problems creating dynamic web counter graphics

jamie_kerwick

I am trying to use ImageTTF commands (ImageTTFBBox, ImageTTFText, ImagePNG etc.) to create a web counter.

The aim is that a user just needs to have a <img src = counter.php> tag, and a count graphic will appear.

This is my code so far;

<?
$fontbase = "/usr/share/fonts/ttf/";
$fontfile = $fontbase.$font; 
if (!$angle)
{
    $angle=0;
}
$size = ImageTTFBBox ($fontsize, $angle, $fontfile, $text);
$dx = max($size[2], $size[4]) - min($size[0], $size[6]);
//$dx = $dx + strlen($text);// extreme x values
$dy = max($size[1], $size[3]) - min($size[5], $size[7]);
//$dy = $dy + strlen($text); // extreme y values
$im = imagecreate ($dx, $dy);
$bkgc = ImageColorAllocate ($im, 255, 255, 255);
$txtc = ImageColorAllocate ($im, 197, 196, 230);
$baseline = $dy - max($size[1], $size[3]);
ImageTTFText ($im, $fontsize, $angle, 0, ($dy-max($size[1], $size[3])), $txtc, $fontfile, $text);
Header ("Content-type: image/png");
imagePNG ($im);
ImageDestroy ($im);

This works OKish, as it chops of little bits around the edges.

Does anyone have any suggested changes i can make, or failing that, a totally different way to get the same output.

TIA

Jamie

undertow

You could just have your counter displayed as text instead of an image. But I know having an image is a lot smoother 😉. So here's what you could try: the simplest thing to do would be to just add a few pixels to the dimensions you get in $dx and $dy from max() and min(). Your best bet however would be to use a fixed-width font if you aren't already. Then just always print leading zeros. This way, the dimensions will always be the same. Also you get the odometer effect if that's what you're looking for.

piersk

Doesnt the

 tag automatically indent?

waygood

Tried using ImageTTFText and got the same problems you did.
It turned out to be a problem with the font you use.

Thundercats.ttf was way off with the sizes.

Since you will only need 10 numbers just use static graphic files, in a line.

Weedpacket

Originally posted by piersk
Doesnt the [ php ] tag automatically indent?

Let's try an experiment. Nifty things, experiments - you can find out all sorts of stuff with them...

for(something=0;$something<100;++$something)if(!$something){echo"I typed all this on one line, so sue me.";break;}

for(something=0;$something<100;++$something)
if(!$something)
{
echo"I typed all this on multiple lines, but didn't indent them.";
break;
}

for(something=0;$something<100;++$something)
     if(!$something)
     {
          echo "I typed all this on multiple lines, and indented them.";
          break;
     }

Now whack "Review Reply"...

...and the answer is....

No.

undertow

I also like it when people indent regular HTML code if it's part of a PHP conditional like so:

<html>
<head>
<title>Is This My Name?</title>
</head>
<body>

<?php
if ($name == "Geoff" || $name == "undertow") {
?>

  Yes, that is my name!

<?php
}
else {
?>

  Nope, that is definately not me!

<?php
}
?>

</body>
</html>

piersk

oops again, my mistake :o