe?

[Fred]

Good point, I overlooked this reply

[Psychophanta]

Fred wrote

I don't know why it's reported under bug reports..

Sorry, i didn't put here because Linux question, but as i wrote below it is not a real bug, but a not useful function in many cases, a notable deficient function. It's impossible to work with it in real time graphics.
Perhaps i should put it in General Discussion or so
Anyway the sec appointment came well

Simply, if it is too difficult to implement a fast funtion to fill a 2D area, I would eliminate this function from windows version too.
Or at least print a notice in the explanation of this function in PBhelp, saying that it is too slow for use in realtime rendering.

Besides, this funny function eats 100% CPU. Coz it can't eat more.