Re: [Tuxpaint-users] [Tuxpaint-devel] An experimental tablet for TuxPaint

[Shih-Chin Y. <sya...@gm...>]

Hi, Bill:
Thanks for your comments!
Please see my comments below ...

On Wed, Jun 4, 2008 at 1:14 AM, Bill Kendrick <nb...@so...> wrote:

> (Responding to both -devel and -users.)
>
> On Tue, Jun 03, 2008 at 02:30:26PM +0800, Shih-Chin Yang wrote:
> >    Hi, Bill:
> >    Many thanks for your  comments.
> >
> >    As a matter of fact, I would like to make the tablet as simple as
> >    possible, but with features like large drawing area, transparent. The
> >    tablet would still require a tethered stylus, but not pressure
> sensitive.
>
> Ok, so it's technology closer to a Wacom tablet than a Koala Pad drawing
> tablet or a touchscreen (e.g., a CRT at an Automated Teller Machine)



>
> Y.S.C>  Yes, it is closer to a Wacom tablet.
>
> >    Even though the prototype work for windows only for now, but with
> proper
> >    drivers, it could also support Linux, Mac OS etc. And it could work
> with
> >    any software other than TuxPaint.
>
> How does Windows see the device?  I would imagine it would not need to act
> much different from a plain pointer input device (like a mouse or
> trackball).
> Is it (going to) connect(ed) by USB?


Y.S.C.> For now, it appears as a mouse but with absolute (X,Y) positioning.
And it is connected using USB.

>
>
> The Koala Pad on the Atari 8-bit acted as two Paddle controllers
> (potentiometers), one representing X, the other Y.  The two buttons on
> the Koala Pad acted as Paddle fire buttons (digital on/off).
>
> Once upon a time I had a little device a friend and I made which allowed me
> to connect Atari Paddle controllers to a PC's joystick port (the kind you
> used to find on sound cards like the SoundBlaster).  I imagine I could have
> used the X/Y/Fire of the joystick input on the PC (say, under Linux) to
> utilize the Koala Pad.
>
> Unfortunately, at the time, I had no Koala Pad.  And these days, PCs don't
> have the old-style analog joystick input.  I've got a StellAdapter
> (Atari video game/computer system controller to USB converter), but I don't
> recall if it supports Paddle inputs... it may only do joystick
> (which were 4 digital values on the Atari).
>
>
> >    What hardware features(buttons) do you think might help to put on the
> >    tablet? Other than a plain transparent board?
>
> Honestly, I don't know!  I think keeping it simple would be the best and
> most flexible route.


> Perhaps I should  keep it very simple,  a plain board but  a ON/OFF button
to  solve the conflict  between  mouse and the tablet. Or maybe a  Tux Paint
quick launch  button?

>
>
> Have you looked at the Digital Arts and Crafts Studio's drawing tablet?
> It includes an assortment of buttons for choosing colors, tools, etc.
> I can map most of those to controls within Tux Paint, but really, Tux Paint
> can do so much more than the DACS software can (in some ways, at least),
> so those buttons are more of a burden. :)


Y.S.C. > I saw DACs on Amazon,  but I didn't own  one. Does it work like a
Wacom tablet? Does it have any pressure sensor? To save cost, I probably
won't put those coloring buttons on the board to keep the tablet simple and
smaller.

>
>
> What do others out here think of Shin-Chin's device?
>
> PS - I'd happily accept a prototype to play with. :^D
>

Y.S.C. > I would see if I could arrange it.

>
> -bill!
>
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