Message #311

From: Don Hatch <hatch@plunk.org>
Subject: Re: [MC4D] Macros
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:38:29 -0700

Regarding an arbitrary number of reference stickers… it would make sense.
3 is always sufficient, so in the original
implementation I made it always 3 for simplicity– if you want 2 or 1 instead,
you can just click one of the reference stickers twice
(e.g. 24, 27,27 as Remi described), or 3 times, which is kind of ugly
but it works.
Even a 0-reference-stickers macro makes sense, since
sometimes the orientation of the cube doesn’t matter at all–
e.g. a checkerboard macro.

I think allowing a variable number of reference stickers
would make the concept a bit harder to learn initially
("click 3 reference stickers" is a nice clear non-intimidating
solid chunk for a newbie to bite off;
"click reference stickers and hit ctrl-m when you’re done"
is a more confusing by comparison). But, once the concept and
workflow is learned, I think variable number of reference stickers
would be nicer to use.

Bugs and enhancement requests for the version I just downloaded:
- should say "Hit ctrl-m when finished" instead of
"Hit ‘m’ when finished"
- I think it always applies in reverse,
whether or not I have shift down?
- after I cancel instead of naming the macro,
it makes a macro named "null"
- would be nice to have a keyboard-only way
to invoke a macro (menus are really tedious)
- menus "remove macro definition" and "rename macro definition"
would be nice– I seldom get the macro right the first time,
and so I end up with a lot of garbage macros in the list.
- macro names with ‘@’ in them are silently lost when saved/loaded,
I think

Don

On Fri, Aug 04, 2006 at 10:05:39PM -0700, Melinda Green wrote:
> Hello Remi!
>
> Thank you very much for testing the macro implementation. I also noticed
> that you used it in to achieve your recent shortest 4^4. Excellent!
>
> Regarding your problem saving, Did you select the "Macros->Write Macro
> File" or "Macros->Write Macro File As" option after defining them but
> before closing the program? Macros are only saved when you explicitly
> tell it to. They should automatically load from the last file you
> successfully saved or opened but you will need to save them at least
> once to get them to automatically reload. If you did try to save them,
> did you see any sort of error message in the status area at the bottom
> of the window or in the Java console?
>
> Thanks for posting the screenshot of the Linux version. I like your
> suggestion for the shift-click; Or perhaps I’ll just do an extra row of
> buttons though since that is clear. I’m still not clear how to do the
> reverse moves but I’ll fool around with that a little more. Perhaps I
> just did something stupid.
>
> I also intend to let users specify a hot-key for each macro so that they
> can access all of them from the keyboard and not just the last one.
>
> About the possibility of using fewer reference stickers, I think that
> you would need 3 noncolinear stickers to identify a unique reference in
> general but perhaps there are special cases where you don’t really need
> that. I don’t really know. That is a question for Don or Roice.
>
> -Melinda
>
> thesamer@interia.pl wrote:
> > Hello Melinda!
> >
> > Thanks for your time and work on macros.
> >
> > I tested program and here are few notes:
> >
> > -I can save macros and use them but after closing program I can’t read
> > the file…and macros are gone (there is some bug)
> >
> > -reverse macro should be done just by clicking on the name macro with
> > (for example) SHIFT holded;
> >
> > -three reference pieces..hmmm During hyperspeedsolving I noticed that
> > I lose a lot time for clicking so I choose 1.First Piece (24),
> > 2.Second (27), 3.Third (27). SO there is a question. Are three pieces
> > are necessary? Maybe two (but very specific) are just fine? I don’t know
> >
> > -for funcionality -> I suggest looking on linux version:
> > http://genezis.autko.net/Hypercubes/During%20work/slides/hyperspeedcubing.html
> >
> > It’s really good. (Macros on the right/left side. As I say ‘Reverse’
> > should be just by clicking on macro name with Shift holded). Panel
> > with macros will take a little space.
> >
> > I really like idea with using last macro ->(Ctr+A).
> >
> >
> > Best regards,
> > Remi
> > <http://link.interia.pl/f196a>
> >
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

–
Don Hatch
hatch@plunk.org
http://www.plunk.org/~hatch/