PICEDIT 1.2.1 beta 2 released (fixes 5 defects)

lance.ewing · Post by **lance.ewing** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:14 am

I have just released beta 2 of PICEDIT 1.2.1. This release fixes five defects, four of which were quite big bugs. These five defects were as follows:

1. Setting visual colour to white was adding the wrong colour byte code into the AGI picture (16 instead of 15).
2. Setting priority colour to red was adding the wrong colour byte code into the AGI picture (16 instead of 4).
3. Setting priority colour was adding the wrong action byte code into the AGI picture (0xF0 instead of 0xF2).
4. Turning off priority colour was adding the wrong action byte code into the AGI picture (0xF1 instead of 0xF3).
5. Picture navigation when showing the priority screen kept switching back to the visual screen.

Although I have been adding new features over the past couple of weeks, this release does not include any of those. Instead it is exactly the same as beta 1 except for the five defects fixed above. I will continue to fix bugs in version 1.2.1 until either no more are found or I release the next major release.

Grab the new beta 2 release from my web site: www.agifans.com

MusicallyInspired · Post by **MusicallyInspired** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 4:15 pm

Great job, Lance!

klownstein · Post by **klownstein** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:00 pm

I've drawn most of a picture using the beta 2 release of PICEDIT 1.2.1 and found that it has some significant advantages over the original picedit. First off, I can run it easily on my Windows XP machine. Being able to set the background picture is much easier than the original PICEDIT (no .pcx file) and its possible to change that background picture to another one quite easily. I didn't find any real bugs to speak of (as I continue to use it, I'll keep my eyes open for them of course).

I did have some minor suggestions for additional features to consider:

-It would be nice if right mouse clicking didn't reset the tool being used. For example: when I'm using the 'line' tool and have finished drawing one line, I right mouse click. Then, to draw the next line, I must select the 'line' tool again before I start drawing again. As I'm usually using the same tool most of the time, it would be nice if that tool stayed selected until I picked another tool.

-It would also be nice if it were possible to zoom in or out to a degree. I know sometimes I'm trying to get a specific pixel and that can be a challenge when things are small. If, when hunting that specific pixel, I could zoom in, it would be easier for me to get it on my first try. It might be a little challenging to implement because I know keeping the correct aspect ratio is important.

Anyway, its a great improvement on the original and I look forward to further updates! I'll keep you informed if I do find bugs, etc.

-klownstein

lance.ewing · Post by **lance.ewing** » Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:01 pm

Thanks for the feedback klownstein. Yeah, not having to use dosbox makes it easier doesn't it? Running the original PICEDIT in dosbox isn't the best.

Actually, I've already implemented the first suggestion that you made for the next major release. sact also suggested that change and I think its a good one. Having tried it out a bit now, it is a definite productivity improvement. I like being able to right click, move over a bit and start drawing another line. Saves heaps of time. I implemented a slight variation on this though. It is still possible to turn the tool off completely if you right click a second time. I've got something in mind for when the tool is set to "None".

Regarding the second suggestion, I've implemented something along those lines but perhaps not quite what you had in mind. How big is your computer screen? The reason I ask this is because I've implemented a feature that draws the whole PICEDIT screen at different sizes. The version that you have has everything on the screen stretched 2 times in both directions. I've now made it an option in the menu to select between 2x, 3x, 4x and 5x. My screen is 1920x1080, so at 2x (which is what version 1.2.1 is fixed at) it is a little small to work with. In the next major release the default will be set to 3x and you can expand it from there.

I realise this isn't quite what you were asking for but it might help. When I select 5x it nearly takes up my whole screen and makes the pixels a lot easier to see and place.

klownstein · Post by **klownstein** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 1:53 am

Sounds like you're a step ahead of me

. I think that what you're planning on doing is pretty much what I'd had in mind as far as zooming is concerned. (I mostly work on my laptop which has a resolution of 1024x768 and the current implementation fills about 1/4 of the screen.)

-klownstein