TV Static Animation

[saratogacoach]

Hi,

I need to create an animation for an eLearning project to illustrate a concept called dynamic visual noise. It is similar to TV static but has a larger pixel size. I wonder if this can be done in LiveCode?

A description of dynamic visual noise and a link for a demo (and source code written in Delphi) is at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_sp/peo ... sonal/jgq/.

Basically, the canvas is 640 X 640 with eighty 8 X 8 pixel dots across and the same number/size down, for a total of 6400 dots. The animation pattern has a random number of these change from white to black to white repeatedly every second, for a gentle, flowing change pattern. Descriptions of the pattern speak about keeping 50% of the dots white and static as a background, with the remaining randomly changing. A Flash demo, showing timing and pattern change is at http://elearningprojects.com/WN5.swf.

I have beginner skills using LiveCode. But firstly, can this be achieved in LiveCode. What are the first steps? Any suggestions and help getting started appreciated.

Kind Regards,

[Dixie]

saratogacoach,

Yes, you can do what you wish in LiveCode... I have attached a little stack to get you started.

be well

Dixie

[saratogacoach]

Hi Dixie,

Thank you very much! As a LiveCode beginner, it will take me some time to study how this works, figure out the script.

I would need to make the canvas larger (640 X 640), using 8 X 8 dots (rectangles), add a toggle for the person viewing to click the screen for pause/resume, and finally a way to set a time for the animation (30 seconds).

Any suggestions how to do these would be much appreciated since I'm not yet too capable with scripting.

Again, a huge thank you! This is very hopeful that I can use LiveCode for this animation.

Kind Regards,

[Dixie]

Saratogacoach...

I have attached another stack for you... 'Fuzz2'

You have a matrix of 80 x 80 graphic rectangles at a size of 8 x 8 pixels... they are all contained in a group 'dotsGroup'.
The button below the group, contains the script that you need to look at to see how the name of the button is toggled between 'Start' and 'Stop' and how to set a time duration for the animation to run... the animation will run for 30 seconds or until the user presses the button 'Stop'...

Hope this helps...

Dixie

[saratogacoach]

Hi Dixie,

Thanks again for your help.

Is there a way to change the speed of the animation? In comparing it to the speed of the animation in the Flash version (http://elearningprojects.com/WN5.swf), it is slightly slower, so it needs to be sped up a little (not much).

The animation demo needs to be as precise in speed as possible in order to correctly illustrate dynamic visual noise for the eLearning lesson.

Not sure how to change the speed (up or down). Is there a variable or other way to set or change speed? (I've tried modifying what I can in the script, but nothing has changed the speed.)

(Maybe in an alternate design, I would add a slider control with the correct speed-default-at the center of the slider and the option to move the slider up or down to increase or lower speed. What a challenge for me.)

Again much thanks for your help.

Kind Regards,

[saratogacoach]

Hi,

Strangely, the first Fuzz runs perfectly for speed and style of animation. However, the canvas is not larger enough (needs to be 640X640), there are 12X12 dots (needs to be 8X8) and so it only has 1024 dots.

Once this animation code is used in Fuzz2 for a 640X640 canvas, 8X8 dots and a total of 6400 dots, the speed and style are no longer correct for dynamic visual noise.

I'm not sure why, but I suspect that changing size and number of dots affects the speed and style.

In an email from the dynamic visual noise researcher, he mentions that 'slightly under 400 dots per second' are randomly chosen for changing/flipping from white to black or black to white.

Is there a way to add some random generator/timer so that only 400 (or a number in a range from 390-410) are randomly chosen and changed? This random selection and changing is repeated every second. It could also work to have 40 dots randomly selected every 100 ms, I think?

I think if this can be done, the larger animation (Fuzz2) will work.

Kind Regards,