Basic documentation for the GUI elements?
by Bryce Dorman · in Torque Game Engine · 12/02/2007 (11:05 pm) · 5 replies
When I finally do figure out how something works I am usually pretty pleased with the design of things, but figuring things out should not be so difficult.
Hopefully I am missing something but there does not seem to be any place to find the basic, basic information on the GUI elements in one place.
At the very least I'd expect a javadoclike reference for them that just shows all the methods and all the members of each control, but nothing like that seems to exist.
The closest I have come is http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TGB_GUI_Overview, which is helpful rather lacking. I could get the same info by just looking at what the GUI editor generates out. Which is maybe how it was made?
It's also confusing and bizarre that the default is to edit the demo to make a new project. I don't think this is intuitive at all, and while I appreciate the ability to use the demo as a reference, it would make more sense to have the tools separate from the game executable and to have a very simply blank template to start a project from. Not a big deal in the long run, but my first impression was not very good and for that reason I almost ditched Torque before giving it a chance.
I've been playing around with torque a month or so in my spare time and I'd say so far I'd say 9/10 for features, 1/10 for documentation. It seems something so basic as a javadoc-like reference could be done automatically and shouldn't take more than a day or two for a dev to complete and would save weeks and weeks of customers' time. If it doesn't exist somewhere already...it seems every time I search here I get different results, though usually not too helpful. The most useful info I get is generally from other people asking questions in forums.
Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, but the forum setup here is also disorganized and confusing.
Hopefully I am missing something but there does not seem to be any place to find the basic, basic information on the GUI elements in one place.
At the very least I'd expect a javadoclike reference for them that just shows all the methods and all the members of each control, but nothing like that seems to exist.
The closest I have come is http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TGB_GUI_Overview, which is helpful rather lacking. I could get the same info by just looking at what the GUI editor generates out. Which is maybe how it was made?
It's also confusing and bizarre that the default is to edit the demo to make a new project. I don't think this is intuitive at all, and while I appreciate the ability to use the demo as a reference, it would make more sense to have the tools separate from the game executable and to have a very simply blank template to start a project from. Not a big deal in the long run, but my first impression was not very good and for that reason I almost ditched Torque before giving it a chance.
I've been playing around with torque a month or so in my spare time and I'd say so far I'd say 9/10 for features, 1/10 for documentation. It seems something so basic as a javadoc-like reference could be done automatically and shouldn't take more than a day or two for a dev to complete and would save weeks and weeks of customers' time. If it doesn't exist somewhere already...it seems every time I search here I get different results, though usually not too helpful. The most useful info I get is generally from other people asking questions in forums.
Sorry if this is the wrong place for this, but the forum setup here is also disorganized and confusing.
#2
That contains some useful information including all of the member functions.
Not sure if you are aware but each object in the game will automatically list it's functions if you just open up the console and type.dump(); where is either the id or the name you wish to view.
12/03/2007 (9:32 am)
Bryce - There is some great documentation available, you just need to know where to find it.... the best you can find is to scroll to the top of this page and choose "Documentation", pick "Torque Game Engine" from the drop down menu and then download the Torque Source Code Reference.That contains some useful information including all of the member functions.
Not sure if you are aware but each object in the game will automatically list it's functions if you just open up the console and type
#3
12/03/2007 (9:58 am)
Thanks guys. That will help a lot. I am very much feeling my way around with things.
#4
12/04/2007 (4:53 pm)
It's a lengthy path to understanding things in detail, I'm far from it myself but the community is great and helpful where they can. 
Torque Owner Dustan Morgan