PDA

View Full Version : Are 'floating' subwindows a thing in FGU?



HWCarver
March 5th, 2021, 13:18
Hi folks,

I've seen some window-related code that tags objects as 'anchored.' Does this mean that one could set some things like character sheets and the Combat Tracker to be able to drag from a main monitor to a secondary one? Like the way the Find and Replace dialog box in Word can do?

I can't currently use screen spanning because my secondary is an old, smaller display. It would be really nice to have that functionality.

Regards,
Carver

Kelrugem
March 5th, 2021, 13:35
Hi folks,

I've seen some window-related code that tags objects as 'anchored.' Does this mean that one could set some things like character sheets and the Combat Tracker to be able to drag from a main monitor to a secondary one? Like the way the Find and Replace dialog box in Word can do?

I can't currently use screen spanning because my secondary is an old, smaller display. It would be really nice to have that functionality.

Regards,
Carver

No that is not possible :) Also not via an extension if this was your question

LordEntrails
March 5th, 2021, 15:41
No, because a "window" in FG is not a o/s level window. It is instead a set of grouped graphic objects that are displayed within the main FG application window.

HWCarver
March 5th, 2021, 16:34
I was guessing that might be the case. (That code should not call them windows; they're panes or panels.)

I know I'm doing bad searching/reading, but I can't seem to find an official Feature Wish List thread. Unless it is a change that would require code tweaking all the way to the base, it sure would be sweet to have for multi-monitor folks. It would give more flexibility than spanning does.

Thanks for the fast responses!

Kelrugem
March 5th, 2021, 16:41
I was guessing that might be the case. (That code should not call them windows; they're panes or panels.)

I know I'm doing bad searching/reading, but I can't seem to find an official Feature Wish List thread. Unless it is a change that would require code tweaking all the way to the base, it sure would be sweet to have for multi-monitor folks. It would give more flexibility than spanning does.

Thanks for the fast responses!

Feature requests are here: https://fgapp.idea.informer.com/

But it is very unlikely that it will be added if unity won't change in that regard; Unity hardly supports such things, especially also because FGU supports multiple OS :) (as far as I remember)

LordEntrails
March 5th, 2021, 17:11
It's something the devs have talked about in the past at length. It's something they would like to do, even though it would require all rulsesets to be re-written/refactored. But, the Unity engine itself has issues when using cross-platform libraries. It's something they check on from time to time, but not something they are willing to develop on their own from scratch for Unity.

Also note, the base code and what things are called was developed almost 20 years ago, so there are lots of under the hood naming conventions that don't particularly make sense today but changing them today would have an overly large negative impact.

bmos
March 5th, 2021, 17:12
Actually it is possible in Unity but as LordEntrails says, would not be a simple thing to implement.
https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/MultiDisplay.html

Probably not a priority since so few people use multi monitors.
The better solution (IMO) would be the mobile app for accessing rulebooks since this would allow you to have reference info on another screen.
Especially if there was a "send to app" button when you open a referenced link in FG.

LordEntrails
March 5th, 2021, 17:15
Actually it is possible in Unity
https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/MultiDisplay.html

Yes Unity makes such claims. And I don't know the details, but the FG Devs and others with Unity Dev experience have discussed in length elsewhere, and multi-display support is not something that will work in FGU yet. Libraries, run times, etc that are very technical reasons I'm not even going to guess at that it is not something FGU will be reasonably able to do for awhile.

Moon Wizard
March 5th, 2021, 18:59
As far as I am aware as of the last time we looked (many months ago), the multi-display support for Unity only applied to dedicated monitor views. (i.e. non-window; just like full screen games do) It does not allow multiple OS windows; which is what would be needed.

Given that you can stretch the FG window across monitors; this already allows most people to do what they need in terms of acquiring more space. Anything else becomes very complicated; as it breaks the single desktop model completely. (which in addition to client changes needed, would cause lots of issues for all rulesets.)

Regards,
JPG

HWCarver
March 10th, 2021, 00:39
Alas, the 'not soon, probably not ever' responses above make sense to me. I just wish more code bases were built for maximum flexibility over years of active use. Multi-monitors are getting more common, especially among gamers, and while they do that many folks will be in different-sized displays land. I have always found web-based apps inferior to their desktop analogs (Office 364 anyone?), but in this instance Roll20 has a ragged edge in the VTT space: pop-out windows are pretty easy to manage.

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses!

damned
March 10th, 2021, 04:18
There really are not that many applications that do this. Browsers are one of them.