Floaty (image overlay thing)

StrangeDave · May 2012

Greetings Polycounters,

Following up from the "Screen image overlay software?" thread (http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=99586) I have decided to post this here perchance anyone is interested.

I have written this little app which allows you to float images transparently over all other Windows on your desktop. There are other programs with similar functionality available, as can be found in the above-mentioned thread. Floaty, like Foreground Reference Utility, however, is specifically for overlaying images and with this purpose in mind I want to grow its features. As it stands the program has not been thoroughly tested so I am sure there will be bugs (and blood).

A download can be found here...

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/6444067/floaty/floaty-0.1.zip

There are instructions included in the zip file. Feedback, criticisms and "this sodding program doesn't work"s are most welcome. Hope you like it. If not feel free set your ninjas on me.

Thanks for your time,
Dave

Next · May 2012

wow nice !

till now it works just perfectly as intended i guess! -no crash what so ever...
i love the simplicity!
features i could imagine to be useful if u havnt thought them up on your own yet would be:
image rotation and rulers maybe?
hue sat brightness sliders somewhere, could also be useful at times...
also a pencil feature would be great too maybe especially for teaching with reference.....

a quick switch for preloaded images could be handy too plus multiple images at the same time.
i can not think of many more fancy things it should be able to do....
it is already perfect as is!
great work

cheers next

Timmywithag · May 2012

Super job! This is pretty cool.

I would personally like to see if you you could make it act a little like windows image preview by making it able to view a folder and move through the images that are in it by pressing left and right arrow kind of like Next said I guess.

great job though, as is its very usefull.

chadabees · May 2012

This is great! Thanks!

pasha_sevez · May 2012

I've been thinking of such utility for a long time! Thanks! It's great!

StrangeDave · May 2012

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Next: Those are all great suggestions and I'll definitely investigate their feasibility. You'll have to be patient with me though since I am really a character artist and programming is just a hobby

.

Timmywithag: Yep, I think this would be a cool feature. Definitely on my list.

Other things I am looking at doing include implementing a recently opened images list and the ability to remember the settings of the canvas for a particular image (size, opacity etc). A stretch-to-fit mode as a switchable alternative to the current zoom and pan mode would be nice too.

leslievdb · Jun 2012

just wanted to drop by and say im using this, really useful when im working with zbrush and have only one screen to work on

so tnx

Eric Chadwick · Jun 2012

Thanks for the tool StrangeDave! Added to the wiki.
http://wiki.polycount.com/CategoryTools#A2D_Image_Overlay_Software

Macrow · Sep 2012

Thanks, StrangeDave! Works well.

Grimmstrom · Sep 2012

Nice app, works well.

GeeDave · Sep 2012

From your dropbox, to mine. Cheers man, works like a charm. (A charm that works well).

Bit disappointed that it won't improve my sex life though. (for anyone looking at me funny, read the readme.txt)

pasha_sevez · Nov 2012

StrangeDave, may I ask about the Floaty future versions? Are you planning some updates? Your utility is great and I'd like to suggest you add one important feature - more precise zooming. I use Floaty frequently and often need some intermediate zoom values between 50% and 100%. Say wheel scroll with Ctrl pressed allows user to zoom with 1% or 5% stepping. It would be great! Anyway thanks again for such cool app

Mister Sentient · Dec 2012

Hey guys,

Sorry I've been quiet for so long. I had started working on a new and improved version of Floaty but life intruded and development ceased for a period. I'm glad it is proving to be useful. I'm hoping to start working on it again in the new year. I will endeavour to add as many of the requested features as my limited programming ability allows

. For future updates watch this space.

Thanks again,
Dave

Edit:

Note I am not using my StrangeDave account any longer. I was going to use it as a separate account just for Floaty development but don't really want the extra hassle.

VisualConduct · Feb 2015

Hello Dave,

Still working on this.
Somehow I cannot use this great app of you anymore, when I push "go ignocnito" it simply goes to the background.
I guess this probably happened after a gpu driver update.

Regards, Robert Glotzbach

GraaD · Jun 2015

Greetings StrangeDave and thank you.

Couldn't help but stop by and tell you how pleasant and useful this little piece of software turned out to be. Simple and efficient as it is, best reference tool one could wish for. Works pretty bug-free for me so far.

Mister Sentient · Sep 2015

Hi again,

I'm glad you guys have found my little app to be of use. I haven't worked on Floaty for a while now and since it now seems unlikely that I will I am officially abandoning the project. It will still be available for download if you want it. There are, however, significantly better alternatives now available.