Introducing LYTe! a Live for Speed layout editor

LYTe is just what it says, a LaYouT editor for LFS! It is able to open up S2 layouts from AU1, AU2, AU3, AU4 and mostly BL3 so you can quickly edit all objects on the layout. There are also tools for such things as drawing a line of objects or saving them to a group called a pack. The are quite a few features and I'm not one for making long, drawn-out speeches so please check out the screenie, download the program below and experiment. And of course, if you have any problems or feedback please post it below or give me a PM.

It is programmed in VB6 and uses GDI+ to draw. XP users will have no problem as thats the only system I've tested this on. All other users, please reply to help get it working. The speed is decent as I use nothing but API calls.

NOTE: versions with the e suffix mean they are the exe only. Download the latest one with and without the e, then overwrite the exe with the one from the e zip.

Change log:
0.5.0.0 - Initial release!
0.5.0.1 - Fixed lame save error reported by Sgt.Gunlee
0.5.0.2 - Fixed some incorrect indexes (cone yellow ptr and barrier red) on BL3, which caused an overflow error. reported by zipper
0.5.0.3:
- Added a single default start position for each layout
- Tweaked the way angles are converted to LFS format, should solve dragon13's angle problem
0.5.0.4:
- registry entry said Layout Thingy..
- added ctrl+c and ctrl+v clipboard stuff
- language file support
- added highlight to selected object in the object bar
- switched keep left/right signs, oops
- blue pointer cone had wrong index for AU
- changed from .ini to .cfg
- a lot of internal tweaks..! (updated tab control and how child forms are handled, new subclassing method, etc, etc.
0.5.0.5:
- stupid initialize bug from 0.5.0.4 fixed
- changed fonts to hopefully fix language character problems
- made new objects from the side panel visible while dragging
- mouse wheel finally moves the layout vertically +/- 40 BG pixels
- shift + mouse wheel zooms in/out
- arrow keys now move selected objects 1 BG pixel, 10 if shift is down (if nothing is selected, arrows keys pan as usual)
0.5.0.6:
- will now open AU1-4 layouts but will fail on BL3 if it saved after patch Y (revision > 250)
- added object zoom in/out
- added recent files list as dropdown of open menu
- added French, Deutsch and Spanish langs
- added more language strings for the new menu and objects
- added ctrl + mouse wheel to zoom in/out (along with shift)
- added drag to resize object bar, double click to expand/collapse
- fixed shift + mouse scroll down (zoom out) bug
- tweaked about box..
0.5.0.7e (exe only):
- fixed crash when using the object line the first time without moving the mouse
- removed header version check! no more errors but possible BL3 accuracy errors

Great but how do I use? How do I pink an object?

Ray? Is this the finished "Layout Thingie :P"

I do get a few errors, will help you with them if you wanna contact me on MSN, I believe you have me added.

To add an object just drag it from the object bar on the left. It will/should pop up as soon you release the mouse button. LYTe.html should tell all.

And for MSN, its been forever since I used that I'd like any and all errors to be posted here or through PM so everyone can have access to the solution if its their system. Its going to be added here anyway through my change log.

Awsome! WOKRS perfect with me

I have a problem.

Quote from Sgt.Gunlee :

I have a problem.

Hmm, I did a quick investigation and found a recent change I made messed up the save function. I added the 1 line of code I was missing and made 0.5.0.1. That should work for you/everyone

Quote from Stuff :

The speed is decent as I use nothing but API calls.

Nice to see you sticking to your morals.

It seems like lots of LFS presents this xmas. Will have a look at your gift later. I have no doubts it will meet your existing high standards.

Hi, i really like this tool. Unfortunately, when I'm trying to open some BL3 layout which has larger amount of objects (not sure if it's really relate to amount), the program throw the error which you can see in attachment. It does appear to me only on BL3 layouts. Any idea what's wrong? Anyway thanks for that tool.

Well, I poked around and found it wasn't finding the right object based on its index. I would have sworn I triple checked all those. Anyway, I corrected the indexes and made sure it won't happen again. It will show the unknown object (white circle with a ? inside) and give it a name of "index error!?".

Thanks for the thanks and letting me know.

Well, thanks It works right now. The question is, where are the white circles with "?". I can't see anyone Anyway thx.

EDIT: any chance, if I need some not a multiple of 15° rotation of group of objects?

You're not supposed to see the white circle (?) objects. They are what appear if there is a problem, such as the index or a missing .png. For the group rotation, I can do that. Just have to figure out the math and all for placing them correctly.

nice tool
could some one edit the backgrounds so that you know where the default start positions are ?

Edit: i found a problem, i have put some bariers in a line in LYte the angle is -180 but when i open it in lfs the angel is 1.4.
i have this whit almost al the barriers that are in a straight line.

No need to edit the backgrounds.. I added default start positions if there is no start object added

For the -180 to 1.4 thing, I don't see how that happens. Hmm. I will test it more tonight to see. Stand by for that.

Edit: no 0.5.0.3 tonight.. going to tweak the angle calculation and see if I can get it right. Will update as soon as thats good to go

Very good idea and well done!
Definitly a good programm but still beta.

Bugs i saw:
Wired object deplacement (i can't explain the circonstancies that brougth that bug.)

I was playing lfs when i went back under windows, test Lyte, go back to LFS to load and try the layout created under lyte, came back to windows to improve my layout ... but, in lyte, the display window of the layout didn't move. Scroll can be scrolled but display widow's emplacement stay frozen.

That's all for bug.



Idea of improvements:

// Note: i'm a noob regarding my experience with your soft so my suggestions can already be implemented.

// Note2: Maybe my idea are impossible to realise. Forget them so

* "Object Line" is a reeeaaallllly good idea! But why not push the idea one step further? Why not allow the user to place multiple point to allow him to make a vectorial curve (like in photoshop with vectorial shapes)?

* When drawing an Object line, using Shift+click should force to maintain a clean angle (0-45-90-180 °) when drawing the line.

* Object Menu: Why not draw a box circling the selected object?

* Shortcut! Whe need short cuts like "Undo" (god bless undo) and Copy/Past object. And i would be nice to have a action history
* Other shortcut's examples:
Mouse scroll = Windows scroll
Alt + Mouse scroll = Windows vertical scroll (or if u have a new mouse there is the vertical scroll on the mouse)
Shift + Mouse scroll = Zomm in/out
Arrow keys = object deplacement (small)
Shift + Arrow keys = object deplacement (big)
...

* Some object (like white lines) aren't easy to select. Why not put a small dot on the grab's point?




I think that's all... for now

Anyway, like i said it's a good tool

0.5.0.3 uploaded. The default start positions are a single, green start arrow to indicate where the first car would start if there is no single starting position. Also tweaked the way angles are converted so that should help too.

For shadow2kx comments. Thanks. Some of the most helpful so far LYTe is definitely an alpha, if thats what you call a program that doesn't have all features implemented yet.

I don't get why the windows would be frozen in anyway, esp if the only thing you're doing is switching from LFS to LYTe. Hmm.. Most of that stuff I have no control over since its all simple VB stuff.
* Object curves I wanted to do but instead of figuring out the math to both drawing them and distributing objects along them I went ahead and released. If anyone is good at some trig and probably calculus and want to help with some of that math, feel free to help me out!
* You can constrain the object lines to 15° increments by holding Ctrl while you're drawing the line
* I was thinking of making some way to highlight the selected object from the object bar. Maybe a rectangle around it or a lighter background. Will probably be in 0.5.0.4
* An undo system is definitely on my todo list! Just have to figure out a good way to get it in there. Copying and pasting I could eventually do too but for now you can press Ctrl+D to duplicate the selected object(s). Don't forget the little help file for shortcuts. Mouse wheel features and all that would be cool too. Thats somewhere on my list too
* Some type of little control point, like LFS, I could do. Either that or make it less sensitive. The easiest way now to get those stubborn ones is to draw the selection rectangle.

The biggest reason why I'm holding out on doing anything super fancy at the moment is because I plan to rewrite the whole thing in C++ using a better drawing method, like DirectX. I already experimented with LYTe in DirectDraw 7 in VB6 but its sorta limited. Not as easy to rotate objects and I'm pretty sure I was limited to .bmps. Not that big of deal but again, I'm planning to redo it all in C++. That won't happen for a while tho so it'll all be finished when its finished .

Cool stuff!!!

But it would be nice if I had this for other track...

I need to make some layout for Kyoto Oval etc.

Has anyone made a BL3.png that shows where the parking spaces are?

i clicked the about/help and the exit button moves

err.. that was a weird joke I put in for the Layout Thingy but not LYTe. I need to take that page down because its waaay outta date. For now, get the latest version from my first post

One bug i found.... when placing the keep left or keep right signs, in the game they are opposite... so if i were to post keep left in LYTe, save it, and open it in LFS, there would actually be a keep right sign there instead.

You NEED to release support for all the tracks . LYTe is my new favorite tool and ive made some really nice, clean, and precise layouts with it, and i would like to extend that to the circuit tracks and such.

Suggestions:

1: Allow for rotation of a group of objects on a central axis. Right now if you highlight a group of objects and try to rotate them, each object spins on its own axis, and thus the group comes apart. Make it a checkbox option whether the user wants to lock it to a central axis (so that all the objects will spin together) or to lock it to each object's own axis.

2: Polygon lasso tool. Makes it easy to select a group of objects around other objects you dont want selected.

Thats all i can think of for now....

Keep up the good work

-TheStig

Quote from theycallmeebryan :

1: Allow for rotation of a group of objects on a central axis. Right now if you highlight a group of objects and try to rotate them, each object spins on its own axis, and thus the group comes apart. Make it a checkbox option whether the user wants to lock it to a central axis (so that all the objects will spin together) or to lock it to each object's own axis.

Just to add to that, it would be even cooler if the centre of rotation was definable.

Quote from theycallmeebryan :

Suggestions:

1: Allow for rotation of a group of objects on a central axis. Right now if you highlight a group of objects and try to rotate them, each object spins on its own axis, and thus the group comes apart. Make it a checkbox option whether the user wants to lock it to a central axis (so that all the objects will spin together) or to lock it to each object's own axis.

2: Polygon lasso tool. Makes it easy to select a group of objects around other objects you dont want selected.

-TheStig

Good suggestions. So good that they are already on the TODO list, including Bob Smith's suggestion.

Is this for demo users too?