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LED Animation Editor - question for all the LED-Wiz Devs...
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headkaze:

--- Quote from: arzoo on July 20, 2007, 09:27:33 pm ---Exactly how many apps can play LWA files? Both MaLa plugins (LEDBlinky and LEDWiz), Atomic FE, Randy's new software(?). Am I missing others?

--- End quote ---

How about my GameEx LEDWiz plugin?

I don't think backward compatibility is a big issue, I could write up a converter in a couple of minutes.

So we have:
- Mala (LEDBlinky/LEDWiz)
- AtomicFE
- Randy's (W.I.P)
- GameEx (PluginLCD)

I'm happy to go with the XML format, so that has my vote. Randy wants to go with his modified original format, Youki already has his own format, loadman will go with what we vote on. So I guess it depends on which way you want to take it arzoo, since you are writing this animation editor.
SavannahLion:
If I may chime in.

I have no opinion on whether anyone uses XML or some other format of choice. I treat XML as just another tool in a toolbox.

But... I do have a gripe with XML. It seems a growing number of developers are creating software that parses/generates XML documents with little or no documentation  ??? It may be the type of software I work with, or it may be across the board, I have no idea. But it gets pretty irritating trying to deal with an XML file trying to figure out what I should do with a bit of data that's undocumented. I can read DTD and XSD and unless the developer is doing something really hokey, it's easier to create compatible software with a schema in hand than it is trying to glean it from potentially incomplete documentation or from the XML itself.

All I ask is this. If electing to go with XML. Please include a schema (or tool, whatever) that will make it easier for those who join the game later (myself) to create and validate our own XML.

Just my two cents. Carry on as if I wasn't here.
youki:
My 2 cents.

I didn't read in details all your post.

But, just my opinion, based on my experience.

- Forget XML

XML is : "Why do simple when we can do complex"

XML parser are always slower than others
XML parser consume always more memory than others parser
XML File are alway bigger than other --> slower to load
s
the only advantage of the XML is it 's normalized. So i can admit it is usefull to transfert data between eterogenous application , is more or less "human readable"  but that 's all.

I deal with XML since years now in my Job , as since a while everybody want put XML everywhere.. So i know what i'm talking about.

In case of a Led animation for a Front End , i don't think we really need it.

But just my opinions.  But i find Azoo's idea of standarize animation format very good.

But in case of Atomic, and i think other plug'ins, we add special  Command to control special feature.  Like my  FAD  command for instance.

I think if a good animation tool become available, i will just make a utility to convert the tool's format (what ever it is)  to my "built'in" format.



 
arzoo:
When it comes to xml, I tend to agree with youki. My job also involves occasional xml coding - and youki's summary is valid. Xml tends to be a random access readable data format where as our animation commands require a sequential read. On the other hand, hk's xml schema is easy to view and definitely defines each animation frame.

Unfortunately my family and I are away this entire weekend - for a family get-together today ::) and then a funeral tomorrow :(. So I won't be able to work on any software. Further debate on this subject is definitely welcome! I'll check back on Sunday night.

By the way, my animation code is entirely contained in a separate class, so it may not be difficult to convert to a DLL for others to use. Here's a question; should this hypothetical LWA.dll send commands to the LEDWiz directly, or just pass back the LEDWiz commands via some call-back event to the parent app?
headkaze:
Obviously the way to deal with xml is to read the entire file into some nice OO class then write it out again when the user saves the animation. I don't think you should ever be reading and writing to an xml file directly, that is what RAM is for, you have an array of frames in memory and the user can alter them using the editor whilst they are in memory.

I don't agree with much of what Youki says about xml, I think it's a great format and I don't think the speed or size issues warrant any care. These are insignificant amounts here unless were talking files larger than 1 gig.
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