Feature Preview: Basic Global Display Properties
One of the strengths of SongShow Plus is its Display Properties mechanism. It provides flexibility with its cascading design letting you override groups of properties while inheriting from base properties. However, that flexibility is also a feature that often stymies some users, particularly those who are giving SongShow Plus a kick-of-the-tires, so to speak.
Because of this, the September 2009 Edition of SongShow Plus introduces a Basic Global Display Properties window which, by default, is the window you will get when you go to set the global display properties. This window is very similar to the basic settings window (a feature introduced in the October 2007 Edition) you get when adding a song or scripture item to a program. Here's a screen shot of the first page:
On this page, you can select a background image, video, solid color. A "none" option is also available for those using the transparent background feature. You can also import an image or video file from within this window as well. You also have easy access to basic image/video adjustments for contrast, brightness, color level, and hue.
On the next page you are given basic options for specifying song text color and appearance.
As you can see, there is font selection, style for lyrics and title info, color, then soft-shadow or now shadow. No option is given for size since the typical size options are to shrink/grow/ensure-consistent anyway making an actual text size selection irrelevant.
The next page provides you with basic options for specifying song text layout.
Here you can specify the location for lyrics position and title information as well as alignment options. You can also specify verse-by-verse, line-by-line, etc as well as lyrics/title slide options. Unlike the advanced display properties, the basic window lumps the title, author, copyright, and reference fields into a single rectangle area called "info". This makes it more convenient to place that information grouped together.
Similar pages are also available for scripture text appearance and layout.
You will also notice that there is a Use Advanced Display Properties button at the bottom panel. Clicking this will take you to the display properties window you have used before.
Then finally, this window now has a new button, Use Basic Display Properties, which will take you back to the window I just described. When you open the display properties window again, you'll get the same one that you last closed.
The addition of the Basic Global Display Properties window is another ease-of-use enhancement for SongShow Plus.
(BE219)
Comments:
Yes. But when will we be able to set different global display properties for different object types?
I'd really like to set a nice default background for songs and Bible verses. But I really want a blank (black) background and zero margins for videos and images shown on the fly.
Posted By Dick Akiins on 24 Sep 2009 07:23 AM
Joel, could you accomplish that using "presets" in the display properties?
Interesting idea.
But no. I want to be able to fire directly from the database without additional monkeying around.
I do "really" like the idea of having a separate background image for each media in Advanced Properties though. E.g., if I have a Message Background for Scripture and the pastor comes up with a new scripture, I'd like to be able to quickly display that scripture WITH background using GDP (specific backbground set for Scripture elements in Advanced Global Display). I know there are other ways to do this, like using a Background Image (show check box selected) and setting Background Motion to Background Improv, then going to "TRANSPARENT" on the Plug-In when the scripture is shown, but that gets very confusing.
I can see the need to have different backgrounds images for some Videos too. I guess this has been a wish list item for awhile.
Posted By Lucas Daly on 24 Feb 2010 04:56 AM
Why would you want a different background for a video? Wouldn't it be full screen?
Not if it's letterboxed or pillarboxed. That's why I'd like to be able to set the default background for videos (and images) to Black, but have a more interesting default background for songs and scriptures.
Posted By Joel Osborn on 24 Feb 2010 12:57 PM
Posted By Lucas Daly on 24 Feb 2010 04:56 AM
Why would you want a different background for a video? Wouldn't it be full screen?Not if it's letterboxed or pillarboxed. That's why I'd like to be able to set the default background for videos (and images) to Black, but have a more interesting default background for songs and scriptures.
FYI: When videos are added to a program, by default, they are given a black background (there is a setting for this). This setting doesn't affect videos being played from the Videos database panel however.
Posted By Doug Reece on 24 Feb 2010 04:56
...This setting doesn't affect videos being played from the Videos database panel however.
Exactly. The same with images, I believe.