Kaleidoscope Wedge Can Be Any Shape

I thought I would do the last feature on the K tool. I made a video of it that I will upload. The wedges that are by default a triangle can now be made to any shape. You can cut the pattern on the scop to any shape by making the wedges visible from the K tool. Then drag a square handle out without holding the control key. Then drop the shape you want to cover the pattern over the square handle.

It will put the shapes all around. Then use the rotater with the CTRL key down to make the custom wedge point in the direction you want.

Use the K tool to apply the mask over the pattern.

That's pretty much it. I'll post a link to the new video tonight.

Put a new option in the Kaleidoscope tool bar

I decided to add the option to reposition masks over items if the done button is clicked. If it is with the pie wedges apart it will save the current position. If the wedges are together it will put the mask in it's starting position.

This creates some nice effects. The only problem I see is I think it might do better on each ball.

Kaleidoscope saving and opening is fixed!

Well, thank goodness that was related to some small path issues.
Very easy fix. I can sleep well tonight. So looks like we're back on track.

I tried something really neat. I selected a kaleidoscope I made and put it on the clipboard with the clip tool. Then turned on the tile button in the clipboard and dragged the kaleidoscope back to the canvas. Then I turned on the kaliedoscope tool again and dropped the kaleidoscope I took from the clipboard on a green ball. So it put kaleidoscope tiles on all the balls. Wow! Now that was pretty. Then I wondered if it would save and reload. Sure enouph it did reload all the items back just as it was.

Uploading fixed webside

I fixed the uploading problem. Also installed some great GD server side scripts which will be handy for automating things like webpage thumbnails and uploads.
It took hours of reading web server articles to search for an unknown php error. I suspect it has something to do with firewall settings. Usually that is the culprit when unknown errors occur. But I did not want to mess with it. So I switched to perl. Perl never fails me. An that took a whole rewrite of the php script to Perl. So now the web side uploader for adding images is working again.

I kinda guessed switching servers would create some issues like this. But the benefits in the end are worth it.

Now to see why the kaleidoscope shapes are not reloading on the web.

Fixed a couple more things.

I'm having a little trouble getting Kaleidoscope items to load again. But will keep on it. I'll try to get that fixed by tomorrow.

The plotter tool got a couple fixes today. The pencil image was not returning to plotter mode after drawing an image grid. Also fixed an error when plotting items smaller that 50px.
The Kaleidoscope was resetting itself improperly. Making new groups instead of adding to the current group. So that hopefully is fixed.

I also put in a new option for seedbeads to be put on the colored grid 1 at a time.

If anyone has any more fixes for me use the lady bug.

Uploading Items

I just finished the check for uploading items. Also did a new server check again and found some directories that did not transfer properly. So I'm getting that in place. I think all is in place now.
This morning I want to check the system for hiring someone to do the images. The store can just open a main image and send it for editing. The cost is $4.00 per item. It makes it much easier to add items for those who don't want to bother with it.
Also I need to make a couple adjustments to the colored grid and the kaleidoscope. So the shape attaches to the tool with a lock. I had a couple issues with the tools resetting without knowing it. I also need to put a single drop option in for colored grids. So they will drop 1 item at a time in a color.

So that is what's happening this morning. Then tomorrow I think I will work on that carousel on the front page.

Next 2 videos are up

Video Help
One is without sound. This is because the one with sound turned into a 20 mb file.
Without sound the second is only 13 mb. It is pretty self explantory so I decided to leave it quiet.

Remember even if you don't want a store, you still need to create one. This process creates the categorization of items and posting. Without that part you cannot keep track of your items or reopen them easily. Also in the future you may decide to publish it.

The next video will be on the cart system. I do have images posted online about this. But a video with sound will be made also because the cart does need a little explaining.

Cart Images

Server Testing Completed

I tested uploading and transfering images this morning and tested the cart last night. So far so good. I spent alot of time last night reading about spf. I'm tired of spammers bouncing email from anyones site. Anyone who has this problem you can stop it with spf records posted at your dns registrar. Learn more here http://www.openspf.org/. I found this while setting up the server.

Now to get those help admin videos made.

Perlygates.net is on the dedicated server

It's done! Now I'm testing the server side scripts. Only55 scripts to go! : )
I guess that video will be made tomorrow.
Just letting everyone know where it's at now.

Moving to the Dedicated Server

I started on videos. Then decided to complete the move to the new server. I had my other sites there. But not my main site. There was so much to learn and with the new additions to the application less time to do it all.

Tomorrow the move should be complete. This will improve performance. On the old server I did a reverse lookup and saw that 1124 sites were using the resources.

So tomorrow I'll be busy checking all the scripts. Hopefully all will be the same without interruption.

New Help Videos Going Up

Add Items
This video is for adding your own items. Next I'll do creating a store front.

Rotater tool updated for Kaleidoscopes

When I put the rotater tool on the kaleidoscope group I had some interesting effects.
But they were not the expected effects so I made the rotater tool turn all the items over a ball group if in the mode to rotate a single object. This keeps the kaleidoscope shape to what it is expected to do. If in group mode it will rotate the whole kaleidoscope. Remember when putting a rotated Kaleidoscope group back on the Kaleidoscope tool that it will not hold it's position.

I'm all coded out on grouping for now. So will tinker with it more tomorrow.

Alignment tool to be updated for groups

DONE: The groups will now align as if one item.
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At this time the alignment tool only works with single items. I'll update that today so groups will position together. That was in the plan but with so much to do, somehow it got put further down the list. It sure messes up a pretty kaleidoscope! :(

So no worries, the undo button brings it back. However there are some things the undo button is not programmed for yet with kaleidoscopes. But that will get put in future versions. I'm trying to update to actionscript 3 without putting in too much more of version 2. Just doubles my work.

Now Kaleidoscope resets

This was a real brain teaser. I just love puzzles! It took a few rounds and all day. Now the kaleidoscope will only pull away from the tool if you hold the shift key. And if it is dragged off the tool while the shift is down you can begin a whole new group. Then if you want to change an existing kaleidoscope just drag it back over the tool. I still have to work on the grouping thing. You cannot combine a kaleidoscope group to another group. Then add it onto the tool. That will give some weird results. So don't try that yet.

Fixed a couple more things

There was a problem getting the boundaries for the kaleidoscope shapes.
So their boundary should be showing exactly now. I also fixed a reference which caused groups boundaries not to show.

First Kaleidoscope Rose!

That took all of 30 seconds to make. I dropped an image of a rose on the kaleidoscope and there it was, ready to go.

If you click on the K in the tool bar it will show the kaleidoscope. You can click the balls to make them turn green. When they are green you can drop anything on them and it will put the item on all the green balls. If you want to put more stuff in it you can.

To put more items in it hold the CTRL key down. Then click the center. More little balls will appear. Drag the new balls to where you want them to be. When you click them they turn green. When they are green drop more stuff on them. You can only have 1 item on each set of balls.

In the center you will find the rotate tool. It will turn the items. This still needs a little more work to perfect. Hope everyone is patient. This tool is not fully tested.

And the fun part! If you hold the CTRL key down while dragging the green balls the items will move the the position of the ball. You can drag the items away from or toward center.

In the toolbar for the K you will find a number box and a pie wedge. The number box will reset the number of pie wedges in the scop. The arc wedge button will show, hide, or remove the area the pie wedge cuts.

The little squares which do the same thing as the balls are for changing the position of the pie wedge over the area. So each item gets a pie wedge over it when it is put on the green ball. If you hold the CTRL key down you can move the wedge over the items. This makes for some really cool effects!

IMPORTANT: If you lose what is under the pie wedges it is because the pie wedge is not over it's item anymore. To see where everything is click the pie wedge button till it is grey. Then click the check mark. This will make all the wedges appear. You can adjust them to where they should be. Then click the pie wedge button again till it is green. Click the check mark the view the pattern.

So let me know as usual if something goes amiss. The program automatically sends me any errors if you click the ladybug button.

Good night everyone. Hope you like the new tool!

Curve tool fix today

I just found out the curve tool is missing when the mouse is down when the panel is open. I'll have this fixed tonight. The kaleidoscope is almost ready also. I'll try to get some demo videos up this week. You will be able to make patterns within patterns even with the kaleidoscope pattern. So this should be very interesting.

Kaleidascope Update

I have spent the last 3 days on the Kaleidoscope tool. It's alot of coding but well worth it. Today I succeeded in making the scope change the number of rays and recalculate the masking area. I also made it possible to put more than 1 kaleidoscope in a group. You can put an unlimited number of Kaleidoscopes together. That won't be enabled right away. I have to test it some more. It only uses a triangle at this time. I will update this to an arc later to make a full circles. I need to write more code for saving and reopening arcs. Maybe next week we will have arcs.

I'm going to test it more tonight and upload it tomorrow.

Uh Oh, some how I lost the image grids loading

Fixed the problem below. Let me know if you find anything else.
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Just wanted everyone to know I'm on it. Will update the corrected file tonight. I had to change a couple items for the kaleidoscope loading. That may have effected the Image Grids. So the grid is still there. Just the sequence in loading is broken.

Perfection comes through trial, error, and fixing. Thanks for your patience.

Kaleidascope is uploaded

This was a fun tool to create. It is pretty simple. Just click the K in the tool bar. Then click the number of rays you want. And click the check mark. It will display the tool with some lines and balls. Create any shape and drop it on a ball. It makes the shape on all the balls. Each shape is rotated the number of degrees in the ray. You can move the balls in or out to reposition it. You can also make a pattern in a tile and use the pattern on the tool. This make some really cool designs. After you create the kaleidascope shape you can make it into a tile and then use the tile as a cookie cutter to cut from images you have added from your pc.

Time to hit the sack again. Also I fixed a broken reference in the delete tool. And another misplaced function call in the cookie cutter tool.

I also found some more fixits for tomorrow. If you delete a colored grid it has trouble reloading. So be sure not to delete them if you want to reopen it. I'll get that fixed tomorrow too.

Kaleidascope almost completed

The tool is in and functioning. I still want to test it a little more. Make sure it works properly with the other tools. I have yet to try it with masked items. I hope to have it up tomorrow. The hard part is done. It is pretty handy and easy to use.

New kaleidascope tool being made

While I was admiring my kaleidoscope preloader I came up with a great positioning tool that works like a kaleidoscope. The user selects a number of rays that will extend from a center point. When the user drops an item over a ray it will create that pattern on that point. These points on the rays are all tied together so when you move 1 point they all will move equal distance from the center. The basic tool coding is pretty much complete. Now I just need to plug it in to the board.

This is a great tool for creating kaleidoscopes. I can combine the cookie cutter and the kaleidoscope positioner for some awsome effects.

If a person only wants to use it to position a given number of items from a center point and change the rotation to face center without a kaleidoscope effect it can be done also.

Reflection tool is remade

The reflection tool needed to be rebuilt so items could be flipped without using the guides. So I remade all the buttons to show or hide the line to indicate if the guides were being used. Also there is a problem with equilateral triangles not being redrawn at the correct size. I'll have to take a look at that one later.

Paypal Approved Today!!!

Adaptive payments is in! Now to test it. This may take a couple days. Soon sellers will be able to post items for sale! I want to test the back end a little more this week. It can only get better.

Everyone please download the new setup file

I was testing this morning. The CPU usage has been a little on the high side. So after a more thorough investigation I discovered the preloader in the flash player was not unloading correctly. This was a transparent error not due to my coding. So I rearranged the preloader. It looks the same but completely unloads now releasing the cpu usage as it should.

So everyone please download the new setup file. This is the only way to replace the culprit.

http://perlygates.net/download.php

Delete File fixed

Found a small error with the delete button in the file list box.
It is working for me now. If anyone else has trouble deleting send a report with the lady bug.

Thanks a million

Seed bead designs was 1mb down to 20kb

Well I've done it again! I went to best buy to check out my seed bead tool. I thought I would try it out on the biggest Mac. I got an image that had 18,000 possible spaces for a seed bead. When I tried to save and reload it jammed! This was upsetting because I worked so hard to get it right!

So I re-did everything in the plotting system for colored grids! Now what was saved as tons of data is down to a simple line. The tool should now be able to handle any size image up to 2000x2000. The Flash Player set those limits.

Well, now that I've put in another 32 hours on this tool I think it's time to relax in the tub! (My rear is getting flatter than flat doing this!)

Happy New Year!