NextPreviousHomeDynamic content and control of values via xml

stbo | 13 years ago | 3 comments | 2,571 views

I am looking at using BT to be driven dynamically from some show-control software I have, and one of the things I would like to know is whether using the XML facility I can set specific values of settings for layers. For example, to be able to have the start position of an image be specified in the xml which also contains a reference to the picture, or for example, to be able to set the text position of a layer in the xml? I am looking at using the software to do interactive shows which will have content being set during the show, and I will be generating the XML from an application, so to be able set any parameter values in the xml would be great.

Thanks




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XML files can be used to set the textures and texts.

XML files can not be used to set the layer properties.

The BT file format is a very simple text format, so it's easy to generate BT files from your application. Choose the VERSION tab on the HELP > TECHNICAL INFO dialog to find out what all the numbers and tags mean.

The user guide page about dynamic content can be found here:

outerspace-software.com...

michiel, 13 years ago


Michiel,

Thanks for that - I had never got that far down the list of tabs in that section...

In your IPC messages section of the manual you list the commands that can be sent to BT to open/load/run etc a show. Can you tell me please if it is possible to have BT reload a show. Based on that you have explained, what I am looking at doing is having my application write the .bt show file, and then have BT load and run. However, during a show there will be changes to text/images etc to be displayed. Would it be easier to have BT just open & load the updated show, or is there some way to tell it to reload the current show. I ask this from a performance point of view, in that I am thinking about the time take to load BT, then load the file, and be ready to run it - and this could take a few seconds, as opposed to having BT loaded, and all we are doing the reloading the show definition.

I will be experimenting with the code you have given, but just looking for general advice at this stage.

Thank you

stbo, 13 years ago

Using the BluffTitlerReloadDynamicContent message is tricky because it can look bad when you reload content in the middle of a show.

Instead I would respond to the BluffTitlerStop message and launch BluffTitler again.

Launching BluffTitler takes no time compared to loading the textures. Textures are the real bottleneck.

michiel, 13 years ago


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