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[bj02454]

I love this program!
Two requests:

1) option to not use winflip with only two windows (i.e. switch between them without popping up winflip).
also might be nice to only pop up winflip if alt is held down (i.e. if I have 3 windows open and want to just switch quickly to the last window, don't pop up winflip if I release alt quickly; only show winflip if I hold alt while releasing tab)

2) allow users to use both switch & flip and switch only together (i.e. alt-tab does normal action; win + tab pops up the windows and then allows me to switch between them



I'd also like to see better use with video files - if I'm playing videos in VLC, they show up as weird semi-seethru windows (the movie area is black unless over the area where the movie was, in which case it shows cropped bits of the movie - WMP acts the same). you could fix this by taking a screen capture of the window and then using that for flipping.

Straight lines look kind of jagged also when flipping, which isn't helped by antialiasing. Maybe allow higher quality textures, or use a higher quality shear filter (to turn the rectangular windows into paralellograms)

Finally, what does the option between one-way and close direction do in enabled quickflip? I have NO idea what it means.

[amos]

Hi bj02454, and welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you may be better off keeping alt-tab functionality as normal and using a different shortcut, such as Windows+Tab, to flip using WinFlip. This means you'd still be able to tab through programs as normal (for example, if you only have two windows open and don't want to enter 3D flipping, as you say).

There are various bugs with video playback, you're right, and these will be worked on in the future. Ideally, videos will continue to play in 3D at a real-time speed.

'Close direction' should be 'closest direction' or 'fastest direction' - when you press a key, do you want the corresponding window to cycle to the front clockwise, or do you want it to determine the fastest way to the front and take it?

Thanks for you input,

- Amos

[bj02454]

Certainly doable with the win-tab flipping, but I'd rather be able to maximally configure winflip with a checkbox. Is there any way to configure switch only hotkey to win + tab? I couldn't get it to work.

real-time video playing sounds a bit unnecessary, no? but cool!

I also noticed that on widescreen displays the windows appear all the way over on the left vs. centered (I hadn't seen winflip on a non-widescreen so I didn't know this was abnormal). "widescreen" should probably be another option (under diplay types)

[amos]

No, for some reason, Koji hasnt added the Windows key as bindable.

You're right, the flipping probably should be centred - Koji, this wouldn't be too hard to do, would it?

Thanks for your suggestions,

- Amos

[Roman]

   Hi bj02454 !

You are welcome and thank you for posting.

 

1. The best way to have both 3D Flip and 2D switching is to assign WinFlip a hotkey combination other than "Alt-Tab". For example:

 "Ctrl+Z"   > Flip 3D by WinFlip
 "Alt+Tab" > Conventional 2D Switching by Windows XP



2. Quick-flip directions:

O n e - w a y   means that pressing a keyboard letter will flip window tiles moving forwards only, taking you to the corresponding window.

C l o s e   d i r e c t i o n   means that pressing a keyboard letter will flip window tiles to reach the corresponding window in the closest way possible, either forwards or backwards.
 

By the way, to use the quick flip function, you do not have to enable this function in the options - you will be able to use it with or without the quick flip letters seen.




3. Thank you very much for reporting the wide screen bug. In time, it will be fixed. It takes time to develop.

Besr regards, Roman.

[bj02454]

Is there any way to configure the flip 3d to win-tab? it only seems to allow ctl, alt, shift and letters.

Also, another bug:
   dialogs such as display properties (that don't show up on the taskbar but do show up on normal alt-tab) don't show up on winflip.

[Roman]

   Hello bj02454 again.

Is there any way to configure the flip 3d to win-tab? it only seems to allow ctl, alt, shift and letters.

- Yes, sir, there is a way to configure the flip 3d to win-tab, just as shown below:

Step 1



Step 2

Also, another bug:
   dialogs such as display properties (that don't show up on the taskbar but do show up on normal alt-tab) don't show up on winflip.

Yes, you're right - it is a bug the developer is aware of. This small bug may be fixed in future. There is certain specificity to this bug, mainly connected to the fact that some menus' previews are not being cached by Windows XP when these menus pop up.

In fact, many switching utilities do not show menu previews, including the latest polished version of Otaku's TopDesk.

So, this bug may be fixed much later than right now. It is a small bug, right ?

I'd also like to see better use with video files - if I'm playing videos in VLC, they show up as weird semi-seethru windows (the movie area is black unless over the area where the movie was, in which case it shows cropped bits of the movie - WMP acts the same). you could fix this by taking a screen capture of the window and then using that for flipping.

- VLC is not the best but so far is the only player compatible with WinFlip. To program support for other players, it would take much effort and system's resources, so maybe much later.

To watch a video with VLC while flipping, follow the steps:

1. Make sure there are NO OTHER PLAYERS ( or their agents ) RUNNING
2. Open a video file, such as .mpg or .wmv or dvd or other
3. Maximize the VLC video window, which is not necessary but preferred for nicer visual result
4. Flip while the movie is playing and see the VLC tile showing the movie correctly ( not flashing or blinking ), wherever in the flip pack the VLC tile is


In flip mode, VLC's video will be shown almost perfectly if you have the VLC video window maximized.

I personallly use VLC 0.8.6c, and it does show movies in flip mode.


VLC is freeware at :

                     http://www.videolan.org/   

VLC supports skins and many operating systems.

on this issue, also visit the Bugs area of this messageboard.

don't use winflip with only 2 windows; allow switch and flip AND switch on

Again, WinFlip is relatively young a project and has a long way to go. Now there are quite a few bugs to fix and some feature suggestions to implement in order to perfect the Flip 3D first. But later, other flip types as Mac OS Expose-like or Vista Switch 2D may be implemented.

To limit Flip 3D to 3 tiles as you exactly suggest may not be convenient to all users. 

Thank you for posting, bj02454.



Out best regards.   

[Roman]

    P.S.  By the way,

bj02454 and Amos may want to suggest that "Win+Tab" or "Alt+Tab" combinations should be customizable as to what is more convenient to user:

1). Releasing "Win" or "Alt" key exits flip mode
2). Releasing "Win" or "Alt" key does not exit flip mode till the hotkey combination is pressed again or a window is chosen with mouse click/enter/space/escape.

For this, the option could be something like:

checkbox      Releasing "Win"/"Alt" exits flip mode

I would second this option if it is not hard to implement.

[bj02454]

I actually meant to set switch only to win+tab, like switch can be set. I'd love to see more config options though, for sure.

[Roman]

   Happy New Year holiday, bj02454 !

I see your point now:

....set switch only to win+tab....

you are right in noticing that it is not possible to use "Win" and "Tab" keys in "Switch only(Hotkey)"; in time, these keys may be added.


As to

I'd love to see more config options though, for sure.

   

please, if you want, state exactly what options you would like to see. For example:

Suggestion - "WIN" and "TAB"  keys should be programmable for WinFlip's "Switch only (Hotkey)" combinations.
 


Your request has been heard, bj02454.

Regards.    

[bj02454]

Suggestions:

1) "WIN" and "TAB"  keys should be programmable for WinFlip's "Switch only (Hotkey)" combinations.

2) Allow widescreen display

3) Higher quality shearing filter to eliminate jaggies within the windows (antialiasing only eliminates them at polygon borders)

4) Allow "switch only" and "switch and flip" to both be turned on with different combinations; i.e. change from radio buttons to check boxes

5) Different layouts: expose-like, arched (i.e. have windows go in a smiley-like arch left to right with the selected one much larger in the center), circle (similar but full circle instead of half circle arch, allowing for a nice rotation effect)

6) Smooth movement of windows during flipping (i.e. fully animate windows rotating around, so we can see them moving backwards and the one in the back sliding out and going to the front)


Number 3 may be hard, but each of the others should only require a few more lines of code (5 may require a bunch of lines, but no new functions, just different layouts).
Happy new-year everyone!

[Leon1464]

Hi about the video playback in flip mode I dunno I tried and tested combinations of Bsplayer, MediaplayerClassic and VLC testing different output renders (Overlay,VMR7,VMR9,Haali) nowhere it displays correctly in flip mode and I guess it would be tricky to make it work.
Who wants to watch whole movie entirely in flip mode anyway  It is not as much bug as it would be a nice little feature if it worked.

[bj02454]

I agree. It is not important to show movies playing.

[amos]

I agree - it would be a bit more flashy if it did, but it is by no means fundamental.