Suggestion: Adding a Video FX feature

I didn't know where else to post this, since I couldn't find a suggestions section, so here goes:

After watching an intermediate Video FX video by MiRai, I realized that this is not just brain-meltingly complicated and confusing, but it will also require even another shortcut to switch between windows, I won't be able to switch by clicking as I could with the simple layouts produced by the wizard. I thought to myself, freakin’ hell...I already have way more than enough shortcuts to deal with while managing a party of 5, including a tank and a healer, counting WoW's keybindings and ISBoxer's hotkeys.

So I really, really think there should be a much simpler way to achieve the result of a clearer looking VuDo or Grid+Clique on my tank's window, and the simplest way I can think of is to:

Include an option in Video FX to always render the Video-FX source part at the maximized resolution, not the the small-slot resolution down below, or even render the whole source window at maximized resolution behind the viewer rectangle, while only showing the relevant part of that maximized window through the Video FX viewer rectangle; but only rendering the part specified in Video FX as the source at maximized resolution would be ideal.

I don't think this would tax the machine as much as rendering all 5 windows at windowed-fullscreen resolution then stacking them would do.

Until such a feature is added, I think I just have to rely on a jagged or very blurry looking VuhDo or Grid+Clique on my tank's window unfortunately. So I hope that you can add such a feature soon.

Thank you.

[bob]

but it will also require even another shortcut to switch between windows, I won't be able to switch by clicking as I could with the simple layouts produced by the wizard

Incorrect, in fact I'm pretty sure that MiRai even covers how to do it in the video, or perhaps it might be another video in the same series, but regardless, you can set it up to click on a small videofx viewer and have that window come to the top of the stack. You can even create the "swapping" effect if you so wish. If it's not in the videos, its definitely in the forum post I linked.

Include an option in Video FX to always render the Video-FX source part at the maximized resolution, not the the small-slot resolution down below, or even render the whole source window at maximized resolution behind the viewer rectangle, while only showing the relevant part of that maximized window through the Video FX viewer rectangle; but only rendering the part specified in Video FX as the source at maximized resolution would be ideal.

I don't think this would tax the machine as much as rendering all 5 windows at windowed-fullscreen resolution then stacking them would do.

It probably wont tax the machine at all as the rendering is already happening, but the limitation on the resolution that videofx displays, is due to the implementation of the Windows DWM, which is the api that Videofx is leveraging, so you'll need to ask Microsoft to change it.

The technical detail behind it is simply (well maybe not, but I've tried to make it so), each window (read: game) is rendered at x/y resolution. It is then drawn to individual virtual desktops at w/z resolution. The majority of the time, these xy and wz resolutions are the same, but, sometimes they are not, like in the case of the standard Window Layouts. The Windows DWM can then compile those w/z resolution windows and draw them to the display device in a layered desktop view. VideoFX is grabbing the source from the virtual desktops (using the Windows DWM api to do so), and creating extra windows for the final desktop view (much like how the taskbar displays live thumbnails). So, because the source windows in the virtual desktops have already be output at the w/z resolution by this time, if you then cut a section and display it at a larger size, they come out pixelated/blurry/fuzzy.

Include an option in Video FX to always render the Video-FX source part at the maximized resolution, not the the small-slot resolution down below, or even render the whole source window at maximized resolution behind the viewer rectangle, while only showing the relevant part of that maximized window through the Video FX viewer rectangle; but only rendering the part specified in Video FX as the source at maximized resolution would be ideal.

I don't think this would tax the machine as much as rendering all 5 windows at windowed-fullscreen resolution then stacking them would do.

It probably wont tax the machine at all as the rendering is already happening, but the limitation on the resolution that videofx displays, is due to the implementation of the Windows DWM, which is the api that Videofx is leveraging, so you'll need to ask Microsoft to change it.

I think I understand what you mean. But then why can't ISBoxer circumvent that limitation by creating a maximized copy of the desired source window (healer window in this case) in the window layout produced, and this maximized copy will always be in the back compared to all other windows, maybe even transparent except for the Video FX source's rectangle area, and use that maximized copy (or extra fullscreen slot created for the source window) to show through a crisp Video FX viewer frame in any maximized viewer window?

[bob]

Because how is ISboxer to know which window you want full screen, and don't want to see in a mini view (or even have a dxnothing mini view for only that one)? The potential options for each individual user are enormous.

You could do this if you want by editing your Window Layout, so the option is there. Not everything is setup in a wizard for you.

It would be far better to ask for the Wizards to be able to automatically generate a template VideoFX Window Layout; although even this would require a bit of work as it means performing a bunch of checks, and handling to make sure all the pieces are in place. Certainly a possibility though.

Maybe even not a copy, if that's not technologically possible, but the desired source window can be one of two maximized or fullscreen windows: the active window, and the source window. And the three other windows can remain in their smaller slots down below.

This way, the desired source window can be used as the source with Video FX, and produce crisp source areas for the active viewer window.

Then later on, if the user really wants that maximized source window to show up as a small window in one of the slots below, they can go through the trouble of creating a dxNothing and Video FX viewer for it as one of the slots. But for me personally, I can just keep an eye on the healer while I control the tank, and be happy watching the 3 DPS in their small slots below, while I get a good view of VuhDo or Grid+Clique without going through a process that requires a good investment of time in learning intermediate to advanced program features, features that are super easy to MiRai and experienced users--I'm sure, but those users just forgot, and are completely unaware today, how actually complicated they are for a first timer.

Because how is ISboxer to know which window you want full screen, and don't want to see in a mini view (or even have a dxnothing mini view for only that one)? The potential options for each individual user are enormous.

Not really; unless I don't understand your question. But, the way I see it now, how hard is it to provide a tick box or extra field in place of the red line shown in the partial screenshot attached, which says, “Keep maximized behind active window for use as a Video FX source window”?

[bob]

Why cant you just go to the region tab and resize that region to be the same as your main/active region, set disable swapping to true for that region, then make sure the Always On Top for that region is No, and finally, make sure the Always on top for your active/main region is Yes or Only when a Game Window is Active.

Why cant you just go to the region tab and resize that region to be the same as your main/active region, set disable swapping to true for that region, then make sure the Always On Top for that region is No, and finally, make sure the Always on top for your active/main region is Yes or Only when a Game Window is Active.

That is a good solution. And with if region 1 uses its own WoW folder, region 2 uses its own folder too, and the 3 remaining regions use the same folder, and I avoid the taskbar in my layout, then I can pick region 2 or slot 2 from the taskbar, aside from Alt-tabbing or using an ISBoxer hotkey for that, which I don't want to do. This should hopefully provide what I need without doing any dxNothing stuff. Thank you!