Are there any guide file's or "how to's" available
for Ambient anywhere? MorphOS and Ambient are new
to me. I downloaded a new skin and the installer
script for the skin wasn't finding directory's
where it was looking for them. Some info on
correct directory location and how to modify
Ambient would be really helpfull. Thanks.

Navigator

You could install your skin in the MOSSYS:Prefs/Skins Directory.

after that you could change the skin of the Ambient screen using System Preferencies in ScreenMode section and edit Ambient screen.

That's all :)

Don't put 3rd party skins in MOSSYS:, they belong in SYS:Prefs/Skins.

I read an Ambient review that mentions the directory
arrangement is similar to AOS. Since it's not
identical, is MOSSYS: created when Ambient is
installed? Thanks!

Navigator

Quote:
No, it's created when morphos is installed (but also Ambient is there)

It's created so that some programs wouldn't overwrite (native) commands and libraries with old 68k version.

If you take a closer look at mossys: (sys:morphos/) you'll see that it contains many same directories as sys:

If there are 2 libraries with the same name, one in sys:libs and the other in mossys:libs, the one at mossys:libs gets used instead.

MOSSYS means MorphOS System ... it's by
default sys:morphos/ ... this does not come with
Ambient. It should be there from the beginning
as it contains the MorphOS-Operating system.

Thanks for the help! If I wanted to remove
Ambient, which directory's would I leave
alone, and what line's should be commented
out of the startup-sequence? I'm very familiar
with Scalos, but if I understand correctly
you cant run both and dont want to delete
something that will make neither work.

Navigator

If you whant to start only Scalos just comment the "LoadWB" line in MOSSYS:S/startup-sequence
and execute the Scalos's LoadWB


Bye

Ok,thanks!

Hi, you should try to run Scalos from Ambient, it works.

In my opinion Ambient desktop works better for MorphOS, there are some nice features like Ambient panels, support for 24bit PNG icons etc. Soon it will support full localization and better file types recognition. If you miss some feature in Ambient, please write to us (Ambient Open Source Team). We will do our best to improve Ambient to your needs.

Since they both use LoadWB to activate them, how
would I run Scalos from Ambient?

Navigator

luky-amiga:
Well actually i would like to see old features come back
For example the various effects for selected Icons. (I used to
have blured Icons selected) I don` t understand why they where dissabled
anyway. Where those really buggy? IIRC the where switched off because itix didn` t
like them?! (Sorry Itix )
And what about to fix this Icon Size thingy? yeah I know that with
GPL Ambient, it was allready set to use a max size of 64x64 but imho
that was just a temporary solution (Ambient crashed when using 128x128 Icon sizes)
but it worked before, and it still works at least for a icon size of 96x96.
I can think of some more things, but those are (at least for me) very annoying
Don` t get me wrong, I like Ambient and I really prefer it over Scalos, nevertheless some
things I don` t like.

Quote:

I don't understand what benefit would be obtained from running Scalos from within Ambient -- Scalos works fine by itself.

Just like Ambient, it has builtin PNG icon support, icon scaling, and thumbnail viewing PLUS it has a working def_icon system AND all the icon sorting options that were left out of Ambient.

As I understand it, a def_icon system is in the works for Ambient -- so I'll keep trying it, but I don't think I'll ever be able to use it as my desktop until there is a way to turn off "auto-postioning" of icons.

[ Edited by klesterjr on 2005/9/21 8:31 ]

I removed unlimited max size for icons because it was breaking layouting routines. It has nothing to do with sizes assigned to each size 'level'. If current max size is too small (is it?) we can make it bigger.

kiero:
I can just mention what I noticed
And that was it, one of the first Ambient GPL releases did
crash badly when there was an Icon which was bigger then 64x64 in the root directory.
When the limit was set to 64x64 it stopped crashing. I did then myself a compile
where the max size was set to 128x128 again (as it was possible with the old Ambient Versions)
And it did crash again. So I thought it "just" was a temporary solution, until that is fixed (A hint from
Robin showed me that 96x96 doesn` t crash...)
Anyway, yes 64x64 *is* to small I have several Icons which are bigger and are resized.
I would be absolutley happy when i could have 128x128 back again
(and perhaps those nice icon-select effects )

@kiero

Yes it is

My fav sizes:

#define SIZE_MICRO 24
#define SIZE_SMALL 32
#define SIZE_MEDIUM 48
#define SIZE_LARGE 72
#define SIZE_HUGE 96

But in long term I would prefer if the user
could set these values on the fly.

@kiero

btw, while we're talking about ambient probs.
Is it possible to kill the current use of topaz font ?

GNU:CVS/ambient2/ambient> grep topaz *
Binary file Ambient matches
boopsiviewclass.c: ta.ta_Name = "topaz.font";
fonts.c: ta.ta_Name = "topaz.font";
HISTORY:- default fonts switched from topaz to xhelvetica

topaz.font is used as fallback font which is ALWAYS available (it's in ROM ie. boot.img). It's not default. Only used when opening of selected font failed.

Hu? How did I manage to doublepost that?! I guess I have to be more careful browsing with "links"
(currently emerging KDE on Gentoo.. takes ages )

[ Edited by Bladerunner on 2005/9/21 17:22 ]

Bladerunner: Ok. You are right, I don't understand switching off "Selection effects" too. It's still possible to change source (config.h and makefile.objs) and use "Selection effects" (like blur effect) again. Maybe we should include this change in CVS sources, because I think it's great feature and who doesn't want this effects, he or she don't have to use them or can remove them from sources.

@Bladerunner

Yeah I dropped icon effect prefs from Ambient. It is still possible have it by defining USE_DROP_EFFECT_PREFS on compile process. Maybe it could be reactivated again...

Quote:

Yes it is

My fav sizes:

#define SIZE_MICRO 24
#define SIZE_SMALL 32
#define SIZE_MEDIUM 48
#define SIZE_LARGE 72
#define SIZE_HUGE 96

But in long term I would prefer if the user
could set these values on the fly.


I totaly agree with Robin!!!