Middlewerks

[L B]

Mostly a reserved topic for now, but here's a link meanwhile:

www.middlewerks.com/nightly

 

I'll edit this tomorrow. Enjoy!

(N.B.: Requires .NET 4.0: Download at Microsoft)

[Davaris]

You should put up a PayPal donation link, so if people like it, the very least they can do is support its development and support.

[Pancakes]

Hey! I just tried it and here is what I think:

 

I think that I imagined it would be different than it is. I was thinking that it would be like a nested widget or embedded in the taskbar, that once I hover my mouse over it I could click on an option such as convert model, edit material, etc, then it would use my saved settings to perform an action. I'm talking about the way that there is a little grey bar at the bottom of Werkspace, and when you click on who's online, the names pop up. I was thinking that Middlewerks would be like that.

 

But other than that instead of commenting further or asking any questions I'll just wait on your upcoming blog

[VeTaL]

When i launch, i can see only this (see screenshot). But as i click on different places, where button expected to be, i can launch different windows such as Leadwerks Editor and some convertation tools.

 

I think, this can be because of .NET, but i have Studio 2010 installed.

[Josh]

That's a pretty slick design. It certainly gives a nice visual studio-esque feeling to the process.

[macklebee]

So basically you made a front end GUI for existing commandline tools? that works... i guess i was under the impression that there was something else being done with this... but thats probably my fault making that assumption since you were going to charge for it... but in any case, it works decent enough once i downloaded 40 MB of .NET...

[Marleys Ghost]

I get a message telling me my SDK is incomplete, and have the same trouble that Vetal is experiencing.

[L B]

Hey! I just tried it and here is what I think:

 

I think that I imagined it would be different than it is. I was thinking that it would be like a nested widget or embedded in the taskbar, that once I hover my mouse over it I could click on an option such as convert model, edit material, etc, then it would use my saved settings to perform an action. I'm talking about the way that there is a little grey bar at the bottom of Werkspace, and when you click on who's online, the names pop up. I was thinking that Middlewerks would be like that.

 

But other than that instead of commenting further or asking any questions I'll just wait on your upcoming blog

That's actually quite a good idea. I could have the program edit the registry and add a right-click option on all files under the "Middlewerks" menu.

 

i.e., in Windows Explorer, right click "test.obj", select "Middlewerks > Convert Here" or "Middlewerks > Convert To...". I could code that in an hour, so no problem at all. Would you like that?

 

I could also have it as a permanent tray icon with different functions available from it. I know I would like it, but I don't know how some people feel about having their OS invaded.

 

@Vetal and MG: Are you using Windows XP? I'm sorry, I couldn't test for this operating system. I'll add a check that replaces these with regular buttons on non-aero systems if that is the problem.

 

@Macklebee: Middlewerks is meant to bring usability to LE users. If you're comfortable enough with the command line tools, use them instead. Middlewerks for LE3 will include specific features and will be paid. This one is just a mellow release, if you wish.

[macklebee]

@Macklebee: Middlewerks is meant to bring usability to LE users. If you're comfortable enough with the command line tools, use them instead. Middlewerks for LE3 will include specific features and will be paid. This one is just a mellow release, if you wish.

 

I didn't say that a front end gui wasn't useable... just mentioning the fact that this is all that the program is currently, when there was no hint of it being just a front end for the existing commandline tools. I would hope that Josh would have gotten some cut for any money made on this if you kept it as a sellable item, since its his tools actually making the conversions. I actually think a front end GUI is an extremely nice idea, but having to DL 40MB of .NET seems to be a bit much.

 

Also, a simple cfg text file would suffice for saving the LE SDK path; there's no reason to write stuff to the registry if all you are saving is the SDK path.

[L B]

I didn't say that a front end gui wasn't useable... just mentioning the fact that this is all that the program is currently, when there was no hint of it being just a front end for the existing commandline tools. I would hope that Josh would have gotten some cut for any money made on this if you kept it as a sellable item, since its his tools actually making the conversions. I actually think a front end GUI is an extremely nice idea, but having to DL 40MB of .NET seems to be a bit much.

 

Also, a simple cfg text file would suffice for saving the LE SDK path; there's no reason to write stuff to the registry if all you are saving is the SDK path.

As I am providing an additional layer that is completely separate from Leadwerks, there is no reason for Josh to get a cut of the profits. Besides, I have communicated with him in order to make sure there was no licensing problem at all.

 

Besides, 40MB of .NET will be a necessary update in the next 2 or 3 months. All major developers upgrade to the latest .NET when developing, and since .NET 4 brings significant every day advantages, I can foresee this happening in the near future.

 

Did you have any problem by saving to the registry? Was there a restriction of any kind, a UAC prompt, a crash, or something? I have tested it in non administrator machines and it works without flaws, although I couldn't do any extensive testing yet. If you had a bug with this, please report it.

 

Additionally, the registry method was initially adopted for more parameters, but these won't be available in Middlewerks for LE2. A more extensive use of it will be seen in LE3. I personally think it is strange that the engine itself does not record its own installation path to a global access for developers, but that might just be me.

[Rick]

Maybe use an environment variable for the path? I agree that it would be nice if Leadwerks did this already.

[Josh]

Are env vars cross-platform? I have no idea if they work on Mac and Linux.

[Laurens]

Environment variables work in Linux. Not sure about Mac but since it's based off of Linux I would suppose so.

[VeTaL]

@Vetal and MG: Are you using Windows XP? I'm sorry, I couldn't test for this operating system. I'll add a check that replaces these with regular buttons on non-aero systems if that is the problem.

 

Yep, i use Win XP.

[L B]

I fixed the XP bug, will be in tonight's nightly build.

[Marleys Ghost]

FYI:

 

There are now buttons visible under XP

 

Scene : Will open the editor

 

Material Editor : Has no functionality, just has a window with a screen like one of your images.

 

Texture Converter : Does not work (under batch it will show error in the completed box, under quick convert it will just show a screen with a message about how big textures can take a while, I did leave it for an hour before shutting it off)

 

Model Converter : As far as I can tell works, but I only tried the one model.

[L B]

Can you do more testing on the texture conversion? Mine works really fine here.

[Marleys Ghost]

Can you do more testing on the texture conversion? Mine works really fine here.

 

 

 

Not really, can only do what I have already done, push the button, select an option .. select a file and then not get a conversion. I tried all three options for conversion, and different files types but the outcome was the same:

 

Does not work (under batch it will show error in the completed box, under quick convert it will just show a screen with a message about how big textures can take a while, I did leave it for an hour before shutting it off)

[L B]

Try testing with smaller textures?

What is the size of the textures you try to convert?

[Marleys Ghost]

The last test texture was only 512 x 512 and 257 KB

[tkunze]

I get the same problem. If you start the textconv.exe it is claiming that MSVCR100.dll is mising. Looks like this is the issue.

[Marleys Ghost]

I can run the command line for texconv.exe and convert a test image .jpg to DXT5 no problems.