Life tag testing

[rowett]

Builds 369 to 374 were focussed on performance tuning.

The results are as follows:

• Overall performance improved 2x to 3x across all four browsers tested
• Zoomed Out performance is now constant regardless of how far out you zoom
• THEMEs without cell history perform about 1.5x faster than those with history
• ZOOMs >= 1 perform about about 1.5x faster than ZOOMs < 1
• If you want performance on Windows use Chrome

Now back to functionality

[rowett]

Build 375 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• increased maximum viewer size to 4096x4096
• improved rendering to window speed

Fixes in this build:

• fixed B0 rules

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 376 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• added endian information and platform capabilities to "Help" -> "Info" -> "Engine"
• several performance improvements

Fixes in this build:

• disable Major button for hexagonal or triangular grids
• custom Theme major grid line setting was being applied to all themes

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 377 is now available on the lazyslug server

Fixes in this build:

• custom colours were reporting false errors
• fixed issue with LtL/HROT 2 state patterns and THEMEs with no history

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 378 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• added Grid colour description to "Help" -> "Themes"
• new Settings toggle button AutoHide
  • automatically hides UI during pattern playback
• you can no longer switch between square grid and hexagonal or offset square grid
  • removed script commands [[ SQUAREDISPLAY ]] and [[ HEXDISPLAY ]]
  • removed hotkeys Alt+"/" and Shift+"/"
  • removed Hex toggle button from Settings menu
  • hotkey "/" now toggles between hexagonal and offset square grid for hexagonal rules

Fixes in this build:

• live cells drawn after all cells died would then not generate
• updated out of date test
• fixed problem with colours for Generations patterns
• switching from a history THEME to a non-history THEME sometimes stepped back a generation
• Angle and Theme controls now grey out when unavailable

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 379 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• replaced Theme slider with a Theme button that opens a page of buttons to select the required theme
• hotkeys Alt+"0" to Alt+"9" select drawing states when in Draw mode
• hotkey "Del" clears all cells of the current drawing state when in Draw mode
• hotkey Shift+"Del" clears [R]History cells

Fixes in this build:

• hide POI Previous/Next buttons when Settings menu is displayed
• grey out Kill button unless rule is 2-state Moore
• ensure PopUp Viewer is right aligned

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 380 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• hotkey Alt+"T" to toggle playback throttling
• updated MCell multi-state Theme

Fixes in this build:

• [R]History COLOR commands were being ignored
• hexagons and triangles were ignoring [R]History colours

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 381 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• added some non-isotropic aliases
• hotkey for clear [R]History cells is now Ctrl+"Del"

Fixes in this build:

• enable Kill button for 2-state Moore range 1 HROT/LtL patterns
• fixed [R]History display for hexagons and triangles

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 383 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• selections now work with [[ XOFFSET ]] and [[ YOFFSET ]]
• added more new aliases
• LtL M0 rules will now match M1 aliases
• undo/redo now use less memory
• performance warning toggle
  • hotkey Shift+"W" to toggle
  • new button PerfWarn in Settings menu

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 384 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• clear outside selection
  • new button in Select mode
  • hotkey Shift+"Del"
• clear [R]History cells
  • new button in Select mode

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 385 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• hotkey Alt+"K" prompts the user to click on a cell and then replaces cells that state with current drawing state
• hotkey Ctrl+Alt+"K" clears cells that are the current drawing state
• toggle kill escaping gliders is now on hotkey Alt+"G"
• hotkeys Ctrl+"0" to Ctrl+"9" select drawing state
• hotkey for random fill is now Shift+"5"
• hotkey Shift+"A" shrinks selection

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

When I'm clearing LifeHistory states should that include state 6?

[dvgrn]

When I'm clearing LifeHistory states should that include state 6?

Probably yes. There are at least two kinds of useful LifeHistory "clear" operations, though:

1) Clear just the blue state-2 envelope cells, leave marked cells and state-6 cells in place.
2) Convert LifeHistory to plain Life, changing all odd-state cells to ON cells and all even-state cells to OFF cells.

There might be a third, I suppose:

3) Remove the markings on marked cells, so state 4 goes to state 2 and state 3 and 5 go to state 1. State 6 would probably be left alone in this case, since it's not technically a marked cell.
3b) I wouldn't mind if state-6 cells just disappeared when cells got unmarked, though... or "state 6 only" could be a fourth type of clear operation.

Maybe a hotkey could be assigned to one of these, and Shift+hotkey or Ctrl+hotkey or whatever to the other(s)?

[rowett]

There are at least two kinds of useful LifeHistory "clear" operations, though:

1) Clear just the blue state-2 envelope cells, leave marked cells and state-6 cells in place.
2) Convert LifeHistory to plain Life, changing all odd-state cells to ON cells and all even-state cells to OFF cells.
3) Remove the markings on marked cells, so state 4 goes to state 2 and state 3 and 5 go to state 1. State 6 would probably be left alone in this case, since it's not technically a marked cell.
3b) I wouldn't mind if state-6 cells just disappeared when cells got unmarked, though... or "state 6 only" could be a fourth type of clear operation.
Maybe a hotkey should be assigned to one of these, and Shift+hotkey or Ctrl+hotkey or whatever to the other?

OK I think three out of four are already implemented:

1. Clear just the blue state 2 (History) cells: select drawing state 2 (Ctrl-2) and then clear cells that are the current drawing state (Ctrl-Alt-K)
2. Convert [R]History to plain [R]: (Ctrl-Del)
3. Remove the marking on marked cells. I'll have to add something for this.
4. Clear just the grey state 6 (Kill) cells: select drawing state 6 (Ctrl-6) and then clear cells that are the current drawing state (Ctrl-Alt-K)

If you think it's worth adding a single key hotkey for items 1 and 4 please let me know.

[rowett]

Build 386 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• hotkey Alt+"Del" to clear [R]History marked cells
• hotkey "Esc" will cancel a Pick or Replace

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

3. Remove the marking on marked cells. I'll have to add something for this.

Now on hotkey Alt-Del.
.... Ctrl-Alt-Del wasn't available

[dvgrn]

OK I think three out of four are already implemented...
If you think it's worth adding a single key hotkey for items 1 and 4 please let me know.

Sounds good! No, your two-step method is definitely better -- more memorable and more versatile.

[rowett]

Build 387 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• Generations rules now have brightness shading when using layers
• performance improvement for THEMEs without history
• added another alias
• START indicator now toggles AUTOSTART if defined
  • hotkey Alt+"O" to toggle
  • if START disabled when LOOP defined then playback stops when Loop happens at T=0
• STOP indicator now toggles STOP if defined
  • hotkey Alt+"P" to toggle

Fixes in this build:

• toggle LOOP when defined (hotkey Shift "P") wasn't working
• take screenshot (hotkey "O") was not working

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

I've discovered that the forum uses various hotkeys itself that conflict with some on LifeViewer. How these hotkeys are triggered depends on the browser. On Chrome it's Alt+<key>.

These <key>s include:

• h - go to Board index
• p - Print view
• u - go to User Control Panel
• l - Logout

Do you think anyone uses these hotkeys?
If not could Nathaniel remove them (or I can programmatically do it from LifeViewer)?

EDIT: The Wiki also uses hotkeys: same question.

[rowett]

Build 388 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• improved Settings menu
  • settings are now grouped into topics
  • new Rule button that prompts for a new rule
• clicking on a Theme that is already active just closes Theme selection
• reduced memory used by rules

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 389 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• added Wolfram aliases
• improved multi-state pattern Layers

Fixes in this build:

• LifeViewer window close button now works on Android/iOS
• locked Layers and Depth controls if hex or triangular grid

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 390 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• disabled drawing, selecting and panning while Settings displayed

Fixes in this build:

• fixed a graphical glitch for THEMEs with no history at STEP > 1
• corrected and ordered Wolfram aliases

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 391 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• dim screen when Settings menu displayed

Fixes in this build:

• ensure window appears above other page elements

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 392 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• performance improvement for editing tasks for 2-state Life-like and [R]History patterns

Fixes in this build:

• fixed an issue where rotate selection could be incorrect when grid grew

This build is a Release Candidate.

[rowett]

Build 393 is now available on the lazyslug server

Enhancements in this build:

• added experimental support for 2-state Margolus rules
  • rule format is Mn0,n1,n2,n3,n4,n5,n6,n7,n8,n9,n10,n11,n12,n13,n14,n15
    • where n0 to n15 are integers from 0 to 15
  • also supports MS,Dn0;n1;n2;n3;n4;n5;n6;n7;n8;n9;n10;n11;n12;n13;n14;n15 format
  • bounded grids and alternate rules are allowed
  • rules where n0 = 15 and n15 = 0 are replaced with equivalent rules that don't strobe
  • rules where n0 > 0 are not allowed apart from the case above
• using [[ GRIDMAJOR ]] creates a custom Theme

This build is a Release Candidate.