Scroll starts to bump/flicker

[StarWarsFan]

Hey #PB-friends

I got a problem with my example code. The scrolltext does not run smoothly anymore as soon as you move your mouse over the example button and the tool-tip is displayed.

My question: How can I improve or even fix that? Can someone help me?

Code: Select all

`Declare Marquee(image,width,text$,speed.f)
Declare MyDelay(VERZ)

InitSprite() : ExamineDesktops()
w1= OpenWindow(#PB_Any,0,0,400,100,"",#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_SystemMenu )
OpenWindowedScreen(WindowID(W1),000,10,400,20)
b1= ButtonGadget(#PB_Any,000,050,200,020,"A simple test-button with a tool-tip")
GadgetToolTip(b1,"As soon as you read this text, the scroll flickers!")
text$="                  ...TEST SCROLL starts to bump/flicker when mouse is over a button..." 
CreateImage(0,400,60)
scrollstart:
scrcnt=0 : Repeat 
  mydelay(2) 
  Marquee(0,400,text$,1)
  StartDrawing(ScreenOutput()) 
  DrawImage(ImageID(0),0,0) 
  StopDrawing() 
  FlipBuffers()
  scrcnt+1
Until scrcnt=900
Goto scrollstart

Procedure Marquee(image,width,text$,speed.f) 
  Global x.f 
  x.f-speed 
  StartDrawing(ImageOutput(image)) 
  Box(0,0,width,20,0) 
  FrontColor($CC6600) 
  If x<-TextWidth(text$):x=width:EndIf 
  DrawText(x,0,text$) 
  StopDrawing() 
EndProcedure

Procedure MyDelay(VERZ)
  Timer= ElapsedMilliseconds() : Repeat : WaitWindowEvent(1) : Until ElapsedMilliseconds()-Timer >= VERZ
EndProcedure

[Desert Polar Bear]

I'm not sure if this is any help at all, but running this on a Mac shows a rapidly flickering red bar with very smooth blue text. The gif below doesn't capture just how fast the red bar is flickering. I suspect it's a timing issue with the video capture software.

[ProphetOfDoom]

Hi StarWarsFan,
Unfortunately your marquee doesn't flicker much here so it's hard to debug!
Does this improve things at all? I've changed it so there's no timeout for the window event, no busy wait for (ElapsedMilliseconds()-Timer) to reach a certain threshold, and x is now calculated newly each time rather than being based on its previous value,

Code: Select all

Declare Marquee(image,width,text$,speed.f)
Declare MyDelay(VERZ)

InitSprite() : ExamineDesktops()
w1= OpenWindow(#PB_Any,0,0,400,100,"",#PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_SystemMenu )
OpenWindowedScreen(WindowID(W1),000,10,400,20)
b1= ButtonGadget(#PB_Any,000,050,200,020,"A simple test-button with a tool-tip")
GadgetToolTip(b1,"As soon as you read this text, the scroll flickers!")
text$="                  ...TEST SCROLL starts to bump/flicker when mouse is over a button..."
CreateImage(0,400,60)


Global x.f
Global t.f = ElapsedMilliseconds() ; current time
Global nt.f = t ; new time (elapsed)
Global tt.f = 0 ; total time for one iteration
Global l = t
scrollstart:
scrcnt=0 : Repeat
  ;mydelay(2)
  WindowEvent()
  Marquee(0,400,text$,0.1)
  StartDrawing(ScreenOutput())
  DrawImage(ImageID(0),0,0)
  StopDrawing()
  FlipBuffers()
 
  scrcnt+1
Until scrcnt=900

Goto scrollstart


Procedure Marquee(image,width,text$,speed.f)
 
  StartDrawing(ImageOutput(image))
  ClearScreen(0)
  Box(0,0,width,20,0)
  FrontColor($CC6600)
 
  tt = 1000 / speed
  nt = ElapsedMilliseconds()
  x = -TextWidth(text$) + (1.0 - ((nt - t) / tt)) * (TextWidth(text$) + width)

  If (nt - t) > tt
    t = nt
  EndIf
 
  DrawText(x,0,text$)
  StopDrawing()
EndProcedure

Edit: fixed a bug.

[ProphetOfDoom]

That comment I wrote in the code "0.1 pixels per second" is wrong, I meant 0.1 complete cycles per second. So if you put 1 the text would return to its starting position in one second.

[StarWarsFan]

...doesn't flicker much

And still it does!

Move your mouse over and away from the button to see it.
This gets worse the more buttons with tooltips you have

[Mijikai]

Calling WaitWindowEvents() multiple times in a loop is bad.
Only call it once and if that doesnt work out try WindowEvent().
WindowEvent() on the other hand should be called multiple times until there is no more event in the queue.
ProphetOfDoom example doesnt do that.
The screen itself has different options check them out they might be useful aswell.
Good luck.

[StarWarsFan]

^^^Cool, how did you do that animation?

[StarWarsFan]

Calling WaitWindowEvents() multiple times in a loop is bad.
Only call it once and if that doesnt work out try WindowEvent().
WindowEvent() on the other hand should be called multiple times until there is no more event in the queue.
The screen itself has different options check them out they might be useful aswell.

Tried that. Did not help the problem.
Even tried Repeat : Until WindowEvent()=0
Does not help either.

The scroll keeps doing a bump as soon as you hover your mouse over or move it away the button

[DK_PETER]

Try this

Code: Select all

InitSprite()

Structure Marquee
  id.i
  x.f
  y.f
  im.i
  speed.f
  ready.i
  bg.i
EndStructure
Global m.Marquee, ev, quit, ret, fn.i

Declare.i SetText(txt.s, Font.i = -1, BckColor.i = $0, FrntColor.i = $FFFFFF, ScrollSpeed.f = 1.0, Transp.i = #False)
Declare.i AButtons()
Declare.i SetButtons()
Declare.i UpdateScroll()
Declare.i MakeBG()

OpenWindow(0, 0, 0, 800, 600, "Scroll", #PB_Window_ScreenCentered|#PB_Window_SystemMenu)
OpenWindowedScreen(WindowID(0), 0, 0, 800 * DesktopResolutionX(), 100)
SetButtons()
MakeBG()
fn = LoadFont(#PB_Any, "MS Sans Serif", 20, #PB_Font_Bold)
SetText("<<<<<This is a simple example for scrolling text......You can change the speed on the fly, background, fonts e.t.c.......<><><>..Press the close button to end..>>>>>", fn, $0, $01F400, 1.2, #True)

Repeat
  ClearScreen($0)
  Repeat : ev = WindowEvent() :  If ev = #PB_Event_CloseWindow : quit = #True : EndIf : Until ev = 0
  If IsSprite(m\bg) : DisplaySprite(m\bg, 0, 0) :  EndIf
  If IsSprite(m\id)  And m\ready = #True
    ret = UpdateScroll()
    DisplayTransparentSprite(m\id, m\x, m\y)
  EndIf
  FlipBuffers()
Until quit = #True

Procedure.i AButtons()
  Protected ga = EventGadget()
  Debug "Button pressed - Number " +  Str(EventGadget())
  Select ga
    Case 0
      m\speed = 0.2
    Case 1
      m\speed = 0.5
    Case 2
      m\speed = 1.0
    Case 3
      m\speed = 1.5
  EndSelect
      
EndProcedure

Procedure.i SetText(txt.s, Font.i = -1, BckColor.i = $0, FrntColor.i = $FFFFFF, ScrollSpeed.f = 1.0, Transp.i = #False) ;Since we only can move a pixel at a time we can slow the scroll down by using float
  Protected fw, fh
  m\ready = #False
  m\speed = ScrollSpeed
  m\x = ScreenWidth()
  If IsImage(m\im) = 0 : m\im = CreateImage(#PB_Any, 10, 10) : EndIf
  StartDrawing(ImageOutput(m\im))
  If Font <> -1 : DrawingFont(FontID(Font)) : EndIf
  fw = TextWidth(txt) : fh = TextHeight("W")
  StopDrawing()
  If IsSprite(m\id) > 0 : FreeSprite(m\id) : EndIf
  m\id = CreateSprite(#PB_Any, fw , fh)
  StartDrawing(SpriteOutput(m\id))
  Box(0, 0, OutputWidth(), OutputHeight(), BckColor)
  DrawingMode(#PB_2DDrawing_Transparent)
  DrawingFont(FontID(Font))
  DrawText(0, 0, txt, FrntColor)
  StopDrawing()
  If Transp = #True : TransparentSpriteColor(m\id, BckColor) : EndIf
  m\ready = #True
  ProcedureReturn #True
EndProcedure

Procedure.i SetButtons()
  Protected  x
  For x = 0 To 7
    ButtonGadget(x, x * 100, 560, 100, 50, "Button " + Str(x))
    BindGadgetEvent(x, @AButtons())
  Next x
  ProcedureReturn #True
EndProcedure

Procedure.i UpdateScroll()
  If IsSprite(m\id) And m\ready = #True
    If m\x < -SpriteWidth(m\id)
      m\x = ScreenWidth()
    EndIf
    m\x - m\speed
  EndIf
  ProcedureReturn #True
EndProcedure

Procedure.i MakeBG()
  Protected x
  m\bg = CreateSprite(#PB_Any, ScreenWidth(), ScreenHeight())
  StartDrawing(SpriteOutput(m\bg))
  DrawingMode(#PB_2DDrawing_Outlined)
  For x = 2 To ScreenWidth() / 2  Step 10
    Circle(ScreenWidth()/2, ScreenHeight() / 2, x, $01D4FF)
  Next x
  StopDrawing()
  ProcedureReturn #True
EndProcedure

[StarWarsFan]

@DK_PETER

Nice, but not helpful. I need a solution with TOOLTIPS, your example has none.

[DK_PETER]

Then just add the tooltips....

Code: Select all

Procedure.i SetButtons()
  Protected  x
  For x = 0 To 7
    ButtonGadget(x, x * 100, 560, 100, 50, "Button " + Str(x))
    BindGadgetEvent(x, @AButtons())
    GadgetToolTip(x, "This is tooltip for number " + Str(x))
  Next x
  ProcedureReturn #True
EndProcedure

[ProphetOfDoom]

I had a book once about Windows programming, I think the author’s name was Charles Petzold. He presented a “bouncing ball” demo which flickered like heck on my laptop. Maybe it’s a hardware or software issue completely separate from your program? I also have a Thinkpad with Ubuntu on it that flickers rather a lot.

[Desert Polar Bear]

^^^Cool, how did you do that animation?

Snagit video capture saved as gif.

[StarWarsFan]

Then just add the tooltips....

I did try that, too.
I even removed the background that irritated away from the problem.

Did not help.

[StarWarsFan]

I had a book once about Windows programming, I think the author’s name was Charles Petzold. He presented a “bouncing ball” demo which flickered like heck on my laptop. Maybe it’s a hardware or software issue completely separate from your program? I also have a Thinkpad with Ubuntu on it that flickers rather a lot.

No. I have tested this on all my 4 computers.
It is definitely a software issue that must be solved here.