Iridium version 2
Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 11:34 am
I'm beginning the planning stages for Iridium version 2
These are my intentions so far:
Replace the rather clumsy format definition string with a new more comprehensive and flexible code using xml. Full conversion will be provided from existing formats to new formats
A new configurable interface. The various parts of the existing interface will be resizable to some extent and repositionable. It will be possible to choose the size and shape of the toolbox, to drop the zoom box, or to increase or decrease the number of formats visible. This should make Iridium more customisable and easier to use. There's no reason why I can't allow multiple configurations to exist, selectable either from the command line / shortcut, or to swap configurations on the fly from menus.
An improved zoom box. The zoom box is useful, but currently doesn't make it clear exactly which pixel you are looking at. It would be nice to have it put the target pixel right at the center, and perhaps to have some sort of configurable cross hairs overlay to highlight the central pixel.
More cursor forms, but in a configurable toolbox. The original idea of the multiple cursor forms was to give you choice to have a cursor which would be easy to see for any given task. Currently all 6 cursors do exactly the same job. but some are suited to dark backgrounds and some to light backgrounds etc. I intend to provide a larger range of cursor forms, to allow cursors to be selected from arbitrary .cur files as well, and if I can manage it, to have custom colours available for the cursors. However you will also be able to select just those cursors you wish to use into the toolbox to minimize clutter. Additionally to change the default operation of each cursor. You may prefer to set the circle cursor to do smoothing by default.
Color libraries with nearest colour matching. This is a potential idea for version 2. To have colour lists (such as the 216 Netscape colours). A colour format can be configured to match to the nearest colour in a colour list, and then you can access the rgb cmyk and hls values for that matched colour rather than the actual colour under the cursor. A new option would be available for the colour view port so that colour viewports(and you can have more than one if you wish) will show the actual colour, or a matched colour, or a half and half view.
These are my intentions so far:
Replace the rather clumsy format definition string with a new more comprehensive and flexible code using xml. Full conversion will be provided from existing formats to new formats
A new configurable interface. The various parts of the existing interface will be resizable to some extent and repositionable. It will be possible to choose the size and shape of the toolbox, to drop the zoom box, or to increase or decrease the number of formats visible. This should make Iridium more customisable and easier to use. There's no reason why I can't allow multiple configurations to exist, selectable either from the command line / shortcut, or to swap configurations on the fly from menus.
An improved zoom box. The zoom box is useful, but currently doesn't make it clear exactly which pixel you are looking at. It would be nice to have it put the target pixel right at the center, and perhaps to have some sort of configurable cross hairs overlay to highlight the central pixel.
More cursor forms, but in a configurable toolbox. The original idea of the multiple cursor forms was to give you choice to have a cursor which would be easy to see for any given task. Currently all 6 cursors do exactly the same job. but some are suited to dark backgrounds and some to light backgrounds etc. I intend to provide a larger range of cursor forms, to allow cursors to be selected from arbitrary .cur files as well, and if I can manage it, to have custom colours available for the cursors. However you will also be able to select just those cursors you wish to use into the toolbox to minimize clutter. Additionally to change the default operation of each cursor. You may prefer to set the circle cursor to do smoothing by default.
Color libraries with nearest colour matching. This is a potential idea for version 2. To have colour lists (such as the 216 Netscape colours). A colour format can be configured to match to the nearest colour in a colour list, and then you can access the rgb cmyk and hls values for that matched colour rather than the actual colour under the cursor. A new option would be available for the colour view port so that colour viewports(and you can have more than one if you wish) will show the actual colour, or a matched colour, or a half and half view.