v2 not working like v1 did! HELP!

[bryan20miles]

The v2 tutorial is where I discovered an issue with v2 (Pro user by the way).
The recreatable error is as follows:

Make a new project
Drop in a MODULE
Dbl-click on module
Drop an MGUI inside
Drop an LED, drop a knob

The LED and knob WILL NOT appear on the MODULE, ever.

Do the steps above without dropping in and MGUI
The LED and know WILL appear on the MODULE!

Now drop the MGUI inside the MODULE with the LED and knob,
and watch them disappear, never to be seen again, even if the MGUI is removed.

Explain please! This is very disconcerting...

Thank you,

Bryan

[AnthonyTower]

The problem you're having is DUE to HAVING added an MGUI (Module GUI) to the newly created module.
As I understand it, you would use an MGUI module if you wanted the module to DRAW something, as a rectangle, an oval, etc.
To remedy your problem,first delete the "offending" MGUI module.
Then go back up a level.
After toggling the parent module's G button ON,the LED and knob should show-up, on top of each other naturally, or as Basil Fawlty would say, naturellement .

Cheers

[bryan20miles]

As a matter of fact, I AM trying to add something. The last page of the Knight Rider LED tutorial adds a black background (via rectangle) and corner label to the Knight Rider LED GUI. Only problem is (as I mentioned in my first post), when you add the MGUI element to add the background and label, the LEDs and Slider vanish. This is NOT the correct result, nor is it correct in the simplified 'bug recreation' instructions I cited in my first post. So, no offending MGUI, a highly desirable and necessary MGUI.
This works correctly in v1.
Thank you.

[AnthonyTower]

The second approach in having the LED and knob modules show-up on the front panel is to include a MGUI component at the same level of the said items (like you had already done) but with a Wireless Output LINK primitive connected to the MGUI's View output.

This will filter down (or up, depending on how you see things) the graphical hierarchy to the other graphical components layer.

Cheers

[AnthonyTower]

While were at it, it would be important to stress the importance of link order.

Link order is just as important on input connectors as it is on output connectors.

The following order of connections coming out of MGUI:


Will result in the Filled Rectangle drawn on top, as follows:


While the following order of connections coming out of MGUI:


Will result in the Filled Rectangle drawn below the Bitmap Knob and LED Red, thus revealing them:

Keeping in mind that the actual placement of objects like the Bitmap Knob and LED Red on the front panel as shown above, is done directly on the front panel while the lock button is shown as open.
The object's relative position within that module's schematic does not affect the object's absolute position on the front panel.

To sum it up, what was connected LAST from a View connector will be drawn on the very top of the front panel and what is connected to the link that was created previous to this will draw below it and so on and so on moving down the hierarchy of linkage.

'Hope this helps.

Cheers

[bryan20miles]

Anthony,

Pertaining to your first reply. Adding the Wireless Output did NOT change a thing. Whether or not it's there, the LEDs and slider do not show up.

Pertaining to your second reply. This is GOOD information, however I am familiar with and have dealt with and figured out how to use the link order properly. I understand how this COULD look like the MGUI issue, but if adding and MGUI disappears the LEDs and slider, it's all over before the other GUI components are added. BTW, the included example pictures in your post were created using v2? v1?

Thanks for the responses.

[Embedded]

This is the same in V1 & V2, nothing has changed here.

Basically the G button acts as a MGUI module for beginners, so when you add components you can see them.

When you add a MGUI module you then get total control, so you need to know what you are doing.

The first thing is to add a wireless link to the V output of the MGUI - Then your LED's & Knobs will appear & yes this does work in FSV2 Pro too!

The order that you add components will set the layering, the newer components are on top. You can change the order on the top level by right clicking and selecting 'Send Back', 'Bring to Front' etc. (in edit mode - padlock open). Or manually by disconnecting them from the V and reconnecting them (wireless links remember the level so delete the wireless link and use a new one).

[bryan20miles]

Embedded,

Try this in v2:

New project
Add Module, dbl-click to move into module
Add MGUI
Add Slider, Knob, LED

Tell me if you see the Slider, Knob, LED on Module (top level).

Add Wireless Output to MGUI

Tell me if you see the Slider, Knob, LED on Module.


When I add the Slider, Knob, and LED initially, they do NOT show up on the Module.
When I add a Wireless Output connected to the MGUI, the Slider, Knob and LED do NOT show up on the Module.
Let me know please.

I am going to install v1 (on a separate computer, just for testing) and do the above. I will then make another post.

Thank you!

[Morph]

When I add a Wireless Output connected to the MGUI, the Slider, Knob and LED do NOT show up on the Module.

This is working fine here:

MGUI.png (5.18 KiB) Viewed 30130 times

[AnthonyTower]

Wireless Input and Output LINK components are key on how FlowStone does some of it's magic and can therefore never be stressed enough.

One of the main problems plaguing graphical IDEs is that of passing both data and the flow of control throughout modules nested one or more levels deep.

This is where FlowStone's Wireless Input and Output components come to a developer's rescue and is pivotal in understanding their implication when creating a sizable FlowStone project.

FlowStone allows one to wirelessly interconnect any number of modules with one another, nested any number of levels deep.

Because of it's ease at how one can liberally use these components throughout a FlowStone schematic, there is great potential of leaving behind a confusing mess to third party developers reading your schematic at a later date.
A mess that can increase exponentially with a project's growing complexity.

Using a very simple example only one level deep, we'll go through the effects of using a MGUI component inside a module with and without the Wireless Link component connected to see just how one missing Wireless Link can make all the difference to the parent module's front panel.


Step 1: Start by adding a Module component into a empty schematic:


Step 2: Step into that Module by double-clicking on it and observe it being empty:


Step 3: Now let's add a Bitmap Knob to the module by dragging one from the Toolbox into the schematic:


Step 4: Go back up a level and take a look around keeping an eye on the G button in the Action panel. We will toggle this button ON in order to make this module's front panel appear:


Step 5: Clicking on the G button will make the module's appearance change.
Our module seems to have swallowed two hollow grid squares in it's "belly":


Step 6: Now drag the Resize control located on the bottom right hand side of the module, enough so as to reveal the Bitmap Knob in all of it's splendor.
You'll notice, we have yet to use a MGUI component:


Step 7: Here we will add a MGUI component to our module and observe it's effect on the front panel.
So step back down into the module again, by double-clicking on it:


Step 8: Drag a MGUI component from the Toolbox into your module's schematic.
It should look like this:

If you look closely in the Navigator's top level view, you'll notice our module has shrunk and seems to have chucked the knob away.

Step 9: Go back up a level so as to ascertain what has transpired in the schematic view:


Step 10: Drag the Resize control to reveal more of the module's front panel and similarly to what Houdini could have done himself, we have managed to make the knob vanish:


Step 11: Step back down into the module by double-clicking on it in order to see if we can get the little bugger back:


Step 12: Now we'll try and sprinkle some of FlowStone's magic into the schematic by dragging a Wireless Output Link component from the Toolbox into the schematic view:

Notice how the signal-strength symbol on the Wireless Output Link component's right hand side is dim and that our module's front panel in the Navigator's top view is still knob-less.

Step 13: For some people a lucky number.
Connect the View connector of the MGUI to the Wireless Output Link component and notice how it's signal-strength symbol has turned green to show it has established a Wireless connection with a Wireless Input Link we have yet to meet:

If you take a look at the Navigator's top view, you'll notice our knob is back.

Step 14: To ascertain this, go up a Level and note that it has indeed reappeared:


Step 15: Go back down inside the module again by double clicking on it, we will now try and understand why the Bitmap module reappeared:


Step 16: Go inside the Bitmap module by double clicking on it and look around to see if there's any connection between the Wireless Output Link and the reappearance of the knob on the module's front panel:

Notice how in the top left hand corner in the Schematic view, a Wireless Input Link component with it's signal-strength symbol is lit and connected to it's own MGUI component.


Step 17: We must be on to something!
Let's now disconnect the link between the Wireless Input Link and the MGUI component to see what happens:
Take a look at the Navigator's top view, our infamous knob has vanished again!

Step 18: Go back up a level to ascertain this:


Step 19: Step back into the Bitmap Knob component and re-establish the connection we had undone:

Now if you look at the Navigator's top view, that son of gun knob is a back again.

Step 20 and final step: Go back up to the top level of the Module's schematic and note how the knob is indeed there, back where it belongs:


The simple example given above used a MGUI component because of the obvious visual implication such a component can demonstrate in any context.
The same reasoning would apply when creating Wireless connections up and down a schematic using any appropriate FlowStone component in a more complex module.

If you keep in mind how the flow of both data and control throughout a FlowStone schematic relies heavily on Wireless Links and apply the same discernment when using them inside a schematic, including adding some comments within a Text module regarding where and how far up or down the schematic your wirelessly connected module is located, will likely alleviate most of the mystifing behavior plaguing a defective module for you or a third party trying to figure out later on down the road how your creation works.

'Hope this helps.
Cheers