A few quirks in AMS7

[Ulrich]

Hello,

I am nearly finishing my first project using AMS, and I am impressed with the ease of use. However, there are some things that still could be better. I am listing here my findings, in no special order, for your appreciation:

1) I see that temporary files are not always removed. Actually, when closing the Web/Email executable created with AMS, almost every time the program leaves a folder and a file behind. Example: ir_ext_temp_0/autorun.exe in the temporary folder. Ideally there shouldn't be any leftovers after closing the file.

2) When trying to enter a negative position for an object, the entry field has a hicup. For example, if I try to set a horizontal position to -128, as soon as I type the minus I get a zero in the field, on pressing the 1 that zero becomes the 1. As a result, after pressing the four keys "-128" withou looking at the screen I have actually a positive "128" in the field. Not good at all.

3) The publish process is a bit ackward. I don't like to have to click through unnecessary dialogs. When I ask AMS to build the Web/Email executable, I have to click seven times! Come on guys, this is quite a bit annoying. Build, Next, Build, Yes (for overwrite), Continue (to close the Build Status dialog), Close. There is no way to disable the build dialog, which in my opinion should be displayed only on error situations - otherwise it is pretty useless anyways.

4) When working on a Lua script, I am used to save during my work progresses, as I do when using Setup Factory, True Update and Visual Patch. For some reason, the universal keystroke Ctrl-S doesn't save the work in progress, instead it opens a "Save As" dialog. No, I dont want to "save as", I want to save my current work without leaving the editor.

5) Dialogs aren't localized or editable. For example, when fetching a file from a server on the internet, I get a dialog box in english, telling me "Saving xxxx from xxxx (0.00 KB/Sec)." I know that I translated these strings for your other products, why aren't they used in AMS? I would prefer to have them in a language of my choice.

6) Adam told me that the web object is a windowed object, so it won't obey the established z-order in the project, showing always on top instead. Wouldn't it be possible to make it not windowed? I made some tests here with Visual C/C++, using the Internet Explorer web control (and the Mozilla control, for that matter), and both components allow me to place other objects on top of them, like buttons or images. They don't have to stay on the top at all, at least not on inside a MFC application/dialog. So this doesn't seem to be a limitation of the control, but how you are using it in AMS. It would be very nice if the z-order could be respected.

Comments would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Ulrich

[Intrigued]

#3 on your list was such a pain to me I wrote a macro to minimize the click-thru steps!

[Darryl]

Hi Ulrich,

Below are my comments/questions in response to your feedback.

1) In the tests that I've performed, there have been no files left over when exiting a published web/email executable through the standard method of Application.Exit, or the title bar close. Are you exiting using a different method, or can you describe what's in your project that we can use to replicate on our side?

2) I can't seem to replicate this on my side. Does this happen for every object, or a certain one? How are you setting the position, just in the object's properties dialogs, or on the properties grid?

3) Thanks for the suggestion. REF: 17108.

4) Thanks for your suggestion. REF: 17109.

5) Thanks for your suggestion. REF: 17110.

6) The problem isn't really that it is a windowed object, it is the fact that not all objects in AutoPlay are windowed, so the windowed objects will take priority when drawn. Eliminating this issue is currently in our suggestions database for consideration in the future.

Thanks for your suggestions/feedback.

[Ulrich]

Hello Daryl,

thanks for your reply.

1) I am using Application.Exit() normally. And quite often - but not always - an executable is left behind. This is very strange.

2) I use the Properties grid, not the object's own dialogs. It happens with every object. The easiest way to reproduce this error is starting with a blank project, add a single image to it which normally will be placed at (0,0). Double click the "Left" entry field in the Properties grid, and try to type a negative number. You should see the error immediately, ignoring the "-" and placing a zero instead (which is automatically selected), and the the zero is replaced as soon as you type the next digit. It doesn't matter if you use the numeric keypad or or not. I hope you can see this now...

Cheers,
Ulrich

[Darryl]

Hi Ulrich,

For #2, I followed your directions, but still cannot seem to replicate that behavior on my side. My test was on Windows XP in version 7.1.1000.0 (under Help > About).

What OS are you using, maybe that makes a difference.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks

[Ulrich]

Hi Darryl,

I just installed AMS7 in a virtual machine, running Windows 2000 Professional. I got the same symptom as on my desktop, running Windows XP Home SP2.

I'll try to make a video, as I am sure that I wasn't able to explain the glitch, and post a link here.

Ulrich

[Ulrich]

Hello Daryl,

Here is a video where you can see the problem I reported in item 2. You'll need the free Techsmith/Camtasia codec to play the file, or the Storm codec pack, etc.

At first, when I type "-13", the image moves correctly to the left, but after that you can see a series of times when I type a negative value, and it becomes magically positive. If you look frame-by-frame, you can see several times the minus for a single frame, and see that in the next frame it was replaced by a zero, which then is replaced again by the next digit typed, very quickly, without manually re-selecting anything in the field.

I don't know how to help you reproduce the error, as I see it almost on every try. At least you may see that I am not completely crazy.

[Dermot]

I get the same. The first time you type a - it is converted to a 0. If you hilite or backspace the zero and type - again it stays. So if you are not paying attention it will be wrong. This only happens in the property pane.

[FoxLeader]

Originally Posted by upeters

the Mozilla control

...
So a Firefox object would be *fairly* easy !?! (for anyone who has the knowledge...).

[Darryl]

Thanks Ulrich, I was able to confirm #2 and we'll look into it. REF: 17115
By the way, I was doing the same type of thing, but could not get it to happen the first time, not sure why really.