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I have an odd problem with visual display in the Windows version of an app. A tab button is set to use a background pattern, which works fine on my Mac but does not display on either Windows XP or Windows 7. I posted this to the mailing list and Mark Weider was kind enough to take a look, and he does see the pattern displayed in Windows XP. I sent the app to my client, and he does not.

I have a workaround, but I would like to figure out why Mark can see it and I can't. Here is what my client and I both see:



Here is how it looks on my Mac, and Mark sees something similar on his copy of XP:



If anyone here could download this tiny test stack and take a look, I'd appreciate knowing how it displays for you.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/23431607/patter ... t.livecode

Hopefully with enough feedback I can figure out what the difference is. I have a hunch it might be the graphics card or drivers, and there's no way to fix that, but I'd like to know for sure if possible. Thanks for any help.

More data:

Jacque is seeing no tab button background pattern on XP running in a Parallels vm and her client is running XP natively.
I can see the background pattern on a native XP system as well as on a VirtualBox vm runnining on a linux base.

Hi Jacque,
also here, on Win 7 64 bit (NO virtual emulation, real PC running Win), same result as you ... no tab button background pattern ...

Guglielmo

It appears that I am seeing the same thing as what you and your client are seeing, but on Windows 7. I viewed it on two different monitors, with identical results. I also ran it as an .exe and from LC.

There is a difference in the monitors, because my secondary monitor sometimes balks at displaying live video. However, in this case, the displays are both the same. I attached a screenshot just to make sure I didn't miss something in your question.

Gene

Same here, win7 no background pattern showing despite confirming that it was actually set. Also tried a straight background color and it also does not show. Tried with both 4.6.4 and 5.5.

Thanks guys, that helps a lot. I'll submit a bug report. Either the engine is wrong or the docs are wrong. I had tried a plain color too, and it also didn't work. I tested in 5.02 and 5.5, but it's a good data point that the problem goes back to at least 4.6.4.

The weird thing is that Mark did see the pattern and sent me a screen shot to prove it. I don't get that part.

This is true for Win7 running LC 4.5.3 as well. ATI graphics card if that helps any.

I've got an ATI card too. Mark, what's yours?

Mine is mobile intel series (laptop integrated)

Found something interesting but unhelpful.

create a new tab panel on a white background. Set the background color to blue. It still doesn't work but a thin blue line shows up at the very top of the panel to the right of the last tab button. So it almost looks like the layering of the tab panel group is wrong (it is a built up object right? buttons etc..) Looks like something in the layer underneath the glaring front white space is taking the color set.

a thin blue line shows up at the very top of the panel

I did notice that the other day and then forgot about it. I need to add that to the bug report. If it's just a layering issue maybe it can be fixed.

Confirm Windows 7 here gives the same missing background pattern, except for a thin line at the top edge, as noted above.

It may be possible to simulate an approximate likeness by use of graphic effects. Colour overlay does apply to the tab canvas.

Only now I'm wondering what happened to gradients? Where did they go, when and why? [Edit: gradient options are there for graphic objects... am I just hallucinating when I remember gradients being available to any object where graphic effects could be applied?]

The team confirmed my bug report and has said they will fix it so that Windows tab buttons show background colors and patterns. I don't know when that will happen though. For now I'm showing a graphic with its background fill set to a gradient image. If very carefully sized, it looks like part of the tab button. It's a pain to manage if the stack allows user resizing.

I think you were hallucinating about gradients. At least, I only remember seeing them for graphic objects.

Bug report number? And did the team say anything about why *I* can see tab background patterns and apparently nobody else can? Not that I'm complaining that much, but it would be nice to know what's going on. And if I release an app it would be nice if everyone saw things the way I do.

Must be carefull if with next update situation will be vice versa
Would be funny.

Marek