Laser projector

[HavingPhun]

I made a projector/tv that changes color by the laser. here: http://www.algodoo.com/algobox/details.php?id=53487 I will make several more versions after but i want to see what people think about it and please tell me any improvements that you can think of.

[Someone Else]

Interesting... I might be able to build a real TV out of this.

[HavingPhun]

thanks! I just used different collision layers to get to the inside blocks Also a tv was my next step. Any ideas on how to improve?

[Someone Else]

First, I suggest that you simplify your collision layout. Maybe make it 7 layers deep so each row can have its own collision layer so all the lasers can face the same direction. Then... I dunno. Maybe do something so the lasers cycle thru some fixed sequence?

[HavingPhun]

ok well I will hopefully have the v2 of this sometime this week or tonight. and it should be simpler!

[HavingPhun]

I have found a way to make this proggramable and have videos. But I have to write a large array to make it work. So if anyone wants me to i will finish and upload it!

[Someone Else]

I want to see it.

[HavingPhun]

ok have alot of schoolwork but if i get it some time i will finish and upload it.

[HavingPhun]

ok im sorry but this scripting is taking to long and isnt that great. So i have an array with 196 scene.my varibles in it and in each of these there is a array of 4 numbers.each laser has a coordinate like battle ship a1, a2, etc. And I need a more optimal way to change the lasers instead of the big array. oh and the array has all the coordinates and in the laser i have color = scene.my.a1 or whatever its coordinate is. But i dont want the huge array so is there any other ways you can think of that will let it be programmable without the large array?

[Someone Else]

As I said earlier, the only way I can think to program it is with a very large array. Like-

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scene.my.array(F) = frame;
scene.my.array(F)(X) = column within frame;
scene.my.array(F)(X)(Y) = row within column within frame;
scene.my.array(F)(X)(Y)(C) = color within row within column within frame

What Thyme really needs is a way of modifying an individual part of an array. This would make dynamic K-Menus so much easier...

However, you may be able to put the array in the text- the appearance menu- of the box that changes the color of the laser with my scanning concept.

[TC42]

What Thyme really needs is a way of modifying an individual part of an array. This would make dynamic K-Menus so much easier...

As is

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Scene.my.array(0)=x

? or as in

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{[(scene.my.variable), 0, 0, 1]}

What do you mean?

[Someone Else]

If my suggestion would be implemented, then you could do this:

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color(3) = 0.5

instead of

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color = [color(0), color(1), color(2), 0.5]

And with K-Menus, you don't always know how many sub-menus are within a menu, which makes it very difficult for Thyme to change a menu. I think, I don't really know how those menus are programmed.

And, if you hadn't already figured it out, I do not like scene.my.

[HavingPhun]

my array was like this: Scene.my.screen = [scene.my.a1 = [1,1,1,1] and so on. (the [1,1,1,1]was a default value.) then you would change that to program it. also i know thyme but i am confused on yours!

[Someone Else]

TC42, do you get what I mean? Because, I don't seem to have much free time now, but...

PM me, I can help, and I need something to do.

[TC42]

I think I get your drift... but what exactly do you mean? I don't know exactly how to organize the pixels, but I think that you should use one row of lasers that change their number of maxrays. So if the column of lasers is on the right, the screen would boot from left to right. That way, an infinite resolution is possible, and you could reference pixels by laser #, (Y) and maxrays (X).

[HavingPhun]

so you are saying that the first row would collide with the lasers with a certain amount of maxrays and then once done with that row the maxrays would change and the lasers would hit the next row. but how does maxrays change collide set. I just thought of an idea that could make this work. the first set of lasers would hit the first row and then when they were done lasers on top would change the collideset of the first row so the lasers would hit the next row. If this works i still might need help sequencing it.

[Someone Else]

In an attempt to clarify what I was saying...
There should be some Thymed mechanism of causing the laser to scan back and forth. Maybe, several clear mirrors that change collideSet to 1 when hit by a laser with color [0, 1, 0, 0], otherwise, nothing happens. The control laser would change the collideSet of whatever it hits to 2, including the clear mirrors and the pixels. At the end of the sweep, it would hit a black box that would then trigger a green, invisible laser to change the mirrors to collision A, all at the same time. This would make the control laser scan the next row.

Get it now? Sort of?

[TC42]

What I'm saying is that the screen should be made of partially transparent "pixels", so that only one column of lasers would be required. Then the laser's onlaserhit code would be

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{maxrays >= screenresolution} ? {maxrays=1} : {maxrays=maxrays + 1}

This would be much simpler than using collidesets.

Someone Else, that is brilliant. Slightly too complicated, but still very good.

FuzzyLogicBrain- This would not change collidesets, but would change the number of geoms that the laser can collide with/go through. I'll try to upload an example soon.

[Someone Else]

Someone Else, that is brilliant. Slightly too complicated, but still very good.

Honored.
It works more like how a real cathode ray tube works. As such, it only uses one laser for pixel changing, and another for resetting the horizontal scan.

And trust me, I have a history of overcomplicating things.

And I think your column of lasers would end up with long rows of identical pixels at the end of each scan.

[TC42]

It would, at first, but then the maxrays would be decreased and the laser wouldn't hit the furthermost pixel anymore. So my idea may not work for massive screens like 1600x900, but it would still work okay for small ones (256x256 or similar).

[Someone Else]

It would only work if you put a long pause between scans.

[HavingPhun]

FuzzyLogicBrain- This would not change collidesets, but would change the number of geoms that the laser can collide with/go through. I'll try to upload an example soon.

He didnt post on this topic? Also TC42 and Someone Else those are good ideas. I will try to make a thing out of this. how would we go about making this proggramable. Ill try to make something.

[TC42]

FuzzyLogicBrain- This would not change collidesets, but would change the number of geoms that the laser can collide with/go through. I'll try to upload an example soon.

He didnt post on this topic? Also TC42 and Someone Else those are good ideas. I will try to make a thing out of this. how would we go about making this proggramable. Ill try to make something.

Whoops! I don't know why that happened... silly me!

I have no idea whatsoever how to make it programmable without millions of ifs. Hmmm...

[HavingPhun]

i know how to it just takes a large scene.my array also your code has a bug. some times maxrays just keeps changing and going up to high numbers. because it is >= that makes it keep changing this only happens when i reset the screen with transparent lasers. Also to again this takes a large array and i do not want to type it so. Imagine that each laser has a coordinate like battleship a1, b2, c8, etc. i would put in the laser that has the coordinate a1 color = scene.my.a1 . then i would have a box that would get hit by a laser and in its onhitbylaser it would say scene.my.a1 = [1,2,3,4] or whatever you want the color of the laser to be. then on the screen the block (s) that the laser hit will change to that color! Do you understand? Edit: does each laser have and id# like laser#! and laser#2 and so on? If so that could be useful.

[HavingPhun]

I have a problem!
http://www.algodoo.com/algobox/details.php?id=53952