Really cool visual FX

• Download demo exe - 16.9 Kb
• Download source - 73.4 Kb

The Code Project is on FIRE!

This project has a set of 3 classes that will let you add some pretty cool looking effects (real-time) to images/dibs.

Again (as with my wave editor control) I pulled these out of my code archive, dusted them off, and made a little project that some people might find useful. ie: I did not document much at all.

After running the demo click on the 'Animate' button. Then move your mouse across the image, click, then play with the other settings. The sliders are used to change the alpha (transparency) of the plasma and fire effects. You have to release the slider for the alpha change to take effect.

You generally see these effects used in real-time demos, which is where I culled most of the source from and converted it into a more object oriented class design. I was originally going to use them as the basis for a series of VIS type plugins to be used in an audio application. As commonly happens that project sort of went to the wayside.

I included the CDibSectionLite class created by Chris Maunder in the project just so I had something to render onto/with. The effects expect all data to be 32bit depth image data.

CWaterRoutine - Renders the real popular water effect
CFireRoutine - Renders simulated fire
CPlasmaRoutine - Renders real-time plasmas

By looking at the code for these effects you should notice they are all based around the idea of using a separate filter to achieve their results. If you have never looked at the water code (for example) you will be amazed at how such simple routines can create such a wonderful effect. Same goes with the plasma and the fire. Try playing around with some of the data members - you can do a LOT more than what my sample application allows.

The animation is achieved with a simple windows timer. The only notable thing about it is the way I chained the effects together, by rendering one on top of another.

You are free to use the code as you wish, just drop me an email if you use it in something interesting, extend it, want to complain about my lack of documentation (again), or just want to say "hey!".

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DLL Please Mustafa Magdy 4:37 13 Oct '09   This effect is awesome But I need it in DLL so I can use it in other application (C#) Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Wrote an MFC CStatic wrappper for these cool effects :) Hou Tianze 21:45 13 Jul '09   CCoolFXStatic[^] Thanks, dswigger Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink does anyone have a version without memory leaks? sfgasdfas@asdfasdf.it 23:18 5 Oct '08   followed all the suggested modifications in this forum and it still crashes. (if I put this on a dialog when I do it modal will crush the application...) Has anyone a cleaner version of this? Thank you in advance Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink anyone has a version without the problem of the buffer overrun? asdf34asdf 23:34 4 Jun '08   anyone has a version without the problem of the buffer overrun? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink C# or VB Johnny J. 5:28 22 Jan '08   Does anybody know how to do something like this in C# or VB? Is it possible to compile the C++ code to a dll that can be used in C# or VB? Cheers, Johnny J. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: C# or VB dswigger 9:30 22 Jan '08   You could create a dll. There is nothing preventing the code from working that way. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.20/5 (4 votes) Thank you for your share! Member 4045841 21:17 11 Dec '07   this source is useful for me Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Another memory leak mbw330 18:14 3 Sep '07   I just port the water part to my project and find a memory leak In fuction: BOOL CDIBSectionLite::SetBitmap(LPBITMAPINFO lpBitmapInfo, LPVOID lpBits), // Flush the GDI batch queue GdiFlush(); memcpy(m_ppvBits, lpBits, dwImageSize); // add to fix memort leak delete [] lpBits; Here the lpBits pointed memory is not used anymore, should be free here. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (1 vote) fatal error alaa naeem 22:10 22 Aug '07   first of all i want to thank you for this Beautiful work. nut when i imported the files to my project i faced this error: fatal error C1010: unexpected end of file while looking for precompiled header directive CPlasmaRoutine.cpp for the four classes. what causes the error here? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: fatal error asdf34asdf 22:42 4 Jun '08   include stdafx.h Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (1 vote) Why so complicated??? chris175 10:37 22 Aug '06   I downloaded the sample code and everything is very specific to the main dialog. If I wanted to use your code in another project I would have to do a lot of copying and pasting to make the work (Ex: I would have to put a timer, mouse move, and left mouse down events in every class I wanted to do this). It just doesn't make sense to do this. Why not make a class....derived from CStatic and put timer and all the other events there. The MouseMove can be down with a timer and the LMouseButtonDown event can be down with a MouseHook. Chris Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.00/5 (1 vote) Re: Why so complicated??? waldermort 6:46 14 Sep '06   I will second that. These classes were certainly coded for a specific project. They are not re-usable at all. I am in the process of stripping them down and adding them to some projects, but I am getting error after error. There are memory leaks, hard coded variables, little in the line of error testing and relies on very few functions from the dib wrapper. Why weren't they prepped into somethig more usable? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.33/5 (2 votes) Re: Why so complicated??? dswigger 9:46 22 Jan '08   I stated in my article "I pulled these out of my code archive, dusted them off, and made a little project that some people might find useful.". So "Why so complicated???". Its not. It is a demo. >>These classes were certainly coded for a specific project. They are not re-usable at all. I am in the process of stripping them down and adding them to some projects, but I am getting error after error. There are memory leaks, hard coded variables, little in the line of error testing and relies on very few functions from the dib wrapper.<< I never stated they were totally re-useable. They illustrate how to achieve the effects and are encapsulated enough for you to do what your doing - adapting the concept/pieces of code to your own purposes. If you are wondering why on earth you can not just plug it right into your own project - it is because I pulled it out of one of my old projects and wrapped it just enough to share it with you. I am not sure if you were complaining or just stating a fact. If you were complaining - get over it. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 5.00/5 (8 votes) Water effect nzembs 14:21 3 Dec '05   Cool Effect.....can you have it full screen Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) DLL Roland83 8:10 15 Oct '05   I am a big fan of Delphi programming and I was wondering if you can do a SpecialFX DLL because I want badly to "import" your effects in my applications. P.S: Please excuse my bad english...I am Romanian. 10x. The brain doesn't need blood. It just needs to be kept wet. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.80/5 (2 votes) Two bitmaps st0per 16:30 3 Jul '04   Im really sorry if this is stupid. But I have another dialog (actually im using the About dialog) and on there i have another bmp. When I add the effect I see the image and then it goes to the effects but with a black background, and no bitmap ?? I have a new "CPictureHolder myTmpPicture2;" on the initdialog of about. where am i going wrong. any help would be much appreciated. as much as i appreciate you posting this tutorial, thumbs up; top marks! kurt Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 1.00/5 (1 vote) Re: Two bitmaps hongzh126 16:35 14 Sep '05   You still have to add the water effect first, and turn it off in OnTimer if you don't want it. I mean water effect seems to be the basic one. Got it? Zhang Hong@Shanghai.China Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Water Error SilentDragonz 17:11 20 Apr '04   When i tried using the water effect i got this error e:\Microsoft Visual Studio .Net 2003\Projects\MacroSaver\CWaterRoutine.cpp(402): error C2668: 'sqrt' : ambiguous call to overloaded function I'm not that good at C++ yet so i dunno how to fix it Thanks Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Water Error dswigger 8:18 21 Apr '04   Show me the line - sounds like you might need to cast something. the overloaded function means that the compiler can not tell which version of sqrt you want to call. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 4.56/5 (3 votes) Re: Water Error C.Young @ XiCabin 22:05 9 Dec '05   i do not know why, but i deal with it like this int((radius-sqrt(square))*((float)(height))); --> int((radius-(int)sqrt((float)square))*((float)(height))); it works well. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink Re: Water Error ebia.tty0 5:09 24 May '06   use sqrtl cosl ..is work..;P Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink About the water effect caucy 15:38 20 Apr '04   I must say this is a excellent job.^_^ But I really want to know the principle of the water effect.Would you please send me some article about the water effect? Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (3 votes) Re: About the water effect dswigger 8:21 21 Apr '04   I dont have an article on the water effect but you could probably find numerous links on google: Heres a link (aptly titled "The water effect explained"): http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article915.asp The principle thing about these effects is the use of buffers and essentially over-drawing them on top of each other. Fairly simple in coding but stunning results can be achieved. There are tons of screensavers and audio-gadgets that use similair techniques. Hope this helps. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote) Re: About the water effect caucy 15:55 21 Apr '04   oh.Thank you very much. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink I don't know how to contact you. Fai 19:27 2 Sep '03   I just wanted to let you know that I used your project to create an executable file with 2 modifications. I've changed the file icon and the background bitmap picture. I wanted to ask you if it is ok that I send it to one of my friends. I will tell my friend that this is your work. By the way, your article is very good. It's really cool. Sign In·View Thread·PermaLink 2.00/5 (1 vote)

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