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GLUe Framework. Testing started

Discussion in 'Made With Unity' started by etiainen, Dec 7, 2012.

  1. etiainen

    etiainen

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Posts:
    19
    GLUe Framework
    Free add-on to a standard rendering system of Unity3d, intended for writing user interfaces (UI) under Unity3d. Official page

    The purpose
    Accelerating the speed of interfaces and minimization of their development time . Facilitating the development of Unity3d programmers, passed with traditional development tools (such as WinForms, Delphi Forms). Generalization and universalization of the spot systems of developing complex user interfaces under Unity3D;​

    Downloads
    Demos
    Documentation
    Support

    Features

    Object-oriented model of Windows and controls.
    In many aspects reminds the widespread classes WinForms, so it will be easy to master those who are familiar with them;
    Standard controls for the input:
    • GLULabel - counterpart of the Label from the WinForms;
    • GLUTextEdit - similar to the TextBox of WinForms;
    • GLUScrollView - counterpart TScrollView from Delphi Forms;
    • GLUListBox - counterpart of the ListBox from WinForms;
    • GLUButton - counterpart Button from WinForms;
    • GLUComboBox - counterpart of the ComboBox from WinForms;
    • GLUCalendarCombo - counterpart of the DateTimePicker control of WinForms;
    • GLUScrollBar - counterpart of the ScrollBar from WinForms;
    • GLUCheckBox - counterpart of the CheckBox from WinForms;
    • GLUPopupMenu - counterpart of the ContextMenuStrip from WinForms;
    • GLUMessageDialog - counterpart of the MessageBox from WinForms;
    • GLUFileBrowserDialog - dialogue for opening and saving files.
    Electronic documents:
    • Support of styles, colors and font attributes;
    • Supporting paragraphs with different alignment (including justify filling);
    • Supporting of tables;
    • Embedded document controls;
    • Support of HTML format (in development).
    Caching graphics.
    All interface elements are stored in memory in the form of 3D objects (meshes), which is updated only when you change the properties. Objects with the same materials are grouped to reduce Draw Calls;
    Modal windows.
    Classical modal windows, blocking the input focus on all the other Windows in the system, while apparently at least one of the modal window;
    XML support.
    Any form can be saved in an XML document and read from there. Storage of metadata (images) in XML;
    The clarity of the text drawing.
    High clarity of the display text. Same as in the native GUI Unity3D;​
    Interface elements can be projected to any texture, without loss of interactivity
    (In development);​

    Fast and easy installation and setup.
    Just "hook" script GLUEngine the Camera in the scene, and setup few materials.​
    Easy scaling forms.
    Is achieved by setting the "scale" property of the form.​

    PS: Sorry for bad english

    PPS: Any advices are welcome
     
  2. dkozar

    dkozar

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2009
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    1,410
    Nice to see people pushing the limits! :)
     
  3. UnityCoder

    UnityCoder

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2011
    Posts:
    534
    Wow, its look very cool. If we get this type of support in unity3d then we can make lots of applicaiton like .net or xcode and big thing is its crossplatform.

    Is is work on mobile devices (Android and IOS)?
     
  4. etiainen

    etiainen

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Posts:
    19
    2Unity Coder: Yes, as far as i know (i've tested graphics and controls logic at Mac, IOS Emulator, Android Emulator and some Android devices).
    Everything works fast, but there can be some bugs, because it is just started project.
     
  5. Aurore

    Aurore

    Director of Real-Time Learning

    Joined:
    Aug 1, 2012
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    3,106
    Moving to Showcase
     
  6. SimonAlkemade

    SimonAlkemade

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    432
    Awesome just awesome!
     
  7. UnityCoder

    UnityCoder

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    Dec 8, 2011
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    534
    @etiainen : I also tested it on android device its work perfectly, i found only one problem is that soft key board not coming automatically when we move to editable text box. I want to know one thing is that can we apply all things in our project very easily?

    is HTML/HTML5 supports is in progress? Can font will support all languages?

    Superscript and subscript should be also there.

    If there are few more components like .net is there (e.g. Data Grid, picture box and Tree view) is huge advantage for end user.

    Touch events for mobile device like panning and zooming.

    Most import thing is end user can create any of the widget very easily.
     
  8. etiainen

    etiainen

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    Posts:
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    I recently started testing GLUe on mobile devices to build a list of refinements, which have to be implemented for mobile devices. I'd be happy, if anyone help me.

    Yes, soft key board did not appear because it is not implemented yet. It will be implemented soon.
    I am not familiar with moile devices, so i cannot decide - what wold be better:
    1)Write my own skinned and customizable keyoard control which automatically pops up, when you focus TextEdit;
    2)Use the built-in

    HTML is currently in development, it will be relesed in Pro version.

    Yes, that will be implemented in Free version soon.

    Saying "end user", you mean "end programmer" ?
    If under term "widget" you mean "Control" or "Visual component" - yes, there are base classes, which you can
    inherit in WinForms or Delphi Forms manner.
    Even more - each end-user component like TextEdit or ComoBox is not sealed,
    so you can inherit directly from it. I planning tutor on writing custom controls.
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2012
  9. Lunaticx

    Lunaticx

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    Aug 15, 2009
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    How text edits are implemented? I bet, they are some wraps around GUI.TextArea ?
     
  10. etiainen

    etiainen

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
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    No, text edits are made by low-level graphics methods - just polygons, textures, meshes.
    They are calculated each time you've changed the text, not each frame.
     
  11. zFerz

    zFerz

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2012
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    12
    What about perfomance? Is it fast enough for mobile devices?
    What about Modal forms? Does it have it?
     
  12. etiainen

    etiainen

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    Oct 28, 2011
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    Performance is great. Even unoptimized online demo for Android ( http://nic-starc.ru/dev/GLU/EN/download.php?f=glu.apk ) shows 27-34 fps on my 1 Ghz Smartphone (Philips Xenium w732).

    Modal forms are one of the key features of GLUe. They are supported, of course.
     
  13. Techdread

    Techdread

    Joined:
    Sep 10, 2010
    Posts:
    25
    Nice framework,

    Others and I have been waiting for some decent LOB solutions, and now I count three polished frameworks in development.

    I will be testing this one too on tablet's when I get the time.

    Excellent work Etiainen:cool:
     
  14. etiainen

    etiainen

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
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    Ah, thank you very much. If anyone starts using it...

    Free version needs fine skin. Since i am not artist, i asking community for help.
     
    Last edited: Dec 11, 2012
  15. mamoniem

    mamoniem

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2012
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    174
    it looks amazing.
    i like your idea of showin the web demo..i though i'll see regular UI show case !
    and then i foun my self inside Adobe Acrobe Reader :) :)

    m;
     
  16. etiainen

    etiainen

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    Oct 28, 2011
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    Thank you. That was IMHO the best way to demonstrate main features of GLUe - fast text drawing and forms.
     
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2012
  17. WereVarg

    WereVarg

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2012
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    What about decorated text support. Is it possible to have formatted text control (like HTML label) on a form?
    How is the font import organized? Do you have your own tool for import, or use external?
     
  18. etiainen

    etiainen

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    Oct 28, 2011
    Posts:
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    There are two components, which supports formatted text:
    - GLUDecoratedLabel (Capable of displaying text with colour, alignment, text style, text size attributes)
    - GLUDocumentView (Full-scale electron document with tables, paragraph and embedded controls support. HTML IO coming soon)

    For now, there my own is run-time script, which takes font, array of sizes and creates a set of textures and XML file, containing UV rects for each letter.
    I planning support of raster-vector scaling fonts (which greatly reduces memory usage).
     
  19. Gabo_campitelli

    Gabo_campitelli

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2012
    Posts:
    426
    This is awsome. So technically with this extension you can proyect the UI on a 3d surface? for example a door console?
     
  20. etiainen

    etiainen

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    Oct 28, 2011
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    Yes, this feature is anounced. Technically, you can set Render texture as render target for several forms an put it to any surface in EZ-GUI manner even now.
    What left to do is to write input coordinates translation code (it will be implemented in Pro version soon alongside with visual editor and HTML documents support).
     
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2012
  21. etiainen

    etiainen

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