THE PODUNKIAN'S ANGLE CALCULATOR

[ThePodunkian]

HELLO KLIKKERS.

this is THE PODUNKIAN, reppin' the homeboys at TOTAL-KLIK with an extension that has a SINGLE USE.

this extension, called THE PODUNKIAN'S ANGLE CALCULATOR is used to find the angle between two points. it's a really simple extension BUT IT SHOULD BE USEFUL FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO FIND ANGLES, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN TWO POINTS.

the code is based off of the MMF2 SDK template, so if anything doesn't work, blame YVES, ha ha ha. and NOVABRAIN, too.

the object has a single expression, called "AngleBetweenTwoPoints" and it works like this:

AngleBetweenTwoPoints( "Angle Calculator", X1, Y1, X2, Y2)

and will return a float with the angle (in degrees) between the two objects.

download it here:
www.total-klik.net/AngleCalc.exe

EDIT:
i forgot to add that this extension has been tested in MULTIMEDIA FUSION DEVELOPER 2 DEMO.

also, the extension returns values from 0 to 360.

[DJFuego]

Has anyone scanned this for viruses?
I don't think I'll download it.
Works with MMF dev DEMO?

[ThePodunkian]

if a zip would be SAFER then i'll provide a zip version as well, you scaredy pants.

it workw with the demo as well as retail versions, i'd assume.

[neat_Kliker2]

ok well it look ok, why does your extension have references with http://www.superfundungeonrun.com ?

[ThePodunkian]

[]ok well it look ok, why does your extension have references with http://www.superfundungeonrun.com ? [/]
because that's my personal homepage.

[joewski]

Thanks for the extension, its great to see more extension developers.
Its wonderful to see and as a newbee I have some suggestions for your extension developing career.

Podunkians these comments are not aimed at you only but all extension developers.

[:"blue"]
Here are some recommendations for extension developers considering releasing extensions.
These are things all of us have learn't over the years working with extensions.

- Consider providing a simple zip version of your extension rather than an exe installer.
- Consider building a MMF2A0 Version of your extension for distribution.
- Version numbering the filename exe. ie AngleCalc v1.0RC MMF2setup.exe
(Notice the format: Name, version, MMF version, the word setup)
- Getting the extension vitalized with clickteam.
- Leaving a copy of the source with clickteam for safekeeping and verification.
(Experience going from 1.5 to 2 has been painful in terms of supporting old extensions)
(Also many extension developers have lost there source code through the years, don't be one of them)
(There has been code in the past that has been cleverly pirated from other extension, so doing this will avoid contraversy)
- Consider open sourcing the extension. (Generally you will alway be credited with having made the original)
(Also having it open source allows for the possibilty of having your extension ported to other languages, ie French.)
- Clarifying the licence of the extension ie Freeware, licenced commercialware etc in a simple text file.
(Generally the best licence if your thinking commercial is to make it free for non commercial, and charge a fee for a commercial release.)
- Providing at least one working example that test and demonstrates each feature of the extension. (no matter how simple)
- Providing a small help file. (no matter how simple)
- Commenting the version information adequately i.e. when you right click the extension and select properties.
- Consider releasing a beta before offically releasing your extension.
(here you learn of bugs and useful suggestions)
- Consider releasing your extension as part of the bonus packs.
- Consider joining the Beta testing program by speaking to Jeff.
- Also consider other people helping you with your extension, ie if your not a graphics artist, ask for somebody to draw the icons for you. Some of the guys of the forum make absolutely beautify graphics. If you need help with the test file ask, Im sure somebody would be more than willing to help. etc
- Before considering making an extension private, consider the benefits of publicly release. Respect, Fame and Glory

[/]

Note - Jeff if you would consider adding these comments to the sticky thread on the extension developers forum, I think they are useful.


Podunkian once again great to see you developing extensions, I'm sure that it will be used in many games in the future.

regards,
Joewski.

[ThePodunkian]

that's all nice, but this is a single-use extension. it's pretty self-explanatory as to what it does and how it's used, so i don't think any documentation is necessary. as for version numbering, again, it's a simple extension with a single use, so there's no realistic reason for me to ever need to come out with another version of the extension.

[joewski]

Note that I am not bagging your extension. Its wonderful and useful. I realise that your extension was designed to work with games and screen work, that works in whole numbers, so its perfectly ok for that kind of work.

All things have limits and assumptions. Your extension as simple as it is, has limits and asumptions built in.

But lets now say somebody takes this extension and uses it to do calculation on angles that are floats.
For example if you enter the values 1,1,-1,-1 your extension returns the value 135 which is correct.
However if you enter 0.1,0.1,-0.1,-0.1 your extension returns the value 180 which isn't right.
It doesn't matter whether was your intention to allow floats, without documentation setting limits, assumptions and demonstrating use support issue arise. Now imagine the trouble you would have identifying programs with the bad version of an extension.

Hopefully now you see how even what is simple, has potential to harbor many issues.
The importance of documentations, versioning etc are important to both both you and your client can sometimes underestimated.

The recommendation to open sourcing avoids some of these issue, simply by saying, look if there is problem with it you fix it. Don't come to me and cry, so to speak.

Once again thankyou for your extension, this type of extension is asked for often, so it will be useful. I and most other realise that people often program just for fun and don't really wan't to be bothered with issues. But I also see the other side of the coin, those developers for example that don't know computers programming as well, arn't experienced, and don't understand the valuable contribution that volenteer developers do, like yourself, but are very frustrated.

[danjo]

if olle would convert his angle calculator - it does this and much more.

[Azu]

You call that "some"?<_<;