Projector Simulator #60

LuisMQuinones · 2018-05-26T11:38:29Z

Implements #59

Proposed Changes

Add ProjectorSimulator class
- Tool that allows for quick effects prototyping
- Extends PApplet; runs on its own thread
- Runs on debugMode
Modify Stage class to support ProjectorSimulator
- Add, init, and start ProjectorSimulator sim field
- Arrange draw() to accommodate image export to ProjectorSimulator
- Update sim field in draw()

This is the initial commit for the Projector Simulator. Implemented the base for Projector Simulator. It has a working camera movement, room representation, and projector source.

- Add ProjectorSimulator sim field - Arrange draw to support Projector Simulator - ProjectorSimulator work on debug mode

codingjoe · 2018-05-31T07:52:41Z

@LuisMQuinones this is pretty amazing!

I just had a first look and ran it. I noticed that the simulator only shows part of the stage. I attached a screenshot:

I'll have a deeper look into the code now. I think we should add a keyboard shortcut to en- and disable the debug mode. Maybe some other people want to play with it. Not everyone has a project at hand when they want to test the software.

codingjoe · 2018-05-31T09:45:03Z

Ok, I think i found the problem. I created a very simplified version of your approach:

public class ProjectorSimulator extends PApplet{
  
  private PImage projImg;
  
  private int hires_factor = 2; 
  
  public ProjectorSimulator(){
    super(); 
  }
  
  public void settings() {
    pixelDensity(displayDensity());
    size(800, 600, P3D);
  }
  
  public void setup(){    
    projImg = createImage(800,600,ARGB);
}
  
  public void setImage(PImage img){
    projImg = img;
  }
  
  public void draw(){
    background(0);
    drawBeams();   
  }

  private void drawBeams(){
    blendMode(ADD);
    strokeWeight(hires_factor);
    
    projImg.loadPixels();
    color[] pixels = projImg.pixels;
    translate(0, 0, -500);
    for(int i=0; i < pixels.length; i+=hires_factor){
      color pixel = pixels[i];
      if(pixel != color(0)){
        stroke(pixel);
        int x = (i % (projImg.width * hires_factor)) / hires_factor;
        int y = (i / (projImg.width * hires_factor)) / hires_factor;
        line(projImg.width/hires_factor, 0, 0, x, y, 500);
      }
    }
  }
}

Now the problem is that projImg.width is does not return the correct result for retina (hi-res) displays. projImg.pixels on the other hand does contain this information.
So the array on my MacBook has 8002 * 6002 pixel. Not 800*600.

LuisMQuinones · 2018-05-31T15:00:36Z

Thank you! I really appreciate it. I'm still a student, so I'm still a little shy sharing my ideas and code.

As far as a keyboard shortcut, my suggestion is the '`' key. It is used to open the console in games like CS: GO and other valve games. My concern for enabling and disabling debugMode is starting and properly killing threads.

On the retina fix; I looked at the javadocs for PImage, and using projImg.pixelWidth and projOmg.pixelHeight instead of proj.width and proj.height should fix the problem. That, along with initializing hires_factor to pixelDensity, should fix the problem. It should be a quick fix, and I'll have the commit up shortly.

LuisMQuinones · 2018-05-31T15:07:27Z

How's performance?
I think creating a new PImage object every draw cycle (in Stage) is taxing. I tried finding a way to get the PApplet's pgrahics object, but I couldn't get it working.
One trick i did to help with performance is to not draw a light beam for every pixel, so it keeps the number of items being drawn to a minimum. That helped a lot.

codingjoe · 2018-06-01T07:10:46Z

@LuisMQuinones no reason to be shy here, I wrote this when I was a student too ;) Also my Java is.... well lets say I don't do much Java these days.

Ok, how do we continue. I would suggest you update your PR to support retina properly. I would probably for now also omit the rotation features.
Hide the feature behind the debug flag for now. We can figure out how to trigger debug mode in a separate PR.

Oh and yes, rendering less pixel is totally fine. Especially on a retina there so many pixel ;)

Problem: projImg.width and projImg.height does not return the proper values for Retina Displays. Solution: Instead of using projImg.width and projImg.height; use projImg.pixelWidth and projImg.pixelHeight. These will return the proper output for normal and retina displays. The rest of the code should work untouched. The initial camera position was also moved back to give a better view of the entire room

LuisMQuinones · 2018-06-01T19:11:30Z

I don't quite understand, "I would probably for now also omit the rotation features.
Hide the feature behind the debug flag for now. "

In the current build, the tool is only launched if the debugMode flag is true. User's can:
- Move the camera along theta in spherical coordinates with 'a' and 'd'
- Move the camera distance with 'w' and 's'
- Move the camera along phi in spherical coordinates 'q' and 'e'
- Move the point of reference (in 2D) with the arrow keys
So the tool itself( and the window) doesn't launch if the debug flag is off.

Do you want the tool to open regardless if it's in debugMode? Do you want the tool to open,
but the navigations features are turned off until the debugMode flag is true?

I know it will help people visualize the effects better if the tool opens up alongside the stage window, but my concern would be too many windows to handle for the user.

As my understanding, this is what you when launching the app regularly:
The controller, the projector simulator (without navigation and controls), and the stage at fullscreen at startup?

LuisMQuinones · 2018-06-01T19:13:18Z

The simple fix in the last commit should fix the retina issues. I don't have a retina display myself to test it out. @codingjoe let me know if the commit fixes the retina issues

codingjoe

Hi @LuisMQuinones what I mean was:
Please remove the rotation feature. It adds complexity more than it adds functionality. For the sake of maintainability I would drop it. Unless you think it's really helpful.

codingjoe · 2018-06-05T10:26:40Z