Change order of resolutions list

[bayo]

Resolutions are anyway per systems, i mean many modes from the list are never used. SDL already provide supported video modes. IMO we should 1) remove the mode id, 2) remove the video mode list, and use the SDL function.

Then, i dont think it is nice to apply this patch, because it will be harder to remove the mode id. Please sort the drop-down list content instead. Sorting the drop-down list will be usefull when we will use SDL video modes too.

[Duke]

Fine with me.
When will you have changed the program to use that SDL function ?

[geever]

@geever:...because the lower the vertical resolution of your screen is, the less you'll see of the drop down list if it is displayed at a higher vertical res than yours

That doesn't make it a good solution. Sorting by vertical first is a bullsh*t IMHO. The dropdown should have scroll function.

-geever

[Kildor]

And AFAIk we don`t try to have backard compactibility, do we?

[bayo]

When will you have changed the program to use that SDL function ?

Maybe soon, because it is not very hard.

The dropdown should have scroll function.

Patch are welcome :-)

we don`t try to have backard compactibility, do we?

Thats right, but if we update again and again this list, we should.

[Duke]

That doesn't make it a good solution. Sorting by vertical first is a bullsh*t IMHO. The dropdown should have scroll function.

Admittably, the patch is a Q&D hack. But if offers *immediate* relief.

I like the scrollable DDL approach very much. Especially after finding that we already have such a control (language selection). Wouldn't that need even less coding effort than the patch ?

@bayo:
I personally run UFO in 1024x768 on a 1920x1080 monitor. Would that SDL function offer a 4:3 res on a widescreen monitor ?

@Kildor:
Allthough it's not UFO policy to be backward compatible *everywhere*, imho we should still try to be compatible wherever we can (with a few more thoughts and/or lines of code).
Users *love* backward compatibility.

[bayo]

Would that SDL function offer a 4:3 res on a widescreen monitor ?

There is no documentation about it, but it say the value come from the hardware.

[Duke]

I went ahead and compared 'optionlist select_language' and 'selectbox select_res' in options.ufo. It seems that with a few adjustments of size, pos and color etc. we could make select_res an optionlist.
(I even managed to display the resolutions in the language dropdown by merely changing the dataid param LOL)

Is it really that easy ? What did I overlook ?

@bayo:
The biggest difference I noticed is that in the game menu the space for the dropdown is left blank. In the video menu there is not enough space left. Would it impose a problem if the dropdown of the new optionlist would overlap the checkboxes below it ?

[bayo]

optionlist and selectbox are fully compatible. Then you can use the node you want.

But i am sorry, i dont think i understand your second comment. optionlist dont have drop down zone.

[Duke]

But i am sorry, i dont think i understand your second comment. optionlist dont have drop down zone.

Ouch, you're right. I must have had some sort of blackout

Does the menu system also support a scrollable dropdown list ? I haven't see one in the game.

EDIT:
From one of your previous answers I guess we do NOT have such a control yet.
So what can we do to gain some space ?
- Ordering the checkboxes in two columns could be a bad idea for certain languages, I suppose.
- Create a submenu (like 'keys menu') and move the 'fine-tuning-params' there ?
- Create the missing control ? How much work would it be for you ? Is it feasable ?

[bayo]

No it dont support scrollable dropdown list.

Are you talking about languages or resolutions? Because i dont think we have problem with languages. I mean we dont need to gain space here, we only use space we can use.

About 2 columns, maybe the option window is too small for it.

About another window, why not, but maybe we can create a tab and sort the content between "basic", "advanced", or finding another logical structure. But i dont think current "key" navigation is the better way.

About a scrollable selectbox, maybe it is not very hard. But i dont want to merge the scrollbar code into the selectbox code. I think we can do it without a merge, and maybe the current system own every thing it need for it. But it need work, and i dont think this feature is really need. i can be wrong.

[Duke]

Are you talking about languages or resolutions?

Resolutions.

... maybe we can create a tab and sort the content between "basic", "advanced", or finding another logical structure.

I like that idea It might even add to usability for normal users.

... and i dont think this feature is really need. i can be wrong.

Imagine you were a first time user and try to run UFO on an EeePC or similar. That would change your mind
Ok, there are workarounds, but a necessary control outside the bounds of the monitor is simply 'not nice' in any given program.

But I had another idea: I understood you suggested to use that SDL function to fill the dropdown with only the vid_modes available on the machine. What if we use that SDL function to figure out a suitable default resolution, especially when 1024x768 is *not* available on that machine ? Imho that would also solve our little prob without changing the menus, right ?

[bayo]

Ho, ok, i undertsand. The fullscrren is cropped, or something like that?

And, yes, i think the SDL function will provide a very little set of resolutions.

Here a patch to *only* display on the log the supported resolutions. How many element do you have? Do you found everything it need?

[Duke]

Ho, ok, i undertsand. The fullscrren is cropped, or something like that?

Exactly.

I applied the patch to my i7:

Code: [Select]

------- video initialization -------
SDL version: 1.2.13
I: desktop depth: 32bpp
I: video memory: 0
I: video driver: windib
I: setting mode 6:Available modes:
* 1920x1080
* 1776x1000
* 1680x1050
* 1600x1200
* 1440x900
* 1280x1024
* 1280x960
* 1280x800
* 1280x768
* 1280x720
* 1152x864
* 1024x768
* 800x600
* 720x480
* 640x480
I: set swap control to 0
 1024x768 (fullscreen: no)
At least a reduction to 15. And obviously, it also offers the 4:3 resolutions

I'll now apply the patch on my EeePC and come up with the log...

[Duke]

Ok, here's what the EeePC says:

Code: [Select]

------- video initialization -------
SDL version: 1.2.13
I: desktop depth: 32bpp
I: video memory: 0
I: video driver: windib
I: setting mode 22:Available modes:
* 1024x768
* 1024x600
* 800x600
* 768x1024
* 640x480
* 640x400
* 600x1024
* 600x800
* 512x384
* 480x640
* 400x640
* 400x300
* 384x512
* 320x240
* 320x200
I: set swap control to 0
 1024x600 (fullscreen: no)
- at least the most interesting resolutions are on top of the list
- I'm a bit confused about 1024x768 being among the available resolutions
- I'm even more confused about those 'reversed' resolutions

@Raster:
You are maybe more familiar with the EeePC than me. Does it have some sort of pivot-function ??