Author Topic: Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 7 Discussion (Read 118,843 times)

VideoInPicture · « **on:** August 25, 2008, 01:12 PM »

Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 7 has just been released (August 25th, 2008). Get it at http://circledock.wikidot.com

This is a major update and there is now a new settings panel with many options to customize.

I will be updating the Circle Dock homepage with more details about this release as I get time.

For know, I would like to point out this new feature:
Change the image used for the dock icons with the easiest method out there: Just set the program to "Icon Replacement Mode" in the right-click menu of the centre icon and you can change all the icon images by just dragging and dropping new PNG images onto them! Huge time saver when you are customizing your dock!

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Dormouse · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2008, 01:59 PM »

Looking really good.

Only problem so far is that it seems to toggle every time I go to the bottom of the screen. I've tried unticking the edge of screen boxes on the toggle menu, but they are all always ticked again when I look.~~Strangely nothing happens when i approach any other screen edge~~. I have a 2 monitor system with the 2nd monitor usually switched off. It toggles when I hit the outer edge of the workspace (ie left edge on left monitor, right edge on right etc) except when it hits the ObjectDock or RocketDock edges when they emerge and Circle Dock doesn't. Unfortunately the taskbar does not seem to have the same inhibitory effect. All cured now

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2008, 02:02 PM »

Quote from: Dormouse on August 25, 2008, 01:59 PM

Looking really good.

Only problem so far is that it seems to toggle every time I go to the bottom of the screen. I've tried unticking the edge of screen boxes on the toggle menu, but they are all always ticked again when I look. Strangely nothing happens when i approach any other screen edge.

I realized that I forgot to enable the code to turn the screen edge visiblity off in the settings panel. I have updated the Circle Dock download page with Alpha 7.1: http://circledock.wikidot.com/download-circle-dock

Just download the new Alpha and replace the CircleDock.exe with the new one.

Dormouse · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2008, 02:08 PM »

Thank you.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2008, 03:11 PM »

Great work on "Circle Dock"... Thanks!

The start menu shadow still on there...

But I have few suggestion for future circle dock:
1.) Add a setting to lock on center screen.
2.) ~~Better don't make the circle dock always on top.~~
3.) Make a add button menu to circle dock, (such as objectdock) can change the title, browse the link and change images.
4.) When mouse over on the image, better add a highlight (such as vista highlight the shortcut on desktop) or zoom in.
5.) When the circle dock is running, the dock is 20-30%transparent and than mouse over on dock back to normal.

That's all...

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2008, 03:44 PM »

Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 25, 2008, 03:11 PM

Great work on "Circle Dock"... Thanks!

The start menu shadow still on there...

But I have few suggestion for future circle dock:
1.) Add a setting to lock on center screen.
2.) ~~Better don't make the circle dock always on top.~~
3.) Make a add button menu to circle dock, (such as objectdock) can change the title, browse the link and change images.
4.) When mouse over on the image, better add a highlight (such as vista highlight the shortcut on desktop) or zoom in.
5.) When the circle dock is running, the dock is 20-30%transparent and than mouse over on dock back to normal.

That's all...

For the start menu shadows, I haven't been able to find a fix for them, but you can disable the centre button from showing the start menu in the Settings Panel under Centre Button. I'm uploaded an Alpha 7.2 to the Circle Dock website with this disabled. I must have forgot to turn it off before I uploaded it.

For (1), that will be an option in a future alpha/beta to lock the dock at a given location.

For (3), that was intended to be in Alpha 7 but I ran out of time. It's simple to do and will be added in.

For (4) and (5), I want to take some time to work out how to create smoother animations before I take those on.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2008, 03:53 PM »

I have placed a Youtube video of Circle Dock 0.9.2 Alpha 7 on to the Circle Dock homepage: http://circledock.wikidot.com

It demonstrates some of the new features and I think it is pretty useful to see.

mouser · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2008, 04:44 PM »

Very cool video.

Dormouse · « **Reply #8 on:** August 25, 2008, 05:04 PM »

I don't get the Start Menu at all. Presumably because I have Vista Start Menu installed.

Darwin · « **Reply #9 on:** August 25, 2008, 05:17 PM »

Wow! The video IS cool!

blahetal · « **Reply #10 on:** August 25, 2008, 10:21 PM »

hi, CD opens directories in the default browser (explorer). Id like to use another app as a directory browser (total commander in my case). So please could you add to settings some option for setting a alternative browser. Same for web pages, but I havent checked this (you use IE as a default net browser?), so I dont know if CD uses IE, but I will check it later today.

Dormouse · « **Reply #11 on:** August 25, 2008, 10:41 PM »

With Vista Start Menu turned off, I do get the Start Menu.
But it is very tall and the top of the left column is effectively missing. Programs show up OK within window.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #12 on:** August 25, 2008, 10:54 PM »

Quote from: Dormouse on August 25, 2008, 10:41 PM

With Vista Start Menu turned off, I do get the Start Menu.
But it is very tall and the top of the left column is effectively missing. Programs show up OK within window.

Yep, there is an option in the Settings Panel under Centre Button to enable or disable the centre button from opening up the start menu. I still haven't been able to fix the shadow residue bug or find some open source code of a docklet that properly brings up the start menu. Anyone with a solution?

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #13 on:** August 25, 2008, 10:57 PM »

Quote from: blahetal on August 25, 2008, 10:21 PM

hi, CD opens directories in the default browser (explorer). Id like to use another app as a directory browser (total commander in my case). So please could you add to settings some option for setting a alternative browser. Same for web pages, but I havent checked this (you use IE as a default net browser?), so I dont know if CD uses IE, but I will check it later today.

Hello, Circle Dock will open folders in whatever is set to open folders on your computer by default. In the next Alpha, I will add in a properties dialog for each dock icon that will allow you to change the location of the folder to open and maybe other parameters.

As for the browser, Circle Dock uses whatever is set to be the default browser on your computer. I think it should use Firefox if you have Firefox.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #14 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:32 AM »

The Circle Dock have Label problem on there, if I change the label font everything and font shadows style, after close the circle dock and reopen again the label will set back to default settings.

Now I provide some suggestion for future circle dock:

1.) Soft the icons by name on the right click.
2.) Can drag the icons to what place you want.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #15 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:38 AM »

Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 26, 2008, 05:32 AM

The Circle Dock have Label problem on there, if I change the label font everything and font shadows style, after close the circle dock and reopen again the label will set back to default settings.

Now I provide some suggestion for future circle dock:
1.) Soft the icons by name on the right click.
2.) Can drag the icons to what place you want.

Thanks for spotting that Labels setting bug. I'll get that fixed and upload a new version tomorrow.

For (1) Sorting by name might be an option, but I'll leave that for sometime in the future.
For (2) Right now, you can rearrange the order of the icons by drag and dropping the icons over top of one another. I just need to animate it so that it's more intuitive.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #16 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:51 AM »

thanks...!

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #17 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:59 AM »

Circle Dock some time have some performance problem, after I drag and drop icons to rearrange, that will eating many CPU usage now, to stop this problem I just restart the circle dock.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #18 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:07 AM »

Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 26, 2008, 05:59 AM

Circle Dock some time have some performance problem, after I drag and drop icons to rearrange, that will eating many CPU usage now, to stop this problem I just restart the circle dock.

How much CPU time does it eat up? On my computer, it'll go upwards of 10% but it's only for like 1 or 2 seconds and then it drops back down to zero and there is no performance problems.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #19 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:22 AM »

Quote from: VideoInPicture on August 26, 2008, 06:07 AM

Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 26, 2008, 05:59 AM
Circle Dock some time have some performance problem, after I drag and drop icons to rearrange, that will eating many CPU usage now, to stop this problem I just restart the circle dock.

How much CPU time does it eat up? On my computer, it'll go upwards of 10% but it's only for like 1 or 2 seconds and then it drops back down to zero and there is no performance problems.

The CPU running 50-70% and does not fall. Just at sometime not every time, when I drag and drop again and the CPU no eat again.

VideoInPicture · « **Reply #20 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:32 AM »

Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 26, 2008, 06:22 AM

Quote from: VideoInPicture on August 26, 2008, 06:07 AM
Quote from: Boba-Fett on August 26, 2008, 05:59 AM
Circle Dock some time have some performance problem, after I drag and drop icons to rearrange, that will eating many CPU usage now, to stop this problem I just restart the circle dock.

How much CPU time does it eat up? On my computer, it'll go upwards of 10% but it's only for like 1 or 2 seconds and then it drops back down to zero and there is no performance problems.

The CPU running 50-70% and does not fall. Just at sometime not every time, when I drag and drop again and the CPU no eat again.

What are your computer specs? e.g: OS, cpu, amount of ram? I haven't seen Circle Dock do anything close to 50-70% on my computer. On a reorder operation, it just swaps the order of the two icons in the data of the dock and calculates their new positions and repositions the dock. There shouldn't be anything that keeps on running after the reordering. However, there could always be a non-obvious bug somewhere. I'll keep this in mind.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #21 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:38 AM »

Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 3
AMD Athlon 64 3000+ socket939
Abit AV8 Motherboard
2x512MB of Ram dual channel
GeForce 7600GS 256MB AGP8x

Hopefully is just my PC problem...

I drag again all icons to rearrange and doesn't have any CPU problem again.

Dormouse · « **Reply #22 on:** August 26, 2008, 08:16 AM »

Quote from: VideoInPicture on August 25, 2008, 10:54 PM

there is an option in the Settings Panel under Centre Button to enable or disable the centre button from opening up the start menu. I still haven't been able to fix the shadow residue bug or find some open source code of a docklet that properly brings up the start menu. Anyone with a solution?

Shadow problem does not bother me since I normally have them turned off anyway.

Why not allow the centre button to be allocated to any keyboard key or combo? It wouldn't give the position by the dock but would increase flexibility. In my case, it would allow the Start Menu to come up even if I have it as the Vista Start Menu - and it covers teh whole screen anyway, so position is not an issue.

Boba-Fett · « **Reply #23 on:** August 26, 2008, 08:57 PM »

Yesterday I open the circle dock and just ran few hours, I doesn't do anything at circle dock but the dock automatically ran the CPU at 50%

Here is the Circle Dock running CPU 50% om my PC.

Dormouse · « **Reply #24 on:** August 26, 2008, 09:07 PM »

Circle Dock open from restart a few hours ago; 64 items on it so far; most of the time CPU usage is 0%; I can get it to nearly 50% if I really spin it fast. Moving mouse over an icon brings it up to nearly 4% occasionally (ie usually much less).