customize layout

[druitre]

Hello, I'd like to know if it's possible to have XSI store or remember it's screen setup when you shut it down, so it will start up with an identical setup.

To explain what I mean with 'screen setup': I'm on a widescreen 24" monitor and I like to set my XSI so that it covers the leftmost 4/5ths of the screenwidth. In the open area I get to the right, I drag the explorer, the toolbars I use most often and a couple of windows I've torn off to have them floating.

(I do this to keep the viewport area uncluttered)

However, this information is not stored in 'my layout' that I create. After shutting down and restarting XSI everything is back to default - maximized XSI, no floating windows, all toolbars closed.

Is there a way to have it remember this information?

thanks,
Jasper

[xsisupport]

Yes, if you use a custom layout.
http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/2010/02 ... nder-tree/

[Rork]

and on the topic of custom layouts,

follow the link in the footer ;-)

[druitre]

Thanks! I'll delve into it.

[druitre]

I've been spending some time going through the links you provided and learned a new trick or two - and solved part of my problem. I still have some questions though:

1 - Most programs remember (or probably more precisely put, windows remembers) the last size and position of the window before closing it.

When I start XSI it always does so in a maximized window, selecting 'restore' always shrinks down the window to something small in the middle of my desktop.

How do I get XSI to behave like most other programs?

2 - Can I customize what panel is opened by the panel switcher? Specifically the main shelf, that is opened in the top panel. I would like to set it to my own customized shelf, and what's more, I want to keep that shelf in my workgroup folder. Portability & stuff.

3 - Is it possible to edit the dopesheet view so that it shows 'current key set summary'? Or is it possible to change the way the timeline works (LMB/MMB/RMB functions) to be similar to how the dopesheet works?

[craft]

mate i 've been throught all that as you did. here's the best approach i've found: instead of floating windows, have them embed into your layout and show/hide acording to your need. It's non intrusive and doesn't depend on Windows. I only advise a floating windows alternative if you're using two screens with different resolutions.
check the file in attachment:
1) grab it's content files into your xsi user folder (generally something like c:\users\<your name>\), in their proper places.
2) restart XSI and then choose in the menu view>layouts>Tiago
3) use the buttons at the bottom left corner to show/hide your views.
4) peep into my .xsily file to see how i did it and take my name off your Layouts Menu
5) mess with it, let me know if you come up with something better and...


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[druitre]

Obrigado Tiago!

I like your idea of messing around with the panel switcher. In my case, I'd want a double-whammy type of switcher for the left and right verticals - two rows vertically on either side - so I could hide the module menu on the left and the MCP on the right as well as the vertical panels just inside those. (which I'd fill up with some different views than you did, but that's not important)

It would mean creating a panelswitcher with seven instead of five buttons. I'd have do start dicking around with your example to figure out how you customized your panelswitcher for sure.

I notice that after installing your stuff (i put it in my workgroup, I prefer to avoid putting anything in my user folder - portability, you know) my own layouts didn't work properly anymore. Had to disable your panelswitcher.xsitb. Hmm. Does yours override something?

About the dopesheet/timeline customisation, that's still another story...

(BTW, wish I could help you out with getting work... but I'm in the same situation as you are... hard times)

[craft]

Obrigado Tiago!

De nada (you're welcome) heh

I'd have do start dicking around with your example to figure out how you customized your panelswitcher for sure.

I notice that after installing your stuff (i put it in my workgroup, I prefer to avoid putting anything in my user folder - portability, you know) my own layouts didn't work properly anymore. Had to disable your panelswitcher.xsitb. Hmm. Does yours override something?

it's quite easy and the trick is mostly inside the layout file. Use the "optional=hidden" or "optional=visible" code inside a view you create in your layout, it'll mean you can hide it. then just switch the "optional" parameter value from the panelswitcher, either with an external script (preferable) or an embed one like the defaults.
I never use workgroups. issues with that are common and i don't need it that much. so i don't know... did you try renaming the panleswitcher's file and then changing the address to it in the layout file?

(BTW, wish I could help you out with getting work... but I'm in the same situation as you are... hard times)

no probs mate. good luck for you too!

[druitre]

Hi Tiago,

I just finished tweaking my custom layout (based on your example, good setup, I like the way it keeps things uncluttered).

I found out that to have more than one panelswitcher.xsitb you have to change the clsid of each copy (in a texteditor) to a new and unique value. I'm just simply raising the last value by one, hope that doesn't break anything else in some other place in XSI.

One question about your example: the rightmost button in your panelswitcher looks as if it should call on the .vsb script you supplied. It doesn't work though, I don't see any script being loaded either, in the scripteditor. How should it work?

Jasper

[craft]

from my panelswitch file :

Code: Select all

<item type="script" bitmap="maximize" name="maximizeLowerPanel" cmdid="{66BFE13D-F1C7-4368-85DC-57520505D203}"></item>

drag and drop the script file i sent you into xsi's viewport, to add it to the system. give it the name "maximizeLowerPanel". hopefully that should be enouth. If it isn't, right click the panel switcher and enter edit mode. delete the current button, add the script from the scripts section in the window that poped up by draging it's name over to the panelswitcher. write "maximize" in the bitmap field. close the editor window, right click the panelswitcher to save and you're done.

[druitre]

Drag'n drop of the scriptfile doesn't work (I mean, the mousepointer is on crossed-circle)
It's not listed in the Customize Toolbar-window (looked in all categories, I suppose it should be under Custom Script Commands?)

What does work though, is to drag the script onto the panel switcher and create a button when it asks to. Nice!

Now, all I'd want is to be able to customize the timeline (have it work more like the dopesheet in terms of mousefunctions. No MMB, for instance).

But, so far so good and thanks for your help!