Flickering controls

[therks]

So I've got this screen saver I wrote up, but the numbers flicker a lot while they're floating around. Is there any fix for this (without a complete overhaul) or am I pretty much SOL?

expandcollapse popup

#NoTrayIcon
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <StaticConstants.au3>
#include <Math.au3>

Global $aOffsets[6], $iLastActive, $sColon, $iMaxRand = 10, $hGUI, $alb_Time[5], $iMaxWidth, $iMaxHeight, $aTimePieces[5][2]
Global $aFollow[3][2] = [ _
        [ Random(-$iMaxRand, $iMaxRand, 1), Random(-$iMaxRand, $iMaxRand, 1) ], _
        [ Random(1, $iMaxWidth, 1), Random(1, $iMaxHeight, 1) ], _
        [ Random(1, $iMaxWidth, 1), Random(1, $iMaxHeight, 1) ] _
    ]
Global Enum $F_RANDMOVE, $F_RAND, $F_FINAL

If @Compiled Then
    If $CmdLine[0] Then
        Switch StringLeft($CmdLine[1], 2)
            Case '/s'
                _Screensaver()
            Case '/p'
                ; Preview
            Case '/c'
                _Config()
        EndSwitch
    Else
        _Config()
    EndIf
Else
    Sleep(1000)
    _Screensaver()
EndIf

Func _Config()
    MsgBox(0x40, 'Clock', 'Sorry, no settings.') ; Font and colour choice options go here
EndFunc

Func _Screensaver()
    Local $iLabelStyle = BitOR($SS_CENTER, $SS_CENTERIMAGE)

    $hGUI = GUICreate('', 1, 1, Default, Default, BitOR($WS_POPUP, $WS_MAXIMIZE), $WS_EX_TOPMOST)
        GUISetBkColor(0)
        GUISetFont(90, 0, 0, 'Lucida Console')
        GUICtrlSetDefColor(0xff00)
        GUICtrlSetDefBkColor($GUI_BKCOLOR_TRANSPARENT)

    $alb_Time[0] = GUICtrlCreateLabel('88', 0, 0, Default, Default, $iLabelStyle)
    $alb_Time[1] = GUICtrlCreateLabel(':', 0, 0, Default, Default, $iLabelStyle)
    $alb_Time[2] = GUICtrlCreateLabel('88', 0, 0, Default, Default, $iLabelStyle)
    $alb_Time[3] = GUICtrlCreateLabel(':', 0, 0, Default, Default, $iLabelStyle)
    $alb_Time[4] = GUICtrlCreateLabel('88', 0, 0, Default, Default, $iLabelStyle)
    For $i = 0 To 4
        $aOffsets[$i+1] = $aOffsets[$i] + _GetPos($alb_Time[$i])
    Next
    $iMaxWidth = @DesktopWidth - $aOffsets[5]
    $iMaxHeight = @DesktopHeight - _GetPos($alb_Time[0], 3)
    For $i = 0 To 4
        $aTimePieces[$i][0] = Random(1, $iMaxWidth, 1)
        $aTimePieces[$i][1] = Random(1, $iMaxHeight, 1)
    Next

    OnAutoItExitRegister('_OnExit')
    DllCall('user32.dll', 'int', 'ShowCursor', 'int', 0)
    _TimeUpdate()

    AdlibRegister('_TimeUpdate', 500)
    AdlibRegister('_Follow', 10)
    AdlibRegister('_FollowRandom', 3000)

    GUISetState()

    $iLastActive = _LastActive()
    While 1
        If $iLastActive <> _LastActive() Then ExitLoop
        Sleep(10)
    WEnd
EndFunc

Func _FollowRandom()
    $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][0] = Random(-$iMaxRand, $iMaxRand)
    $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][1] = Random(-$iMaxRand, $iMaxRand)
EndFunc

Func _Follow()
    $aFollow[$F_RAND][0] += $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][0]
    $aFollow[$F_RAND][1] += $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][1]
    If $aFollow[$F_RAND][0] < 0 Then $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][0] = Random(5, $iMaxRand)
    If $aFollow[$F_RAND][0] > $iMaxWidth Then $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][0] = Random(-$iMaxRand, -5)
    If $aFollow[$F_RAND][1] < 0 Then $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][1] = Random(5, $iMaxRand)
    If $aFollow[$F_RAND][1] > $iMaxHeight Then $aFollow[$F_RANDMOVE][1] = Random(-$iMaxRand, -5)

    _FollowCalc($aFollow[$F_FINAL][0], $aFollow[$F_RAND][0])
    _FollowCalc($aFollow[$F_FINAL][1], $aFollow[$F_RAND][1])

    _FollowCalc($aTimePieces[0][0], $aFollow[$F_FINAL][0], 50)
    _FollowCalc($aTimePieces[0][1], $aFollow[$F_FINAL][1], 50)

    For $i = 1 To 4
        _FollowCalc($aTimePieces[$i][0], $aTimePieces[$i-1][0])
        _FollowCalc($aTimePieces[$i][1], $aTimePieces[$i-1][1])
    Next

    For $i = 0 To 4
        GUICtrlSetPos($alb_Time[$i], _Max(0, $aTimePieces[$i][0] + $aOffsets[$i]), _Max(0, $aTimePieces[$i][1]))
    Next
EndFunc

Func _FollowCalc(ByRef $iPos, $iGoTo, $iDiv = 10)
    Local $iDiff = $iGoTo - $iPos
    $iPos += Round($iDiff / $iDiv, 2)
EndFunc

Func _TimeUpdate()
    If $sColon = ':' Then
        $sColon = ''
    Else
        $sColon = ':'
    EndIf

    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[0], @HOUR)
    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[1], $sColon)
    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[2], @MIN)
    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[3], $sColon)
    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[4], @SEC)
EndFunc

Func _LastActive($vUser32Dll = 'user32.dll')
    Local $sLastInput = DllStructCreate('uint;dword')
    DllStructSetData($sLastInput, 1, DllStructGetSize($sLastInput))
    DllCall($vUser32Dll, 'int', 'GetLastInputInfo', 'ptr', DllStructGetPtr($sLastInput))

    Return DllStructGetData($sLastInput, 2)
EndFunc

Func _GetPos($iCtrl, $iIndex = 2)
    Local $t = ControlGetPos($hGUI, '', $iCtrl)
    Return $t[$iIndex]
EndFunc

Func _OnExit()
    DllCall('user32.dll', 'int', 'ShowCursor', 'int', 1)
EndFunc

[Melba23]

therks,

The trick to prevent flicker is to update the labels only when they need it.

Try adding a check along these lines for each label:

If GUICtrlRead($alb_Time[0]) <> @HOUR Then
    GUICtrlSetData($alb_Time[0], @HOUR)
EndIf

Any better?

M23

[therks]

Under normal circumstances that would work, but it's not (just) the control updates that are causing flicker, I think it's the positioning.

In fact You can comment out the whole block of GUICtrlSetData()'s at line 119 and it still flickers.

[Melba23]

therks,

When I run the script with the "flicker-resistant" update code, it looks as if the remaining flicker occurs when you overlap the labels as they move around. This is likely to be due to AutoIt's interpreted nature - it takes (in computer terms) quite a time to move each control. You could try adjusting the movement logic to prevent as much as possible of this overlap.

M23

[UEZ]

Try GDI+.

Here a fast hack which has enough room for improvement especially for the digits movement.

expandcollapse popup

;fast hack by UEZ 2011
#include <GDIPlus.au3>
#include <GUIConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
Opt("GUIOnEventMode", 1)

_GDIPlus_Startup()
Global Const $hWin = WinGetHandle("Program Manager")
Global Const $aWin = WinGetPos($hWin)

Global Const $iW = @DesktopWidth
Global Const $iH = @DesktopHeight
Global Const $hgui = GUICreate("GDI+ Test by UEZ", $aWin[2], $aWin[3], $aWin[0], $aWin[1], $WS_POPUP)
GUISetBkColor(0x000000, $hgui)
GUISetState()

Global Const $hDC = _WinAPI_GetWindowDC($hGUI)
Global Const  $hDC_backbuffer = _WinAPI_CreateCompatibleDC($hDC)
Global Const  $hBitmap_backbuffer = _WinAPI_CreateCompatibleBitmap($hDC, $iW, $iH)
Global Const $DC_obj = _WinAPI_SelectObject($hDC_backbuffer, $hBitmap_backbuffer)
Global Const $hBackbuffer = _GDIPlus_GraphicsCreateFromHDC($hDC_backbuffer)
_GDIPlus_GraphicsSetSmoothingMode($hBackbuffer, 2)
DllCall($ghGDIPDll, "uint", "GdipSetTextRenderingHint", "handle", $hBackbuffer, "int", 4)

Global Const $hBrush_Clear = _GDIPlus_BrushCreateSolid(0xFF000000)
Global Const $hBrush = _GDIPlus_BrushCreateSolid(0xFF00FF00)
Global Const $hFormat = _GDIPlus_StringFormatCreate ()
Global Const $hFamily = _GDIPlus_FontFamilyCreate ("Lucida Console")
Global Const $fSize = $iH / 10
Global Const $hFont = _GDIPlus_FontCreate ($hFamily, $fSize, 0)
Global Const $tLayout = _GDIPlus_RectFCreate (0, 0, 0, 0)

Global $aTxt[5] = [@HOUR, ":", @MIN, ":", @SEC]
Global $aPos[5][2]
Global Const $d = $fSize * 1.1
Global Const $dx = $fSize * 2.5
Global Const $dy = $fSize * 1.5
Global Const $fS2 = $fSize / 4

$aPos[0][0] = Random($iW / 4, $iW / 3, 1)
$aPos[0][1] = Random($iH / 3, $iH / 2, 1)
$aPos[1][0] = $aPos[0][0] + $d * 1.35
$aPos[1][1] = $aPos[0][1]
$aPos[2][0] = $aPos[0][0] + $d * 2
$aPos[2][1] = $aPos[0][1]
$aPos[3][0] = $aPos[0][0] + $d * 3.35
$aPos[3][1] = $aPos[0][1]
$aPos[4][0] = $aPos[0][0] + $d * 4
$aPos[4][1] = $aPos[0][1]
GUISetOnEvent($GUI_EVENT_CLOSE , "_Exit")

Global $timer = TimerInit(), $zz, $s = 1
Global $timer_blink = TimerInit()
Global Const $om = MouseGetCursor()
AdlibRegister("Draw", 30)
AdlibRegister("Update_Time", 100)

OnAutoItExitRegister("_Exit")

While Sleep(1000000000)
WEnd

Func Draw()
    GUISetCursor(16, 1, $hGUI)
    Local Static $i
    Local $j, $z = 0.75 + $zz
    For $j = 0 To 4
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsFillRect($hBackbuffer, $aPos[$j][0] - $fS2, $aPos[$j][1] - $fS2, $dx, $dy, $hBrush_Clear)
    Next
;~  _GDIPlus_GraphicsFillRect($hBackbuffer, 0, 0, $iW, $iH, $hBrush_Clear)
    For $j = 4 To 0 Step - 1
        DllStructSetData($tLayout, "x", $aPos[$j][0])
        DllStructSetData($tLayout, "y", $aPos[$j][1])
        _GDIPlus_GraphicsDrawStringEx($hBackbuffer, $aTxt[$j], $hFont, $tLayout, $hFormat, $hBrush)
        $aPos[$j][0] -= Cos(($i - $z) / 10) * 12
        $aPos[$j][1] -= Sin(($i + $z) / 8) * 8
        $z *= 1.75
    Next
    $i += 0.75
    _WinAPI_BitBlt($hDC, 0, 0, $iW, $iH, $hDC_backbuffer, 0, 0, $SRCCOPY)
EndFunc

Func Update_Time()
    $aTxt[0] = @HOUR
    $aTxt[2] = @MIN
    $aTxt[4] = @SEC
    If $s = 1 Then
        $aTxt[1] = ""
        $aTxt[3] = ""
    Else
        $aTxt[1] = ":"
        $aTxt[3] = ":"
    EndIf
    If TimerDiff($timer) > 10000 Then
        $zz += Random(-0.5, 0.5)
        $timer = TimerInit()
    EndIf
    If TimerDiff($timer_blink) > 500 Then
        $s *= -1
        $timer_blink = TimerInit()
    EndIf
EndFunc

Func _Exit()
    GUISetCursor($om, 1, $hGUI)
    AdlibUnRegister("Update_Time")
    AdlibUnRegister("Draw")
    _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush_Clear)
    _GDIPlus_BrushDispose($hBrush)
    _GDIPlus_GraphicsDispose($hBackbuffer)
    _WinAPI_SelectObject($hDC, $DC_obj)
    _WinAPI_DeleteDC($hDC_backbuffer)
    _WinAPI_DeleteObject($hBitmap_backbuffer)
    _WinAPI_ReleaseDC($hGUI, $hDC)
    _GDIPlus_Shutdown()
    GUIDelete($hGUI)
    Exit
EndFunc

Br,

UEZ

Edited May 27, 2011 by UEZ

[therks]

Thanks UEZ, that looks really good. Something seems odd about it, but I can't put my finger on it.. it might just be the way it's floating. Either way, it's definitely not flickering anymore, so this gives me something to pick apart and figure out. Thanks again!