Status on generator layers? (boud?)

[Matthew Woehlke]

Boudewijn Rempt wrote:
> On Saturday 29 March 2008, Boudewijn Rempt wrote:
>> On Saturday 29 March 2008, Matthew Woehlke wrote:
>>> What's the status? I was hoping for a reference implementation I could
>>> look at to start doing a plasma generator-layer.
>> Everything is ready except for the ui to add a generator layer and the
>> dialog box to define the generator layer.
> 
> Ah, I remember why I didn't do that: 
> 
> * suddenly the discussion started looking like we had better use filters for
> those layers after all

It did? Do you remember which message?

Offhand, that doesn't seem right; some things I would like to see are 
actually solid-color generators (PS has these since PS7; I find them 
useful), gradient generators, etc. Anyway, the distinction is mainly:

- filter: operates on the underlying pixels
- generator: does not care about the underlying pixels (much like a 
regular layer)

I think the main reason for them to be separate is so that you know not 
to ask a generator to update when the layers below change. Though 
perhaps this can be built into filters somehow?

> * I couldn't decide whether to adapt the current infrastructure for filter
> dialogs (with the treeview), or fix up a modified version of the filters 
> listwidget for use in the dialog.

Ok, that I don't have a suggestion for ;-).

I sure wish the UI worked (a bit hard to test without it :-) other than 
"yes, the code compiles"). A reference implementation would be nice, 
also. In fact, the solid color implementation would be nice, especially 
as on further thought I think it's more valuable than a basic noise 
generator (though that means you'll need to point me at the random 
function).

-- 
Matthew
I think I want my tombstone to read:
<name>
Process created <date of birth>
Signal 15 received <date of death>