• exec/load/avatar_lib.js

    From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Monday, January 08, 2018 04:35:58
    exec/load avatar_lib.js NONE 1.1
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv18196

    Added Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Library to deal with Avatars (import/export/draw)



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Monday, January 08, 2018 22:16:11
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.1 1.2
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv13844/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Added support for import/export of shared avatar bin files (libraries of avatars).
    The library (from where the user picks stock/shared avatars) is text/avatars/*.bin.
    Network-shared avatars .bin files (meeting the requirements) are imported
    as <qwk-id>.<filename.bin> in this directory.
    The sysop chooses which locally created avatar libraries to share
    with the "export=<sub> -f=<filename>".
    There's no de-duplication at this time.
    Move some functions from avatar_lib.js to avatars.js.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Monday, January 08, 2018 23:19:48
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.2 1.3
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv22590/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Confirm the *length* of imported .bin files (must be evenly divisble by
    avatar size) before copying to text/avatars.
    Use '-file=<filename>', rather than -f.
    Export/share an avatar library like this:
    jsexec avatars export=syncdata -file=../text/avatars/custom.bin
    Export user's avatars like this:
    jsexec avatars export=syncdata -users
    Import avatars (users and shared libraries), like this:
    jsexec avatars import=syncdata
    (replace syncdata with the correct code for the syncdata sub)



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Kirkman@VERT/GUARDIAN to rswindell on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 10:02:49
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: rswindell to CVS commit on Mon Jan 08 2018 04:35 am

    Log Message:
    Library to deal with Avatars (import/export/draw)

    Just curious: Where is this headed? Sounds pretty cool.

    Also, I've done a lot of things with Frame.js, but I was curious about graphic.js. How are the two libraries different? Are their particular use cases where one is preferred over the other?

    --Josh

    ////--------------------------------------------------
    BiC -=- http://breakintochat.com -=- bbs wiki and blog

    ---
    þ Synchronet
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to Kirkman on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 12:57:57
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to rswindell on Tue Jan 09 2018 10:02:49

    Also, I've done a lot of things with Frame.js, but I was curious about graphic.js. How are the two libraries different? Are their particular use cases where one is preferred over the other?

    'Graphic' lets you load a 'graphic' (.ans, .bin) from a file and draw it, optionally
    with effects, lets you add text to it, redraw portions of it, and maybe a few other
    things. You could potentially use it instead of Frame in some lightweight cases.

    The same things can be accomplished with Frame (except the random drawing effect that
    Graphic does, but that would be easy to do), but it's a bit heavier. Frame gives you
    multiple 'layers', scrollable, movable windows, etc.


    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Kirkman on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 14:50:06
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to rswindell on Tue Jan 09 2018 10:02 am

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: rswindell to CVS commit on Mon Jan 08 2018 04:35 am

    Log Message:
    Library to deal with Avatars (import/export/draw)

    Just curious: Where is this headed? Sounds pretty cool.

    I'm glad you asked! :-)

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Right now, the requirements are an update of exec and exec/load (mainly the new files avatar*.js, sauce_lib.js, showmsghdr.js, the changes to graphic.js, but it be a good idea to update everything *.js just in case).

    And then:

    1.
    Create (or edit) the file text/menu/msghdr.asc to look like this: @exec:showmsghdr@ <- but in uppercase
    <blank-line>

    This will execute showmsghdr.js for every message displayed. The result should look identical to before (without the file msghdr.asc).

    2.
    Import an avatar into your user account. An avatar is a 10x6 text-mode "graphic" (in .bin format usually). iCE color support is being considered (they are supported in SyncTERM 1.0), but currently the blink attribute bit is just being masked-off during display (blinking Avatars would likely be annoying).

    You can import an avatar from a file into a user account using jsexec:
    jsexec avatars.js import=<usernum> -file=/path/to/avatars.bin -offset=<n>

    Where <usernum> is the user's account number (on your BBS) and <n> is the (optional) record offset (0, being the first record) into the .bin file, so you can have multiple 10x6 avatars in a single .bin file and select which one to import for a user (each user can only have one).

    Now when users on your BBS view your posetd messages, they should see your avatar. If you change your avatar, old messages will show the new/updated avatar. If you delete your avatar, none will be displayed, even for old messages.

    3.
    If you post on message networks (like this one), for others to see your avatar on your posted messages, you'll need to run (e.g. as a daily event or just manually, e.g. using jsexec):
    avatars.js export=<syncdata> -users

    Where <syncdata> is the correct internal-code for the SYNCDATA sub-board on your BBS (e.g. "dove-syncdata").

    4.
    Likewise, if you want to see other networked-users avatars, you'll need to run the following command (e.g. as a daily event);
    avatars.js import=<syncdata>

    Now this is getting fun.

    5.
    If you want to share avatar libraries (.bin files) with other BBSes on the network, you can use the following command:
    avatars.js export=<syncdata> -file=/path/to/avatars.bin

    Shared avatars files must be in BIN format with a valid SAUCE record, 10 columns in width, and the data length (excluding SAUCE data) must be evenly divisible by 120 bytes (10 x 6 x 2).

    If you're using Pablodraw, and I know you're aware of the save to .bin bug where it loses the last line of text. Just beware: add one extra row before you save or when the file is loaded, the last line will be missing.

    Shared files will be imported (using "avatars.js import=<syncdata>") into data/qnet/<qwk-id>.filename and if they are valid avatar library formta, will be copied to text/avatars/<qwk-id>.filename.bin where ultimately (not yet) will be browseable/selectable by users as their personal avatar.

    Echicken and I are working on a set of "stock" avatars organized into topical .bin files (to be placed in text/avatars). But we could use more. A lot more. And he'll be making an Avatar chooser/editor app which will then be available to terminal server (BBS) users (and maybe a web app too?).

    I could see these Avatars potentially being used in doorgames, chat, instant-messages - anywhere you see user activity. And artistic users (and sysops) will not be limited to any stock/shared avatars, but will be free to create and use their own.

    And this should all work with SBBS v3.16 too. So far, all the important changes have been solely in JS. I'm not sure about v3.15 compatibility, but maybe.

    Also, I've done a lot of things with Frame.js, but I was curious about graphic.js. How are the two libraries different? Are their particular use cases where one is preferred over the other?

    I'm just more familiar with graphic.js. <shrug> I guess it and frame.js have overlapping functionality. Since showmsghdr.js is executed now for each and every message displayed, I want to keep the overhead low, so I'll probably continue to use graphic.js or possibly even something simplier, to make the message header display time as fast as possible.

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #32:
    The second most prolific contributor to Synchronet is Stephen Hurd (Deuce). Norco, CA WX: 52.4øF, 90.0% humidity, 0 mph ESE wind, 0.29 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 15:55:06
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 02:50 pm

    Just curious: Where is this headed? Sounds pretty cool.

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Right now, the requirements are an update of exec and exec/load (mainly the new files avatar*.js, sauce_lib.js, showmsghdr.js, the changes to graphic.js, but it be a good idea to update everything *.js just in case).

    And then:

    1.
    Create (or edit) the file text/menu/msghdr.asc to look like this: @exec:showmsghdr@ <- but in uppercase
    <blank-line>

    This will execute showmsghdr.js for every message displayed. The result should look identical to before (without the file msghdr.asc).

    How big would these avatars be? Seems to me ANSI is fairly low-resolution for graphic icons/images and such and would probably need to be relatively big to show something that looks good. Unless the idea is to have a small & fairly simple avatar?

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 16:59:41
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 03:55 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 02:50 pm

    Just curious: Where is this headed? Sounds pretty cool.

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Right now, the requirements are an update of exec and exec/load (mainly the new files avatar*.js, sauce_lib.js, showmsghdr.js, the changes to graphic.js, but it be a good idea to update everything *.js just in case).

    And then:

    1.
    Create (or edit) the file text/menu/msghdr.asc to look like this: @exec:showmsghdr@ <- but in uppercase
    <blank-line>

    This will execute showmsghdr.js for every message displayed. The result should look identical to before (without the file msghdr.asc).

    How big would these avatars be? Seems to me ANSI is fairly low-resolution for graphic icons/images and such and would probably need to be relatively big to show something that looks good. Unless the idea is to have a small & fairly simple avatar?

    They're 10x6. So yeah, small and limited to CP437 and CGA colors. But good artists can do some cool stuff even in 10x6. If it turns out we should go smaller or bigger, we'll want to make that decision soon before this really gets deployed and used. But through some experiments, 10x6 seems like a good size. iCE colors (high intensity background) could help, but I need some compelling before/after with/without examples before I work on enabling that.

    digital man

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #17:
    David St. Hubbins: It's such a fine line between stupid, and uh... and clever. Norco, CA WX: 51.6øF, 95.0% humidity, 5 mph SW wind, 0.50 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 19:27:49
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.3 1.4
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv26684/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Created avatar_lib is_valid() method and use it verify avatars meet the reuirements (e.g. no chars that'll cause problems, no blink attribute)
    before importing or exporting.
    Added "verify" command to verify .bin files meet the avatar requirements
    (e.g. "jsexec avatars verify -file=/path/to/some.bin")



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 19:50:53
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.4 1.5
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv28877/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Fix the beep (ASCII 7) character detection in lib.is_valid()
    JavaScript doesn't support the \a (alert) escape char apparently.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Kirkman@VERT/GUARDIAN to Digital Man on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 23:01:23
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 02:50 pm

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Awesome idea!

    I'm okay, but the Blocktronics guys are brilliant. Enzo did like 100
    avatars for players and NPCs in Shooter Jennings' "Freedom Train." Check them out here:

    http://pc.textmod.es/pack/blocktronics_baud_dudes/luciano-freedom%20train%20taa rs.xb

    His avatars are bigger than 10x6, but they also include shoulders and empty space around the heads. If you crop to just the head, they mostly will fit in 10x6.

    If you're using Pablodraw, and I know you're aware of the save to .bin bug where it loses the last line of text. Just beware: add one extra row before you save or when the file is loaded, the last line will be missing.

    Yes, that bug is the bane of my existence. I create a lot of BINs for use with my games and ANSI door experiments. I reported it ages ago, but now that he's open-sourced it and put it on GitHub, I ought to create a ticket.

    Echicken and I are working on a set of "stock" avatars organized into topical .bin files (to be placed in text/avatars). But we could use more. A lot more. And he'll be making an Avatar chooser/editor app which will then be available to terminal server (BBS) users (and maybe a web app too?).

    Awesome. Can't wait to see the chooser/editor. I set everything up today according to your instructions, and it's working great. I have an avatar now, and I can see your avatar.

    I could see these Avatars potentially being used in doorgames, chat, instant-messages - anywhere you see user activity. And artistic users (and sysops) will not be limited to any stock/shared avatars, but will be free to create and use their own.

    Sysops could also incorporate them into their BBS command shells or whatever. Would be really cool.

    Only problem message-wise is external editors. I love Nightfox's SlyEdit, but I imagine he would have to add support for this, right?

    --Josh

    ////--------------------------------------------------
    BiC -=- http://breakintochat.com -=- bbs wiki and blog

    ---
    þ Synchronet
  • From Kirkman@VERT/GUARDIAN to Digital Man on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 23:02:36
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:01 pm

    Only problem message-wise is external editors. I love Nightfox's SlyEdit, but I imagine he would have to add support for this, right?

    A few seconds later I realize: no, of course not. You're only in the editor when you're composing a message. I still see the avatar when I'm reading messages. I got mixed up. Sorry!

    --Josh

    ////--------------------------------------------------
    BiC -=- http://breakintochat.com -=- bbs wiki and blog

    ---
    þ Synchronet
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Kirkman on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 21:14:42
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:01 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 02:50 pm

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Awesome idea!

    I'm okay, but the Blocktronics guys are brilliant. Enzo did like 100
    avatars for players and NPCs in Shooter Jennings' "Freedom Train." Check them out here:

    http://pc.textmod.es/pack/blocktronics_baud_dudes/luciano-freedom%20train%20 taa rs.xb

    His avatars are bigger than 10x6, but they also include shoulders and empty space around the heads. If you crop to just the head, they mostly will fit in 10x6.

    Definitely cool (if you want heads). Not sure about outright stealing the art though. What's the mood on that these days?

    If you're using Pablodraw, and I know you're aware of the save to .bin bug where it loses the last line of text. Just beware: add one extra row before you save or when the file is loaded, the last line will be missing.

    Yes, that bug is the bane of my existence. I create a lot of BINs for use with my games and ANSI door experiments. I reported it ages ago, but now that he's open-sourced it and put it on GitHub, I ought to create a ticket.

    I tried to today to build it for Windows and failed. I'll try next on Linux.

    Echicken and I are working on a set of "stock" avatars organized into topical .bin files (to be placed in text/avatars). But we could use more. A lot more. And he'll be making an Avatar chooser/editor app which will then be available to terminal server (BBS) users (and maybe a web app too?).

    Awesome. Can't wait to see the chooser/editor. I set everything up today according to your instructions, and it's working great. I have an avatar now, and I can see your avatar.

    Yup, I see yours (but in color)!

    ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄúúúú
    ³ Subj: exec/load/avatar_lib.js °° ÜÜÜÜ °° ³ Attr: Replied °ÜÛÜÜÜÜÛÜ° ³ To : rswindell °ÞÛßÛÛßÛÝ° ³ From: Kirkman (GUARDIAN) °ÛÛÛÝÛÛÛÛ° ³ Date: Tue Jan 09 2018 10:02 am CST (13.1 hours ago) ° ÛßßßßÛ ° ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄúúúúúú °° ßÛÛß °°

    I could see these Avatars potentially being used in doorgames, chat, instant-messages - anywhere you see user activity. And artistic users (and sysops) will not be limited to any stock/shared avatars, but will be free to create and use their own.

    Sysops could also incorporate them into their BBS command shells or whatever. Would be really cool.

    Only problem message-wise is external editors. I love Nightfox's SlyEdit, but I imagine he would have to add support for this, right?

    Nightfox has a custom message viewer module too, which he'll need to update to support Avatars (if he wants to).

    digital man

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #2:
    Nigel Tufnel: Well, this piece is called "Lick My Love Pump".
    Norco, CA WX: 50.6øF, 97.0% humidity, 3 mph E wind, 0.70 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Kirkman@VERT/GUARDIAN to Digital Man on Tuesday, January 09, 2018 23:54:08
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:01 pm

    Definitely cool (if you want heads). Not sure about outright stealing the art though. What's the mood on that these days?

    Yeah, still frowned on if you don’t ask permission. But looking at a master’s work can inspire you to make your own cool stuff.

    —Josh

    ////--------------------------------------------------
    BiC -=- http://breakintochat.com -=- bbs wiki and blog

    ---
    þ Synchronet
  • From Al@VERT/TRMB to Digital Man on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 03:27:40
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 09:14 pm

    ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄúúúú
    ³ Subj: exec/load/avatar_lib.js °° ÜÜÜÜ °°
    ³ Attr: Replied °ÜÛÜÜÜÜÛÜ°
    ³ To : rswindell °ÞÛßÛÛßÛÝ°
    ³ From: Kirkman (GUARDIAN) °ÛÛÛÝÛÛÛÛ°
    ³ Date: Tue Jan 09 2018 10:02 am CST (13.1 hours ago) ° ÛßßßßÛ ° ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄúúúúúú °° ßÛÛß °°

    That is awsome, simply awsome.

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    Ttyl :-),
    Al


    ... I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables!

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada - trmb.synchro.net
  • From KK4QBN@VERT/KK4QBN to Kirkman on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 08:12:11
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 23:01:23

    I'm okay, but the Blocktronics guys are brilliant. Enzo did like 100 avatars for players and NPCs in Shooter Jennings' "Freedom Train." Check them out here:

    I love blocktronics Florian Ochman (sp) created a whole ansi set for my old Warzone BBS, 1 week before lightenning took my system out. It was cool as shit. He said he still has my ANSIS archived, but I never can get him to send them back to me.. I have begged many times because I want to reopen Warzone on my other Machine.

    I've been following a lot of the ansi groups on FB and noticed more artpacks have been put out this year then they have in the past 20+ years.

    There is a reassurgance of some sorts in BBSes, when I had my landline up I received more data calls on it than I have received since about 1997.

    Most of them were nostalgia calls, people dusting off their old commodores, amigas, what have you and visiting... but some actually called back DAILY, now I have lost those users because I had to free my landline because a sickness in the house. (for doctors).

    I purchased her a cellphone and plan and taught her all the ins and outs of it so maybe I can get my lanline back.. I deslisted everywhere and still get data calls on it from time to time. it got to where I was getting up to 10-15 calls daily, and no less than two or 3.

    I believe nostalgia is pushing people back into BBS, and if we get our crap together we can retain a lot of these users.. for one thing.. hide all the TROLLS.. :-)

    http://pc.textmod.es/pack/blocktronics_baud_dudes/luciano-freedom%20train% 20taa rs.xb

    Sweet!

    Echicken and I are working on a set of "stock" avatars organized
    into topical .bin files (to be placed in text/avatars). But we could
    use more. A lot more. And he'll be making an Avatar chooser/editor
    app which will then be available to terminal server (BBS) users (and
    maybe a web app too?).

    Cannot wait to See them ROB, I wish someone would create a bunch of ICON files in bin format for the icon shell.. I would like to create a seperate shell aside from my regular BBS shell that resembles some old X WM or windows 3.1.. I alrady have it where folks can choose the Lightbar shell from my regular shell if they would rather use that.

    What I would like to do at login is bring up a sub-menu asking "Which Shell to USE:"

    (1)....KK4QBN Default Shell
    (2)....Lightbar Shell
    (3)....ICON Shell

    I would create the icons in Bin format myself but I suck at drawing.

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

    ---
    * Synchronet * KK4QBN BBS - kk4qbn.com - kk4qbn.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA USA
  • From KK4QBN@VERT/KK4QBN to rswindell on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 08:14:19
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 03:27:40

    .............................
    . Subj: exec/load/avatar_lib.js .. ....
    .. . Attr: Replied
    .......... . To : rswindell
    .......... . From: Kirkman (GUARDIAN)
    .......... . Date: Tue Jan 09 2018 10:02 am CST (13.1 hours ago)
    . ...... . ......................................................
    .. .... ..

    That is awsome, simply awsome.

    Yes, very sweet!

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

    ---
    * Synchronet * KK4QBN BBS - kk4qbn.com - kk4qbn.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA USA
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to Al on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 08:50:53
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 03:27:40

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    One easy way to do it would be to open a .ans in an editor (PabloDraw) and then save it as a Binary (.bin) type file.

    When opening a .bin file, you need to know what the original width of the graphic is. The file format is a repeating sequence of pairs of bytes that give a character followed by a colour attribute, so the viewing/editing program needs to know where to wrap lines. The file may have a 'sauce' trailer at the end that provides useful info (columns, rows, some other details) that editors can use to figure this out automagically. (We're using this to include details and descriptions of collections of avatars.)


    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to KK4QBN on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10:53:47
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: KK4QBN to Kirkman on Wed Jan 10 2018 08:12:11

    Cannot wait to See them ROB, I wish someone would create a bunch of ICON files in bin format for the icon shell.. I would like to create a seperate

    Is there an 'icon shell'? I remember writing a (bad) one as an example for somebody
    several years ago, but I certainly hope nobody is using it.


    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Kirkman on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 09:48:45
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:01 pm

    Only problem message-wise is external editors. I love Nightfox's SlyEdit, but I imagine he would have to add support for this, right?

    My impression was that avatars would be shown when reading messages, and for that, it shouldn't matter what editor users use.

    I may need to change my message reader to be able to display avatars, but I'm not sure if any message editor would need to be changed.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Al on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 09:50:48
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 03:27 am

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    I've heard of the .bin file format too. I'm also wondering what the .bin format is, and what benefits it has over .ans etc..

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 09:52:44
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 09:14 pm

    Nightfox has a custom message viewer module too, which he'll need to update to support Avatars (if he wants to).

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might not have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to echicken on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10:07:25
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: echicken to Al on Wed Jan 10 2018 08:50 am

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 03:27:40

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    One easy way to do it would be to open a .ans in an editor (PabloDraw) and then save it as a Binary (.bin) type file.

    I believe TheDraw supported read/writing to .bin format as well (but with no SAUCE and probably only in 80-columns).

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #57:
    Synchronet introduced Telnet, FTP, SMTP and POP3 support w/v3.00a-Win32 in 2000.
    Norco, CA WX: 52.4øF, 94.0% humidity, 1 mph SSW wind, 0.65 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10:18:39
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Al on Wed Jan 10 2018 09:50 am

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 03:27 am

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    I've heard of the .bin file format too. I'm also wondering what the .bin format is, and what benefits it has over .ans etc..

    The .bin format (long supported by TheDraw and other MS-DOS text "graphics" tools) is very closely tied to how IBM CGA worked.

    It's benefits over .ans files are that there are no terminal escape sequences (e.g. cursor positioning, screen-clearing) or relative colors (the new color is whatever the previous color was, but now with high intensity) in the file. So the characters and colors can be drawn with more precision and (if smaller than the screen size) drawn somewhere other than x/y:1/1 and have more assurance things will appear as intended.

    Traditional/original .bin files could contain *any* character and the glyph for that character would be displayed rather than the corresponding terminal control character (e.g. ASCII 13 in a character cell would print the musc 8th node glyth rather than perform a carriage-return).

    Now on a BBS, we can't really do that, so some characters (mainly, control characters, e.g. CR, LF, TAB, etc.) shouldn't be used in .bin files.

    Of course, these shouldn't be confused with Baja-compiled .bin files. Or other types of .bin files completely unrelated to IBM CGA and "ANSI graphics". :-)

    digital man

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #19:
    Oh then, maybe it's not green. Anyway this is what I sleep in sometimes.
    Norco, CA WX: 52.8øF, 92.0% humidity, 0 mph SSW wind, 0.64 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 10:19:15
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 09:52 am

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Kirkman on Tue Jan 09 2018 09:14 pm

    Nightfox has a custom message viewer module too, which he'll need to update to support Avatars (if he wants to).

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might not have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Ah. :-( Well hopefully avatar_lib.js and the like make it a pretty easy thing to add.

    digital man

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #11:
    Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.
    Norco, CA WX: 52.8øF, 92.0% humidity, 0 mph SSW wind, 0.64 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 12:32:28
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jan 10 2018 10:18 am

    The .bin format (long supported by TheDraw and other MS-DOS text "graphics" tools) is very closely tied to how IBM CGA worked.

    It's benefits over .ans files are that there are no terminal escape sequences (e.g. cursor positioning, screen-clearing) or relative colors (the new color is whatever the previous color was, but now with high intensity) in the file. So the characters and colors can be drawn with more precision and (if smaller than the screen size) drawn somewhere other than x/y:1/1 and have more assurance things will appear as intended.

    Traditional/original .bin files could contain *any* character and the glyph for that character would be displayed rather than the corresponding terminal control character (e.g. ASCII 13 in a character cell would print the musc 8th node glyth rather than perform a carriage-return).

    I see - Interesting to know.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 12:33:34
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jan 10 2018 10:19 am

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might not
    have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Ah. :-( Well hopefully avatar_lib.js and the like make it a pretty easy thing to add.

    I'm curious to have a look and see how to implement it.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 12:59:01
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Wed Jan 10 2018 12:33 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jan 10 2018 10:19 am

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might not
    have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Ah. :-( Well hopefully avatar_lib.js and the like make it a pretty easy thing to add.

    I'm curious to have a look and see how to implement it.

    Take a look at exec/showmsghdr.js too (it's new). It uses avatar_lib.js.

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #15:
    DOS = Disk Operating System (as in PC-DOS and MS-DOS)
    Norco, CA WX: 60.8øF, 73.0% humidity, 2 mph E wind, 0.63 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 14:21:49
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.5 1.6
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv27358

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Add methods:
    - enable_localuser() - can be used to disable avatar and re-enable
    (without deleting it).
    - remove localuser() - to remove an avatar record completely.

    Modified methods:
    - draw() and show() now ignore disabled avatars.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to Kirkman on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 16:19:42
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:54 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Kirkman to Digital Man on Tue Jan 09 2018 11:01 pm

    Definitely cool (if you want heads). Not sure about outright stealing the art though. What's the mood on that these days?

    Yeah, still frowned on if you don’t ask permission. But looking at a master’s work can inspire you to make your own cool stuff.

    —Josh


    your client is throwing in funny characters.
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From KK4QBN@VERT/KK4QBN to echicken on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 17:34:22
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: echicken to KK4QBN on Wed Jan 10 2018 10:53:47

    Cannot wait to See them ROB, I wish someone would create a bunch of
    ICON files in bin format for the icon shell.. I would like to create a
    seperate

    Is there an 'icon shell'? I remember writing a (bad) one as an example for somebody several years ago, but I certainly hope nobody is using it.

    I'm going to revamp it, create some bin files for icons, and use it..

    I like the concept.

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

    ---
    * Synchronet * KK4QBN BBS - kk4qbn.com - kk4qbn.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA USA
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to KK4QBN on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 16:22:36
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: KK4QBN to echicken on Wed Jan 10 2018 05:34 pm

    Is there an 'icon shell'? I remember writing a (bad) one as an
    example for somebody several years ago, but I certainly hope nobody
    is using it.

    I'm going to revamp it, create some bin files for icons, and use it..

    I like the concept.

    An 'icon shell' sounds something similar to RIP.. ?

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 21:22:18
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.6 1.7
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv12454

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Fix ReferenceError: BLINK is not defined when running as timed event from
    SBBS. I'm not sure why this works fine from JSexec without this change.
    Weird.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Lord Time@VERT/TIME to Digital Man on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 20:58:40
    Log Message:
    Library to deal with Avatars (import/export/draw)

    Just curious: Where is this headed? Sounds pretty cool.

    I'm glad you asked! :-)

    So... you know how social media and web-boards have icons/avatars associated with the users and display them next to their activity (e.g. posted messages) - well, we're doing the same. And we could use your help, being all ANSi-artistic and all. :-0

    Right now, the requirements are an update of exec and exec/load (mainly the new files avatar*.js, sauce_lib.js, showmsghdr.js, the changes to graphic.js, but it be a good idea to update everything *.js just in case).

    And then:

    1.
    Create (or edit) the file text/menu/msghdr.asc to look like this: @exec:showmsghdr@ <- but in uppercase
    <blank-line>

    This will execute showmsghdr.js for every message displayed. The result should look identical to before (without the file msghdr.asc).

    2.
    Import an avatar into your user account. An avatar is a 10x6 text-mode "graphic" (in .bin format usually). iCE color support is being considered (they are supported in SyncTERM 1.0), but currently the blink attribute bit is just being masked-off during display (blinking Avatars would likely be annoying).

    You can import an avatar from a file into a user account using jsexec: jsexec avatars.js import=<usernum> -file=/path/to/avatars.bin -offset=<n>

    Where <usernum> is the user's account number (on your BBS) and <n> is the (optional) record offset (0, being the first record) into the .bin file, so you can have multiple 10x6 avatars in a single .bin file and select which one to import for a user (each user can only have one).

    Now when users on your BBS view your posetd messages, they should see your avatar. If you change your avatar, old messages will show the new/updated avatar. If you delete your avatar, none will be displayed, even for old messages.

    3.
    If you post on message networks (like this one), for others to see your avatar on your posted messages, you'll need to run (e.g. as a daily event or just manually, e.g. using jsexec):
    avatars.js export=<syncdata> -users

    Where <syncdata> is the correct internal-code for the SYNCDATA sub-board on your BBS (e.g. "dove-syncdata").

    4.
    Likewise, if you want to see other networked-users avatars, you'll need to run the following command (e.g. as a daily event);
    avatars.js import=<syncdata>

    Now this is getting fun.

    5.
    If you want to share avatar libraries (.bin files) with other BBSes on the network, you can use the following command:
    avatars.js export=<syncdata> -file=/path/to/avatars.bin

    Shared avatars files must be in BIN format with a valid SAUCE record, 10 columns in width, and the data length (excluding SAUCE data) must be evenly divisible by 120 bytes (10 x 6 x 2).

    If you're using Pablodraw, and I know you're aware of the save to .bin bug where it loses the last line of text. Just beware: add one extra row before you save or when the file is loaded, the last line will be missing.

    Shared files will be imported (using "avatars.js import=<syncdata>") into data/qnet/<qwk-id>.filename and if they are valid avatar library formta, will be copied to text/avatars/<qwk-id>.filename.bin where ultimately (not yet) will be browseable/selectable by users as their personal avatar.

    Echicken and I are working on a set of "stock" avatars organized into topical .bin files (to be placed in text/avatars). But we could use more. A lot more. And he'll be making an Avatar chooser/editor app which will then be available to terminal server (BBS) users (and maybe a web app too?).

    I could see these Avatars potentially being used in doorgames, chat, instant-messages - anywhere you see user activity. And artistic users (and sysops) will not be limited to any stock/shared avatars, but will be free to create and use their own.

    And this should all work with SBBS v3.16 too. So far, all the important changes have been solely in JS. I'm not sure about v3.15 compatibility, but maybe.

    Also, I've done a lot of things with Frame.js, but I was curious about graphic.js. How are the two libraries different? Are their particular use cases where one is preferred over the other?

    I'm just more familiar with graphic.js. <shrug> I guess it and frame.js have overlapping functionality. Since showmsghdr.js is executed now for each and every message displayed, I want to keep the overhead low, so I'll probably continue to use graphic.js or possibly even something simplier, to make the message header display time as fast as possible.

    thought, you might add this info to the wiki, if it not there yet


    ---

    Rob Starr
    Lord Time SysOp of
    Time Warp of the Future BBS
    Telnet://Time.Darktech.Org:24 or
    Telnet://Time.Synchro.Net:24 (qwk or ftn & e-mail)
    ICQ # 11868133 or # 70398519 Jabber : lordtime2000@gmail.com
    Astra : lord_time
    X-Box : Lord Time 2000 Skype : lordtime@tds.net
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Time Warp of the Future BBS - Home of League 10 IBBS Games
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 22:34:27
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.7 1.8
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv31714/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Fix line 154: TypeError: obj is null - I think



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From mark lewis@VERT to Nightfox on Friday, January 12, 2018 05:43:24
    On 2018 Jan 10 09:50:48, you wrote to Al:

    I don't know what the .bin file format is. I have seen it in some of
    the JS externals but I have never created one myself. Is it possible
    to create a .bin file from a .ans file?

    I've heard of the .bin file format too. I'm also wondering what the
    .bin format is, and what benefits it has over .ans etc..

    it is a binary format based on direct screen writes to video memory... each character takes two bytes... one for the color and one for the actual character... maximum of 4000 bytes to a screen... the only real benefit is that
    they are binary and can be written directly to video memory...

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... Never serve oysters in a month that has no paycheck in it.
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From mark lewis@VERT to MRO on Friday, January 12, 2018 05:46:18
    On 2018 Jan 10 16:19:42, you wrote to Kirkman:

    Definitely cool (if you want heads). Not sure about outright stealing
    the
    art though. What's the mood on that these days?

    Yeah, still frowned on if you don’t ask permission. But looking at a
    master’s work can inspire you to make your own cool stuff.

    —Josh


    your client is throwing in funny characters.

    that's UTF-8 and they're one of the fancy apostrophies...

    )\/(ark

    Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
    Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
    ... Caviar Emptor: Let the Fish Beware!
    ---
    * Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Friday, January 12, 2018 17:16:48
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jan 10 2018 12:59 pm

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might
    not have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Ah. :-( Well hopefully avatar_lib.js and the like make it a pretty
    easy thing to add.

    I'm curious to have a look and see how to implement it.

    Take a look at exec/showmsghdr.js too (it's new). It uses avatar_lib.js.

    I've updatd my message reader to show the avatars. It was fairly easy.

    The avatars are pretty cool.. I've created a simple avatar for myself - I'm not much of an artist but eventually maybe I'll have a better looking avatar.

    echicken's avatar chooser is pretty cool too. The online avatar drawing is fairly nice, as is the feature of choosing a pre-made avatar. I'm assuming it's getting the pre-made avatars from an online host somewhere?

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Friday, January 12, 2018 17:49:00
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:16 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Wed Jan 10 2018 12:59 pm

    It's something I'd like to do. Starting fairly soon I just might
    not have much time to work on such things though. :/

    Ah. :-( Well hopefully avatar_lib.js and the like make it a pretty DM>> easy thing to add.

    I'm curious to have a look and see how to implement it.

    Take a look at exec/showmsghdr.js too (it's new). It uses avatar_lib.js.

    I've updatd my message reader to show the avatars. It was fairly easy.

    Right on!

    The avatars are pretty cool.. I've created a simple avatar for myself - I'm not much of an artist but eventually maybe I'll have a better looking avatar.

    echicken's avatar chooser is pretty cool too. The online avatar drawing is fairly nice, as is the feature of choosing a pre-made avatar. I'm assuming it's getting the pre-made avatars from an online host somewhere?

    You probably imported a collection or two from SYNCDATA. I exported a couple test collections which should have been imported into your text/avatars directory. The "vert.corporate.bin" should be deleted however as that file is now updated and in CVS.

    echicken is creating some collections that we're going to put in CVS too, so they'll be pre-installed for new sysops.

    We don't have any de-duplicate of avatars at this point, so as we go through testing and such you might end up with collections containing duplicates. You may want to move or delete the test collections at some point.

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #11:
    DOVE-Net was originally an exclusive ("elite") WWIVnet network in O.C., Calif. Norco, CA WX: 67.9øF, 51.0% humidity, 0 mph WSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Friday, January 12, 2018 17:54:57
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:16 pm

    The avatars are pretty cool.. I've created a simple avatar for myself - I'm not much of an artist but eventually maybe I'll have a better looking avatar.

    BTW, your avatar has not showed up in SYNCDATA yet. Did you setup or run the "avatar.js export" timed event yet?

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #59:
    XPDEV = Cross-platform Development
    Norco, CA WX: 67.9øF, 51.0% humidity, 0 mph WSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to Nightfox on Friday, January 12, 2018 21:32:57
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Fri Jan 12 2018 17:16:48

    fairly nice, as is the feature of choosing a pre-made avatar. I'm assuming it's getting the pre-made avatars from an online host somewhere?

    DM is working on distribution of avatar 'collections' (as I've termed them anyway) via DoveNet (Synchronet Data), similar to how individual user avatars are distributed. The chooser loads its list with any 'collections' it finds locally.


    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Friday, January 12, 2018 18:30:53
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:54 pm

    The avatars are pretty cool.. I've created a simple avatar for myself
    - I'm not much of an artist but eventually maybe I'll have a better
    looking avatar.

    BTW, your avatar has not showed up in SYNCDATA yet. Did you setup or run the "avatar.js export" timed event yet?

    Yes, I've set up the timed events. I only have them set to run once a day at midnight, and I just created my avatar today, so it probably hasn't been sent out to Dove-Net yet.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Friday, January 12, 2018 19:03:44
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to Digital Man on Fri Jan 12 2018 06:30 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:54 pm

    The avatars are pretty cool.. I've created a simple avatar for myself
    - I'm not much of an artist but eventually maybe I'll have a better
    looking avatar.

    BTW, your avatar has not showed up in SYNCDATA yet. Did you setup or run the "avatar.js export" timed event yet?

    Yes, I've set up the timed events. I only have them set to run once a day at midnight, and I just created my avatar today, so it probably hasn't been sent out to Dove-Net yet.

    Ah, okay, that'd be why. I changed the default instructions to 48-times a day (every half-hour). No real reason not to.

    digital man

    Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #56:
    XJS = External JavaScript
    Norco, CA WX: 68.7øF, 39.0% humidity, 5 mph WSW wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Friday, January 12, 2018 22:18:03
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.8 1.9
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv31063

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    When there's no from net address or user number, look up the user number
    by the username (e.g. the from name of the message header).



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From MRO@VERT/BBSESINF to mark lewis on Saturday, January 13, 2018 00:30:08
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: mark lewis to MRO on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:46 am


    your client is throwing in funny characters.

    that's UTF-8 and they're one of the fancy apostrophies...


    yeah i figured it was that
    ---
    þ Synchronet þ ::: BBSES.info - free BBS services :::
  • From Al@VERT/TRMB to echicken on Saturday, January 13, 2018 04:27:00
    echicken wrote to Al <=-

    One easy way to do it would be to open a .ans in an editor (PabloDraw)
    and then save it as a Binary (.bin) type file.

    I've added PabloDraw to my hitlist.

    When opening a .bin file, you need to know what the original width of
    the graphic is. The file format is a repeating sequence of pairs of
    bytes that give a character followed by a colour attribute, so the viewing/editing program needs to know where to wrap lines. The file
    may have a 'sauce' trailer at the end that provides useful info
    (columns, rows, some other details) that editors can use to figure this out automagically. (We're using this to include details and
    descriptions of collections of avatars.)

    Thanks for the explanation of the .bin file. I've added an avatar now from
    one of those collections. I also see an editor in the chooser so maybe I can use that to create an avatar.. or at least poke around with.


    Ttyl :-),
    Al


    ... When I am right nobody remembers - When I am wrong nobody forgets!
    --- MultiMail/Linux v0.50
    þ Synchronet þ The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada - trmb.synchro.net
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to Al on Saturday, January 13, 2018 14:42:51
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Al to echicken on Sat Jan 13 2018 04:27:00

    one of those collections. I also see an editor in the chooser so maybe I can use that to create an avatar.. or at least poke around with.

    Yep, I added the editor so that people can create an avatar (or modify an existing one that they've selected) online. You can still upload/download avatars and edit them in whatever drawing program you prefer, but for some people that might be an extra hassle.

    The editor component is the same thing that I wrote for SyncWall several years ago (with some recent updates), so it should be familiar to anyone who has used that program.


    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to echicken on Saturday, January 13, 2018 16:29:36
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: echicken to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 09:32 pm

    fairly nice, as is the feature of choosing a pre-made avatar. I'm
    assuming it's getting the pre-made avatars from an online host
    somewhere?

    DM is working on distribution of avatar 'collections' (as I've termed them anyway) via DoveNet (Synchronet Data), similar to how individual user avatars are distributed. The chooser loads its list with any 'collections' it finds locally.

    I saw that.. Cool how that works.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to Digital Man on Saturday, January 13, 2018 16:30:04
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Digital Man to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 07:03 pm

    Ah, okay, that'd be why. I changed the default instructions to 48-times a day (every half-hour). No real reason not to.

    Yeah, I plan to update my event to run more often.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Nightfox@VERT/DIGDIST to echicken on Saturday, January 13, 2018 16:46:43
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: echicken to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 09:32 pm

    DM is working on distribution of avatar 'collections' (as I've termed them anyway) via DoveNet (Synchronet Data), similar to how individual user avatars are distributed. The chooser loads its list with any 'collections' it finds locally.

    One thing I noticed today is in the avatar chooser, there are 2 'Animals' sections and one 'Unknown' section, which contains some of the same avatars as the Corporate Logos. On my system, I have ECBBS.animals.bin and VERT.animals.bin, which I imagine accounts for the 2 different 'Animals' sections. In the avatar chooser, if there are multiple collections with the same category, perhaps the chooser should combine them or include the BBS name in the category name.

    Nightfox

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Digital Distortion: digitaldistortionbbs.com
  • From Digital Man@VERT to Nightfox on Saturday, January 13, 2018 17:18:19
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to echicken on Sat Jan 13 2018 04:46 pm

    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: echicken to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 09:32 pm

    DM is working on distribution of avatar 'collections' (as I've termed them anyway) via DoveNet (Synchronet Data), similar to how individual user avatars are distributed. The chooser loads its list with any 'collections' it finds locally.

    One thing I noticed today is in the avatar chooser, there are 2 'Animals' sections and one 'Unknown' section, which contains some of the same avatars as the Corporate Logos. On my system, I have ECBBS.animals.bin and VERT.animals.bin, which I imagine accounts for the 2 different 'Animals' sections. In the avatar chooser, if there are multiple collections with the same category, perhaps the chooser should combine them or include the BBS name in the category name.

    Right now we're still in the early testing phases, so we have some duplicates. And some of what I've committed to CVS has been exported to SYNCDATA as well. Just go ahead and delete the duplicate files by hand (or move them somewhere else). We probably will come up with a deduplication system that actually compares the avatars themselves (not the filenames), but we don't have that yet.

    If there were unique *.animals.bin files (not duplicates), it would be cool to combine them into one category, but then the SAUCE details (Author, Group, Title) would only be pulled from of the files... so that's probably not going to happen.

    digital man

    Synchronet "Real Fact" #5:
    Synchronet version 3 for Win32 development began in 1999.
    Norco, CA WX: 73.2øF, 22.0% humidity, 0 mph S wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From echicken@VERT/ECBBS to Nightfox on Saturday, January 13, 2018 20:26:49
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: Nightfox to echicken on Sat Jan 13 2018 16:46:43

    One thing I noticed today is in the avatar chooser, there are 2 'Animals' sections and one 'Unknown' section, which contains some of the same avatars as the Corporate Logos. On my system, I have ECBBS.animals.bin and VERT.animals.bin, which I imagine accounts for the 2 different 'Animals' sections. In the avatar chooser, if there are multiple collections with the same category, perhaps the chooser should combine them or include the BBS name in the category name.

    Soon there will be some stock collections of avatars in the CVS repository, which will consolidate some of these. There's a bit of duplication floating around right now from the early stages of all this.

    I'm going to look at adding more fields to the 'collection info' (top right) box including the system of origin, if possible. Right now all of that is just derived from the 'sauce' in the file, but there are other ways of gleaning info.

    ---
    echicken
    electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com - 416-273-7230
    þ Synchronet þ electronic chicken bbs - bbs.electronicchicken.com
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Saturday, January 13, 2018 18:45:11
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.9 1.10
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv15073/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Allow the avatar-disabled state to propagate the network:
    - it'll actually remove the avatar on remote systems
    avatar_lib.js
    - a change that was part of the "newuser" command (whoops)
    - renamed enabled() methdod to is_enabled().
    - catch exceptions in Graphic.load()



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Sunday, January 14, 2018 19:37:11
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.10 1.11
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv14355

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    import_file() method change: if no offset is specified, pick one avatar
    from the file at random.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Sunday, January 14, 2018 20:24:10
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.11 1.12
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv18865

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    import_file(): perform range checking on offset, return false if beyond
    end of file (when SAUCE record is present).
    Moved the bulk of draw() and show() to draw_bin() and show_bin() so we can
    more easily draw or show avatar data not associated with a user record
    (local or networked). draw() and show() usage unaffected.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 20:34:55
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.12 1.13
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv15040

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    import_file() change:
    If passed just a filename (no path), assume the file is in the local
    library and try to import from there.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From KK4QBN@VERT/KK4QBN to mark lewis on Thursday, January 18, 2018 07:25:25
    Re: exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    By: mark lewis to Nightfox on Fri Jan 12 2018 05:43:24

    it is a binary format based on direct screen writes to video memory... each character takes two bytes... one for the color and one for the actual character... maximum of 4000 bytes to a screen... the only real benefit is that they are binary and can be written directly to video memory...

    )\/(ark


    and of course an ansi file can be converted to a bin file in TheDraw.

    --

    Tim Smith (KK4QBN)
    KK4QBN BBS

    ---
    * Synchronet * KK4QBN BBS - kk4qbn.com - kk4qbn.synchro.net - Chatsworth GA USA
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Friday, January 19, 2018 20:28:30
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.13 1.14
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv8293/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Optimized "import" function: eliminate unnecessary msg index reads.
    Added FidoNet support:
    - Imported user avatars or collections from FidoNet addresses are stored
    in data/fido/<nodeaddr>.*, where <nodeaddr> is the standard hex-encoded
    network and node numbers. No changes needed elsewhere.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Saturday, January 20, 2018 19:59:24
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.14 1.15
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv19112/load

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    * avatar_lib.js can now look up users by BBS name (in data/bbses.ini), an
    index between BBS names and (message) network addresses.
    This will be useful for instances where we want to display an avatar
    but we don't necessarily know a message network address of the user
    (e.g. in instant messages, BBS list entries).
    * avatars.js can now accept multiple commands per invocation
    (e.g. import and export in the same operation).
    * avatars.js now creates/updates the data/bbses.ini index file whenever
    user avatars are imported (e.g. via SYNCDATA).



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Saturday, January 27, 2018 13:10:51
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.15 1.16
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv22159

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Fix QWK-ID validity checking in netuser_fname() for routed addresses,
    was failing (returning false) for any VERT/* addresses (for example).



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Friday, February 02, 2018 04:32:51
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.16 1.17
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv17028

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    NUL (ASCII 0) chars are allowed in avatars.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From rswindell@VERT to CVS commit on Friday, June 14, 2019 18:24:20
    exec/load avatar_lib.js 1.19 1.20
    Update of /cvsroot/sbbs/exec/load
    In directory cvs:/tmp/cvs-serv25951

    Modified Files:
    avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Since we're now caching the entire avatar_lib (in bbs.mods), no need to store the avatar (data) cache separately in bbs.mods.



    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net
  • From Rob Swindell (on Debian Linux)@VERT to Git commit to main/sbbs/master on Monday, February 26, 2024 17:53:01
    https://gitlab.synchro.net/main/sbbs/-/commit/29740f6cbbedf9bd5664d4f7
    Modified Files:
    exec/load/avatar_lib.js
    Log Message:
    Use the common ini formatting for writing avatar data

    (just a cosmetic change)

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Vertrauen þ Home of Synchronet þ [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net