Dazed and Confused with new GForce GUI

[Roy C]

This is a little embarrassing as I have always thought of myself as a fairly puter literate guy, but this program has me stumped. I have been using Gforce with JRiver Media Center for a couple of years. I was a very happy camper until the current GUI came out. Before, I could make up a theme Just the way I wanted it using the control panel and save it. Now I can make the theme but I can not save it so the control panel is useless. Try as I might I have had zero success understanding the new GUI. The pre-made themes are too "busy" for my taste. In particular I don't like particles at all. I asked for help from "support" but got nothing usefull. Can I get some help here on the forum?

[juxtiphi]

This is a little embarrassing as I have always thought of myself as a fairly puter literate guy, but this program has me stumped. I have been using Gforce with JRiver Media Center for a couple of years. I was a very happy camper until the current GUI came out. Before, I could make up a theme Just the way I wanted it using the control panel and save it. Now I can make the theme but I can not save it so the control panel is useless. Try as I might I have had zero success understanding the new GUI. The pre-made themes are too "busy" for my taste. In particular I don't like particles at all. I asked for help from "support" but got nothing usefull. Can I get some help here on the forum?

Hi Roy

I have been using G-force since the beginning and I found the toolbar to be fairly self explanatory and easy to use when it came to creating my own themes.

All that disappeared when the new UI was implemented. While the toolbar is still a part of G-force not being able to save a theme via the Toolbar is maddening.

While I understand the desire to have all SS programs having the same aesthetics I do not understand the way it works. Saving a theme has become so arduous that I gave up trying a long time ago.

For my money the toolbar was much easier to understand/use. Saving a theme was simple compared to the new process which is convoluted at best. FrankN said he was going to post a tutorial video but it must still be in the works.



Welcome to the boat.

[FrankN]

Hey guys,

Yes, I'm still working on the movie. Video editing is difficult, especially when you're trying to make the video look professional! If anyone has some tips, please feel free to email me.

In the meantime, Roy, it may be help to think of it like a tree structure. Themes are at the top, Categories make up Themes, Visual Elements (WaveShapes, ColorMaps, etc.) make up Categories.

You can create a new Theme with the tool in the Settings menu. You can create a new Category in any Categories menu. Look for the "Edit" button, under the "(Custom)" Category. Let me know if you need more help.

[BTT]

Hello All

If you wait for SoundSpectrum to sort this mess then you will wait forever.

There is no feature in G-Force 5.3 for saving your favourite WaveShapes, FlowFields and ColorMaps

However, there is a work around that I use successfully. The following information is for Windows XP, but I am sure users of other versions of Windows will be able to follow the details.

First - Run G-Force, and press Shift D until you see the word 'Partial' in the top left of your screen, as the configs load you will be able to see their names. Write down those that are not to your liking, this may take some time (you don't have to do them all in one session).

Second - Goto Program Files / SoundSpectrum / G-Force / Packages where you will find the following:-

G-Force ColorMap package
G-Force FlowField package
G-Force WaveShape package

Open each one and delete the configs you do not like, probably best if you create New Folders and name them to save the configs:-

Old ColorMaps
Old Flowfields
Old WaveShapes

This is for both safety, and you can put them back into their original folders if you have a change of mind.

Third - You can stop the UI from loading when G-Force starts, to do this make sure you have 'Show Hidden Files' enabled then goto:-

C / Documents and Settings / Yourname / Application Data / SoundSpectrum / G-Force then locate the Preferences (Winamp) or the name of the media player you are using.

Open the file, and scroll down to and change:-

UI Enabled = 1 to UI Enabled = 0 (save your changes)

Moving the mouse will re-activate the UI. You can stop the mouse from activating the UI by changing:-

UI Activate on click = 1 to UI Activate on click = 0 (save your changes)

Don't worry if you mess up the Preferences file, if you do just simply delete the file. G-Force will automatically create a new Preferences file when next run.

[juxtiphi]

Hello All

If you wait for SoundSpectrum to sort this mess then you will wait forever.

There is no feature in G-Force 5.3 for saving your favourite WaveShapes, FlowFields and ColorMaps

However, there is a work around that I use successfully. The following information is for Windows XP, but I am sure users of other versions of Windows will be able to follow the details.

First - Run G-Force, and press Shift D until you see the word 'Partial' in the top left of your screen, as the configs load you will be able to see their names. Write down those that are not to your liking, this may take some time (you don't have to them all in one session).

Second - Goto Program Files / SoundSpectrum / G-Force / Packages where you will find the following:-

G-Force ColorMap package
G-Force FlowField package
G-Force WaveShape package

Open each one and delete the configs you do not like, probably best if you create New Folders and name them to save the configs:-

Old ColorMaps
Old Flowfields
Old WaveShapes

This is for both safety, and you can put them back into their original folders if you have a change of mind.

Third - You can stop the UI from loading when G-Force starts, to do this make sure you have 'Show Hidden Files' enabled then goto:-

C / Documents and Settings / Yourname / Application Data SoundSpectrum / G-Force then locate the Preferences (Winamp) or the name of the media player you are using.

Open the file, and scroll down to and change:-

UI Enabled = 1 to UI Enabled = 0 (save your changes)

Moving the mouse will re-activate the UI. You can stop the mouse from activating the UI by changing:-

UI Activate on click = 1 to UI Activate on click = 0 (save your changes)

Don't worry if you mess up the Preferences file, if you do just simply delete the file. G-Force will automatically create a new Preferences file when next run.

Really BTT that's even more work than trying to use the ui

For me this problem seems really easy to fix. bring back the Toolbar to it's former glory and then stop bloating the program with pretty but overly complicated options.

A music vis should be as simple as possible in its options so that it can be enjoyed without a lot of extra work to try and get it look the way one wants.

I have said this many times. The original G-Force prog was the best out of the box prog I have ever used. Its randomness was key to the great visuals I have seen come out of it. Really the only theme I ever needed was the black color maps theme and that's it.

[BTT]

Hello juxtiphi

Really BTT that's even more work than trying to use the ui

BUT IT WORKS AND IS WORTH THE EFFORT

Andy promised me he would re-code the G-Force ToolBar so that Themes could be saved as before. The ToolBar was simplicity itself.

Frank can go on about using the UI to save themes until Christmas next year, but he is totally missing the point. It's too complicated. Bring back the ToolBar with the save Theme feature and everyone would be happy customers. Just think of the number of posts that have been made about this subject, and the number of people who have stated they will not be renewing their subscription. Andy - listen to what your customers want, not what you think they want.

[FrankN]

Thanks for the input, guys! We're always listening.

When I consider the number of posts and support queries about the issue, against the number of customers we have, and consider the number of man-hours we have available, I think that our UI is going to stay the way it is for right now.

I have also heard Andy tell me that he is going to put the save button back into the toolbar. In the meantime, I'm here to help users with the existing UI.

[Roy C]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I eventually made a custom theme by manually selecting all of the wave shapes, flowfields and colors using the GUI - cant believe there is no select all function. Now I don't have any particles or sprites (both of which I don't like). Now when I see a waveshape or flowfield I don't like I can check the control panel to see what its name is and then delete it using the GUI. A pain in the neck considering the program was perfect in my book before the fancy new GUI.

[jerohm]

... I eventually made a custom theme by manually selecting all of the wave shapes, flowfields and colors using the GUI - cant believe there is no select all function....

well this is a little late for you, but there actually IS a way to do what you want, just you need to do a little manual editing:
[Win7]

Edit: C:\Users\YourAccount\AppData\Roaming\SoundSpectrum\G-Force\Categories\WaveShape\(Custom).txt

(or ColorMap, FlowField, Particle, Sprite, etc)

Code: Select all

(Custom).txt:
About = ""
CategoryFlags = 0
CategoryTitle = "(Custom)"
Exclude.Pattern = ""
Include.ConfigFlagMatchMask = 0
Include.ConfigFlagSelectMask = 6
Include.Pattern = ""
LastModified = 0x54709D34
Version = 1
Include.List = "
"
Exclude.List = "
"

The ONLY line that needs to be changed is:
Include.Pattern = ""
to:
Include.Pattern = "*"

NOW everything is SELECTED by default, and UNCHECKED exceptions are added to the Exclude.List using the GUI . Of course you COULD populate the Include.List/Exclude.List using manual editing (but why?). If you do, Exclude.List entries take precedence over Include.List entries (translation: if a Config Name ends up in BOTH lists, it will NOT be displayed )

... maybe it will help some others.

[FrankN]

Thanks Jerohm!

[BTT]

Hello jerohm

Brilliant work - Now anyone can use/edit the GUI. I think your work should be included in the FAQ's, How about it Frank?

[BTT]

Hello jerohm

Does using your code save your selection of configs, or does this have to be done each time you load G-Force?

[jerohm]

edited 25Nov2014

Hello jerohm

Does using your code save your selection of configs, or does this have to be done each time you load G-Force?

You need to fully embrace/accept the GUI paradigm... but, OF COURSE!

You need to set up the '(Custom Theme)' using the
Settings->Theme Editor

You CAN create [any number of] additional 'custom themes', but let's pretend we are dealing with the default '(Custom Theme)'... okay???

In the distribution, the default '(Custom Theme)' has each of its Config Category (WaveShape, ColorMap, etc) lists, linked to their respective Config CATAGORY '(Custom)'

• files
  (which are each accessed/edited from the FIRST page of the GUI - Not within the Theme Editor) .
  Again, you CAN create more than one Config Category '(Custom)' list, but that is outside the scope of this blurb.
  
  [Win7]
  1) Start by modifying the Config CATAGORY '(Custom)'
  • files
    (re: C:\Users\YourAccount\AppData\Roaming\SoundSpectrum\G-Force\Categories\{WaveShape|ColorMap|FlowField|Particle|Sprite}\(Custom).txt )
    as documented above, everything should default to ACTIVE.
    
    2) You need to SET the Active Theme, to '(Custom Theme)', and also most likely, to the Startup Theme (on Setting Menu Page).
    
    At this point you can UNCHECK things you don't want to see using:
    Menu->{WaveShapes|ColorMaps|FlowFields|Particles|Sprites}->{WaveShape|ColorMap|FlowField|Particle|Sprite} Catagories->(Custom) [Edit]
    
    And YES, they will remain between invocations.
    If this is NOT clear enuff, somebody else can make a stab at a more coherent clarification.
    (I don't do documentation ... very well anyway. This was WAY TOO much effort... I need a beer break)
    
    
    (IMO, the Particles are some of the best inclusions, so I wouldn't be too anxious, disabling ALL of them... but to each his own)

[Roy C]

Ok so I got a custom theme that I like without any Particles or sprites. Now I would like to create a second custom theme that has ONLY particles and sprites. Can this be done? Can it be done without writing code? If so can someone walk me through it?

[jerohm]

Well YES (I think), but ONLY if you are willing to do some manual file creation.

Where as multiple Custom THEME CREATION IS supported by the Settings->Theme Editor, creation of multiple Custom Config CATAGORIES, APPEAR NOT TO BE.

Everything seems to WORK once the 'base' files exist, but SoundSpectrum seems to have forgotten to include Custom CATAGORY CREATION function support within the GUI.

There is no point in describing what needs to be done, UNLESS you fully understand my previous posts, and are willing to do a little leg work on your own. Furthermore, SoundSpectrum really needs to acknowledge/understand this deficiency, and add this functionality via the GUI.

disclaimer: Everything I know about this, is from inspection/trial&error... which means I could always be wrong, but we really don't want to explore that possibility UNTIL proven necessary.