[Feature Request] Enable pan (spacebar) during copy operation

[gumix]

Hi, I'm having a hard time with copying areas larger than my monitor can handle (even at smallest font).
Everything I'd need is possibility to scroll the view between specifying corners of rectangle to be copied.
Is that possible to put on todo?

[Kyzrati]

Hm... this one's tough. I know what you mean, especially if you're on a smaller screen, since you may have art that doesn't fit in the view but want to copy it all at once.

It's kinda hard to do this, at least it can't be done that way (scrolling while you're also maintaining the active selection box). The best I could do is add some kind of new/special two-step copy/cut process whereby you specify two opposite corners of the desired area. Not quite as exact since you wouldn't see the box as you're doing the selection, but it would technically work.

I'd love to try to add this feature now since I know you're in the middle of a new project, but I'm only just now getting back into work after being away for a while dealing with this concussion, so pretty busy and it'll be a while before I can look into it.

[gumix]

Oh, I thought it would be easy, thanks for detailed explanation I was wrong
2-click solution sound's great but may confuse other users, as there is no other 2-click cmd in RP I guess. Another workaround for my particular case would be 'copy whole layer' (ctrl-shift-c?) (while preferably clipping it to its bounding box).

I'm glad to hear you're getting better!

[Kyzrati]

Oh yeah I've definitely thought of (and planned to) add a single command to outright copy the entire layer, if that's what you're trying to do.*

And the two-click solution I'm referring to wouldn't replace the current one, in any case, just be an alternative method for those rare cases where you really need to copy a giant area. New users wouldn't have to mess with it.

*I was going to ask about that, but then imagined there are other not-copy-entire-layer scenarios as well. If you're just looking to copy an entire layer I could possibly add that for you sooner rather than later.

So: 1) All you're trying to do is copy an entire layer? 2) Why? What's your specific goal? 3) What exactly do you mean by this:

(while preferably clipping it to its bounding box).

Technically each layer fills its entire area, unless you possibly mean all non-transparent areas?

[gumix]

1) Yes, I can use entire layer copy (in this particular case)
2) Moving oversized layers between several files - rearranging tilesets each 320x240 cells 
3) Few layers I have would require pasting at negative coordinates which is not possible, they contain transparent margins I don't need anymore,
so copying only non-transparent area bbox would help. Otherwise I'd need to reposition layer (ctrl-shift-arrows) prior to copy, so this is not must-have feature.

Thanks!

[Kyzrati]

Got it, that makes sense. I'll see if I can get to at least a full layer-copy feature this weekend or so!

[gumix]

Fantastic! Thank you.

Btw, now I'm also owner of http://asciicker.com LOL!
The place for my all new experiments.
(nutting there at the moment)

[Kyzrati]

Hahaha, great URL

Can't wait to see the stuff you put up--I'm sure it'll be great (you've always been one of the more prolific REXPaint artists, so I've been happy to implement little things you need here and there <3)

[Kyzrati]

Alrighty gumix, here you go, the latest patch with a new Copy Active Layer command: Ctrl-Shift-c. Sheesh, I've released seven patches since the last release--I should probably make all this stuff official with a real 1.04 update! (Edit: Feature now included with v1.04)

(also checked out your new site again and dang that ASCII static is 1) cool and 2) blinding )

[gumix]

Great, thank you. It sounds like this weekend I'm gonna do some real progress then
Haha 2) I'll put some warning 

[gumix]

Hmmm, I can't get it working. I suppose linked file REXPaint_patch_copy_from_locked_layers.zip is some older patch as its size is smaller than latest patch I have. Otherwise I'd need a video tutorial on using ctrl-shift-c

[Kyzrati]

Oops, notice that yeah that patch name is one of the older ones. The proper file was up there, but I had accidentally shared the wrong patch link xD. It's fixed now--points to the new patch (REXPaint-v1.03_full_layer_copy_patch.zip).

[gumix]

This time it worked, feew... what a relief I'm not that stupid. Thanks!

[Simon]

Very nice addition for manipulating large canvas !

[gumix]

@Simon I'm wondering if Kyzrati is going to add 2-click thing anyway, as apart from copy-paste, drawing lines/rects/ovals are affected as well

[Kyzrati]

It's on the list of features to look into in the future, just not something that I can add quickly so I did the layer copy for you first.

Also, most users apparently aren't working with images that large (and want to use tools across larger-than-view areas at the same time; those that do generally work on pieces at a time)

I know you've also tried using the smallest font provided, and while it's not always convenient there's another option that could be useful in some situations: temporarily use an even tinier custom font to get a very large view area. Like... 4x4

(something larger than this might be more appropriate depending on your needs, but I happened to have this file here already, having used it before for something else)

Short of that, having a large monitor is nice, too

[gumix]

Hahaha, Is this revenge after blinding static?
But yeah, thanks for that tiny font, going to keep it, who knows when & what I'd be trying to do