Photo Screen Saver

This post describes how to implement a "screen saver" in the Colour C-Touch to display a series of photos when the unit hasn't been used for a while.

The steps are :
1. Create a series of "photo pages", each with a photo placed on it with a link back to the time-out page. Ideally the photos should be 640 x 480.
2. Add the following logic code
3. Update the logic to :
- use different timer numbers if needed
- change the time-out periods if desired
- add or remove pages as required
- change the name of the "Main Page" if needed

Code:

[b]{ constants section }[/b]

{ These are the two timers used by the Screen Saver }
ssTimeOutTimer = 1;
ssPageTimer = 2;

[b]{ module }[/b]

{ This module implements a "Screen Saver".
  A timer is started when the page changes to the main page.
  When the timer gets to 1 minute, the "photo" pages
  are displayed in sequence. }

{ Main page has been selected.
  Start timer. }
once ShowingPage("Main Page") then
begin
  TimerStart(ssTimeOutTimer);
  TimerStop(ssPageTimer);
end;

{ Main page has been de-selected.
  Stop timer. }
once not ShowingPage("Main Page") then
  TimerStop(ssTimeOutTimer);

{ Main page timer has expired.
  Show first photo page. }
if TimerTime(ssTimeOutTimer) = "00:01:00" then
begin
  ShowPage("Photo Page 1");
  TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
end;

{ Photo page timer has expired.
  Show next photo page. }
if TimerTime(ssPageTimer) = "00:00:10" then
begin
  TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
  if ShowingPage("Photo Page 1") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 2")
  else if ShowingPage("Photo Page 2") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 3")
  else if ShowingPage("Photo Page 3") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 4")
  else if ShowingPage("Photo Page 4") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 5")
  else if ShowingPage("Photo Page 5") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 6")
  else if ShowingPage("Photo Page 6") then
    ShowPage("Photo Page 1");
end;

 

Thanks for this Darren

Works a treat

For info first time you run this you need to switch away from the main page and back again then it fires up Not an issue for normal use but it saves waiting and wondering why it isnt working the first time you load it

Mike

 

Why don't we just use the normal time out function of the CTC and run the slide show from there ie: Just replace references to the main page to a page called "Timeout" & set the CTC to show that page in "Project Details/Options/Timeout Details"
We then overcome the issue that mikegriff raises & only use one timer in the logic code.

 

Good idea.

 

using the code and further suggestions I have implemented the screen saver however the first screen that loads after an "outage" (simulated by either upload or unplugging) is the first photo page and the sequence doesn't roll on until cancelled by a press and reloading after timeout, my code is as follows:

{ constants section }

{ This is the timer used by the Screen Saver }
ssPageTimer = 2;


{ module }

{ This module implements a "Screen Saver".
A timer is started when the page changes to the timeout
page the "photo" pages are displayed in sequence. }

{ Timeout page has been selected.
Start timer. }
once ShowingPage("Page 20") then

begin
TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
end;

{ Photo page timer has expired.
Show next photo page. }
if TimerTime(ssPageTimer) = "00:00:10" then
begin
TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
if ShowingPage("Page 20") then
ShowPage("Page 21")
else if ShowingPage("Page 21") then
ShowPage("Page 22")
else if ShowingPage("Page 22") then
ShowPage("Page 23")
else if ShowingPage("Page 23") then
ShowPage("Page 24")
else if ShowingPage("Page 24") then
ShowPage("Page 25")
else if ShowingPage("Page 25") then
ShowPage("Page 26")
else if ShowingPage("Page 26") then
ShowPage("Page 20");
end;



Sorry I cant do the flashy scroll box as above, is there any code I can implement at startup to go to the main page? Or at least start the screen saver sequence?

 

Muppets I have an answer to your question lol - seems everybody else is at the beach on this fine Sunday.

Ok the problem faced with the above code is the once command issued for timer starting - somehow appears to get missed on the bootup.

The fixed code :

{ constants section }

{ This is the timer used by the Screen Saver }
ssPageTimer = 1;


{ module }

{ This module implements a "Screen Saver".
A timer is started when the page changes to the timeout
page the "photo" pages are displayed in sequence. }

{ Timeout page has been selected.
Start timer. "with if instead of once" }
if ShowingPage("Page 20") then

begin
if TimerRunning(ssPageTimer) then

{ Use an empty if timerrunning to make sure the timer doesn't recycle every
scan }

else
TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
end;

{ Photo page timer has expired.
Show next photo page. }
if TimerTime(ssPageTimer) = "00:00:10" then
begin
TimerStart(ssPageTimer);
if ShowingPage("Page 20") then
ShowPage("Page 21")
else if ShowingPage("Page 21") then
ShowPage("Page 22")
else if ShowingPage("Page 22") then
ShowPage("Page 23")
else if ShowingPage("Page 23") then
ShowPage("Page 24")
else if ShowingPage("Page 24") then
ShowPage("Page 25")
else if ShowingPage("Page 25") then
ShowPage("Page 26")
else if ShowingPage("Page 26") then
ShowPage("Page 20");
end;

 

Does the timer need to be stopped if navigating away from the page loop? I haven't found the program not working yet however it seems logical to stop the timer if navigating away from the screen saver pages.

The timer should keep recycling even when not on this page as far as I can tell - is it bad practice to leave it doing this when not required?

 

Sub Pages

Hi

Re

Question
Can you control a Sub Page in logic?
Answer
Yes. This can be done via Special Functions and In-built System IO Variables.

Can anybody show me how to change this 'Photo Screen Saver' code, to do this?

Thanks in advance!

 

The code will be essentially the same as one of the examples above except:

To select a particular sub page in a frame on the main page:

Code:

SetCompIntegerProp("Main Page", "Sub-Page Frame 1", "Current Sub-Page", "Sub Page 1");

To check if a particular sub-page is being displayed in the frame:

Code:

if GetCompIntegerProp("Main Page", "Sub-Page Frame 1", "Current Sub-Page") = 1 then...

Unfortunately, you can't use a tag for the sub-page in the above code, so you will need to work out the page number of the sub-page. Theme pages and sub-pages are all stored in a single list and are numbered in the order they are added. The first page (Theme Components) is number 0. To see the theme/sub pages in order, open the Program Options form and deselect the Sort Page Lists Alphabetically option. The pages in the main page list will then be shown in the order they were created.

I will see if I can make this simpler in the next release.

 

hey , thanks alot . . . great idea . . .