PROGRAMMING ISSUES: two x, y coordinates input methods

[Tomáš Klapka]

I had one more idea about x, y coordinates editing.

Now in editors you have to move the symbol by the mouse or in SignWriter 
DOS by cursor keys.
I think there are better input ways.

I don't know if there is another input method used, but I know only 
these two.


*The first method* is to have key for every location used in signing.
Then when you type a symbol, you just press the key for the location and 
symbol moves to the location you pressed.
It can be mapped onto function key + letter key.

For example:
There could be location NOSE with N key, NECK with K key, SHOULDER with 
S key, and so on. Location function key could be CTRL, or other not yet 
used key.
Then you type symbol and press CTRL-N and the symbols moves to NOSE.



*The second method* is to have sign space divided into sectors.
You can imagine your sign space as left, middle and right columns 
(vertical coordinates) and bottom, neutral, head and top level (horizontal)
Well, for each of these sectors you can have key:

1st dividing:
*  level \ column
* 	* LEFT * 	* NEUTRAL * 	* RIGHT *
* TOP * 	1
	2
	3
* HEAD * 	q
	w
	e
* NEUTRAL * 	a
	s
	d
*BOTTOM
* 	z
	x
	c


Then you just press the key and the symbol goes to the sector.
If you need to be more exact, you can imagine each sector divided into 9 
subsectors (left, neutral, right columns and top, neutral, bottom levels).

other sector dividings (2nd, 3rd, 4th):
*  level \ column
* 	* LEFT * 	* NEUTRAL * 	* RIGHT *
*TOP * 	q
	w
	e
* NEUTRAL * 	a
	s
	d
*BOTTOM
* 	z
	x
	c



If you cannot imagine it...maybe this can help

1st with 2nd sector dividing:
*  level \ column
* 	* LEFT * 	* NEUTRAL * 	* RIGHT *
* TOP * 	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

* HEAD * 	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

* NEUTRAL * 	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	* *
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

*BOTTOM
* 	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c

	
q
	w
	e
a
	s
	d
z
	x
	c



And you can do this again and again, but I think there is no need to 
divide it more than four times.

If you type a symbol and then you press 'w' it puts the symbol to the 
NEUTRAL HEAD sector. If you press 'e' it moves to the RIGHT TOP in this 
sector (so it will be up and right on the head).

This system of dividing of sector gives the relativnes of coordinates 
and it can be typed fast.



*Idea of x, y coordinates saving:*
You can save x (and y) position into 2 bits for each divided sector:

y coords
LEFT -1
NEUTRAL 0
RIGHT +1

x coord
TOP +2
HEAD +1
NEUTRAL 0
BOTTOM -1

bits
11    -1
00    0
01    +1
10    +2

If we take only up to 4 divided sectors, we can have 2 bits * 4 
divisions = 8 bits = 1 Byte for x position, and y position.
x of y position is then dividing_1.dividing_2.dividing_3.dividing_4
Well,
NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL position is 00.00.00.00, 00.00.00.00 (0, 0) - just in 
the middle of the neutral signing space
NEUTRAL LEFT, NEUTRAL position is 00.11.00.00, 00.00.00.00 (48, 0) - in 
the neutral signing space on the left
NEUTRAL RIGHT, HEAD TOP position is 00.01.00.00, 01.10.00.00 (16, 96) - 
up and right on the head
NEUTRAL NEUTRAL NEUTRAL RIGHT, HEAD position is 00.00.00.01, 01.00.00.00 
(1, 64) - very very close to the nose but right

OR you can just convert these coordinates into raster...
It is 81 x positions and 108 y positions.
x = -40 to 40 (or 0 to 80)
y = -40 to 67 (or 0 to 107)




*Well *these methods are only an idea. The second one looks very 
complicated, but both are very fast and easy to use.
And methods can be independent on the coordinates which is finally used.

Tomas


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