Topic: shield generator flash application (Read 32014 times)

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 21, 2009, 07:20:38 PM »

Quote from: rickmastfan67 on December 21, 2009, 06:16:06 PM

I have it in .ai format. Will that work?

I think so ... send it along!

SSOWorld · « **Reply #26 on:** December 21, 2009, 07:27:10 PM »

What's the difference between this and the Shields-Up! generator (besides the obvious "yours is better" and "only made by me" arguements

)

mightyace · « **Reply #27 on:** December 21, 2009, 07:29:15 PM »

Looks good so far.

The font-spacing controls eliminate the only gripe I had so far. When I try to make a US 11 shield, the 11s are too close together and the spacing control lets me fix that.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #28 on:** December 21, 2009, 07:46:41 PM »

I think "it's better" is a good enough difference!

WillWeaverRVA · « **Reply #29 on:** December 21, 2009, 09:29:59 PM »

The output from this generator looks a lot cleaner than Shields Up!'s output. Really nice work you've done on this. =)

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #30 on:** December 22, 2009, 12:10:51 AM »

thanks!

really cranking hard on getting the "save" routine done. I've just had to write my own PNG encoder because apparently the library was never ported to HaXe, the free ActiveScript compiler I am using.

Bickendan · « **Reply #31 on:** December 22, 2009, 12:31:04 AM »

Can I request the ability to use custom colors? I'd like to make something like this:
http://bickenland.lonaf.com/Maps/Bickerloo.png

(Don't worry about accomodating my unorthordox font choice -- Blue Highway (Bold, I think))

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #32 on:** December 22, 2009, 12:34:29 AM »

unfortunately, at this point the infrastructure does not support custom colors, as the backgrounds are all pre-loaded.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #33 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:26:01 AM »

good news everybody!

there is now a save button, and that sends the image to your browser where it appears in "downloads" ready to be viewed or saved as you see fit.

I was going to make a feature to save the image here on the server (for quick and easy linking) but that alas is ripe for abuse and security holes, so I won't.

tomorrow, more shield types coming

Truvelo · « **Reply #34 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:42:52 AM »

Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 21, 2009, 02:15:40 PM

furthermore, since it looks like the default font inter-letter spacing is a bit too wide (205 still doesn't fit - sorry, Jefferson! ) so I added a control to manually change the font spacing. The 1961 federal specification states that D width should be used on the wide shields, but sometimes even then, C width is the only thing that works... so try both.

I've noticed that the left number is touching the edge of the shield while the right number has plenty of clearance. Perhaps if it was shifted to the right a little it would be possible to get a 3-digit series D number on a wide shield without the edges touching.

US71 · « **Reply #35 on:** December 22, 2009, 09:33:54 AM »

Quote from: Truvelo on December 22, 2009, 06:42:52 AM

I've noticed that the left number is touching the edge of the shield while the right number has plenty of clearance. Perhaps if it was shifted to the right a little it would be possible to get a 3-digit series D number on a wide shield without the edges touching.

I had the opposite happen trying to do 3 digits on a Cali cut-out: it looked like it needed to move a skoch to the left. Not complaining, just observing.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #36 on:** December 22, 2009, 01:09:48 PM »

yeah, sometimes the font kerning is a bit strange in those fonts - plus what is mathematically centered may or may not be visually centered (see number 41 for example, which only looks correct when it is pushed to the right of center a bit.

unfortunately, to try to program all of that in is a bit difficult, so I'll just add a third set of controls (move left or right) so people can fine-tune the centering.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #37 on:** December 22, 2009, 02:02:00 PM »

done, and done. version 0.40 is up, and it now has a centering compensator.

that looks a wee bit silly, but it seems like something a highway department would do!

un1 · « **Reply #38 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:15:59 PM »

Speaking of silly:

You might want to put a limit on the spacing.

xonhulu · « **Reply #39 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:17:46 PM »

About as silly as the "COASTAL" banner on US 1 in Maine, although I actually like that. Scary thought: do you ever think DOT's might sell sponsorships on interstate shields? Something like these:

Anyway, thanks for creating this. I've been having fun with it the last couple days. Here's an Oregon could-have-been:

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #40 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:32:27 PM »

Quote from: un1 on December 22, 2009, 03:15:59 PM

You might want to put a limit on the spacing.

too lazy

(it's really a lot more work than the reward, as I'd have to look up individual font glyph information, etc...)

if you want to make hare-brained looking shields, the app is not going to stop you

Bickendan · « **Reply #41 on:** December 22, 2009, 03:35:58 PM »

And now California decides to do something about the I-5/10 'duplex'...:

And yes, the 2di shield was a deliberate choice.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #42 on:** December 22, 2009, 04:03:19 PM »

510 looks great in narrow. In fact, the narrow shield fits "two and a half digit" in D very admirably.

I just added two more shield styles: generic ("neutered") 1961 spec two and three digit variants.

Bickendan · « **Reply #43 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:10:33 PM »

Note to self: Never use the neutered variety.

Any chance of getting the bubble 3di shields?

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #44 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:14:04 PM »

Quote from: Bickendan on December 22, 2009, 06:10:33 PM

Note to self: Never use the neutered variety.

Any chance of getting the bubble 3di shields?

the '61 neutered ones look pretty decent, and a surprising amount of states used them for independent-mount shields, even though they were intended for guide signs. It's the '70 spec neutered shields with the thin margins and extra extra large numbers that look kinda ridiculous.

the bubble shields are a low priority right now; as far as I can tell they rose to the surface in the late 1990s. I'm concentrating on classic designs for now.

rickmastfan67 · « **Reply #45 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:20:49 PM »

Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 21, 2009, 07:20:38 PM

Quote from: rickmastfan67 on December 21, 2009, 06:16:06 PM
I have it in .ai format. Will that work?

I think so ... send it along!

Ok! I'll get it sent in a few minutes.

EDIT: You have mail!

mightyace · « **Reply #46 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:30:12 PM »

Here's a suggestion.

How about splitting the layout selection into two parts.

The first part would be sign type (Interstate, US Route, State Route, Misc)

The second part would be the specs appropriate for that selection.

I'm saying this because the layout selection is already started to look busy and you haven't even gotten to any states yet.

Bickendan · « **Reply #47 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:30:56 PM »

Quote from: agentsteel53 on December 22, 2009, 06:14:04 PM

Quote from: Bickendan on December 22, 2009, 06:10:33 PM
Note to self: Never use the neutered variety.

Any chance of getting the bubble 3di shields?

the '61 neutered ones look pretty decent, and a surprising amount of states used them for independent-mount shields, even though they were intended for guide signs. It's the '70 spec neutered shields with the thin margins and extra extra large numbers that look kinda ridiculous.

the bubble shields are a low priority right now; as far as I can tell they rose to the surface in the late 1990s. I'm concentrating on classic designs for now.

You're right -- it's the later neutered varieties that look bad.

agentsteel53 · « **Reply #48 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:34:55 PM »

Quote from: mightyace on December 22, 2009, 06:30:12 PM

Here's a suggestion.

How about splitting the layout selection into two parts.

The first part would be sign type (Interstate, US Route, State Route, Misc)

The second part would be the specs appropriate for that selection.

I'm saying this because the layout selection is already started to look busy and you haven't even gotten to any states yet.

you are correct. I had been thinking that several days ago; I just wanted to get some other features in. I designed the menu to be easily expandable to multiple levels, so I may as well start the split.

Bickendan · « **Reply #49 on:** December 22, 2009, 06:53:32 PM »

Support for non-latin characters and the hyphen would be nice.

Should read 'A1(M)'.

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Author Topic: shield generator flash application (Read 32014 times)