NotesFX 0.2 - Stable, but still not perfect

Since intensive string concatenation with JS crashes the JS-engine in Notes, I moved the concatenations to the formula-engine in Notes, which is more or less rock solid.



>> Download Demo Application

To do this, I use a "proxy" (between JS and Formula) field per effect, where I set x and y values with JavaScript. I then use document.forms.nameOfButton.click() to click a hidden formula-button which makes the string needed to inflate the layer/sets fieldvalue.

The problem now, is that the mouse pointer "blinks" (between hourglass and regular pointer) when the button(s) are clicked with JS. *d'oh!*

In the flash, you can't see the mouse pointer blinking as much as it does in the app.

I'll do my best to find a perfect solution, but I'm not sure the right idea will pop up. Suggestions are appreciated :)

If you're downloading/running the demoapp:
The new demo-form is called DemoAnimation_formula.

NotesFX 0.11

If you're coming to this post directly, NotesFX 0.2, which is stable here.

Changes since 0.1 A:
One field per effect, less JS, speedier, possibility to set speed of animation.

Dropped the alpha (still in the DB-title). It's still nothing more than a proof of concept (mostly because of instability in the Notes Client).

Will still kill JS in Notes (unable to save JS-libraries/run JS in the client). Solution, KillNotes.exe.




>> Download NotesFX 0.11 Alpha

Thanks goes out to Nathan for input on the first version. I planned on having the weekend blog-free, but when people mail me about my experiments, I sometimes get a boost in motivation.

If I ever get this stable, I came up with a couple other possible uses than I have in my demo. Layer-based progress bar, horizontal and vertical bar charts (dynamic, based on field values and animated if you wanted).

Introducing NotesFX 0.1 Alpha

If you're coming to this post directly, NotesFX 0.2, which is stable here.

When I made the BlindDown demo, I thought that was the best I could do with layers in the client. Just the other day, I did a little pondering, and now I've found out how to animate size and position (sliding) in two dimensions, use/switch images from image-resources with one JS-command (and slide them in two dimensions), all contained in one(!!) subform :)

>> View demo

>> Download Demo Application

Setting borders on layers was one of the possible limitations I feared, but thanks to my good friend, "Google Search", I found this gem by Jane Griscti.

The biggest problem with the current version of NotesFX is that it seems to crash the JS-engine in the Notes Client. When this error occurs (after running 5-6 demos), you have to KillNotes.exe/start Notes again to run more demos, since Notes doesn't seem to have trash management for JS in the client.

I'm planning to look at acceleration in movement/size, and see what I can do with that in an upcoming version. Not sure when/if it is possible to have these effects without getting memory leaks (which is what I think occurs).

If you're downloading/running the demoapp:

You're going to have to kill Notes!! (the JS-engine crashes)

The demo-form is named "DemoAnimation". Open it in the Client, and click the different actions to see demos of effects.

The JS is really messy, but if I find a way to do effects, and not overload Notes, I may clean up the code, and document usage of the JS "classes".

Real-life usage (if/when stable/usable):
If someone is only saving/not closing the window, slide in message, "Document has been saved.", slide out.
Maybe small blind-up/down-effects combined with hide-whens on forms.
Popping in please-wait images before running something heavy.