Accessing the destination canvas from an effect dialog

[Simon Brown]

How do I access the destination canvas to render an image to from the effect configuration dialog box? Or how do I access the dialog box from SetRenderInfo?

[pyrochild]

How do I access the destination canvas to render an image to from the effect configuration dialog box?

You don't

Or how do I access the dialog box from SetRenderInfo?

SetRenderInfo gives you the token, no? So just set the token via the dialog, then get the data you need from setrenderinfo.

[Simon Brown]

Thanks for your help.

[Simon Brown]

I have another problem. Render() only seems to be called when the dialog first shows. How can I call it when I close the dialog so that the data automatically goes to the correct RenderArgs destination object? Thanks.

[jchunn]

I have another problem. Render() only seems to be called when the dialog first shows.

Unless I am misunderstanding what you are saying, Render is called when the dialog shows, and anytime a setting is changed, and anytime the "ok" button is clicked.

[Simon Brown]

I have another problem. Render() only seems to be called when the dialog first shows.

Unless I am misunderstanding what you are saying, Render is called when the dialog shows, and anytime a setting is changed, and anytime the "ok" button is clicked.

But how do I get it to re-render. I am not using DirectUI by the way.

[pyrochild]

call FinishTokenUpdate to cause a the token to be updated, and sent to setrenderinfo and render.

[Simon Brown]

When the user clicks OK I set the parameters object in the dialog to the config token and call the method you talked about but in OnSetRenderInfo() the parameters object is null.

[pyrochild]

In the dialog you need to override InitTokenFromDialog.

In that, you need to create a casted reference to theEffectToken, and set your variables in that.

protected override void InitTokenFromDialog()
{
YourCustomToken token = theEffectToken as YourCustomToken;
token.val1 = slider1.Value;
token.val2 = checkbox1.Checked;
//etc...
}

[Simon Brown]

In the dialog you need to override InitTokenFromDialog.

In that, you need to create a casted reference to theEffectToken, and set your variables in that.

protected override void InitTokenFromDialog()
{
YourCustomToken token = theEffectToken as YourCustomToken;
token.val1 = slider1.Value;
token.val2 = checkbox1.Checked;
//etc...
}

I have added that and the parameters object is still null and I have checked the status of that in the override and it is not null.

[Simon Brown]

I can't get this to work so I have given up on trying to do it that way.

[Rick Brewster]

Now do you see why I developed and highly recommend IndirectUI instead of all this WinForms stuff?

[Simon Brown]

Now do you see why I developed and highly recommend IndirectUI instead of all this WinForms stuff?

I see - but it won't be suitable for this purpose.

[Rick Brewster]

What are you trying to do? Why do you need to force a re-render when the user clicks OK? The rendering workflow is automatically handled by the effect hosting system. If the token doesn't change as a result of clicking OK, then there's really no reason to do any re-rendering.

[pyrochild]

I can't get this to work so I have given up on trying to do it that way.

Instead of giving up, you should look at other people's source code. Also, the C# template available has all the grunt-work done for you. All you have to do is update the references (PdnLib.dll was renamed to PaintDotNet.Core.dll), and start stuffing your own code in there.

[Simon Brown]

you should look at other people's source code

Can you give me a link to a plugin with source available?

[pyrochild]

All of MadJik's plugins are source-available.

Most of them use IndirectUI, but I believe LightRays still uses the traditional method. As well as my own Splatter, which will also provide insight as to a more correct way to implement a brush-based renderer.

[Simon Brown]

All of MadJik's plugins are source-available.

Most of them use IndirectUI, but I believe LightRays still uses the traditional method. As well as my own Splatter, which will also provide insight as to a more correct way to implement a brush-based renderer.

Thank for your help.

[Simon Brown]

I have another problem - the OnSetRenderInfo() method only seems to be called when the effect is started - not when that method is called.

[pyrochild]

it will be called whenever FinishTokenUpdate is.

One thing I forgot to tell you earlier is that you have to override InitialInitToken.

protected override void InitialInitToken()

{

theEffectToken = new WhateverConfigToken();

}

[Simon Brown]

it will be called whenever FinishTokenUpdate is.

One thing I forgot to tell you earlier is that you have to override InitialInitToken.

protected override void InitialInitToken()

{

theEffectToken = new WhateverConfigToken();

}

I did that after following your advice and looking at the splatter source.

-----

I have realised it is being called when I do that, but the code I am using to set the canvas to the image of the dialog isn't working:

CustomBrushesConfigToken cbct = (CustomBrushesConfigToken)parameters;

dstArgs.Surface.CopySurface(Surface.CopyFromBitmap(cbct.TheImage));

[Simon Brown]

Further testing reveals that the second time SetRenderInfo() is called but the canvas is not written to with the image on the destination canvas specified in OnSetRenderInfo().

[pyrochild]

What is SetRenderInfo?

And the canvas will not be updated until the user presses OK and the dialog returns a DialogResult of DialogResult.OK.

[Simon Brown]

What is SetRenderInfo?

If you type in override you will see it in the intellisense list.

[pyrochild]

You must be referencing some old dll's to be able to override SetRenderInfo. OnSetRenderInfo is the one you shoukld be overriding.