What do/don't you like about Samurize?, Have your say!

If UNDO was as easy/short as it sounds, it'd be there in a flash AdamC was working on this but he's been busy with other stuff lately.

LimDul: I know what you mean, but I think that some learning is inevitable for a program like Samurize. It's not quite a graphics progeam like Photoshop hence it doesn't quite look like one. Even familiar programs like Photoshop are tricky for some people too remember (hence why I'm such a Photoshop n00b lol)

As far as editors for other sysmon apps go...

Konfabulator? Everything is a widget; you can't break it down into individual parts.
Coolmon? Text editing. (this is possible in Samurize - you can write you own configs by hand if you really want to!)
Sysmetrix? God knows (I've seen people all over the net asking how to make skins for it)

I think we're doing pretty well.. but there is definitely room for improvement.

I can't find to much fault in samurize. I agree with above on changing the GUI of the config. Once option I will like to see, very small request. when you right-click on a meter the ability to copy/cut/paste or duplicate.

Otherwise EXCELLENT WORK!

Totally agree on these points, there are plenty of noob friendly ways of obtaining the info most people have in SS in other apps or right in Windows. And the config editor is better by far than some others.

There are somethings that could make the editor more user friendly tho.
The ability to copy text, i.e. the url or filepath, to the meter linkage text box would be nice.
A dropdown list of all objects on the config would be nice, similar to the list of objects in the form/window editor in VB.
Grouping of selected objects.
Ability to set common properties of selected objects, i.e. being able to set the font, color, etc. of a bunch of selected text meters.

Most of these come from my admitedly limited experience with VB programming, but they seem very handy.

This post has been edited by dvAshawn on Mar 19 2004, 09:43 PM

I just got done making a new config using the start/stop script by alsius, it has a layout using 5 images w/ 5 linked meters using the "switch" mode of the start/stop script(close current config, open new).

And it does what it's suposed to, but my problem with it is that when opening a new instance their is a 3-5 second delay when loading a new instance(config) , as well it executes/refreshs that config every time I load it.

...So my request is to have an option to pre-load pre-defined selected configs - as well to have them constantly running in the background, yet dont designate them their own instance/taskbar icon

This post has been edited by Hollowtip on Mar 19 2004, 10:46 PM

Please try and keep direct feature requests out of here, this thread is just for what you do/don't like about Samurize/the Config Editor.

Using the new API you can switch configs a lot faster, but there will still be a refresh on loading it.

Eventually when the client is rewritten to handle multiple configs, this request will be easy to implement.

Question - what's the benefit of having such a large design space and using "designed position"? Is it easier for Samurize to draw that way? For example, right now I have three separate configs, all were designed with the meters in the upper left corner of the design space. I then drag and place them where I want and then use "Locked Position". Is this more efficient (less RAM/CPU)? Or should I be doing it the other way around? I found this to be a confusing option - since I have two ways of doing the same thing (getting my config into the right spot on the screen)....

Neither way is any more efficient, Samurize has to place itself in the correct position regardless.

Some people (like me ) like positioning their config in the editor because you can put your desktop wallpaper as the Design Area background and place your config accordingly.

alright, time for me to spew all my suggestions for how to make the editor more of a "standard" windows type program, to make it more easily used by people in general, and samurize-to-the-bone users, like myself too

first off, the "tools and settings" bar on the right

-having it do both the tools and the settings makes it a little cumbersome, they should be separated a bit..

-the "project options" tab could be made into a popup dialog, accessible by the menu maybe edit->project options, or through a dedicated toolbar button

-adding of meters, and graphics could be handled through the main window menu instead of in a special weird button on the right bar, or could be buttons on the toolbar that dropdown to give you a list of stuff you could add

I love the idea of separating the settings sections into tabbed things, like adam said, scrolling is nasty

There's loads of space in the bottom bar that is left unused and wasted

The status bar doesn't really say much, it could be separated into different informative sections, like "current config tray icon" and "config refresh time" and how about "current config file name" i'm always forgetting what i'm working on! (maybe that's just me! )

more on the right bar... if the floating toolbars could be accomplished, that would be an even better way than the "tabbed" thing adam talked about.

A simple way to put less info on the right bar could be to bring the "Meter properties" section of the "Edit Meters" tab down to the bottom bar, since that properties section is universal to ALL meters, and should be visible all the time

add my name to the "remove the outline" request list in the design area

maybe also the editor could be revamped to be able to edit multiple configs simultaneously, as per photoshop (again)

CONCLUSION

none of these suggestions are necessary to make the editor be able to use ALL of the features included with the client, which is AMAZING in itself.

they would simply make it easier to use.

just my two cents

Thanks for the feedback, torsius

Ok, although people might think that if the Project Options were in a menu they might apply to the editor itself (ie all configs?) Thoughts?

Ok, how about adding a toolbar button like you said, and also from the "Meters" menu adding an "Add..." entry and putting the list there too?

Yes, but bear in mind, people might not have the config editor maximized/large sized..

Perhaps add the config name to after the "Serious Samurize" in the window title? A lot of other apps seem to do this.

more on the right bar... if the floating toolbars could be accomplished, that would be an even better way than the "tabbed" thing adam talked about.

Incorrect, graphical objects are different..

I'll add an option to remove it (I find it useful sometimes if I want to see the total bounding area of my config)

Maybe later

heh...lots of work....eh?

aha! but are graphical objects meters?!? (it could show image properties, if it were a graphical objects) but you're right about how the bottom bar could be hidden... so maybe that wouldn't work either

maybe a bar on the left could be created for "global" properties or something, like the project options, image properties, meter properties (and the list of all objects in the design area )

sounds good

excellent

Sorry if I say something that has been said allready, I didn't read much of those replies.

For a noobie, Samurize is quite easily learned , but i'm having hard time getting those scripts work, or try to adjust them.

Suggestions: Possibility to see wallpaper trough editor when i'm trying to get all the meters and scripts on place. Or is it allready possible?

BTW, keep up the good work.

Yes this is already possible... at the bottom lefthand portion of the Config editor, you will see the option to either include, or take a screenshot of your desktop

Those are some great ideas torius, looks like NeM is going to be his computer for some time to come

A lot of them are quite easy, I've already done some of them

torsius: I'm not so keen on adding a bar on the left with one already on the right.. the meter list will probably go down the bottom or be in a seperate window