Author Topic: NANY 2014 Release: Reference Overlay Tool (Read 66,972 times)

wraith808 · « **on:** November 11, 2013, 04:35 AM »

NANY 2014 Release Information

Application Name	Reference Overlay Tool
Short Description	Overlay the Desktop with Reference Information
Supported OSes	Windows XP/7 (Should work in Vista/8 also, but untested)
Web Page	http://thinkshui.net/software/reference-overlay-tool/
Setup File	Portable
Description	I use my Logitech G13 for my game controller, and it has a pretty cool configuration utility that shows you the keys and allows you to map your controls. I was using it for a reference for a while. Then I purchased more Logitech peripherals, and they worked great with the utility, other than the fact that my mouse is wired/wireless, and whenever I plugged/unplugged it, the stupid app would automatically switch to the mouse- very inconvenient if I do this in a game. Also, having the ability to bring it up as an overlay would have been nice. Enter the Reference Overlay Tool. It does one simple thing- points to a directory of images, and displays them in a transparent window.
Features	Implemented Displays images from a directory (PNG only currently) Allows the user to move back and forth through the images Allows the user to specify whether the images are stretched to the size of the window or not Save settings Allow user to change the opacity Planned Allow the user to specify whether the window should always be on top or not Look into supporting other image types
Screenshots
Screencast	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsgKclOGCY8
Documentation	http://www.thinkshui.net/docs/referenceoverlaytool/
Installation	With .NET 4.0 installed, unzip application to location and run.
Uninstalling	Delete application install location.
Notes	Requires .NET 4.0.

rgdot · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2013, 05:28 AM »

Is it png only?

wraith808 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2013, 05:49 AM »

For right now. I'm not sure if that's going to be a permanent limitation or not.

kyrathaba · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2013, 01:31 PM »

Nice, wraith! I always enjoy your submissions.

wraith808 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 24, 2013, 04:23 PM »

With no other input, I plan to aim for Friday to release the final version. If there's any problems you're having, or any suggestions, let me know!

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #5 on:** December 25, 2013, 06:11 AM »

Hmm, maybe there should be a general call for requesting Feedback for nany's. Looking at this thread I didn't "take this seriously" way back in November. I tend to wait for mid December for nany testing after y'all have whacked at the apps.

Some thoughts.

1. Put a help file / readme in there. It took me a few minutes to find the button in the top right to save a picture path, and then to actually copy pictures over to the test path.

2. It seems to "block focus" so that I can't click "what's under" the image. So it leaves me a bit confused why it's transparent if I can't keep working with whatever's "under" the picture. Win XP.

3. Advanced: You can have more than one copy of the app open, so you can play around with "compositing" pics on top of each other!

wraith808 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 25, 2013, 06:13 AM »

It will block focus- it's not transparent to mouse focus, just to to visibility.

wraith808 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2014, 05:43 AM »

Final Initial Release Posted... forgot to update the thread with a new post so it would update people.

mouser · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2014, 06:00 AM »

Great work, wraith

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2014, 12:20 AM »

I played with this again today - it's nice as a "temporary poor man's crossfade" when you want to do something a little artsy but don't want to mess for hours in a photo program.

towlerg · « **Reply #10 on:** January 19, 2014, 01:03 PM »

Your app is great, exactly what I've been looking for. I like to play with electronics and this app is perfect for permanently displaying integrated circuit pin-outs.

[attachtimg=1] This sort of thing.

A couple of things that would make this prog even better

a. option to retain the native aspect ratio of the .png when resizing (minimize screen footprint)

b. command line option to display default .png (convenience)

c option to use system tray instead of task bar (maximize task bar space)

d. option to remove toolbar and png name, use right click context menu (minimize screen footprint)

e. set window size to native picture size (fidelity and minimize screen footprint)

If any of these get in the way of your future plans for this prog, then scatch 'em of without a second thought.

Once again, thank you

George

wraith808 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 19, 2014, 05:23 PM »

Thanks for the feedback! Your suggestions do make a lot of sense... I'm going to try to see what I can do as far as incorporation your ideas. Thanks again!

Refereree · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2014, 04:27 PM »

Hey, I would also like to share another tool with you, since I was looking something like this before. I think it has been introduced here at DonationCoder before, but just a heads up!

It is called "Custom Desktop Logo" and it pretty much does the same thing, but without window borders and such, this feature was an answer to my need. Everything is controlled by settings in task bar. Check it out if interested:
http://customdesktoplogo.wikidot.com/

towlerg · « **Reply #13 on:** March 29, 2014, 02:34 PM »

I tried "Custom Desktop Logo" and in some ways it was even better (absolute min footprint), however it is just to laborious to move the image around. Wraith808's concept is that you move and resize the image to minimize interference with the underlying app. Wraith808, I hope that you haven't given up on this app, love to see a version 2.

George

wraith808 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 29, 2014, 03:22 PM »

Quote from: towlerg on March 29, 2014, 02:34 PM

I tried "Custom Desktop Logo" and in some ways it was even better (absolute min footprint), however it is just to laborious to move the image around. Wraith808's concept is that you move and resize the image to minimize interference with the underlying app. Wraith808, I hope that you haven't given up on this app, love to see a version 2.

No, just been working on projects, so haven't been able to get an update out. I'll try to do that as soon as possible! Thanks for the encouragement!

JavaJones · « **Reply #15 on:** March 21, 2015, 09:21 PM »

Oh man, this tool is exactly what I need!... except it's missing one thing.

Any chance you can implement a new feature/option?

I was looking for something that would let me take a headshot image of me and let me easily overlay it dynamically on anything I wanted to, specifically web shopping sites for clothes. I think it could be very helpful for picking out clothing online. I can do it manually of course in something like Photoshop, but that's incredibly time consuming and would only slow down the process, while I'm trying to speed it up.

So, your tool is perfect, except it does not seem to support mask-based transparency/opacity (as opposed to overall window transparency/opacity, which you do support). Supporting transparency would be hugely useful, first because I can't get a good impression of how a shirt fits me (particularly the collar) if my head is surrounded by a white box that overlays some of the shirt. But also especially because it enables things like having a full body shot with only my arms and head showing - in the right positions - and the body transparent, to hopefully give an even better impression of fit. This is more relevant for color theory approaches to clothing rather than body-shape stuff of course, but it still seems quite helpful.

So if you can implement mask/transparency support that would be fantastic! An option to hide the UI controls would also be super nice, but not mandatory. Maybe like a double-click on the main interface will toggle show/hide the controls?

Thanks in advance!

- Oshyan

wraith808 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 22, 2015, 02:27 AM »

Quote from: JavaJones on March 21, 2015, 09:21 PM

Oh man, this tool is exactly what I need!... except it's missing one thing. Any chance you can implement a new feature/option?

I was looking for something that would let me take a headshot image of me and let me easily overlay it dynamically on anything I wanted to, specifically web shopping sites for clothes. I think it could be very helpful for picking out clothing online. I can do it manually of course in something like Photoshop, but that's incredibly time consuming and would only slow down the process, while I'm trying to speed it up.

So, your tool is perfect, except it does not seem to support mask-based transparency/opacity (as opposed to overall window transparency/opacity, which you do support). Supporting transparency would be hugely useful, first because I can't get a good impression of how a shirt fits me (particularly the collar) if my head is surrounded by a white box that overlays some of the shirt. But also especially because it enables things like having a full body shot with only my arms and head showing - in the right positions - and the body transparent, to hopefully give an even better impression of fit. This is more relevant for color theory approaches to clothing rather than body-shape stuff of course, but it still seems quite helpful.

So if you can implement mask/transparency support that would be fantastic! An option to hide the UI controls would also be super nice, but not mandatory. Maybe like a double-click on the main interface will toggle show/hide the controls?

Thanks in advance!

- Oshyan

That actually seems like a really cool addition! Let me take a look, and get back to you!

mouser · « **Reply #17 on:** March 22, 2015, 02:52 AM »

That does seem like it would be useful.

JavaJones · « **Reply #18 on:** March 22, 2015, 06:21 PM »

Thanks wraith, much appreciated!

- Oshyan

JavaJones · « **Reply #19 on:** April 05, 2015, 11:52 PM »

*Gentle nudge*

- Oshyan