Fpp Gui [Archive]

Tuddi

12-17-2007, 08:23 PM

Background:

When I first came across FPP a couple of years or so ago, I considered buying it, but didn't because of my own shortcomings (and lack of interest) in coding work.

Very recently I was asked by a client to deliver panos in .swf format, which landed me on FPP as the best solution. However, the lack of a GUI is for me a major issue of concern, and I could see that other users of FPP were equally interested in a GUI (http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/showthread.php?t=638), in order to save time and work on the panos.

The general attitude seems to be that the GUI does the most basic of things with the click of a mouse.

Having good ideas is great, but implementing the ideas into reality is what matters the most in the end. So I decided to have a GUI done by a developer, and that is where things stand right now.

Here is the first view of the interface, which will be changed radically on all fronts and fonts before the first BETA version will be available.

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FPPguiDec17th2007_solo2.jpg

I will be asking you; the future users (hopefully) for input regarding layout, functions etc.... and even without asking you, it would be good to hear from you regarding specific issues you would like to see.... issues that benefit everyone in the end. The developer doing the GUI is but a single person, and I am but a single poor guy trying to finance this, so it will be easy for me to stick to a simple but working version.

Personally I have a few ideas on my own, which may... or may not... be accepted by other users. I think it is important to keep the interface as simple as possible, and functions as basic as possible, but still so that people can enjoy the final outcome of their clicks.

zleifr

12-17-2007, 11:08 PM

Very interesting. I am glad to see this! There seems to be a lot of work towards a GUI.... I have been working slowly on something similar, but in name only, as it is VERY different from the above

A few things I could mention: It would be good if it works on a Mac. An immensely disproportionate number of FPP users are Mac people.

I like the idea of how cubicNavigator works....

My $0.02

cheathamlane

12-18-2007, 12:44 AM

Tuddi:

Feel free to hit me up off-list if you want an alpha tester or just plain old opinion. :)

Looks like you're building it with Flash...? Good idea!

Tuddi

12-18-2007, 05:28 AM

Tuddi:

Feel free to hit me up off-list if you want an alpha tester or just plain old opinion. :)

Looks like you're building it with Flash...? Good idea!

Yes, it is being made in Flash.

Thanks for volunteering for the "A-Team", I'll give you a nudge when the time for testing arrives.

panocanarias

12-18-2007, 01:46 PM

Hi Tuddi,
I really appreciate your initiative much.
My idea was always, that a FPP-Gui should cover the basic settings, the things you have to set-up for almost every pano, again a again.
It should create a xml-file or (as an option) may create a folder, with everything needed (xml, plugins and graphics).
So, this is my wish-list for a (basic) Gui.

pano: name, type;
initial values: pan, tilt, fov;
quality: segments, motion, static;
behaviour: behaviour, sensivity, friction, threshold:
extras and options:
autorotator (yes, no, values),
loader (yes, no, text or glasmeter)
limits (borders)
controller (navigationbar, yes, no, fullscreen button?)
[I'm thinking of some kind of 'standard' controller-plugin]
simple hotspots (choose graphic, set position, set transparancy, choose target or choose action)

An option to view and check results (in standalone flash-player?) would be nice.

Tell the developer, that "the world is waiting for his tool" ;-)
Keep us updated. And: Thanx !!

Klaus

Tuddi

12-18-2007, 08:51 PM

Many thanks for your input Klaus.

I can tell you that most of your wishlist will be in the first version.... and then some.... if everything goes in the right direction.

Another thing I would like you people to help out with:

What format do YOU (the reader) normally use when making your panos, and which formats would you most likely be using with the upcoming FPP GUI:

1. 6 cubic faces (pano_u.jpg, pano_d.jpg etc)
2. 1 image for a cylindrical pano in a .jpg format
3. previously rendered .mov files
4. different system of file naming (numbers or otherwise)
5. different file extention
6. something totally different.

I need input on the above in order to put the most used format support in the GUI.

Personally I only use .jpg images when rendering for panos. Be that cubic or cylindrical.... and obviously I am also going to repack old .mov panos into FPP.

This is a small request, but will help a lot, so please take the time to inform of your preferences.

Thank you!

Tuddi

12-19-2007, 11:06 PM

I'm not asking for your family jewelry... merely trying to get a broader idea about what file extentions you; the potential future users of the GUI, prefer to work with.

Anyone use PNG, JPG, GIF or others?
Anyone use cubic faces? Which system?
Anyone use single images for cylinder panos? What file ext?

Please help me, so that the final product can help you!

This is something you should be interested in helping out with.

cheathamlane

12-19-2007, 11:22 PM

Hey Tuddi!

Not to play Devil's Advocate (OK, I will :P), but: I think any GUI wanting to be useful to as many FPP people as possible would want to handle any type of file / file extension which FPP can handle.

The GUI won't need to work with the actual image files (I assume), so the only place it will matter is in the XML and/or HTML embed code which the GUI creates.

?

panocanarias

12-20-2007, 02:08 AM

...handle any type of file / file extension which FPP can handle.....
Yes! That's what I think, too.
An option to enter (or choose) panoName, panoType and panoSuffixes.
That's it. No?

Tuddi

12-20-2007, 02:35 AM

Thanks for the responses.

The order has been given to support all FPP supported formats.
What I was trying to fish for, is the info on what system is used for cubic faces, such as those (which will be auto arranged):

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
f, r, b, l, u, d (RealViz)
ft, rt, bk, lf, up, dn (Quake II)
front, right, back, left, up, down
front, right, back, left, top, bottom

No doubt there are other formats in use by other programs, and if any of you folks can take the time to inform of the order used, it would be possible to arrange the GUI to automatically reckognize and arrange the files correctly.

Scott Witte

12-22-2007, 06:25 PM

What format do YOU (the reader) normally use when making your panos, and which formats would you most likely be using with the upcoming FPP GUI
Primarily MOV files. I keep being temped by cube faces in jpg format but much prefer the single file approach. Not using anything else and certainly nothing but jpg for cube faces.
__________________

Tuddi

12-22-2007, 06:46 PM

The above and following comments are from private messaging we had last night, and to which we have agreed to put on public display.

Tuddi

12-22-2007, 06:48 PM

Thank you very much for your reply Scott.

So you don't use the cube faces... prior to making the .mov?

But IF you would render the stitched images to cube faces, how would they be organized by the program? : 0,1,2,3,4,5, or 1,2,3,4,5,6 or f,r,b,l,u,d or ft,rt,bk,lf,up,dn or something else?

Does that mean that you are mainly interested in the FPP GUI function of "flashificating" the .mov to be viewable in flash?

For your information, the GUI work continues on a daily/nightly basis, and bugs and errors are being noted and eliminated as we encounter them. One of these days I will have to start working on the graphical layout of the program, so that it will not be too boring to have on the screen while working with it, but more important is the need for the functionality to be in order.

For me as a non-coder, it is a big relief to be able to click my way to a usable result.

There is a lot more work to be done on the GUI, but that was only to be expected. Only an hour ago (midnight local time) I was discussing the work with the develloper, so this is being taken seriously.

Trausti

Primarily MOV files. I keep being temped by cube faces in jpg format but much prefer the single file approach. Not using anything else and certainly nothing but jpg for cube faces.
__________________

Tuddi

12-22-2007, 06:51 PM

Trausti,

If I thought you wanted to converse about this I would have responded in the thread ;)

So you don't use the cube faces... prior to making the .mov?
Ah! Usually I make cube faces first and convert to MOV from them (after retouching). And I just use Pano2VR's default: 0,1,2,3,4,5 rather than rename them with f,r,b,l,u,d.

Does that mean that you are mainly interested in the FPP GUI function of "flashificating" the .mov to be viewable in flash?

Flashificating? I love that word. Anyway, sort of but not really. MOV is just the single file format that still works now that stripes have problems. And as you know my interest in FPP goes way beyond flashificating standard QTVR.

For me as a non-coder, it is a big relief to be able to click my way to a usable result.

I've been forced into coding and actually want to do that to get the most functionality out of FPP. That said, having a GUI front end to do the basic skeleton, the redundant grunt work, could be a big help. Of course the more it can do the greater the help.

On the other hand, as I progress with FPP I am settling on a basic skeleton and mostly replacing file names plus picking and choosing from some standard components I've already built. Then I add the unique features for each tour. Building a tour now takes a fractoin of the time it did at first.

It will be interesting to see how much FPPGui would help me now. Some months ago it could have been a godsend.
..........

Tuddi

12-22-2007, 06:53 PM

Trausti,

If I thought you wanted to converse about this I would have responded in the thread ;)

I would very much like to have the discussions out in the open, so that others can get an idea about what possibilities there are, and there aren't floating around.

Flashificating? I love that word.
Thank you... that is my brainchild, along with "flashificate" :) ... according to google no one has even stumbled upon using those words... those will be used in the FPP GUI

For me as a non-coder, it is a big relief to be able to click my way to a usable result.

I've been forced into coding and actually want to do that to . That said, having a GUI front end to do the basic skget the most functionality out of FPPeleton, the redundant grunt work, could be a big help. Of course the more it can do the greater the help.

On the other hand, as I progress with FPP I am settling on a basic skeleton and mostly replacing file names plus picking and choosing from some standard components I've already built. Then I add the unique features for each tour. Building a tour now takes a fractoin of the time it did at first.

It will be interesting to see how much FPPGui would help me now. Some months ago it could have been a godsend.

Yes, the basic issues will be covered in the first version of the GUI, but I hope I'll be able to continue financing future versions that will allow the user to input his/her standard setup features, such as personal/company logo, music, personalized control panel buttons etc. etc.

Since the GUI will be made in a way that in NO way limit the possibilities of personal coding, it will hopefully be a welcome add-on for already code loving people.

Being able to code according to one's own skill/design wish, does make FPP uniquely flexible and preferable for personalized jobs.

I would not like to see that taken away... even though I can't do any of the coding myself, since I like individuality and uniqueness, but I also reckognize the need for a standard "quicky click" version for all the easy steps one has to do every single time with the panos, and thereby save time for the person doing the job.

As it stands now, it takes me 6 single clicks and one double click to make a cylindrical panorama with limits blocking out the black areas in nadir and zenith. The 6 clicks INCLUDE clicking "START" (in windows) allowing "Programs" to expand and starting the GUI application from there with the second click. So if the program is open, it only takes 4 clicks to manage the creation of a Cylindrical pano with the limits in place (assuming the program opens up in the source folder.... same amount of clicks is required to flashificate a .mov file) That is surely something that saves time, even for the best of coders :)

A folder is created. If the pano project is named "ProjectX", that will be the name of the folder and the files (ProjectX.xml, ProjectX.swf, ProjectX.jpg (or ProjectX.mov).

I am absolutely convinced that the GUI will be seen as a very helpful addition to both code writers and non-coders alike, since it will save time.... and time is the one thing we never get back in our lives.

If you have any special requests or questions or just want to converse, do not hesitate to send me a line, and I'll try my best to respond to your requests.

Trausti
..........

Tuddi

12-23-2007, 12:15 AM

FPS

Anyone use the FPS in their panos? Would you (the reader) consider it important to have it as a function in the GUI?

I ask not because it would be difficult to have it, but because I want to try and keep the interface as clean as possible. No need to have options available that are seldomly or never used by anyone.

And now the GUI writes an html page as well, making it a child's play to add description to the pano they publish.

Scott Witte

12-23-2007, 05:17 AM

Anyone use the FPS in their panos? Would you (the reader) consider it important to have it as a function in the GUI?
No and No. But...

Why not make it one of a list of plugins that can be loaded. FPS is non-exclusive so it can simply be added to a list of optional plugins, including tooltip and doubtless others, any number of which can be chosen. There could be other lists of plugins such as load meters, only one of which can be chosen.

It would also be great if the user could add third party plugins on the fly, such as those from flashpanos.com or ones they may program themselves. You could set that up like an XML file, so it is easily modified.

Is it clear what I'm getting at?

Tuddi

12-23-2007, 07:06 AM

Ok, I'll include the FPS.

This is the idea I have for a skin... which will change as more functions will be added. This is the first tab (no tabs still visible) and the hotspots will have their own tab.... probably there will be no more than 3 tabs.

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/GUIskin.jpg

And here is what it looks like inside the folder where a 6 cube face project is saved (with autorotation, fps and loadmeter in plugins):

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/PanoramaProjectsFolder.jpg

And here a folder with a flashificated .mov file without any plugins apart from the movdecoder of course:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/PanoramaProjectsFolder2.jpg

The html page is made automatically without the need to select it's creation or not. When the project photo(s) or .mov file are selected, these are automatically copied, renamed according to the name the user decides upon and put into their own folder along with the plugins one has decided to use with the project.

And Scott, thank you for airing your thoughts! The possibility of adding one's own or bought plugins will be kept open, so the user can customize the output files even more in a standardized personal way. I was discussing that very issue today with the developer. That will be done after the basics of all other functions are in place.

A real pleasure to work with FPP this way... at least for someone like me.

Tuddi

12-24-2007, 06:55 AM

FREE download of the first version of the GUI.

Please air your opion on it's functions, lack of functions etc.

http://flashificator.com/1/Flashificator03/basic.info.htm

At the above link, you will find all the needed information and the download link.

This is the first FREE version, and it is very limited in options, but it should give you a taste of what is to come. The first COMMERCIAL version will be loaded with options you will hopefully love.

I am already out a few hundred dollars for the current work put into this, and it is clear that the first commercial version will be a lot more expensive to develop. But rest assured; it will become available as soon as my economy allows.

Do not hesitate to encourage me to continue with this project by commenting on it... or stop me from doing any more by pointing out how bad it really is.

Comments are needed.

This is what it looks like:

http://www.insope.com/Flashificator03/Flashificator03Screenshot1.jpg

I truly hope you will like what has been done, and be willing and able to buy the commercial version when it becomes available.

ThomasK

12-24-2007, 09:25 AM

Works fine on an italian WinXP install.

Download link for Adobe AIR Beta 3 Installer (Mac + Win):
http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/air.html

Tuddi

12-24-2007, 09:37 AM

Thank you for the AIR Beta updated link. I have updated the info page with the new download link and file size (and the limited functionality of the free download of Adobe AIR Beta... expiring 1st Nov 2008)

To download the free version of the FPP GUI and read the needed information, click on the below image:

http://www.insope.com/Flashificator03/Flashificator03Screenshot1.jpg (http://www.flashificator.com)

suastegui

12-24-2007, 11:50 AM

Hi Trausti,

Mac G5 Quad. Downloaded the latest AIR version.
After 1 click on 'Flashificate' only the xml file is generated, no message 'Your project has been saved...' . The xml is empty. A second click generates copies of the jpg's or mov file. These jpg's are only 200x200px, while the originals are 1400x1400px. The copy of the mov file has the same dimensions as the original.
Hope this helps for further development.

Joop

Tuddi

12-24-2007, 03:32 PM

I sure as heck apreciate getting the feedback, even though I don't like the problem itself, so thank you for taking the time to describe it Joop.

We have had no testing on Mac on this end, so every possible info is of interest. According to the developer, there should be no cross platform problems, but here we are....

More Mac testers out there willing to give it a try?

seeinside360

12-24-2007, 06:21 PM

nice idea but ı could'nt be able to make it work! ı think it is more easy to write xml now .. but all we are need that program!

Tuddi

12-24-2007, 07:10 PM

nice idea but ı could'nt be able to make it work! ı think it is more easy to write xml now .. but all we are need that program!

Thanks for trying.

Could you please tell me what kind of a puter you are working on, if you have the latest FLASH and AIR installed, and what happened when you tried to make the application work.

I have only tried this out on my own puters (6 PC's - 5 Intel based one AMD... 2 are Pentium 3 and 3 are Pentium 4 )... and none of the puters had any problems at all.

But as I have said; I have not been able to test this out on Macs, and as indicated by Joop (suastegui), he could not get it working correctly on his G5.

If you are using a PC, I am sure the issue is minor in nature and could be fixed in a minute.

Please try to describe it as well as possible, and provide screenshots if you can. The more information we get on this end, the more likelihood there is for finding a solution.

Thank you.

suastegui

12-24-2007, 07:37 PM

Hello Trausti,

Just for the record: Flash Player 9,0,115,0 (debug), FPP 2.2. Screenshots identical to yours.
Let me know if you need Mac testing.
Good luck.

Joop

Tuddi

12-24-2007, 07:44 PM

Hello Trausti,

Just for the record: Flash Player 9,0,115,0 (debug), FPP 2.2. Screenshots identical to yours.
Let me know if you need Mac testing.
Good luck.

Joop

Thank you!
I would be delighted to have Mac testing done. My developer is trying to figure out right now what may cause the problem on Mac... without having one to test it on, it may prove difficult. I suggested changing the installation process, so that the program will ask for the location of the FPP folder, rather than us to manually having it copied into the "Documents" folder.

seeinside360

12-24-2007, 10:18 PM

Thanks for trying.

Could you please tell me what kind of a puter you are working on, if you have the latest FLASH and AIR installed, and what happened when you tried to make the application work.

I have only tried this out on my own puters (6 PC's - 5 Intel based one AMD... 2 are Pentium 3 and 3 are Pentium 4 )... and none of the puters had any problems at all.

But as I have said; I have not been able to test this out on Macs, and as indicated by Joop (suastegui), he could not get it working correctly on his G5.

If you are using a PC, I am sure the issue is minor in nature and could be fixed in a minute.

Please try to describe it as well as possible, and provide screenshots if you can. The more information we get on this end, the more likelihood there is for finding a solution.

Thank you.

I am using a pc, core 2 quad processor and the latest FLASH and AIR installed..
I only get an emty xml file.. I think am doing something wrong!
this program will make our jop easy but ıt needs a little time ... Thanks for the reply...
This program will be

Tuddi

12-25-2007, 05:28 AM

Ok, a PC, that convinces me of it being fixable for you.

Best thing to do, is to remove the installation and repeat it according to the instructions (which are step by step tested by me, and have caused no problems at all).

Go to your "control panel", then "add remove programs" find the flashificator there and remove it.

Here you have the instructions again from the domain I just purchased for the project: http://flashificator.com/

For this version it is essential that you have copied the FPP files (including the plugins folder) to the "My Documents" folder, naming it "FPP" Into that folder you have to copy the swfobjects.js file that comes with the Flashificator rar file. Looking like this:

http://flashificator.com/SWFobjectLocation.jpg

When the installation is correctly done (folders and files in right places) there should be no problem for you at all running it from a PC.

Hopefully you are willing to try again and see how this can help you save time.

ThomasK has tested it and reported back that it worked, so don't lose hope! You are welcome to contact me privately if you prefer that.

suastegui

12-25-2007, 08:29 AM

I did a reinstall on my Mac. And although it did not do its job yet, I found that if I select 1 file, e.g. a mov, I get the complete path to that file. Not so if I select more than 1.

Joop

Tuddi

12-25-2007, 08:55 AM

I did a reinstall on my Mac. And although it did not do its job yet, I found that if I select 1 file, e.g. a mov, I get the complete path to that file. Not so if I select more than 1.

Joop

Do you mean you tried to select multiple .mov files? If yes, then that can't be done.

If you tried selecting multiple .jpg files, that should be possible. For as long as the files are in one of the systems supported:
http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/CubicFaceTypesSupported.jpg

If by any chance your cubic faces are not in one of these 3 supported systems, you might try and rename them to fit... and inform me of what your system is using, so that can be added to the list of supported files.

Have you tried to flashificate a cylindrical photo? If it accepts only one photo, it should prove to be doable.

I truly want this to work for everyone, and getting feedback is essential in order to track down and eliminate the problems.

Thinking about this leads me to wonder if the automatic reckognition of the filetypes is getting in the way somehow. I want to have the interface as easy to use as possible for the user, and asked for the manual selection of the filetypes to be removed. Let me see if I can have a step-backwards version available for you to test tomorrow or the next day. There must be some way to have this fixed properly.

seeinside360

12-25-2007, 08:56 AM

Tuddi

12-25-2007, 09:09 AM

sorry ıts not working again!

first ı remove the program
and create a file name it FFP
copy the js file into it
at the end I install the program again.

ıs there any wrong process?

ı only get the emty xml file...

thanks for your help tuddi ı will try it again later...

It sounds to me as if you haven't copied the FPP folder and pasted it to the "My Documents" folder.

You have to copy the folder where you have your Flash Panorama Player files (FPP folder)
http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FPPfolderToBeCopied.jpg

Only making a folder named FPP and copy the swfobject.js is not enough. The folder HAS TO contain the FPP file "pano.swf" and the plugins in the plugins folder:

http://flashificator.com/SWFobjectLocation.jpg

Hopefully this was what was wrong. I will try and have the installation process eased up, so nothing will have to be copied anywhere... only directed to.

Best of luck on your next try.

suastegui

12-25-2007, 11:16 AM

Do you mean you tried to select multiple .mov files? If yes, then that can't be done.

If you tried selecting multiple .jpg files, that should be possible. For as long as the files are in one of the systems supported:
http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/CubicFaceTypesSupported.jpg

If by any chance your cubic faces are not in one of these 3 supported systems, you might try and rename them to fit... and inform me of what your system is using, so that can be added to the list of supported files.

Have you tried to flashificate a cylindrical photo? If it accepts only one photo, it should prove to be doable.

No, I meant 6 jpg's of course. I know I can't select multiple movs. As I said before, both versions (6 jpg's with letter suffixes _u,_d etc. or 1 mov) produce an empty xml and only copies of the image/mov file(s). No html.

Joop

ThomasK

12-25-2007, 12:07 PM

I had the same problem at the beginning. Control if you have the latest version of the Flashpanorama Viewer in the FPP and the plugins directory (pano.swf - Date 08.10.2007).

suastegui

12-25-2007, 01:04 PM

Yes, I use the latest version + 6 jpg's. First click on 'flashificate' gives an empty xml, second click 6 copies of the jpg's.

seeinside360

12-25-2007, 05:23 PM

Hey Tuddi it works! I have made a stupit mistake about file name! thats great ıt makes all the files by one click! I am waiting some progress now! thanks for this program!

Tuddi

12-25-2007, 09:46 PM

Yes, I use the latest version + 6 jpg's. First click on 'flashificate' gives an empty xml, second click 6 copies of the jpg's.

We are working on a different installation process right now, and I'll let you know when it is ready. No guarantee it will work on Mac though... :( but I hope it will.

Hey Tuddi it works! I have made a stupit mistake about file name! thats great ıt makes all the files by one click! I am waiting some progress now! thanks for this program!

Glad to hear that your problem was a minor mistake. Hopefully such problmes will be avoided with the next version's installation procedure.

Do you think you will be using the Flashificator regularily, or does it not save you enough time in the current form?

Aifos

12-26-2007, 06:37 PM

Tuddi

12-26-2007, 06:58 PM

i saw the xml file is written all in one line...
if you are going to add more functions, the xml will be larger than that and difucult to read. It would be better if you separate in lines so it would be more readable for users who want to add their own codes.
Nice work!
but i still find it unusefull being copy and paste some files, and write some code lines so easy.

To edit and/or read the xml file, use the "Word Pad" in Windows. There you will see it lined up as it should be (and is):

<?xml version = '1.0' encoding = 'utf-8'?>
<panorama>
<parameters>
loaderText =
layer_1 = loadMeter.swf
panoType = mov
layer_2 = movDecoder.swf
layer_7 = fps.swf
layer_8 = autorotator.swf
</parameters>
</panorama>

If you just open it up in your browser (not an editor), you will get it in a long line:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
- <panorama>
<parameters>loaderText = layer_1 = loadMeter.swf panoType = mov layer_2 = movDecoder.swf layer_7 = fps.swf layer_8 = autorotator.swf</parameters>
</panorama>

If you open it up in Notepad, you will get it all messed up with square boxes (probably encoding problems).

So the obvious thing is to use Word Pad for the editing work.

I am sure that if I was into coding, I would prefer to be able to do (some of) the work with manual coding, but I also know that if I can get 90% of the job done with 10 clicks on the mouse, rather than spending a couple of hours getting the same result, I'd do the clicking and spend the saved time with my baby daughter.

I assume that everything works as it should on your end?

Aifos

12-27-2007, 06:57 PM

hey!
yes!, i opened it with a notepad... sorry.
I didn´t tryed with DreamWeaver, would it be the same?

hey... i don´t think what you can do in 10 clicks would take me an hour... if you have your templates for diferent actions you have just to copy and paste in your new project. That is very fast!
For stuff like adding videos or music is the same with or with out a gui... You have to define the position parameters and it is using the editor plug in... so, the same for both. What do you save with a gui?... oh right! in stead of copy and paste from my template for videos and music, i have to click... click.. and... click.
case 1... 2 minutes.
case 2... 30 seconds.
wow! i would pay $1000 for 1 1/2 minutes!!!
people! come back to earth!!! if you want to save time, gui is not the answer... at least, you can save 30 minutes in a big project... that doesn´t make a diference.
But... if you want to be lazy and don´t learn fpp (not so complicated)... yeah! go for your gui!
finally you will understand that the real potencial of fpp can not be done with a gui... and you will have to learn... want it or not... to write xml (not so complicated).

Tuddi

12-27-2007, 07:56 PM

Well, thank you for your response. I understand that you are using command line operating system instead of a graphical surface? Well done! ;)

As it has been said, this first free version is very limited in options. No question or discussion about that. It is not going to save you months of work, but for novices it can get them going quickly and painlessly.

Several users new to FPP have for instance had difficulty using the limits plugin. What they can do now, is to do their 4 clicks with Flashificator, read the xml and know how exactly they should handle a cylindrical pano. So the Flashificator can also serve as a teaching instrument for beginners.

You mention having templates for different actions where you copy and paste your new project. That will be the case for future versions. You can make your custom template and have your pano ready at the click of the mouse. You then claim that adding music and video can not be done any differently. It will be very different and time saving. Yes, you can put in the parameters by manual coding, and you can continue using the FPP by coding by hand if that is what you prefer. So this is an OPTION being given to people to use FPP in a different and easier way. For people with no coding skills or interest in coding, it will be a tool enabling them to enjoy FPP in an easy way.

Regarding your sarcastic comment on a $1000 prize tag on the program... well, you and others won't have to worry about paying that high a prize... for me it is different though, since I am paying an independant developer for doing this, because I am convinced it will benefit users in the end.

I understand that the real potential of FPP can not be done by GUI in the FIRST PLACE, but once there are templates made available, the GUI can handle the very same layout which took hours or days to put together with coding... with a single click. Yes, that opens up a window for comercial templates for layouts and functions. If you are good at making layouts, you could sell some of them to those who have no interest in doing the coding themselves.

Rome wasn't built in one day, nor will Flashificator, or the FPP GUI Denis has been working on since last May (at least).

My wish is for the Flashificator to make life easier for those who use FPP. And then it's up to the users to decide if they want to use it or not.

You could also do everything you do in Photoshop by use of code rather than using the Photoshop GUI... but do you? I don't think so ;)

andrew22222

12-27-2007, 09:32 PM

Tuddi

12-27-2007, 10:43 PM

Not yet used the free demo gui but certainly looking forward to a finished version. As for manually coding xml being faster and perhaps easier, it sure is if you manage to get your head round it!

After I first downloaded the FPP, I expected it to work pretty much out of the box with ability to add hotspots, music, transitions etc. It took me almost 1 week to be reasonably comfortable with the xml and that was after looking for and downloading xml files that others have already created with their tours. I spend all my time in PTGui and photoshop and don't really have a lot of time for anything else.

Any gui to speed up the initial learning process of FPP is an excellent idea and I imagine any new users would gladly pay for it, or expect it to be included with a slightly higher priced FPP package ;-)

Andrew

Thank you for the input Andrew.

I have offered Denis to bundle the Flashificator free version with the FPP at no additional cost for anyone, and his response was: "Let's do it." Which means that beginners in the future can have a fast and easy start, regardless of them knowing nothing about coding.

Of course there is the current Mac compatibility problem which has been reported from one user. That has to be corrected, and the installation process will also be made easier for PC users.

I am still hoping for more Mac user's to comment on the GUI... in order to see if the problem is a general one or isolated.... regardless of it being isolated or not, it has to be fixed.

Aifos

12-28-2007, 05:23 AM

Tuddi

12-28-2007, 05:56 AM

hey!
you can´t compare photoshop with FPP...
both know with code you can do absolutly anything in photoshop... but FPP is a soft for actions... not for correcting pictures... and you can and will be able to do much more things, codind than with a gui.... not with photoshop.
FPP´s gui you are trying to develope is comparable with Dreamweaver... and there you go again... you can not separate codes from design... dreamwaever has also a plataform for coding... what do you think? consider to add that to your gui... that would be great for both... coders and lazys.

:) I tend to make very radical comparisons, and the above FPP vs Photoshop, was a very down to earth comparison compared to what I normally do. Anyways, you do hopefully get the essence of my intent with the Flashificator.

The work I have seen you folks do with FPP is absolutely word-class, and that's through hand coding. Making everything standardized and un-changeable is not in any way or form where things should head. Only through the hard work of good coding, do new paths of viewing pleasures reveal themselves. But not everyone is cut out for doing nice designs or having the time to learn coding, or the money to pay others for it... so a gui for them will be immensely well received, and allow them to make nice presentations without all the hard work they don't master.

dreamwaever has also a plataform for coding... what do you think? consider to add that to your gui... that would be great for both... coders and lazys.

That's a very good idea! Thank you for suggesting it. Noted and will be on the agenda.

Calling those who don't code for "lazys" is not fair. People may have many different and valid reasons for not getting into the field of coding, and should not be put down for that. For instance... I speak your language (Spanish), you don't speak mine (Icelandic).... yet I don't call you lazy for not learning Icelandic. You simply have no reason to learn it... nor could you ever learn it well... and I understand and respect that... even though you and I converse here.

Was that another comparison one can't make? ;)

kineticvision

12-28-2007, 03:30 PM

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I was so ready to give up on FPP. I am not a coder nor do I care to be. This program has helped me so much.

Please keep going. You are moving in the right direction I promise you! Take it from someone who will make up the average user base for this - someone who wants flash panoramas but does not know a thing about coding. I had no problems installing it and within 30 seconds I had a panorama ready to go. AMAZING!

One thing I would like to see is a copy and paste embed code so that I can paste it into an existing HTML file. You know, kinda like youtube's embed codes? I would like the ability to chose the dimensions of the panorama before it spits out the code, or it can give me a choice of a few default dimensions (again for those who want it as simple as possible).

I think you've got something here and I am very excited. Once you add a hotspot feature and something that would make virtual tours w/maps easier you'll have something that can compete with any of the other big boys out there. This is spoken as an average consumer, not the super advanced guys on this site.

Tuddi

12-28-2007, 07:30 PM

:) Well thank YOU for your kind words that reaffirm my own view on what I am trying to do.

Very pleased to hear that you had no problems with the installation and that you got useable results in seconds. (The installation will become easier and without the need to copy files or folders anywhere)

Good that you are not running away from FPP quite yet!

The next version will make it possible for the user to decide the width and hight of the pano on the HTML page. The "embed this pano on your website" (like youtube's) could also be made.... actually a very good option for commercial panos that may contain products or services to sell. With the embed option they'd possibly get spread around (if the pano happened to be interesting to view).

The good thing is that no matter how limited the Flashificator will be, people can always edit the final result manually. If there will for example be 10 standard webpage layout templates, the user can use the basic layout to be written out, then add or remove or change settings, save the new layout and use that in the future with a single click.

It is easier and quicker to use already made designs and then customize them, than to write the whole code from the first "<" to the last ">" every time.

From the beginning I was sure the gui would be a good idea, and it is good to be confirmed that I am (still) on the right track, and that it proves helpful for your work.

Thank you!

Aifos

12-28-2007, 10:41 PM

Calling those who don't code for "lazys" is not fair. People may have many different and valid reasons for not getting into the field of coding, and should not be put down for that. For instance... I speak your language (Spanish), you don't speak mine (Icelandic).... yet I don't call you lazy for not learning Icelandic. You simply have no reason to learn it... nor could you ever learn it well... and I understand and respect that... even though you and I converse here.

Was that another comparison one can't make? ;)
i call them lazy for the same reason you campared fpp with photoshop trying to make me look stupid.
you know... icelandic is a language i ever wanted to learn. I heard it is similar than vikings lenguage and it has been the same for 8 centuries.
i met an icelandic girl (nice)... i liked the sounds and ritms when she talked.
Be sure i will learn it and maybe (if i learn enough) we can finish this in icelandic ;)

coming back to your gui...
developing web sites is not easy... you MUST learn sintax and the html structure of the code if you want to do something basic... even using dreamweaver or what ever...
do you really think it will be much diferent with FPP?
yes.. sure, you will add some plug ins, some spots, etc etc... "peaple who, for many reasons can´t learn codes" (for not calling them lazys `cause it is not fare) will do this easy stuff in seconds (the same as i with codes)... but if they want to be diferent they will need to learn some basics codes... if you want to add templates, you need some codes... so it is the same as dreamweaver or flash... you can do the simplest things, but if you want something original you MUST learn some coding...
And... using dreamweaver and flah is not easy, you must learn before you want to do something... be carefull that using gui doesn´t get more dificult than fpps codes.

What are the things that make me loose more time when i work on my projects?
1- designs
2- position parameters

if you add to your gui a better position tool than the editor plug in (something like "click and go"), and a good platform for coding, so we have everything on one soft, i will fin it usefull... if not...

ok... i hope to see those advances on the very looong future...
y espero que no gastes tanto dinero en tu programador, amigo!
;)
muak!

Tuddi

12-29-2007, 12:33 AM

developing web sites is not easy... you MUST learn sintax and the html structure of the code if you want to do something basic... even using dreamweaver or what ever...

Depends on what software you use. If you use dreamweaver, you better know more than just how to click your mouse. If you use the obsolete Frontpage from MS, you can make your website with a few clicks and typing your text (or copy/paste it). No coding skills needed there.... or the Coffee Cup Visual Site Designer... even simpler than MS' Frontpage, and you will end up with terrible webpages because of their standardized and very limited design options.

With the ability to use already nicely made designs (templates) and insert the pano in them with a single click, it makes the FPP Flashificator user capable of putting his/her work on public display without the need of being ashamed of the result. I don't want the users ending up with anything overly complicated, and sure as heck I don't want them to end up with something that looks terrible. And I also want the users to be able to do their manual coding improvements, if they have that "special ability" ;)

And getting off topic: Yes, Icelandic is basically the same now as it was over 1100 years ago. Every Icelander of my generation and probably most of later generations can read written documents from over a 1000 years back. It is a very difficult language to learn for people who haven't been born and raised up there. Lots of rules and exceptions to the rules... and for instance the word "Simple" (English) "Auðvelt" (Icelandic) can be written in 200 different ways for different situations. So it is not all that "simple".... :)

And no, I was not trying to "make you look stupid" by using the FPP/Photoshop comparison. You should rather view that as MY PERSONAL coding/programming skill indicator. I am totally and absolutely sure that the final version(s) of Flashificator, as I have it in my head for now, will absolutely make life easier for FPP users. Can I pull it off? I hope so, and will not give up "just because"... and if the financial part will drain me dry, I will find a way to continue until there is a product people will use and like using.

El sueldo a mi programador es confidencial, pero me cuesta más que me gusta....

Aifos

12-29-2007, 01:56 AM

And getting off topic: Yes, Icelandic is basically the same now as it was over 1100 years ago. Every Icelander of my generation and probably most of later generations can read written documents from over a 1000 years back. It is a very difficult language to learn for people who haven't been born and raised up there. Lots of rules and exceptions to the rules... and for instance the word "Simple" (English) "Auðvelt" (Icelandic) can be written in 200 different ways for different situations. So it is not all that "simple".... :)

yes! i knew that words in other lenguages has only one way to say, in icelandic there are many variations!... and that is why i like it...
and i know it is really dificult... and that is why i want to learn...
(i don´t think i can go so far... but.. maybe we can end this with smoke signs :rolleyes: )

Tuddi

12-29-2007, 03:39 AM

(.. maybe we can end this with smoke signs :rolleyes: )

Tradition requires beer or stronger liquids... not smoke...

Aifos

12-29-2007, 06:08 AM

i mean smoke signs ---> http://www.egelforum.net/forum/images/smilies/bongsmi.gif
;)

user101

12-29-2007, 12:04 PM

Tuddi

12-29-2007, 06:34 PM

You may want to consider swfobject 2.0 at this point (it's at rc_1). It avoids the extra flashcontent div in markup and is better thought out overall. Adobe will embrace version 2.0 as _the_ way to embed flash content.

Thanks for the tip. I have passed this info on to Mr.FD (Flashificator Developer ... let's give him that as an official nick).

And just to complicate my life, I had a dream while sleeping. In the dream I was having a panorama program made, and I said; "what could be more logical for a panorama creation program, than to make it as a panorama, where the user is inside the cube, moving between different functions". The nadir and zenith were using the "rotating nadir image" (http://flashpanos.com/content/rotating-nadir-image-bottom-cap), resulting in the program surfaces always turning the right way when accessed.

.... actually quite a good idea thinking about it in awake state, but that's not something I am going to have done here and now. First things first.

... but then again; I should sleep some more, because that's where I often get good ideas without any effort. :cool:

Tuddi

01-03-2008, 08:09 AM

We (the develloper working, me nagging and searching for improvements) are still building up the basics and planning ahead regarding how the different options will be handled in the best and easiest way (not interested in making the whole interface look and/or feel like some sort of a labyrinth one can't get through. Since I have never before been involved in any software devellopment, I am amazed at how many things there have to be figured out... all the small errors which users can make have to be countered before they happen... all the information given to the user while s/he is doing what is to be done etc. Interesting, but also frustrating. I want this ready NOW :rolleyes:

Within the next couple of day's I will have a new stripped down free version uploaded to http://flashificator.com for downloads. It installs without the need to manually copying and pasting anything anywhere as the currently free version requires.

This is a screenshot from yesterday's version which is still a far cry from the final version I hope to have ready before February 20th.

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FlashificatorVer04.gif

No, there is not much to be seen there, but this is only a single screenshot. There is more - and much more to come.

Tuddi

01-04-2008, 08:06 AM

Ok, my hopes are high for the Flashificator becoming so easy to use, that a computer illiterate 8 year old kid will be able to make fully functional panos with videos, music, hotspots to other panos in tours, lens flares, customized buttons, html site with description of the pano or whatever the kid wants to put there for others to read.

Actually that is my GOAL. There will be no more need for people who have bought FPP to offer others money to do the work for them because they can't figure it out on their own. Before the first commercial version will be made available, I WILL have it tested by a 8 year old computer illiterate. IF my goals will be met, it will be released. If not, more work will be done.

Will it be possible, and still keeping full functionality of all currently and future available plugins and scripts?

Yes. And it's getting there fast! Phase 2 of the Flashificator has set in, and I like how it looks, feels and works already. Those who won't like it, won't make it ;)

massimo

01-06-2008, 01:05 PM

ciao ... no it doesn't work I have also an empty xml file!
Why don't you buy a mac? :)
massimo.

Tuddi

01-06-2008, 04:21 PM

Why don't you buy a mac? :)

Money still don't grow on trees :)

Version 0.4 is ready for download from http://flashificator.com/
Please report back on it's operability, functions and features. That will help further improvements.

Installation procedure has been changed, and will hopefully result in Mac puters being able to operate with it as well.

Thank you.

http://flashificator.com/mainWindow.png

Tuddi

01-06-2008, 08:03 PM

The following is taken from THIS (http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/showthread.php?t=851&page=2) thread. Put it here for better overall view of the Flashificator info/problems/solutions (hopefully).

Bad news from Mac world.
- Flashificator installed with latest AIR
- opens with http://flashificator.com/FPPWindow_selected.png
- browse for FPP folder
- OK button is greyed out.

pano.swf in the FPP folder was renamed by me, so I renamed it again to pano.swf. All images, as well as the plugins are not in subfolders.
OK button is not greyed out anymore, but doesn't react.

This is were I get right now.

Also after having quitted Flashificator and restart it, the window above does not show anymore.

I don't know, if this only happens on my Mac G5, but I cannot give you better news.

Joop

It is during the first installation that you will have this window to open. This is so that you can inform the program of where your FPP folder is, rather than as it was before, that you'd have to copy the FPP folder to the "My Documents" folder. The OK button was greyed out because the pano.swf was not correctly named. Once you renamed it to the original name (pano.swf) the application reckognized it and accepted the location.
The FPP should appear as it was when you first unpacked the zip file when you bought the program:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/OriginalFPPfolderStructure.jpg

And all the plugins should have the original names as well.

That the installation stops there is not good news. When the OK button becomes visible, it should be clicked and the program be installed and working in a second.

After you close and restart Flashificator the window you linked above should NOT show up again, unless you had renamed or moved the FPP folder.

From the looks of your description, the program has installed itself.

The next step you should be doing at this point is to give your project a name, select the file(s) to flashificate, select your options press the flashificate button and have everything in your "My Panoramas" folder.

Is the "My Panoramas" folder created on your puter?
Can you find the "Flashificator" installation folder on your puter?

On PC the structure and files in the Flashificator installation folder look like this:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FlashificatorInstall0.jpg

If you can provide screenshots of your installation folder, it might be helpful for us in order to track down the problem.

I sure as heck wish for you and everyone else to be using the Flashificator without any problems... so I do feel with you!

Tuddi

01-06-2008, 08:31 PM

Additionally:

Can you find the equivalent of the below folder and file. Check the contents of the file to direct the program to the right location of your FPP folder:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FlashificatorStoreFolder.jpg

On a Mac you should find it in this path:

/Users/user name/Library/Preferences/applicationID.publisherID/Local Store/

Can you verify that it directs to the right location?

suastegui

01-06-2008, 09:16 PM

It is during the first installation that you will have this window to open.This is what I get:
http://www.guru.ag/test/screenshot_02.jpg
http://www.guru.ag/test/screenshot_03.jpg
http://www.guru.ag/test/screenshot_04.jpg
http://www.guru.ag/test/screenshot_05.jpg

From this point on the OK button doesn't give any reaction.

The FPP should appear as it was when you first unpacked the zip file when you bought the program:

On a Mac the zipped updates do not automatically update the original FPP folder. It has to be done manually. So unfortunately I don't have an 'original' one. So maybe it's not the same and Flashificator doesn't find all files at the proper location, although I did my best to keep the original structure.

Joop

suastegui

01-07-2008, 08:43 AM

Additionally:

Can you find the equivalent of the below folder and file.

On a Mac you should find it in this path:

/Users/user name/Library/Preferences/applicationID.publisherID/Local Store/

Can you verify that it directs to the right location?

Yes, the contents of the settings.xml is correct.

Tuddi

01-07-2008, 07:55 PM

can you possibly make a screenshot of the xml file's text, or copy the text and post it here? (requested by my developer who is trying to solve this issue by reading through AIR's tutorials and support and forums etc.)

To be able to install the application correctly (at least on a PC) the pano.swf file has to be in the FPP folder. The plugins should be in the "plugins" folder, with the original names.

All the other files are of no importance for the installation to succeed.
You mentioned that you have to manually upgrade FPP on a mac (I only bought FPP in December, so I have never had upgrades, and therefore don't know if it's any different on PC)

Are you sure the pano.swf file is the latest version? I simply HAVE to ask... it's not that I am trying to lay the blame on you or even suspecting you to have an older version... but without other Mac users responding, every little thing you can check and report on matters.

suastegui

01-07-2008, 09:54 PM

can you possibly make a screenshot of the xml file's text, or copy the text and post it here? (requested by my developer who is trying to solve this issue by reading through AIR's tutorials and support and forums etc.)

Hi Trausti,

here we go:
xml file:
<folderLocation>
<location>
/Volumes/Arena_lacie_1/FPP
</location>
</folderLocation>

To be able to install the application correctly (at least on a PC) the pano.swf file has to be in the FPP folder. The plugins should be in the "plugins" folder, with the original names.

All the other files are of no importance for the installation to succeed.
You mentioned that you have to manually upgrade FPP on a mac (I only bought FPP in December, so I have never had upgrades, and therefore don't know if it's any different on PC)
Yes, they are at the proper locations. BTW I bought FPP1.0 in dec 2006.

Are you sure the pano.swf file is the latest version? I simply HAVE to ask... it's not that I am trying to lay the blame on you or even suspecting you to have an older version... but without other Mac users responding, every little thing you can check and report on matters.
Don't worry about me, Trausti. On a Mac since 20 years, so by now I more or less know my machine.
I work with version FPP2.2

Let me know if you need more 'help'

Joop

wkaemena

01-07-2008, 10:26 PM

Tuddi

01-07-2008, 11:24 PM

Hopefully this will prove to be good news to you Mac users.

Uninstall the already installed (not working) Flashificator, download the one that has just been uploaded, install it and it SHOULD work. There was an AIR Macintosh error that has been fixed. We hope the fix will prove itself sucessful... if not... I count on you to tell us.

Thank you Joop and "wkaemena" (and welcome to the discussion).

wkaemena

01-08-2008, 12:15 AM

Tuddi

01-08-2008, 12:48 AM

the problem is now that the flashificator is not asking anymore for FPP......:(

If you saw my now deleted message, then DISREGARD it.

Manually go to
/Users/user name/Library/Preferences/applicationID.publisherID/Local Store/settings.xml
and delete the settings.xml file

Start Flashificator again, and you will get the window asking for the FPP location.

This should fix it.

Crossing fingers on this end.

wkaemena

01-08-2008, 01:24 AM

If you saw my now deleted message, then DISREGARD it.

Manually go to
/Users/user name/Library/Preferences/applicationID.publisherID/Local Store/settings.xml
and delete the settings.xml file

Start Flashificator again, and you will get the window asking for the FPP location.

This should fix it.

Crossing fingers on this end.

hard to find because the path is /Users/user name/Library/Preferences/com.adobe.example.Flashificator....../Local Store/settings.xml

yes now it is asking again...... BUT no success..... pointing to FPP folder and no reaction

will see tomorrow for some new ideas...... good night from Brazil:rolleyes:

Tuddi

01-08-2008, 02:13 AM

This is getting to be a major headache... I'm so sorry this is also taking your time without bearing fruit.

Adobe AIR "should" (in theory) be capable of making this work for both Macs and PC's, that's the whole idea behind it... but obviously it is still in Beta, so this is to be expected.... especially when we don't have a Mac to test the code on.

Again my apologies. We will find a solution, have it tested and announce it Mac compatible when it is ready. I really don't want to abuse the kindness of you guy's and gals, and waste too much of your time in the process.

wkaemena

01-08-2008, 10:18 AM

Tuddi

01-08-2008, 08:08 PM

Thank you for your support and understanding. I promise you that this WILL be solved, so that when I announce it to be working, you won't have to go through yet another (total) disappointment.

DMCDigital

01-08-2008, 09:43 PM

Hey man ...give yourself a break ! you have helped many people here including me.....I would be happy to beta...I have a MAC G5 Dual 2.0 and opera,ff, safari and even IE5.2 for mac :p

This looks like it was a major undertaking so be proud !

Tuddi

01-08-2008, 10:48 PM

A glimpse of what is to come in the commercial version (it sounded as if Zephyr wanted a rabbit out of my hat today)...

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/AdvancedZoomTiltParamWindow2.jpg

This is a view of the "Advanced" parameters window as it stood this morning. It will go through some more changes before the final version. The "Simple" view is the same, except it won't have all the buttons (that can drive any "normal" person insane). In "Simple" mode the user tilts the image and zooms the pano within the window with the use of left mouse button and by moving the mouse and scrolling mouse wheel or using SHIFT/CTRL, and clicks on "Ok" when the view is fitting his/her needs. That results in all the relevant tilt and zoom parameters being written to the .xml file, and the panorama will load according to that view.

A normal user without coding skills will apreciate that simplicity... right?

Hotspots will be dragged and dropped into the pano..... (whoops... that was today's future telling dove flying out of my fingers)....

Thank you DMC. It keeps the spirit up to receive positive comments during this mixed success project (as it stands).

In the very beginning (a month ago) I planned on having something very very simple made, enabling users to get started with ease... but now I have dug myself in a trench, where I am committed to making the Flashificator perfect for beginners and advanced users alike. In a way so that all the work (or at least 90% of the post-stitching work) can be managed within the Flashificator.

As I have said earlier; I have never ever went into anything like this before, but I am glad I made the move. Hopefully everyone else will be glad as well, and help resurrecting my economy by buying the fully (failfree and tested) commercial version when it is released.

Before people will buy it, I will have a couple of individuals here in the forums testing and commenting on it's functions and ease of use... hoping Denis will be available for testing it too.

There will be screenshots of everything, and probably a video showing the whole process of making a panorama with the Flashificator, so that people can see how easy it is to manage.

phberlin

01-09-2008, 02:00 AM

Wow, this look indead very promising! Already any vague idea about a possible price for the commercial version? I would absolutly be interested as long as within regions I could personally afford for the ease of fpp coding :-)

Besides, thanks a lot for your efforts. You help making FPP (or its usage) even more outstanding...

Regards, Ph.

Tuddi

01-09-2008, 05:53 AM

Thank you for the comment and question.

You ask for the price.... well, I would like to be able to give you an answer that would make you happy, but I can't. I haven't thought about a specific price as of yet. The main focus is on having the application to WORK properly, and I do have this anti-capitalistic attitude ... so expect a fair price. What is fair? I live in a 3rd world country and judge prices from the environment I live in. Fair is something you benefit from in the end, even though you have to cash out in the beginning. Like buying a camera that costs 2500 dollars... it is a considerable amount of money, but if you want a quality camera, you have to pay the price it has.... and in the end, it will earn it's cost in again plus profits.

No... no no! I am not implying in any way that the Flashificator will cost thousands of dollars... it was just an example for demonstrative purposes.

Also; while I don't have an overview of what exactly will be included in the first full version, or the second and 3rd full version, it is difficult for me to name a price... the whole work hasn't been done yet... far from it actually.

Before I make the commercial version available, I hope to have found a price to everyone's understanding (not necessarily everyone's liking though, since many people (me included) think that free is best... however I only buy expensive (physical world) tools, since they last longer)....

You asked me for the price... I gave you an honest but not detailed answer...

Maybe you and others would like to tell me what you would think of as a fair and just price for something capable of saving you time and effort like what you THINK the Flashificator could be like in the commercial version?

If enough of people respond to this HONESTLY, I promise to consider the average price as one to be the final product price.

So for once you CAN have a hand in deciding the price of a product!

Hope you and everyone else will take this challenge :p

johnwilletts

01-09-2008, 12:47 PM

Tuddi, you've just ruined my day. I was hoping to spend a few hours getting frustrated with your program - but, I can't. It's very good and fantastically (almost too) easy to use. But, can I make a few observations:

1/. I couldn't get it to work because I had copied the contents of the Plugins folder into the FPP folder. I hadn't picked up the fact that they needed to be in a Plugins subfolder of FPP. Could you make this clearer in your instructions.

2/. It would be useful if there were an option to check if Flash 9 had been installed.

3/. The images I'm getting are more grainy than usual, an option to change the segments parameter in the cylconverter would be useful.

4/. I've tried including a sound only FLV file. I'm getting lots of error messages, after Dismissing All, the pan loads and the music plays perfectly. But when I try to go to Full Screen, it goes blank - but then restores itself after I press Escape.

Please don't take these points as negative. This is a breakthrough!

As far as pricing is concerned, panorama production is becoming a growth industry. You can either charge a little - about the same as PTGui Pro or FPP and become rich and famous or a lot and not become rich and famous because we'll all be using 'cracked' versions.

However, as I know from experiences as an author and user. The Documentation is as important as the Software. This is a common problem with PTGui, FPP and the Garden Gnome products. I suspect it has is has been written by the program authors, who are too close to the work and often assume the user has a higher degree of technical knowledge than is the case.
Beta Test the Documentation with virgin users.

Anything I can do to help in any way (except invest) - just ask

John

Tuddi

01-09-2008, 08:12 PM

Thank you for a very relevant reply John.

First of all I have to say that it pleases me to know I contributed to ruin your chance at getting frustrated!

1. Yes, system requirements will contain info on the need for FPP folder structure and files contained therein, Adobe AIR installation and the need for latest version of Flash. I have already made screenshots of the needed structure of the folders and files and posted them somewhere in this thread, and was aware of the need to have it provided in the installation info... but forgot to add it in the current page. This will be fixed in the upcoming flashificator installation page (a professionally looking and feeling one... not resembling the current "road-kill" page)

2. Useful you say? Not only that, but downright essential in my opinion. I have forwarded your request to the develloper.

3. That is correct. The lack of changing the segments can do that to the images. The solution: Buying the commercial version when it comes out.

4. Not the greatest fun is it? The FLV player is only intended as a starting point teaser for newbies. To have this corrected using the free version, one will have to manually work with hotspots and coding. Without access to the hotspot functions (which will of course be available with the commercial version), this is the only thing you'll get out of the free version.

I am very glad to receive your feedback, and do in no way consider ANY of the points as negative. So thank you again!

Before even thinking about getting involved in develloping the Flashificator, I had stated that 300 bucks for a fully functioning GUI would represent an acceptable... yet close to the acceptable limit... price. I still stand by that statement. I want to be realistic though. Having thought about the ideal price, it would have to be less than 100 Euros to be attractive to users in the industrialized world, and then we have all the people in other regions of the world, where each cent counts much more for one's economy. To those people 100 Euros is a lot of money, and would encourage them to find a cracked version ...(not possible at this point in time due to many factors... believe me... we have had the Flashificator tested for cracking, and it withstood it with flying colors... mainly thanks to the platforms it is based on, I was told)... So I am already aware of and accepting a price range below 100 Euros... which is within the reach of most people who make their living with photography.

It will take me some time to recover my costs, unless everyone goes wild and buy's the "fantastic flashificator" ... :)... nah... I doubt that will happen overnight or over a month, but hopefully there will be a snowball effect over time. When the Tourificator is an integrated part of Flashificator, I don't see why anyone should or could consider a price anywhere under 100 Euros as "too much". There is a lot of work going into this, and in the end the users will have a tool to work with, that allows almost all post stitching work to be done in an easy time saving way.

Tourificator? Yes, you heard it here first... look forward to it's arrival. As of now there is NO work being done on it (except theoretical discussions)... there's enough irons in the fire as it is. But once Flashificator is ready, there will hopefully be time for those other works.

You say that the documentation is important. I am in full agreement. When my developer get's technical on me, I order him to stop, because I am not interested in losing my "virginity" when it comes to being a plain user. By having the technical knowhow, one will easily fall into the pit of "it's not so complicated and this surely doesn't need further explaination" kind of thing.

I will be the one to make the documentation, because I'm sure I should be capable of keeping it on a level beneficial to normal users.... input from other users will be noted and added as needed.

Again, thanks a lot for your input, and I hope my reply did give you some peace of mind... or at least undertanding.

WideEyes

01-09-2008, 10:28 PM

Hi Tuddi

First of all I apologize if this have already been answered, but I have not had the time to read the last 3 pages of the topic.

I love the work you are doing with this software. There is no doubt that it will make FPP much more accessible to a lot of us.

My main "concern" is if it will be able to make multinode tours from within your software? I rarely produce just 1 panorama. It is often tours of 4-10 scenes.

Friday I am making an exception. I have to go and shoot just 1 scene for a local coach. I will use your software for the project, and I will note every thing - from first impression, to flaws and ideas for improvement. I hope you can use the feedback in your further development.
When I am done I will also gladly try to give an honest opinion of the price tag I think is fair.

Best regards
Morten

Tuddi

01-09-2008, 11:25 PM

My main "concern" is if it will be able to make multinode tours from within your software? I rarely produce just 1 panorama. It is often tours of 4-10 scenes.

Thank you Morten.

To quote Egon Olsen: Jeg har en plan! :rolleyes:

With the first commercial version it will not be an option, but with the second commercial version (date of release not known at all) there will be a new section I will call "Tourificator". As the name suggests, it will enable the making of tours (multi nodes) within the Flashificator.

For those who buy the first commercial version of the Flashificator, the second version including the Tourificator will be a free upgrade.

Friday I am making an exception. I have to go and shoot just 1 scene ..........
.......... I hope you can use the feedback in your further development.

Absolutely looking forward to your views and thoughts and experience description. All feedback is highly apreciated, and will not automatically be thrown in the trashcan or "forgotten".

We will be making a bug reporting system for Flashificator, so bugs can be reported, tracked down and (hopefully) fixed. There is and should always be room for improvements.... after all, we are not associated with Microsoft's program development teams in any way or form :twisted:

Tuddi

01-10-2008, 02:27 AM

Final stages for the "Advanced Parameters" window approaching.

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/AdvancedZoomTiltParamWindow3.gif

ThomasK

01-10-2008, 11:58 AM

For a online bug report system have a look at the free Mantis http://www.mantisbt.org

danilo

01-10-2008, 03:04 PM

I tried it and i like it a lot!

What i would like to see is when you put your mouse over an option to see some info about this option.

Maby i'm stupid but i don't know what the option FLV Player is :???:

Also a option to insert an info button / file in the panorama would be great!

Keep up the good work! I'm sure that when its finished i will buy this program :D

Amanda

Tuddi

01-10-2008, 06:23 PM

Thanks Thomas, I have forwarded this to Mr.FD... looks like what is needed.

I tried it and i like it a lot!

What i would like to see is when you put your mouse over an option to see some info about this option.

Hi Amanda, and thanks for the reply. As you can see, there are no "File-Edit-View-Options-Tools" buttons available in the Flashificator windows, and they won't be there for the sake of non-disturbing environment. The help will come in form of mouse over info-bubbles as you wanted, but activated manually, so that you won't have info bubbles jumping up all over the place all the time.

Maby i'm stupid but i don't know what the option FLV Player is :???:

FLV player is "Flash Player". If you have a .flv file (video such as what you can download from youtube if given the right software to download it), you can have that video to play inside your panorama.

Also a option to insert an info button / file in the panorama would be great!

All of that comes with the hotspots in the full commercial version, where people will have full access to all parameters and other functions. The free version is only a drop from the ocean of possibilities found in the commercial Flashificator, but it demonstrates how easy it will be to work with the GUI, which I am sure is of interest for everyone.

Keep up the good work! I'm sure that when its finished i will buy this program :D

Amanda

Thank you... the work goes on non stop until it's ready for release.

Tuddi

01-13-2008, 07:48 AM

Just a short but serious news-flash.

The whole project has to be re-written, due to something that can only be described as stupidity on Adobe's side when making their software.

Obviously delays can be expected because of this - I'm not happy about any delays at all, since it affects my pocketbook primarily.

The Mac compatibility issue is also being looked at, and will be solved.

Sorry!

vincen

01-13-2008, 08:54 AM

The Mac compatibility issue is also being looked at, and will be solved.

If you need help about mac tests and compatibility tests, I would be more than happy to help :) I can also translate in french if you want :D

Vincèn

johnwilletts

01-14-2008, 11:19 AM

Sorry about your problems - it happens.

Couple of points (3):

Will there be an option to create standalone programs for CD Rom distribution?

How about renaming "Segments", "Quality" and replacing the box with a slider? It would possibly be easier to understand.

Have you considered doing what Joost has done with PTGui? He has two versions, Basic and Pro. It would help solve your pricing dilema. His prices seem about right too.

Luv John (don't get any ideas)

phberlin

01-14-2008, 01:55 PM

Hhm, as for me, a fair pricing would be around EUR 30 I guess. As written earlier by someone, I absolutely agree that it might get hard to sell your product to many people if it is too expensive, while making it rather cheap can people make buying it within a heartbeat. Since I'm only starting my panorama business, I have to look at every cent I invest, so I would rather have to hand-code if the software is to expensive for me. But that's only my opinion; curious what others (and you, especially) think about it.

Regards, Ph.

Tuddi

01-14-2008, 10:23 PM

Sorry about your problems - it happens.

Thanks... you are right... and such problems always come when we least need them.

Will there be an option to create standalone programs for CD Rom distribution?

That is on the list of future features.

How about renaming "Segments", "Quality" and replacing the box with a slider? It would possibly be easier to understand.
Due to this request of yours, "Segments" has been renamed to "Visual Quality", and will come on a slider.
"Segments" has a minimum value of 10, and maximum is infinite (I think) as it is now. With current computers in use world wide, putting the visual quality (known as segments) above 30, can seriously affect the performance. Current high-end puters have no problem with segments put at 40-50.
I asked the developer to have the "visual quality" slider going from 10-100... so that future puters will also be able to get higher quality output. Having it ONLY as a slider (without numbers) would easily result in a too high output, crashing puters.

Have you considered doing what Joost has done with PTGui? He has two versions, Basic and Pro. It would help solve your pricing dilema. His prices seem about right too.

I know the PTGui pricing (one puter license):
personal license € 79 ($ 117)
Pro personal license € 149 ($ 219)

Fair prices for the functions available.

I have thought about having the following available:

1. Free version (very stripped down and limited in functions, but enough to give an idea of how it is to use the full version)

2. Full commercial version (all functions accessible).

3. Full commercial special version (all functions as in #2 plus encryption of files and extra plugins + scripts + templates package).

OR No #3 version where things are included, but where people can buy the encryption and scripts and plugins separately... but I don't think that would be a good economical deal for the users, so that is something I am not seriously thinking about.

For instance, a SWF encryption tool (don't know if it would work with Panoramas) is sold online for £65 GBP / 95€ EUR / $125 USD (http://www.amayeta.com/shop/)

Selling an encryption for the output files for only half that price, would be expensive in my opinion... and if we talk plugins, even at only $10 each, having the complete version with all plugins and other addons, would land the complete package in several hundred dollars.

I'd rather have things built in additionally, for a higher price, but still well within the limits of acceptable pricing. The "pro" version would also contain the "Tourificator" when it will be ready... so the package would be well equipped, and hopefully something people would want to purchase, even if it's out of the "shareware" price range.

FPP is a tool for professionals who sell their work and as such they understand that the tools they use for their work, also have a price. Hobbyists, people who do panoramas for their own pleasure (as most of us problably started pano photography out with), have a need for something free or cheap - yet functional.

Hhm, as for me, a fair pricing would be around EUR 30 I guess. As written earlier by someone, I absolutely agree that it might get hard to sell your product to many people if it is too expensive, while making it rather cheap can people make buying it within a heartbeat. Since I'm only starting my panorama business, I have to look at every cent I invest, so I would rather have to hand-code if the software is to expensive for me. But that's only my opinion; curious what others (and you, especially) think about it.

I think I have answered you partially above. You mention that you are starting your business, and need to keep costs down as much as possible. You are speaking my language :)
Equally I can say that I am only starting out as a program provider, and as such I need to make sure I am not going to lose money on the Flashificator project. It is already costing me time and money (one month of work by now for my developer and one month for me as well). The current cost is many times that what a normal user would have to pay for a fully loaded Flashificator.... but I hope that when the full version of the Flashificator is ready, it will prove itself worth the price-tag, and sell well enough to recover the costs over a few months... even if it takes a year, it would be acceptable.

You say you would be willing to hand code if the price is too high... I was not willing to use my time on coding (which would have required me to learn coding first), which is why initiated the Flashificator project.

I want (need) time for my family and work... not only work, bent over coding, tracing/correcting errors etc.

30-150 dollars is a price level commonly found for "shareware" and "free to try then you buy" (http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=panorama&tag=srch). There are free versions of programs as well, but those are not intended for professional use.

Having the price at a very low price level, will absolutely benefit the buyers... but we are a small community of users, and even if the price is extremely low, it can not be expected that more than 10% of the users of FPP who are aware (by now) of the Flashificator will actually buy it (optimistic evaluation). Since the second free version was put up for downloads, it's been downloaded 87 times ( plus 3 times in-house for testing purposes)... Out of those 87 it could result in 9 sales. If the price is at 30 euros, it would generate 270 euros in income, and that's not even to cover the first month of costs. Far from it.

I expect the biggest interest in trying the Flashificator to take place in the beginning, and that is now. Having less than 100 downloads during the first month is not much, but it gives an idea of what the potential sales are going to look like over a year.

So based on the mouths I have to feed, the money and time already used on this and the actual downloads until now, I don't think it would be responsible in any way to aim for that low a price. After all I want Flashificator to be considered something along the lines of a Ferrari/Lamborghini/Ford GT40 rather than being a Trabant or a 70's VW beetle ... to put it in other terms.

In the past I have bought programs for thousands of dollars (while I lived in Denmark)... for MS products alone I paid over 6000 dollars over a period of 4 years... yet never got a product I was satisfied with. I want the Flashificator to be good enough so that people don't want or need anything else when working with FPP. It will require a lot of work before it can satisfy most FPP users expectations, but hopefully it will get there, and I also want people to feel they are getting their money's worth in the software.

That was a rather long writing... but hopefully it addressed and explained some points of interest.

johnwilletts

01-15-2008, 12:23 PM

Your customers need FPP in order to run Flashificator. There are 690 members of this Forum. Therefore we need to know what proportion would buy it. If we dismiss the purist techies (as some of the replies to this thread suggest), I guess that a large proportion of the remaining serious users would.

I think it would be interesting to ask the members of this Forum what their dedication to Panoramic/VR production is:

Are they hobbyists/serious enthusiasts/professionals?

Do they actually earn money - or want to in the future - from panoramas?

What software do they have?

What do they want from Flashificator?

What comuter system do they use?

READERS: DO NOT ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. JUST SUGGEST ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU THINK WOULD BE USEFUL TO TUDDI. HE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORDING OF THE FINAL QUESTIONNAIRE

John (http://www.j-a-willetts-esq.com)

johnwilletts

01-15-2008, 12:39 PM

I'm keeping this message separate from the last, because I don't want to get the issues mixed up.

Tuddi,

At this point of development, I wouldn't waste your time on Mac problems. Get it working on PC's first. Then charge an extra $100 for the Mac version - they can afford it.

In my experience, Macs are expensive luxuries which look great and advertise to clients and colleagues that "I am a professional photographer/designer and learned my skills at Art School."

Discuss

John (http://www.j-a-willetts-esq.com)

cheathamlane

01-15-2008, 04:20 PM

Oh my gosh! The dreaded PC vs Mac debate... I knew it would rear its ugly head here at some point, though hoped it wouldn't.

Tuddi, you're working with a cross-platform application which is supposed to allow you to create cross-platform applications. Troubleshooting OS issues is a part of any serious developer's workday. Keep up the good work. :)

Tuddi

01-15-2008, 08:16 PM

Your customers need FPP in order to run Flashificator. There are 690 members of this Forum.

Actually:
Members: 694, Active Members: 217
That means there are only 217 real members. The rest is pure disturbance. Probably 90% of the rest are "members" created by spam bots trying to access the forums to post spam messages for viagra and other nutty things.

Out of the 217 registered and "active" members, we can probably count out 50% as not active and reading/participating in the forums, maybe they only visited a couple of times in the past.... and are therefore out of touch with what goes on.

That leaves us a little over 100 users active on some levels. Then there are all those who have not joined the forums community, but who do read what is posted and might be very much up to date on what goes on.

Their numbers.... well... I wouldn't know. No one can know.

At this point of development, I wouldn't waste your time on Mac problems. Get it working on PC's first. Then charge an extra $100 for the Mac version - they can afford it.

:lol: Yeah... maybe they can afford it, but I won't discriminate people based on the equipment they use. I think it's better to locate and eliminate the current problem, making all potential users happy in the end.

In my experience, Macs are expensive luxuries which look great and advertise to clients and colleagues that "I am a professional photographer/designer and learned my skills at Art School."

You DO have an advanced sense of humour! :)

Tuddi, you're working with a cross-platform application which is supposed to allow you to create cross-platform applications. Troubleshooting OS issues is a part of any serious developer's workday. Keep up the good work.

That's right. Not having it to work as it should, is not an acceptable option.

johnwilletts

01-16-2008, 10:30 AM

"You DO have an advanced sense of humour!"

I have to, I'm British! But what I said is true.

Seriously, you're going to sell a hellovalotmore PC versions. Don't divide your energies. Concentrate of one job at a time - a compatability issue which is more important at this stage is making sure it functions equally well on Firefox and Explorer.

Isn't it obvious that the people trying to persuade you to work in parallel are Mac users?

John (http://www.j-a-willetts-esq.com)

Tuddi

01-16-2008, 11:23 AM

When the current installation problem is fixed for Mac, there should be no more compatability issues to worry about.

... emphasis on "should"...

I have tried Linux on my puters, and it's... well... interesting... but too puter-geek demanding for my taste (last test was a couple of years ago with a Mandrake version). I as a PC Windows user, would not like it very much if some software I really could use, was only made for Linux users. I would not change over to Linux because of that... I would suffer the loss of ability to use that program.

Flashificator is made in AIR, and AIR is still in beta testing... so there are problems that have to be fixed on the developer side, and I find that quite acceptable ... for now.

With the first non-beta version, these issues should not be present. Making an application for Windows should automatically work on a Mac as well.

Tuddi

01-17-2008, 05:40 AM

Here a few screenshots from a couple of day's ago...

Flashificator's main window:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/FlashificatorMainW05.gif

Here the "simple parameters" window:
http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/SimpleParameters05.gif

Here from "advanced parameters" window:
http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/AdvancedParameters05.gif

In the simple parameters window, one adjusts the view according to one's wish, zooms in our out and tilts as one likes with the use of the mouse, clicks "done" and the parameters are written to the .xml file ensuring the panorama will be initiated in that exact position. The advanced parameters window is loaded with a lot of options... allowing you to finetune most things.

On the main Flashificator window, the "Parameters" button will be changed to the same kind of selector button as is used for the "load meter style". The user decides if s/he is going to use simple or advanced... but it is also possible to change between "simple" and "advanced" on the fly.

Mr.FD has been working like crazy to rewrite everything, and is catching up. The Mac compatibility issue is still not fixed, but being worked on.
Design and functionality issues are still the main dish of the day for us... and I don't see that changing any time soon.

christophe

01-23-2008, 10:05 PM

Hi,
I just discoverd Flashificator !
It looks very cool.
I've tried it but the XML file is empty when the pano is done.

Maybe you know why ?

Tuddi

01-23-2008, 10:44 PM

Hi,
I just discoverd Flashificator !
It looks very cool.
I've tried it but the XML file is empty when the pano is done.

Maybe you know why ?

Thanks.
It doesn't write anything to the xml in the (current) free version.

The full version writes a complete xml document with all needed data.

Small example from an actual xml file made with Flashificator (non free verison in progress) :
<?xml version = '1.0' encoding = 'utf-8'?>
<panorama>
<parameters>
panoType = mov
segments = 55
shrink = 1
qualityMotion = best
qualityStatic = best
zoomMax = 3
zoomMin = 0.45
zoomHome = 1
panHome = 0
tiltHome = 0
behaviour = 2
sensitivity = 10
keySensitivity = 10
friction = 0.9
disableControls = 0
disableKeys = 0
disableWheel = 0
disablePan = 0
disableTilt = 0
keys = 39|37|38|40|16|17|36|32
layer_1 = movDecoder.swf
layer_2 = openFullscreen.swf
layer_3 = menuFullscreen.swf
</parameters>
</panorama>

The free version will be updated with a few more extras later on, but it will always be very much stripped down compared to the full and pro versions. It is only intended to give people an idea of how easy it is to use the full versions.

Click and publish is my goal for it, even when using hotspots and videos, music etc. So that even 10 year old kids can get professionally looking panoramas done in a few clicks in their first try.

Personal customization is also to be a "click and go" for the most part, but then there are those who want/need something totally different, and in those cases probably most of the every day panowork can be done with the Flashificator, while the special features will be hand coded.

That's why :)

ploft

01-24-2008, 02:07 AM

Were can I see a panorama created with flashificator?

Tuddi

01-24-2008, 03:57 AM

Were can I see a panorama created with flashificator?

I'll make you one.

Tuddi

01-24-2008, 04:07 AM

Here you go:

http://flashificator.com/1/PanoForPloft/PanoForPloft.html

islander

01-24-2008, 06:26 PM

Am I to understand correctly, that the freebie flashificator doesn't really serve any purpose (not really functional) other than to show some of the features of the pro version?

Also, when will the pro version be out and how much will it cost?

Will the output be customizable, as far as the icons are concerned? Meaning that you can personalize them how you see fit.

Waiting impatiently :D

Tuddi

01-24-2008, 06:59 PM

The free version is functional yes, you can output panos with it, with both a html document where the pano is embedded and swf file.

It does however not provide any parameters to edit in the xml file.

The release date for the full version is still set to be February 20th.

Price: Nothing written in stone yet, except that it will be fair for all parts.

With the full version you can change everything as you want. Icons, feel, zoom.... everything. Just as you can do now, but all the work should be much easier... or I'll be damned :)

With the PRO version there will be libraries with hotspot icons and control panels and plugins and scripts etc etc... but that version will be coming at a still unknown date.

Hope this clarified enough for now.

islander

01-24-2008, 08:45 PM

Thanks for clearing some of that up for me.

Have you thought about localization for the interface?

I could probably provide Spanish/Castiano for you.

Tuddi

01-25-2008, 01:14 AM

Guaranteed language for the first full version:

English.

Other planned languages:

French
German
Spanish
Portuguese
Russian

Another option is for the Flashificator users to manually edit the text on their interface to whatever language they want to have there.

carel

01-25-2008, 03:38 AM

Is there a way to choose a folder for the output, or is that planned for the official release?

On the example you posted with the flv in the corner, when clicking on fullscreen everything went black and stayed that way. This is probably a hickup with FPP and not with Flashificator..?

Carel Struycken

Tuddi

01-25-2008, 04:35 AM

In the full version you will be able to "flashificate to" (save to) any location you desire.

The free version has it's stock folder to save to.

The flv in the left upper corner is going to be stuck there in blackness after the video in it has played. The screen's "open" button reacts with the video, not with the pano.

There are no hotspots at play in the free version, so there's not much to do there. :)

If you didn't see the video (it is short), you can always refresh the window.

Tuddi

01-26-2008, 05:23 AM

Slowly... but surely... it evolves:

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/06Full.gif

Or should I rather say: Slowly... but surely... it empties my pockets... :rolleyes:

There are changes made since this screenshot.... and there are going to be more changes made before it's over.
I just want to let you people know that the work is ongoing and we are doing what we can to have everything ready as soon as possible.
There have been issues, there will be issues... but in the end it's all going to be good.

danilo

02-02-2008, 12:30 PM

Hi Tuddi,

February 20th still stands?
How much will it cost?
Hope you will finish the program soon, until now i like it verry much :-)

Amanda

Tuddi

02-02-2008, 11:22 PM

Hi Amanda.

Yes, February 20th is still marked in my calendar as the date for the Full version release. But I am terribly much aware of time running out on us too quickly, after the candle burned down in both ends during a few periods of unforseen challenges.

Price: R€ali$tic. :)

I haven't got to figure the price part out. More important things have prevented me from getting dirty hands in that corner.

Good that you like the little you have been able to access... you are not alone on that front :)

Thanks to you and everyone else who have sent encouragements and comments openly and privately.

hum@no.id

02-03-2008, 11:31 AM

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/323/flashificatorlogopr0.png

For good work - the good logotype (or TM) :D

If necessary, i send you source file (made on Adobe Illustrator)...

Regards

Tuddi

02-03-2008, 11:43 AM

Thank you humanoid, but the logo is already manifested in the butterfly/360x180° image (without the word Flashificator) ... nice work anyways!

hum@no.id

02-03-2008, 01:21 PM

butterfly/360x180° - OK...:D

I often necessary to study-examine logos, tm, etc.

1. Sometimes this reminds old logotype IPIX, if you want itself to associate, then not problems...

http://sol.as.arizona.edu/~dave/digital/images/ipix_logo.gif

2. Many forget that concept of the logotype, in the first place mark word...

logo+typeface

3. also, there is elements which were already included into other concept
http://www.medyalab.com/
http://www.360p.de/vt/index.html

I have no much time, but I have found more aproximate logos, for your selected idiogram....

____

thank you...

Tuddi

02-05-2008, 06:03 PM

Or the nasa logo?
Or cinemascope logo?

Anything can look like everything. My BF logo was done with no other logo in mind. Obviously it has the same theme as many other 360 logo creators have used, but it is "unique" in it's own way.

hum@no.id

02-06-2008, 04:53 AM

There is last argument....

FPP can use cylinders, partial panoramas... this not only 360x180

any professional designer will say that your logotype did child

Tuddi

02-06-2008, 05:55 AM

There is last argument....

FPP can use cylinders, partial panoramas... this not only 360x180

any professional designer will say that your logotype did child

That's good :) In Iceland there is a saying: If a child say's there's taste, it means there is taste. If the design is so simple that a child could have done it, it ensures everyone will understand it. So that is a further compliment.

You are absolutely right about FPP being able to do only cylindrical panos, but having 2 different logos for 2 different functions would be quite strange. Maybe another logo to show it can make hotspots? :confused: Of course not.

That is the logo, and it's going to stay. I will not be using cinemascope or nasa or any new creation, since the Flashificator logo is already made. There are more important things to be taken care of, since no one will be using the logo to do their panos with the Flashificator.

hum@no.id

02-06-2008, 06:24 AM

amin'/\... I keep quiet:)

Tuddi

02-06-2008, 07:56 AM

All in good spirit Humanoid, and I do apreciate your views on the logo, even though I don't agree :)

johnwilletts

02-06-2008, 09:54 AM

rawtoast

02-07-2008, 12:23 AM

I'm a newbie ... and I'm excited about the future of everything that's going on here!

It's exciting to see all that is going on in this community, I look forward to seeing this forum everyday!

Thanks for the GUI, I'll be doing my homework for the old fashion way as well (just purchased FPP last week), but it'll be nice to have this while I'm learning the ins and outs.

Thanks,

Eli Poblitz

Tuddi

02-07-2008, 03:54 AM

Hi,

1/. Will it be able to use FLVplayer (and with controls)?

2/. Will we be able to tweak the XML output?

3/. How easy will it be able to use non-FPP plugins? eg I want to be able to use Patrick's pre-loader plugin

Regards,
John

1. Yes/yes
2. Yes absolutely
3. In the full version it will be "manual job". Whenever the PRO version will be ready, it will be a "click and go" to add "foreign plugins" to the process.

Maybe (no promises though), the plugin adoptation can be squeezed into the Full version. Time is getting very short on our end for everything to be ready on pre-scheduled time, so adding anything to the planned project doesn't look very doable or wise... also, there have to be enough "extras" in the PRO version, so that it will be an attractive update for Full version owners, or as a first buy.

Welcome Eli, being new to FPP can be frustrating if it's combined with no coding skills or time for doing lots of coding work. I hope that Flashificator can make life a lot easier for the majority of people who are not into coding at all.

Tuddi

02-08-2008, 10:59 AM

Here WAS a little demonstration video of Flashificator Full (pre-beta, far from ready) in action. This version did not include any hotspots, and not even the Simple view. But hopefully it may give those of you who are interested in what is going on, a little insight.

The quality of the video is horrifying... I know... next time I'll use some more time on making it better.

Use this link (http://flashificator.com/1/ThisIs-A-Demo/ThisIs-A-Demo.html)to see an acceptable video in the pano.

johnwilletts

02-08-2008, 11:51 AM

Tuddi

02-08-2008, 09:52 PM

Sorry Tuddi, You've got to improve the quality of your video - this is a waste of time.
However, I think you've probably created the world's first virtual tour of a bathroom - so congratulations.
John

I know and fully agree. I only got the video capture software last night, and there is a lot of different options, settings etc, one can take advantage of in order to get the quality up (and down as clearly demonstrated).

Uploading to youtube further slashes the quality.

Am looking into this now... and HAD uploaded a new one HERE, but it's still a far cry from acceptable.

I'll figure out something and post it here when the quality is good.

Use this link (http://flashificator.com/1/ThisIs-A-Demo/ThisIs-A-Demo.html)to see an acceptable video in the pano.

Tuddi

02-09-2008, 05:44 AM

I give totally up on Youtube. For whatever reason it won't allow acceptable quality when the file is uploaded.

So I put the FLV file inside the pano I used for the demonstration... Click the "Open" button, and the video will fill your screen in viewable quality. Not good, but much better than Youtube.

Here's the link:
http://flashificator.com/1/ThisIs-A-Demo/ThisIs-A-Demo.html

And here is a link to a good quality FLV, where details can be seen (you need a flv player on your puter to view it)
http://flashificator.com/1/ThisIs-A-Demo/FullQuaity.flv (6.16 mb)

johnwilletts

02-11-2008, 12:36 PM

Haven't got time - I'll take your word.
9 days to go - exciting, isn't it!!

Have you arranged to be paid by PayPal?

Tuddi

02-12-2008, 05:32 AM

Exciting? More like TERRIFYING... time is running out. So much still left to do... A lot of loose ends to be tied up, a lot of knots to be loosened up.

PayPal. Well... let me put it this way: Those who managed to buy FPP should have no problems buying Flashificator. There will be further info on that front when the time is right.

johnwilletts

02-12-2008, 03:56 PM

Not a straight answer.
Eight days!!!

Tuddi

02-12-2008, 07:53 PM

Not a straight answer.

Oh... you noticed.... darn!

Wool-chewing politicians won't get far with you from the looks of it.

Be patient .... the straight answer is just around the corner.

discocandy

02-13-2008, 07:28 AM

don't hurry.. make it good..
better 2 days to late then 10 bugfixes afterwards :rolleyes: :D :cool:

Tuddi

02-13-2008, 08:33 AM

Only 2 days? ;)

I am already trying to deal with the idea of having to delay the release date... not happy about the thought. Probably Flashificator Full will be ready on the 19th, but then it will still need testing, re-testing and serious testing.... whatever that is.

There have been challenges, knots and loose ends... still are... but everything is possible if the will is at hand.

This project has been very interesting right from the start... and challenging... and worrying... hey, it still is!.... but when it is ready, it will be seen as a major stepping-stone for FPP towards ease of use for non-coders.

I wish I could promise perfection, but I can't. All I can promise, is "the best we can do", and hopefully that is good enough, until "better" is available.

gato

02-13-2008, 12:01 PM

...I am already trying to deal with the idea of having to delay the release date... not happy about the thought. Probably Flashificator Full will be ready on the 19th, but then it will still need testing, re-testing and serious testing.... whatever that is.

Hai Tuddy,

whats about beta-testing? I would like to be one of the beta testers. And Im a mac user, too....

gato

johnwilletts

02-13-2008, 12:12 PM

Liftoff On Hold

gato

02-14-2008, 07:16 PM

...silence...

Tuddi

02-14-2008, 10:56 PM

.... silence provoked by busy schedule, sorry gato.

Regarding your offer to be a beta tester, firstly let me thank you for your offer. From earlier post of yours elsewhere in the forums, I understood that you are running on an Intel Mac. Have you been able to get the free version of Flashificator to run on your machine?

If not, then the full version (as it is now) will prove to be just as impossible to run.

A Mac is the first thing on the shopping list by now, but it's not cheap, nor does my private economy (or my wife) permit such investments at this point in time, but it is needed in order to find the source for the installation problem on Mac's.

We need to do quite a bit of work before real testing of all functions can take place... but it's getting there.

rudders360

02-18-2008, 08:11 PM

ooooohhhhh not long now LOL! tick... tick... tick.....

Tuddi

02-18-2008, 09:48 PM

ooooohhhhh not long now LOL! tick... tick... tick.....

You are evil! ;)

... but yes, the last grains of pre-announced sand are running out of my time-glass. I wish I could see it as if the glass was half-full, and not almost empty, but I think I have to be realistic, and not overly optimistic regarding this issue.

The programming part is about to reach it's final phases, apart from final fixes, and bugs that may be present. But that is not all there is to be done before releasing the program. There is a lot more, but much SIMPLER issues, such as help (mouse over info bubbles) for every single function. That does of course involve programming, but it's more of a simple process)... and probably some interface setup issues as well.... involving grouping of functions etc.

Once again: This is the very first time I have ever taken on a project like this one, so me announcing very early on that the product would be released before Feb 20th, was more based on wish than on reality. However, if some of the challenges we met, hadn't been present, the release date would most likely have been met.

(excuses-excuses) :rolleyes:

Since the work on Flashificator started on December 12th, there has only been a single day where we didn't work on it at all... and no, that was not during the holidays... it was during sickness :) So we have done the best we could to meet the timeline, but that doesn't seem to have been quite enough.

It will take additional time, but we are not talking months here. I will fail to deliver on the first announced date (Feb 19th)... so I am reluctant to give another precise date for the release. All I can say, is that when it is ready, it will be ready. And it's not going to take forever.... even though it may feel like "forever" to some people.

rudders360

02-19-2008, 05:39 PM

Well im sure everyone will agree.. id rather wait longer for a complete, polished product that something thats going to crash and burn everytime I use it! take easypanos tourweaver for example.. a great program but its got more bugs than an ant hill! Throw a beta version at us anytime for testing Tuddi.. as Im completely inexperienced with FPP at the min I think it would be good for us to take a look... when its ready of course!!
Good luck!

discocandy

02-19-2008, 05:57 PM

Tuddi

02-19-2008, 07:04 PM

Thank you's!

Tuddi

02-21-2008, 10:05 PM

Hi, Tuddi.
Ok! But I can change and distort one flv in my pano lik pano with Ballerina?
I just download Flashificator, and now, I can put one flv in my pano, but I can distort and change the position of flv... (http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5336&postcount=18):confused:

The flashificator free version is only a "teaser". It allows you to feel the ease of use, compared to coding. But it is really REALLY limited in its functions. The xml file is empty and it's not intended for any serious use.

When we get time, a few more functions will be added to the free version, but it will remain as a "teaser" program, intended to get newbies started, but not something to be used professionally.

You can not distort or change position of the flv because there are no hotspots assigned to the free version.

You can add those things manually to your Flashificator produced file (hand coding needed).

wkaemena

02-26-2008, 12:26 AM

something new?? for the FPP GUI??

Tuddi

02-26-2008, 01:03 AM

Yes, thank you.

Every day brings something new. As you have found out, Adobe released the FULL version of AIR today... so it's finally out of BETA. My develloper was happy about that, even though he wasn't happy about the lack of release notes (Adobe must be writing those now).

The "final steps" of the Flashificator have turned into being a lot longer path than I at first thought, but everything is working well, and the end of the tunnel is probably around the next corner. I'll finally be getting a Mac in one week, and should enable us to locate the installation problem the Flashificator has for Macs, and have that fixed once and for all.

Almost everything is ready, but we need more time for eliminating (or at least diminishing) errors that can be created by conflicting commands and there is also the layout of the Flashificator and internal functions to be taken care of.... and the testing.

I'll post a new video (screen capture) in one of the coming days.

Tuddi

03-03-2008, 07:20 PM

I've been out of Lima for a few days, and won't be back for a week or so. This means that there is no further development on the Flashificator until then.

Have to get some money in the front door to be able to use it in the F-project....

rudders360

03-09-2008, 07:28 PM

Any closer to release this week Tuddi?

Tuddi

03-10-2008, 06:49 PM

I'm still in the northern part of Peru (Trujillo), and it looks as if I'll be here at least a week more. Until I return, there will be no change regarding the Flashificator.

I am in desperate need of the final product, and have been - since I bought FPP last December... so it can't be ready fast enough in my own view, but having to finance the project along with supporting my family has been too costly, especially since I put all pending jobs on hold, hoping the Flashificator would be ready much earlier.

Such is life, aided by my ignorance. :)

Tuddi

03-21-2008, 09:04 PM

Ok, I won't be back to Lima until the end of the month... things here in the north are more "relaxed" than what I am used to, but I can say with certainty that I will be back at the end of the month. No more delays can change that at all. I went here thinking it would be a one week trip... so ... well... must admit it's been a long and hot week altogether.

Anyways, here a single photo I shot last night while out walking... no special equipment or lighting or anything of the sort... I like it... hope you don't mind me plastering it here for your viewing pleasure (?)

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/KatiaAlejandraLuciaSmallFixed.jpg

islander

03-21-2008, 11:44 PM

Beautiful people you have there. Was that the moon behind the girl on the left, starting to shine through?

On another note, have you thought about a pre-release purchasing? I wouldn't mind, and maybe some more cash flow would help things move along. I don't know if I am alone on this idea?

Best regards.

Tuddi

03-21-2008, 11:56 PM

Thank you Islander. Yes it's the moon behind stray clouds. Gives a great effect.

In reality there isn't much left to do before the Flashificator is ready... the only half big thing is the "simple operation" part of it, which needs to be very easy to operate, so that even children can get through it with ease. Almost everything in the advanced operations was ready when I left. Obviously there will be some time passing after I return, until the release... both due to the work I have to put into what I have been doing here the past weeks, and other things. But when I am sure it's where it should be, I will put it online.

lc8b105

03-24-2008, 12:03 PM

Flashificator looks great! I'm a beginner of the panorama world. For me,fpp is still a little hard to use. Because I have no idea about programm.

But I want to live in this fantastic panorama world,I decide to learn Actionscript from now on,and my goal is to make a GUI for fpp which can make all the things for even multi-node tours.Or say,with it you can easily make a full project.Maybe that's will always a dream,but when I have some results about that,I'll share with you.

Until now,both "JATC" and "Flashificator" are good!
Tuddi,thanks for your work!

Tuddi

03-24-2008, 04:10 PM

my goal is to make a GUI for fpp which can make all the things for even multi-node tours.Or say,with it you can easily make a full project.

That is what Flashificator is all about. To make everything available at the click of the mouse. If you read previous posts in this thread, you will see the mentioning of "Tourificator"... as the name suggests, it will be the tour producer ... and it will be an integrated part of Flashificator Full Pro

RFHavens

03-28-2008, 02:09 AM

Tuddi (and all),

New to pano's and looking forward to the release of the commercial version.

I am having trouble installing version 0.4

I installed the Final AIR release, installed FPP v2.2.1 and when I try to install Flashificator v0.41 I get this error on the installer screen:

Sorry, an error has occurred

This application requires a version of Adobe AIR which is no longer supported. Please contact the application author for an updated version.

Do I need to uninstall the release version of AIR and install the beta?

Thanks in advance,

Robert

Tuddi

03-28-2008, 01:57 PM

Hi Robert, and welcome to the community.

Version 0.4 of Flashificator was made with the last BETA version of AIR, and will only work if it is installed with the BETA (link at the flashificator.com site).

I just arrived back to Lima last night, and things will be moving again in the development.

You can uninstall the AIR (full version) by going to Control Panel: Add Or Remove Programs and remove it from there.... and install the beta version. That will make it work (if you are on a PC of course).

panomano

04-12-2008, 09:56 PM

Hi,
I too am trying to break out of the QTVR world and just purchased FPP. I know nothing of flash so something like Flashificator would be GOOD. I am on MAC and of course encourage development for that platform. Anyway looks very promising. I will be keeping my eye on this.

Ron

gato

04-13-2008, 09:54 AM

Hi Tuddy,

you dont have to hide yourself in South America any more. We all will forgive you. Come back and forget flashificator.

gato

Tuddi

04-13-2008, 06:11 PM

Thanks for the concern Gato... but forgetting it is not an option. It was a bigger bite to chew on than I imagined it to be in the start... throwing my private economy off track in a rather unpleasant manner, but I can assure you that it's going to be worth it once it's ready.

Most of the remaining work now, is to have the "simple operation" graphical interface made. The advanced part is 95% ready. The "simplificator" (do I dare twisting more words like that? ) will contain many of the most basic operations in a manner that allows newbies and others to produce their pano with only a few clicks.... including lensflares, music, hotspots, pictures, videos etc accessed from their own simple tabs.

The project is so far from what I had in mind in the beginning... if I had known in the beginning how much it would require to complete the project, I'd probably just complained about the lack of GUI and done nothing about it.... but fortunately I didn't know.... and unfortunately I announced the release date way too early, and disappointed too many when the date could not be reached... for which I am very sorry.

Maybe, just maybe.... and don't hang me for airing the thought... I might release the full advanced version when it is complete, and when the simple operation GUI is ready, have it mailed to the buyers of the full version at no additional cost.... The advanced version is not difficult to operate, but absolute newbies might get a little confused with all the controls.

Having the release made in that manner, would absolutely save a couple of weeks or more of waiting time.

rudders360

04-25-2008, 08:28 PM

how's it coming on Tuddi? any closer to a beta release yet?

Regards.

Tuddi

04-25-2008, 09:05 PM

Well... the short answer is "yes".

The longer and more honest answer is: Yes, but it will take some more time.

What is left? A part of the hotspots interface and fine tuning is all there is left... but it is a complex thing, and has taken way longer than I thought it would... and even my developer is dismayed over the time it takes for him to finish it.

After the hotspots are ready, I will release it... and the work will continue to make the Simplificator (the simple user interface) which will enable anyone and everyone with basic english knowledge to produce what is considered as complex works today, in a couple of minutes at most.

The full version of Flashificator with Simplificator will be mailed at no additional cost to those who initially buy the pre-released full version.

Given that everything will work well and be apreciated by the FPP community, the work on the full pro version will start.

I desperately need the final product to be ready so that I can finish off panos I need to deliver to clients... no, I will not use FPP as it is... I need to preserve my "know nothing" status, in order to be able to have Flashificator as simple and functional as possible... which would be more difficult to obtain if I understood how things CAN be made with the current coding methods. I want people who know nothing about panos, coding, programming or computing, to be able to use FPP close to it's full potential through Flashificator. (There will always be something people with coding skills can do on the side, which Flashificator will not have built in, but that's just fair and acceptable.... personal touch is what it is).

Hopefully this answer gives some relief.

johnwilletts

04-27-2008, 06:34 PM

Good to hear from you again. Sorry F'or is taking so long. I 'invented' sound on PCs in the late 80s. I could write the bare bones of a program in a morning - but it would take the team six months to make it universally bug free - and that was only on PCs. Even though I was working in America, we didn't bother about Apples, the world market was too small.

In the meantime, my shooting season has started so, as I need to spend my time producing panoramas rather than wasting my time on obtuse coding so I'm using Pano2VR - not as good as FPP in some respects but at least it's GUI works!

John

Blockbuster

04-28-2008, 06:48 AM

Hi Tuddi

Here is an problem...

Tuddi

04-28-2008, 07:08 AM

Thank you for informing me. I have already mailed to my hosting company a request for checking out the server, and I will personally go through all the files I have on the domain in order to make sure there things are clean.

Tuddi

04-28-2008, 05:44 PM

Phew! Only good news to bring. I scanned the 3 puters I have used to access the site through ftp, and all 3 came up clean. I copied the contents of the domain and ran a scan on every single file, without encountering any problems at all.

The hosting company replied and here is their answer, which confirms that there is no problem on the Flashificator.com domain.

Subject: [CAU-xxxx]: virus on the domain?
From: "Canaca-Com Inc. ( Pardis )" <support@canaca.com>
Date: Mon, April 28, 2008 3:17 am
To: trausti ( at ) hraunfjord.org
Priority: Urgent
Options: View Full Header | View Printable Version

====== Please reply above this line ======
virus on the domain?

Dear Trausti Hraunfjord,

I checked your website and did not notice any problem. I have updated antivirus on my computer and did not give me any warning. So it seems that the problem is in your end and you need to remove those trojan/spywar/key logger from your computer and let us know if the problem solved or not.

Best Regards,
Canaca-Com inc.

(boldened text has been altered by me).

So no worries in regards to entering the site, but you might want to have your machine scanned with a free online scanner (http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner) that's guaranteed free from infections.

If others with same or different virus protection get similar reports, the problem could be real and I'd have to rescan everything again with different scanners. But it looks as if things are ok on my end.

Tuddi

04-29-2008, 05:54 PM

I tried to enter the domain yesterday with the latest version of Kaspersky anti virus, and got the same result as you Blockbuster. So I read up on what the kind of virus is notorious for, and it is related to (amongst other things) clicks that are to serve to get a website more visible in search engines.

There are 2 counters on the flashificator.com website. One counts how many visitors have entered (external counter) and the other one was a download counter (internal script). It seems as if Kaspersky detected the behaviour of the download counter as being this virus. We have changed to another counter, and now there is no "virus" detected on the site by Kaspersky.

Defacing of websites is not unheard of, so it COULD have been the case here, but fortunately it wasn't.

Many thanks again for reporting on this, so that it could be cleared up.

Blockbuster

04-30-2008, 07:44 AM

Hi Tuddi

The Kaspersky Engine is IMHO a really good scanner...

Now, your site is clean. ;)

Tuddi

04-30-2008, 08:02 AM

It IS very good, no doubt about that in my opinion. The AV program I normally use, is F-Prot... a program made by an Icelandic company. I first got respect for it's abilities back in 1996, when my daughters puter had been filled with virus obtained with floppies from the local library, and there was one boot virus that couldn't be removed with any of the available anti virus programs at the time. I found the F-Prot and through the edit function in DOS I accessed the vendor's info, and thought that if an Icelander had made this, I could sure as heck understand the line of thinking behind the processes. Half an hour later I had modified the program so that it was able to kill the boot virus, and the puter in question was clean.

Today, F-Prot is big internationally, and has its focus on functionality, rather than visual beauty, such as McAfee and Symantec thought would grant them a place in the hall of fame.

In any case I thank you for taking interest in advising me of the problem you encountered.

Tuddi

05-12-2008, 09:02 PM

The free version of Flashificator (http://flashificator.com/)has been updated to version 0.5 (from previous 0.4) and is now compatible with the latest full release of Adobe AIR.

Since we still haven't got a Mac to try it on, maybe some of your Mac'os'ers could check out if it works this time around (which would indicate an improved AIR platform). I don't think it will be working, but one never knows before it's been tested. So who wants to try it out and report back?

suastegui

05-13-2008, 07:46 AM

Hello Trausti,

This is what I get on a Mac. The yellow line shows how I got 0.4. The blue one is just a folder without an .air file. I suppose these are the 'ingredients'.
So, unfortunately right now this is not for Mac.
http://www.guru.ag/Flashificator_0.5.jpg
The free version of Flashificator (http://flashificator.com/)has been updated to version 0.5 (from previous 0.4) and is now compatible with the latest full release of Adobe AIR.

Since we still haven't got a Mac to try it on, maybe some of your Mac'os'ers could check out if it works this time around (which would indicate an improved AIR platform). I don't think it will be working, but one never knows before it's been tested. So who wants to try it out and report back?

Tuddi

05-13-2008, 02:13 PM

Thank you for confirming that it still doesn't want to be good with Mac users!

Well... as soon as I have some nickles and dimes to spare, I'll get a Mac so the program can be of use for everyone. But due to the time issue, that will not happen until after the first release which works for PC's.

cheathamlane

05-13-2008, 04:47 PM

Well, just to be clear -- The issue is with the Flashificator AIR package specifically, and not with AIR in general. I can run other AIR apps just fine on my Mac.

It appears there's a problem with the way the Flashificator AIR package is created, as the Macs aren't recognizing it as an AIR package.

(tuddi - -if you post another link/new version for mac i'm happy to test)

Tuddi

05-13-2008, 04:54 PM

Thank you, as soon as we have something that should be working on Macs, I'll give you a nudge.

And you are correct on this only being a Flashificator creation issue, not AIR... even though I am somewhat disillusioned on the multiplatform capability not kicking in and advising on errors that would show up in Macs when created on a PC. That will probably be added to the AIR platform in the future... but for now it is obviously better to have both platforms to develop on.

Luis

05-23-2008, 06:26 PM

Great App! but it does not for Mac :-( When? :-)

Tuddi

05-23-2008, 07:22 PM

As soon as possible.

I know that doesn't answer your question, but it's the most honest answer I can give you.

I will be uploading a new version of the free (PC/Linux only) Flashificator, since the current one doesn't suppport picture files in 0-5 and 1-6 cubic systems . Only the f-r-b-l-u-d system worked. It will also be improved on the file selection, so if you click only one file out of the 6 cubic files, it will automatically select all 6. If one or more files are missing (or wrongly spelled filename), it will advice on which file/s are missing.

Updated version will be online before monday.

Tuddi

05-25-2008, 09:02 PM

Free version 0.51 is now available for download.

It's 260.12 kb in size, compared to the previous version's 123.43 kb.

Added to the functionality is the filesystem 0-5 and 1-6 in cubefaces (should have been working, but that part of the code was simply never made).

And added simplicity when selcting files has also been implemented.
When selecting cube faces, it is now enough to select ONE of the six files, and the others will be automatically selected (given they are in the same folder as the selected one). If a file or files are missing, or mis-spelled, it will be announced to the user, preventing a project with 5 or fewer files to be made (and resulting in loading failed error), as the below screenshot demonstrates:

http://flashificator.com/MissingFileDemo.jpg

When this version of Flashificator is downloaded and installed, it will automatically look for Adobe AIR on the system. If Adobe AIR is not installed, it will automatically download and install it. Therefore there is no need for downloading/installing AIR separately.

Hopefully this will make you's happy.

Should you encounter any errors, please do not hesitate to report back.

Ps.
Flashifictor is STILL not working on Mac.

Tuddi

05-29-2008, 11:58 PM

Ps.
Flashifictor is STILL not working on Mac.

Ok, today I burned a hole in my pockets and bought a Mac, so that things can be fixed.

Now don't say that I don't do anything for you Mac users!! ;)

If I could have done this earlier, I would have.

Tuddi

05-31-2008, 05:33 AM

http://flashificator.com/compatible.png

Yes, that's the good news from here.

Flashificator does work it's wonders on Mac, Windows and Linux now.

I hereby welcome all Mac OS X users to download and mass-test the application, and please report back on your findings. Be those good or bad findings.

Captain Canary

05-31-2008, 09:41 AM

Hi

I am new to FPP so forgive my ignorance. I would love to use the Flashificator GUI. However I have purchased FPP v2.2.1 and installed Adobe Air, but when I have downloaded Flashificator V0.52 and unzipped the files, there is not a .air file to allow me to install.

What am I doing wrong? Can any one help please.

Many thanks

Tuddi

05-31-2008, 10:08 AM

When you download Flashificator, you only get it as a single file named:

Flashificator v0.52.air

Open the file, and it will automatically install itself (follow instructions on the Flashificator site). This file is not to be unzipped... only to be installed.

The process is very simple and easy.

Right now I downloaded and installed the file, just to make sure it was functioning correctly, and it was.

suastegui

05-31-2008, 10:22 AM

Hello Trausti,

please make a downloadable zipped .air-file, as some users may not be able to download it properly(Flashificator.zip). I had to adapt my MIME types before I could.

Captain Canary

05-31-2008, 01:12 PM

Hi Trausti

Thanks for the prompt reply. I have downloaded again but still do not get the single .air file. I get a zipped file containing 2 folders (META-INF and AppIconsForAIRPublish) and 3 files (swfobject.js, mimetype, Flashificator.swf).
I need further help....sorry

Tuddi

05-31-2008, 04:39 PM

Hello Trausti,

please make a downloadable zipped .air-file, as some users may not be able to download it properly(Flashificator.zip). I had to adapt my MIME types before I could.

Thank you for the suggestion. The file is now in .zip format, and should give no problems. IF it does, do not hesitate to report back. I'm still blissfully ignorant of how the Mac works... so things like this are bound to happen.

Please try again and see how things go.

Thanks.

Tuddi

06-03-2008, 06:39 AM

Attached is all I could save from google cache. I think that 4 posts got lost in this thread due to the update of the forums software. A small price to pay for the forums to get better and safer.

http://upload.hraunfjord.org/files/PSavedFromGoogleCache.jpg

Bruce Hemming

06-04-2008, 11:04 AM

Hi Tuddi

Just used the new installer and all worked perfectly - Mac OS 10.4.11 on 24 inch Intel Core Duo IMac with 2.33 GHZ processor and 3 gb RAM.

Very fast and trouble free installation and operation - thank you very much. First example <http://www.bhphoto.biz/sail/sail.html>

One query, what is a FLV Player? sorry to be dense but this is all totally new to me. Seems a bit rude to ask having only just started with Flash but are you planning to add features similar to Pleinpot? - ie button bar and captioning - is it possible even? Shows my ignorance but if there is an opportunity in the future then it would be on my wish list.

Thanks again for a great solution for those challenged by coding:rolleyes:

Best

Bruce

Tuddi

06-04-2008, 03:40 PM

Hello and welcome Bruce.

This is very good news to me indeed! The first external confirmation of the package working.

Now we just have to figure out what causes the problems for other Mac users.

FLV player. That stands for Flash Video Player. YouTube and other sites displaying flash video use that technology.

If you want to add a video in your pano, you will need to convert... or download a .flv video... or link to one (not possible to link one through the Free version of Flashificator).

PleinPot.... I had never heard of it until reading your above post.

The full version of Flashificator will have a 6 months long list of possibilites to apply to the panoramas, that of course includes a "dashboard" and a whole lot of other goodies. With FPP, almost everything is possible, and that will be reflected in the Flashificator.
We will keep our brains, eyes and ears open for new features and improvements for the Full comercial version, while the Free version will remain very simple and basic.

Very interesting pano you made there. What equipment did you use? It seems as if the whole thing was shot in no more than 2 shots. Very well done (only a couple of ropes in front of the sail in need of a tie-up).

Many thanks for bringing this good news, and please do not hesitate to let me know if you encounter some problems or get a good idea you'd like to see implemented in the full version.

Bruce Hemming

06-05-2008, 10:16 AM

Hi Tuddi

I've made a few more tests and so far no problems to report, everything working as it should. The example "sail" was made from the .mov file and I also extracted cube faces and successfully used those as well. I don't know what problems others are reporting and I'm no programmer but if I can help in any way please let me know.

I use Cubic Convertor to make a .mov from an equirectangular. If you are not familiar with CC - it is able to set parameters for tiling, static/motion quality, zoom values and tilt restrictions and as an experiment I tried Flashificator on a .mov with restricted tilt values and it had stripped that parameter once turned into a Flash project. I'm assuming if that is the case that it is also stripping all parameter values which will affect the quality of the display so I think that I'll need to experiment with cube face sizes for best quality.

Pleinpot <http://www.qtbridge.com/pleinpot/pleinpot.html> creates full screen panos and has other features - see <http://www.bhphoto.biz/ARTEMIS/sail.html> for the yacht pano made in Pleinpot.

The pano on the yacht was shot with 4 around using a 10.5mm Nikon lens (with lens hood shaved) on my EOS 5D. The camera mounted on a monopod with a Bo Bracket which enables rapid rotation to minimize the effect of a moving shooting platform. The mismatched rope is clumsy work on my part - a missed bit when blending layers in PS which I haven't had the time to correct. The horizon isn't straight either but near enough to get away with.

Flash is all completely new to me but you have got me started and that's the main thing.

Regards

Bruce

Tuddi

06-05-2008, 06:43 PM

I tried Flashificator on a .mov with restricted tilt values and it had stripped that parameter once turned into a Flash project.

Well.... actually it's FPP in the background that does the stripping of the values. Maybe a future version of FPP will be able to keep values set in QT .mov's but as of now, it's not possible.

Cube faces are the best source for quality display using FPP, especially after the size limitation Adobe put on Flash last December... so I recommend cube faces to be used. That's where you can get the best performance and quality. Equirectangular images distort in zenith and nadir... as a result of a bug in FPP.... so those I don't use at all.

Other Mac users willing to give it a try again?

Bruce Hemming

06-05-2008, 07:59 PM

Well.... actually it's FPP in the background that does the stripping of the values. Maybe a future version of FPP will be able to keep values set in QT .mov's but as of now, it's not possible.

Cube faces are the best source for quality display using FPP, especially after the size limitation Adobe put on Flash last December... so I recommend cube faces to be used.

Thanks for that tip Tuddi, I'm working with cube faces between 1500 and 1800 pixels wide - is there an optimum size to use?

Thanks

Bruce

cheathamlane

06-05-2008, 08:24 PM

Hey Bruce:

It's always a trade-off between file size and quality of image. At 1500-1800 per cube face, you can get some really nice fullscreen panos in the 2-4MB range.

Tuddi

06-09-2008, 04:48 AM

Without promising any specific date, I can say that my personal countdown to the full version has started. There is very little left in the base-code to be done, compared to the whole project. After the base coding, there is the implementation of the publicly available plugins from Denis... maybe others as well if you, the users really really want something different (you'd have to inform of your wishes before they can be considered/implemented.... since I am not a mind reader by profession).

Then there is the simplificator (simple operation GUI)... that will take some time to lay out properly, but not months.... if all goes well.

The tourificator will be at least half-made with the first full version. It will be easy to make tours, but there will be a few issues that can be made better in a future version.

The end is nigh... and that is good, from my point of view.

danilo

06-09-2008, 06:59 AM

This is good news!

Is the price already set for this program?

Amanda

Without promising any specific date, I can say that my personal countdown to the full version has started. There is very little left in the base-code to be done, compared to the whole project. After the base coding, there is the implementation of the publicly available plugins from Denis... maybe others as well if you, the users really really want something different (you'd have to inform of your wishes before they can be considered/implemented.... since I am not a mind reader by profession).

Then there is the simplificator (simple operation GUI)... that will take some time to lay out properly, but not months.... if all goes well.

The tourificator will be at least half-made with the first full version. It will be easy to make tours, but there will be a few issues that can be made better in a future version.

The end is nigh... and that is good, from my point of view.

Tuddi

06-09-2008, 08:14 AM

The price will be 55 euros.... and every eurocent will be worth it, even for hard-core coders who eat xml files for breakfast.

As an example, it will take no more than a couple of minutes to click out a pano with 20 hotspots with different hotspot images, different effects (filters), auto rotator, video, mp3, auto presentation, lensflares, dashboard graphics etc. Something that takes MANY couple of minutes for professional coders today.

I want things to work perfectly for computer/coding/programming impaired people, and that is where the Simplificator part of the program comes in. What you want to do, can be done, simply by clicking the things you want.

The Flashificator is going to make FPP the tool of choice for pano professionals, and if I don't f*** it up, it even might set the standard in easy maneuvering for the various programs of the panoworld.

My developer also has a whole bunch of ideas for version 2.0... some radically revolutionary issues that will probably blow a mind or two.... but that's out there in the future... first things first.... The full version is coming along very nicely now, and ALL the big obstacles have been overcome. I am still disappointed it couldn't be published in February... but it was simply not possible based on one man's programming efforts, which was/is what my budget could/can manage... and my TOTAL ignorance on the subject of program development became a known issue all around the world :rolleyes:

Just a side note: The error in the programming, preventing it from being compatible with Mac's, was a SINGLE MISSING SLASH "/" ... that very slash cost me the investment in the Mac and the associated programs. My developer had located and fixed the problem a couple of minutes after everything had been installed and run the first time.

I would like to hear you people's opinion on the price... now that it's out in the open. Can the price be lower? Yes, sure, but I need to regain my costs, plus... the service I will use online for the sales takes 5% fee for all transactions plus one euro, my bank takes 6% off every transaction, and then there is taxation of 30% and so on. This project drained my budget quite quickly and has been ongoing for the past 6 months. It's not been cheap or easy... which is probably why there hasn't been any FPP gui made prior to Flashificator.

Now I am ranting... better stop before it's too late. :)

Paddy2a

06-09-2008, 08:49 AM

The price seems fine Tuddi,
I'm sure it will be a great success.
Regards,
Paddy

HansNyberg

06-09-2008, 09:16 AM

danilo

06-09-2008, 12:55 PM

The price sounds fine to me!
Can't wait!

Amanda

RFHavens

06-12-2008, 02:49 AM

Price looks fine to me as well. I am quietly waiting in a corner, in the dark, and it may rain.....oh, that is something else...anyway, really looking forward to the release of version 1 and later versions! Can you feel the creativity from everyone ready to be set free?

Thanks,

Robert

Tuddi

06-13-2008, 07:00 PM

Thank you Paddy, Amanda and Robert for your positive attitude towards the pricing. It is good for me to know that you don't think it to be too expensive.

The following 3 areas available through FPP will be left out in the Full version:

Local connection, External Interface and Javascript

To have these built in as well, would take a LARGE amount of coding time, and that won't happen now. Those WILL be completely built into the Full PRO version... a year or so into the future, along with many other goodies that will make panolife easier.

Here follows a relevant question/reply from the flashpanoramas google groups:

Hi, i have Mac Os X 10.3.9 ( Panther ), and i get an error when i
unzip zip file, does it works with Panther ?

I am trying to download adobe air for Panther, but it says in the page
it doesnt work with Panther, is there any chance to get previous
version which works with Panther ?

Thanks

Regards

Carlos

Hi Carlos.

The Adobe AIR platform is relatively new on the market, and the first
non beta version was released only a couple or so months back.

Flashificator does not work without AIR, and AIR does not work on
Panther. :(

Here is the relevant information from Adobe on system requirements for
installing AIR on Mac:

==================================
==================================
Mac OS X
PowerPC® G4 1GHz or faster processor or Intel Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or
faster processor
Mac OS X v10.4.910 or 10.5.1 (PowerPC); Mac OS X v10.4.9 or later,
10.5.1 (Intel)
512MB of RAM
For Adobe® AIR™ applications featuring full-screen video playback, the
following hardware configurations are recommended:

http://www.adobe.com/products/air/systemreqs/
==================================
==================================

Even the beta versions required an updated Tiger or the Leopard, so in
order to have it work, you need to update your OS. :(

In the above link the minimum requirements for PC's are also found.

Best regards and good luck.

Trausti

wkaemena

06-14-2008, 10:20 PM

After many months of ignorance due to the initial problems of the flashificator on Mac, I returned today and found the working and free version 0.52. It works great and unbelievable fast. As I could not find some answers here my questions:

- what is the Fullscreen Menu function doing , could not see anything on the pano. :(

- and for what is the FLV Player option.:confused:
Would be nice if somebody could shed some light on it :o

Tuddi

06-15-2008, 09:14 AM

Hi wkaemena. Long time no seen!

Many thanks for having tried (and succeeded) on using the Mac compatible Flashificator.

What the Full screen is doing.

Well, if you make a pano with the Flashificator and have added the function of Full screen menu, you will have the following line in your xml:

layer_4 = menuFullscreen.swf

(It might be on a different layer than _4 though)

Open the pano in your browser and make a click inside the pano with the mouse' right button (if you have a PC mouse) or press control and then click the mouse (if using a Mac mouse).

You should get a menu displaying the following:

Go Full Screen
Exit Full Screen (greyed out, unless you are already in full screen, then the above "Go Full Screen" is greyed out)
________________________
About Flash Panorama Player
________________________
Settings
About Adobe Flash Player 9...

If you have NOT selected the option of Full Screen, then you will have the following in the menu:

About Flash Panorama Player
________________________
Settings
About Adobe Flash Player 9...

So basically it adds the option of going to and exiting full screen without using the orange "Open" and "Close" buttons you get with the "Fullscreen button" option (you can use both though).

And as to what the FLV player option is.

FLV stands for Flash Video (player). If you have a .flv file (flash video file), you can select this option and incorporate the file in the panorama.

Many online video services use .flv files, youtube too, just to name the biggest one. You can get free programs that can convert different video format files into .flv files, and use those.

Here is a small example of how this can be used:

http://shortify.com/7489

As you can see in the example, the "Open" button will open the VIDEO to full screen, and NOT the pano. This is simply because the Free Flashificator version does not have any hotspot functions, so it is very very basic in functionality.

Hopefully this cleared up your questions.

And many thanks again for your positive post, expressing how good/fast/useful you found the Flashificator to be.

wkaemena

06-15-2008, 10:47 AM

Thanks a lot. The fist one I saw but thought that would be a standard flash feature....

and the FLV thing is way cool thanks a lot.

wkaemena

06-15-2008, 11:15 AM

I made a test with that flv movie option and encountered one problem. The Full Screen button now makes the flv video fullscreen and not the pano... :p

gato

06-15-2008, 05:09 PM

Tuddi

06-15-2008, 05:51 PM

I made a test with that flv movie option and encountered one problem. The Full Screen button now makes the flv video fullscreen and not the pano... :p
Hai wkaemena, hai tuddi,

thats right. I see the same on mac...

go on

Thanks for reporting, but this is not a "problem" per se. As I wrote in the last post:

....you can see in the example, the "Open" button will open the VIDEO to full screen, and NOT the pano. This is simply because the Free Flashificator version does not have any hotspot functions

The full version of course is a different ballgame, while the Free version is extremely limited and only intended as a taste of how easy it is to work with FPP through the Full Flashificator version. But it also gives code-impaired people - like myself - a chance to make simple panos quickly.

wkaemena

06-15-2008, 08:54 PM

OK we will patiently wait for the full version..... hopefully to come soon happy to pay for it....:)

Bruce Hemming

06-18-2008, 01:59 PM

Bruce

It may be different on different computers but using movies is very slow if you use many tiles.
Your pano was very slow so I downloaded it to check.
I can see you used 5x5 tiling so you have 150 tiles + same for previews.

I have a superfast connection 15 megabit so the actual download took less than 5 sec, However on my dualcore 2.0 G5 8 gb ram it took 50 sec to parse the tiles and display the pano.
If you want to use movies do not use more than 3x3 tiling or at the best just use standard 6 cubefaces.
Not sure if the previews can confuse the movdecoder and ad some time.
I never use previews as they always makes problems in firefox Mac.

Hans

Thanks Hans, those are very useful tips which I will bear in mind. That was just a first attempt and any kind of result was very pleasing.

Bruce

Bruce Hemming

06-18-2008, 02:05 PM

Hi Tuddi

I have 55 euros burning a hole in my pocket right now - the price is right for me and I'm looking forward to a great product.

Regards

Bruce

Tuddi

06-18-2008, 08:30 PM

Thanks... my bank account which is as empty of money, as Bush's account of credibility is, will be happy to receive the payments.

You WILL be getting a good product, but there will also be a lot of updated improvements to come, starting shortly after the first release, and as always, I will gladly listen to suggestions of improvements.... cause I have no doubt in my mind, that things can be improved.

The payment service will be www.shareit.com ... the same as Denis uses for the sales of FPP, so no one who has FPP should have any difficulty getting the Flashificator.

In the next updated package of FPP, there will be information to the users about Flashificator and a link to the site for a download of the free version.

Denis will also offer a package of FPP+Flashificator Full version from his site, and I will offer the same service:

Flashificator Full
Flashificator Full + FPP

... and a few other ideas are rumbling in my head, which I hope to be able to pull through.

The above package choices SHOULD be possible within the shareit.com services.

Now that is out in the open... finally :)

Tuddi

06-19-2008, 12:32 AM

Relevant information for features to be included:

http://flashpanoramas.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8173#post8173

cheathamlane

06-19-2008, 12:38 AM

Denis will also offer a package of FPP+Flashificator Full version from his site, and I will offer the same service:

Flashificator Full
Flashificator Full + FPP

... and a few other ideas are rumbling in my head, which I hope to be able to pull through.

What, no bundled flashpanos.com plugins?! ;)

Tuddi

06-19-2008, 01:19 AM

What, no bundled flashpanos.com plugins?! ;)

It's not that I haven't given it a thought.

But...

... the Flashificator will have an interface available for all plugins made by Denis, and when time allows, more plugins will be made by my developer and incorporated into Flashificator with an easy to use interface. Even donated plugins could be added (where the author of the plugin has given a permission for the plugin to be bundled and built into the Flashificator).

But that is as far as it goes. Building an interface for a plugin I don't/can't provide people with at no additional cost, would cost time for my developer, and that means "blood"-money out of my pocket.

You have done some remarkable plugins which you offer people to buy at - what I consider to be - a symbolic price. On this end, I will have to try and have my developer to match or exceed your great work... that's going to be a challenge! ;)

Tuddi

06-30-2008, 12:44 AM

Finally!

The basic coding for Flashificator is over... only a few minutes ago... and I'm about to install and start testing it on my PC.... last I heard from the developer before turning to my own corner, was: "What the hell... how does this work on a Mac?"
... He will figure that out.... and pave the way for other Mac users.

Going to install now and try it out... it's been a long long waiting for me... and others.

vrtour.eu

06-30-2008, 04:51 PM

Hi Tuddi,

I can’t wait. I’m very curious to al the work you have done the last couple of months.

Surprise us :D

Gr, HarryA

Tuddi

06-30-2008, 09:35 PM

Hi and welcome Harry.

Don't give me all the credit. It's my developer who has been buried with his head in the project for the past 6 months who deserves it, but thanks anyways.

I have already found a few small issues that need to be corrected/improved, and one serious one ... that has to be taken care of tonight when the developer comes over to work. Nothing unexpected though. There will undoubtedly be a few more fixes needed, and then it's mostly work on the simplificator. That is the part I really look forward to... and in that work I will be putting my thumbprint on everything I can.

Still a lot of work to be done, but yesterday marked a very important milestone in the project. Most things from here on out, should be much easier to implement.

Tuddi

07-07-2008, 01:03 AM

Thanks Patrick for pointing out the obvious (the need to inform of what's going on with the project).

So. Here it goes.

1. Basic coding finished one week ago (sunday June 30th).
2. I've been testing since then.
3. Bugfixes/and implementation of failsafe's has been the daily job of the developer for the past week.
4. Reconstruction of the UI is in the process now, since the first idea I had, was simply not good enough.

It will be possible for the user to switch the pano-preview window to 4:3 and 16:10 and apart from that the preview window will be scalable to whatever size the user wants, limited at full screen.

Standard control panel (info, left, right, up, down, autorotator) can be applied with a couple of clics of the mouse. The standard images can easily be exchanged with one's own custom images in the apropriate dashboard folder.

When Flashificator will be released (during this month), it will not have everything made and perfectly ready, but I will update it frequently (will limit the updates to only once per day as maximum) and let the paying clients know through the proper channels so they can update on their end.

Bug reports and suggestions of improvements from the userbase will be welcomed and reacted upon.

I have previously announced the price of the Full version to be 55 euros, and now you can see it confirmed here as well.

This project has become much much bigger than I anticipated in the beginning, where I had an idea of it to be just a little more than the free version. Now I have a better understanding of how "time flies". I seriously thought it could be finished off in February, based on how quickly the developer managed to make the free version... but now I know better... there never should have been any comparison between the free and the full version at all.

Ps to Patrick.
I actually wrote this in the flashpanos forums Flashificator section, but now that section is *gone*.

When I tried to post it, the following was the result:

Access denied
You are not authorized to access this page.

... and no trace of the thread. :???:

cheathamlane

07-07-2008, 01:38 AM

Ps to Patrick.
I actually wrote this in the flashpanos forums Flashificator section, but now that section is *gone*.

Hi Tuddi:

Huh, when I removed the GUIs section of the flashpanos.com forums, the only post in the Flashificator section was over 5 weeks old.

Note that removing this forum also removed the JATC (Just another tour creator) section.

There had been so little activity -- none in JATC, and only your single 5+ week old post in Flashificator -- that I decided it was easiest to remove them rather than have them look stale. A work in progress...

If you think there's a need for a Flashificator forum at flashpanos.com I can reintroduce it... but you seem well ensconced here in the FPP forums.

[postscript: and tuddi, reading between our lines :) , politeness would have had me inform you of this beforehand; apologies.]

Tuddi

07-07-2008, 02:10 AM

Thank you for clearing it up, and don't worry... I do understand that you'd prefer having topics that move at least once a month :) My fault.

For now I don't think there really is a need for specific flashificator forum, but possibly when it is out of the box and people start using it and such. I have reserved google groups for Flashificator (clients only), and another one for announcements only (no discussions available there, so people can opt out of the discussions, without missing out on updates.

And this here is where the idea of the whole thing took place, and it is basically made for FPP users, so I think the brunt of the discussions (if any) can take place here, benefitting the whole FPP community. But we'll just have to wait and see how things go when that time comes.

Tuddi

07-19-2008, 10:36 AM

Latest update on the situation. Good news... and ... well... let's just be positive... shall we?

The past almost 3 weeks have been quite busy on this end with bug locating, fixing, planning and testing and testing and testing... and then some more testing if you were wondering.

Discocandy (one of our moderators) has had a couple or so days with the "latest" version and the version before that for testing. I have also sent Denis a copy for testing yesterday. This is the full version in advanced version only. The simplification has not been implemented or even fully figured out, nor has the "Plugins" tab been made or configured.

Everything works ... seemingly... I do expect some bugs to be hanging in the corners, and they will be dealt with when they are found.

The following links lead to screenshots of the current version (version number is 2 behind what's under it's hood).... but this is also the last time this will be seen... more about that after the links.

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC1.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC2.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC3.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC4.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC5.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC6.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC7.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC8.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC9.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC10.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC11.jpg
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/1FFC12.jpg

Yes, that's the last you will see of this Flashificator, since it is undergoing COMPLETE restructuring both visually and in the code.

The release date is STILL to be this month... even when time is running out from under my feet at increasing speeds.

Why remake it and not just publish it since it does work?
Because it can be made much easier to operate and to update for the developer when it has been packed into it's new environment.

After it has been released, it will be updated as frequently as needed.

If not for anything else, you can now see that it's not only been hot air coming from my backside over the past 7 months... it's been quite a ride, and it's going to continue, but at least you will be able to get it within too long.

My baby is about to be born... and it ain't got no mama!

phberlin

07-19-2008, 12:31 PM

Hi Tuddi,

this looks promising! I'm still not sure about the actual pricing and I'll simply wait for the final release information. For me, it's going to be a nice-to-have, but still I could do it all by hand; so, the price is going to be the factor that makes me buy it or not.

Anyway, I wish you all the best with you "baby" and I'm sure your efforts are much appreciated by many users. I hope there will be enough buyers to fit your bill.

Best regards,
Philipp

vrtour.eu

07-19-2008, 04:08 PM

Looks good, is very promising… I stay home this month, so I don’t miss the formal release :)
I will be one of your first customer……

danilo

07-20-2008, 11:21 AM

Hi,

It looks verry nice!
Will there also be a option to add maps?

Thanks, Amanda

Tuddi

07-20-2008, 12:38 PM

Thanks to all.

Philipp, the pricing is of course always a factor. Both for the seller as well as for the buyer. I put it as low as possible, and knowing that "time is money" for most professionals and enthusiasts alike, I don't think I am aiming too high... or even high... at all. The reaction I have received from many free version users, is overwhelmingly positive, and most are people who have no coding skills or interest or time to learn that trait, so the market is absolutely there, and my personal bankruptcy caused by the development will hopefully be restored to normal poverty again :)

Thanks Amandaa... but it's looking even better in the final first version (which we are literally working on day and night). Better organized than what you see in the screenshots and a whole lot more of good stuff that is there and that will be coming there.

With maps, you mean Google maps? If you do, then that is absolutely one of the things I have noted down as something to be looked into. It will not be coming with the first releases, since there is a lot of other "more important" functions to be dealt with first, but hopefully that can be managed later on.

Tuddi

07-22-2008, 03:40 AM

Here a first preview of the new version's general look:

As you can see, the toolbox is detatched from the preview window. This screenshot does NOT represent the final layout, but is intended to give a general idea about it. The preview window will be scalable from a miniature one, upto a full screen (with many presets available, for checking how projects will look on different screen resolutions).

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/FULLpreviewVersion.png

Comparing it to the initial work-in-progress copy, this is out of the kindergarden and onto the professional scene.

Focus is on functionality.... making things look "sweet" in the interface is of no importance (now) since it should be a working tool, not a tool for some beauty contest.

Anyone have a thought to share on the new layout?

rudders360

07-22-2008, 02:50 PM

I bought FPP back in Jan... in anticpation of the impending release of FPP GUI.. SO COME ON TUDDI PULL UR BLOODY FINGER OUT!!!....:D LOL only joking... I know perfection takes time! looking forward to enjoying FPP more with whats obviously going to be a life saver! my euros are ready and waiting!

Regards.

kieranmullen

07-29-2008, 08:12 AM

Look forward to seeing the final product
Thank you!

danilo

08-01-2008, 05:32 AM

Looking forward for the full version!

When we work with flashificator we can give you a lot more feedback :D

Amanda

Tuddi

08-01-2008, 05:03 PM

And so... the deadline came and passed away... and still the Flashificator project is not finished.

A big apology to everyone who were counting on it to reach the deadline this time... including me.

What is the plan, what is new, what is going on?

First off: There will be no "Flashificator Pro" version as I thought there would be.

.... and there will be no version #1 of the "Flashificator Full"....

Version #1 has simply been bagged and drowned... The first release will be ver. #2 (which was intended to become the “Pro” version, and it will be with the price label of the (now abandoned) ver.#1.

One commercial version only - containing everything. No complifications on price or different commercial versions.

As we worked our way through the first version (0.6 - 0.965) we had a lot of things to correct and improve. One thing in particular was a huge headache: Functions.

Functions were complicated. Too complicated. Functions were TERRIBLY complicated.... and that’s not what Flashificator was to be all about. Quite the contrary. So for the re-written version, we changed it to a more simple system... but ... I had a grumpy face every single time I sat in front of it. It was NOT (swearing profoundly) pleasing me in any way.... several gallons of coffee couldn’t get me to accept that mind-numbing madness having to become a part of Flashificator… and I stared, moved things around… and was grumpy….

The two first images show the contents of the Visualization tabs:

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-1.gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-2.gif

Next two show the Hotspot tabs:

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-3.gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-4.gif

Next two show the Filters tabs:

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-5gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-6.gif

And to horrify yourself, you can see the Functions tabs in images 7, 8, 9 and 10.... those 4 weren't even the end of that Functions nightmare... a system of COMPLETE confusion and idiocy... but still easier to manage than the first system... at least I could follow my path through the first 3-4 gates, compared to an empty stupefying stare at the starting position on the first system.

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-7.gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-8.gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-9.gif
http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-10.gif

And here is a screenshot where the pano preview is for the whole screen (minus top bar) and with some basic comments on what is what and what is not:

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-FullscreenWithComments.jpg

Because of a fantastic, very hard-working developer, there is now a replacement for the "improved" Functions system. It is a dream come true. Simplification at its best. Even I can use it without getting lost, weary and grumpy. REALLY! It is still being worked on, so I only offer this one (limited) screenshot of it.. and no explanation on how it does its magic:

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/FFC2-Functionator-Preview.gif

There will be a possibility to save projects to files which Flashificator can read and bring up whenever the user wants to revisit older or in-progress projects. Functions will be savable to individual function files, which can be used in other projects or for multiple hotspots in the same project etc. These file savings will come in some of the future updates - not in the first release.

The list of "to do in the future" things is getting quite long, and the list of "to fix now" is getting shorter (in the low 30's now).

It's absolutely not that we have had the fingers in certain places... there has been no time for such “pleasures”. In the past month it's been work 24/31 for the project, and we really thought it was possible to get it out at least on the last day of July... and it might have... if not the (swearing even more profoundly than before) functions had taken too much of the time, only to end up being lost time.

One of the things I am very glad for, is the customizable preview window, which can be made fit the screen it is viewed on ("full" screen), and to see what the project looks like on other commonly used monitor sizes. Should be good for those who don't have access to more than one monitor format.

So when WILL it be ready and published?

The next thing you will see from me in these forums is going to be the release announcement (stating that it has been made available for purchasing online, with a link to the "shop", and possibly to some demo videos).

No more posts by me until then... and if you thought you'd be free from my rants for a very long time - I'm sure you will be disappointed.

cheathamlane

08-04-2008, 08:26 PM

Tuddi:

Looks like you're working hard... :)

Regarding the hotspots tab(s) -- what is going to happen when you have, say, 30 or 40 hotspots in your pano?

Tuddi

08-04-2008, 08:51 PM

Tuddi:

Looks like you're working hard... :)

Regarding the hotspots tab(s) -- what is going to happen when you have, say, 30 or 40 hotspots in your pano?

http://flashificator.com/1/FFCfullScreenshots/2/HSdrawerSliders.jpg

;)

discocandy

08-16-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi All

Tuddi Showed me a preview video from the upcoming flashificator.
A small video how the lensflare will work inside Flashificator.
Trully a very nice piece of work we will enjoy!
It gives a good glimpse on how simple the program will be..
just touch a few buttons and you are off!!

http://flashificator.com/1/AddingLensflare/AddingLensflare.html

thnx Tuddi. For alowing me to post this link!:D;)

thatkeith

08-18-2008, 04:39 PM

Tuddi

08-19-2008, 02:30 AM

Breaking my own silence... since the deadline I annouced in the google groups has passed.

Keith. Let me express my gratitude for you not having held your breath... or I could be facing murder charges!

Why you can't get the file to correctly open sounds strange.

Here you can see a video of the process installing it on the mac on this end:

http://flashificator.com/1/InstallingFlashificatorOnMac/InstallingFlashificatorOnMac.html

... so no need to worry about the claims being real or not, cause they are.

Sorry for the horrible quality, but I don't have screen capture program for the Mac....

It downloads, installs and operates correctly on the mac, and ALL the development of the program is indeed taking place on the Mac I bought for the project a couple or so months back. We are running on the latest Leopard OS X (10.5.3), but your Tiger SHOULD be capable of running it as well, according to Adobe's AIR requirements:

http://www.adobe.com/products/air/systemreqs/

Mac OS X
Intel Core™ Duo 1.83GHz or faster processor;
PowerPC® G4 1GHz or faster processor
Mac OS X 10.4.11 or Mac OS X 10.5.2
512MB of RAM

If your processor meets the minimum requirements, there should be no problem at all.

I trust you have made sure that the previous attemps of non-mac compatible Flashificator versions have been erased from your system and that you have the latest (non beta) version of AIR installed?

If there are others who have similar issues, we would very much like to hear about it. If someone has had a similar issue and been able to resolve it, it would be even more interesting to hear about!

And thanks again Freddy for posting the link to the lensflare creation here during my self-inflicted time of silence.

mickael

08-19-2008, 11:01 AM

I'm looking forward to the big release of Flashificator 2/Pro, although I'm rather glad that I didn't hold my breath when it was first mentioned.

What I'm more concerned about is my complete inability to use the 0.52 version on my Mac (Mac OS X 10.4.11, Intel). The zip file downloads but it just is *not* an Air package in any form, and renaming it with .air doesn't help.

Do I need to do something to turn the folder to the necessary .air package somehow? Are the posts that claim success on Macs really real?

k

same here on 10.4.11, it unzips the archive then briefly shows an AIR app before turning the package into a folder making it unusable. The trick for me was do download and unzip on Leopard then sending myself the plain AIR package. Distribution as a .dmg also solves the issue. Let me now if you need me to send you a .dmg file

hth

-m

Tuddi

08-19-2008, 11:32 AM

Thanks for this info Mickael. I will have my developer to prepare a .dmg file and upload it later today.

Many thanks again!

mickael

08-19-2008, 02:16 PM

de nada.

One question as I started playing with this thing I noticed the toot mentions: "Amongst the outputfiles is a .html file containing the name of the project, with the panorama picture embedded."
Don't know where I went wrong here but no matter how I try I get no html in the output, am I missing sth ?

Tuddi

08-20-2008, 01:34 AM

We have added a DMG file to the domain, and I would very much apreciate it if you Tiger users (and Leopard users as well) could report back if this is working correctly or not.

If the program doesn't produce the HTML file, it is not working properly.

Bruce Hemming

08-20-2008, 05:43 PM

Still working fine here Trausti. I downloaded the dmg file without a problem. It then told me that I already had the same version installed - which I knew because it was already working OK.

I have it in my Hard Drive Applications folder - not the user folder. OS 10.4.1.1 on a 24 inch IMac. I've been testing it using the QT .mov files - which I know is not necessarily the best or most efficient way, but works fine for a quick test. Interestingly when I went to some of my very old QT files - pre 03, the loader stopped almost immediately and wouldn't make any progress.

I wonder if this is something to do with the version of QT used in compiling the .mov file?

That sound you here in the background is the pound notes in my pocket jumping up and down waiting to go on holiday to Peru;) - seriously, I'm sure the wait for Pro will be well worth it.

regards

Bruce

mickael

08-20-2008, 09:11 PM

We have added a DMG file to the domain, and I would very much apreciate it if you Tiger users (and Leopard users as well) could report back if this is working correctly or not.

it's working fine I installed it over my previous app and it all went smoothly.

If the program doesn't produce the HTML file, it is not working properly.
I just checkied again and it did produce an html file when I fed it with cube faces, but it did not when fed with a .mov file

Hyde

08-23-2008, 02:42 AM

its strange - the first time i tried it, it made the HTML file. now it does not. i am also selecting the .mov file.

any ideas for a fix? i deleted it and the prefs and re-installed but it still will not create the HTML file.

Tuddi

08-23-2008, 02:53 AM

Looks as if Tiger simply can't handle the AIR application properly. That's bad news.

Hyde

08-23-2008, 06:39 AM

[REDACTED - everything works perfect]

thank you Hans and Tuddi.

everything works and works incredibly well. Denis was unfortunately of little help :(

i went through my email archive and found the 2.01 zip file, the 2.1 zip file, and the 2.2 zip file. i had been blindly just using the newest version not realizing that half the components were missing and that i had to drag some files over still from the older folders to have a complete set. once they were all located and the movDecoder was updated - everything (including Flashificator) works spectacularly well.

my hats off to you gentlemen for working your asses off to create and hone such a great alternative to QuickTime for virtual tour projectors.

now, i'll have to pick your brains about fine-tuning my panos when i come to an impasse.

- Hyde

Hyde

08-23-2008, 07:05 AM

[redacted]

Tuddi

08-23-2008, 06:07 PM

Hi again.

As Hans mentioned, the FPP you are using is a version prior to 2.2, and as such it will not work with Flashificator.

I downloaded your zip file to check the dates:

jake.swf (pano.swf) 25.3.2007
glassMeter.swf 25.9.2007
openFullscreen 7.10.2007
movDecoder 8.10.2007

The files should be from the following dates in order to work:

pano.swf 8.10.2007
glassMeter.swf 25.9.2007
openFullscreen.swf 7.10.2007
movDecoder.swf 12.10.2007

I know from other users who have had older versions than 2.2.1 that things will not work.

Looking forward to hear from you again when you have the updated files, and hopefully things will work out well for you.

Tuddi

08-25-2008, 07:29 AM

Ok, I had promised some of you's that at the end of this weekend I would know more about the prospects of a release date. Based on the work that could be done during the past days (and nights), I can safely say that this isn't over yet... and that really bothers me. But ... I would like you people to see where things are as of now... I have promised ease of use right from the start, and that is something I really try my best to have implemented to the program. What you are about to see, is still filled with bugs and errors, but it works well enough for this small demonstration. The bugs and errors will be eliminated, things will be made easier for the end user (me amongst others)... here is the link:

http://flashificator.com/1/DashboardDemo/DashboardDemo.html

At any point of time the project can be "Flashificated" into a complete project to be put online. That is not shown in this video.... One can also decide where the Flashificated project should be saved (which drive/partition/folder).

My biggest issue is still only affording (barely so) one single programmer to do all the hard work. I get the one liner ideas... the resulting 1000 lines of coding are his to deal with.

Ah... the yellow square on the right in the toolbox is where all information will be displayed for the Flashificator users while in "Help" mode. How it works? Hover the mouse over any component in Flashificator, and information about what this or that does, will be displayed in that square note space.

This will make things easier for people... having the tutorial (simplified) on the spot when needed.

Another thing I would like to emphasize, is that the dashboard function is actually not a plugin, but rather something belonging to the "Presets" section of Flashificator. That is an area where magic can be made with a single click of the mouse. In the future, users can come with their wishes for presets, and those can be added in the next update of the software.

If there is anyone who doubts that FPP with Flashificator will be anything but the leading software within the panoramic world, would have to be out of his/her mind. FPP is the best, even though it is complicated for normal users. With Flashificator, it will become something EVERYONE can use (given they fulfill the minimum requirements of Adobe... and then some ... it seems.... ) without knowing anything about coding or programming.

Hope you enjoy watching the screen capture... even when it is bugged and not working properly.... but as it's been said before: Things will take time.... good things will take more time.

PS.
(edit)

If you'd like to use your own images, all you have to do, is click on the "My Dasboard Images Folder" browse for the folder containing your personal images for the dashboard (the images have to have the same basic names as the original images) and those images WILL be displayed in the toolbox, replacing the default FPP "black" images... and of course they will also be replacing the one's in the panorama preview window.

There is a lot of things to do, and a lot of improvements that can be done as well... and we are doing our best with the 24 hours per day we have been assigned.