which one to use? CCSpriteSheet or [CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache]

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which one to use? CCSpriteSheet or [CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache]

(9 posts) (6 voices)

Started 1 year ago by ozhanlion
Latest reply from renuka

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ozhanlion
Member

Hi guys,

I am working on several little games and loading lots of images and I love using zwoptex. I have been using SpriteSheets and loading my assets in that way and then calling them when I need to using a custom manager to manage the atlas. Pretty much:

CCSpriteSheet *spriteSheet1 = [CCSpriteSheet spriteSheetWithFile:@"exampleZwoptexGenerated.png"];
[self addChild:spriteSheet1];
//load the exampleZwoptexGeneratedplist with my custom plist reader and pass the data about images when neeeded
CCSprite *mySprite = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteSheet:spriteSheet1 rect:[CustomClass.getRectForTheCertainSpriteName]];
[spriteSheet1 addChild:mySprite];

Lately, I figured there's also CCSpriteFrameCache singleton I can use. I started using the second approach more.

[[CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache] addSpriteFramesWithFile:@"exampleZwoptexGenerated.plist"];
CCSpriteFrame *frame = [[CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache] spriteFrameByName:@"anImage.png"];
CCSprite *mySprite = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrame:frame];
[self addChild:myHandSprite];

Now I am still curious which approach is better performance wise. Are they apples and oranges? Am I wrong trying to compare them? I am using several animation frames through the plist files but some just still images too.

I'd appreciate any ideas.

Posted 1 year ago #

bkervaski
Member

I'm also interested in any comments on this ... It seems CCSpriteFrameCache, even know it was designed for animations, is going to be better suited for managing sprites in general, as it's a singleton and provides an easy way to free up memory, any other comments?

Posted 1 year ago #
riq
Key Master

a)
CCSpriteFrameCache, as the name suggests, it is an Sprite Frame Cache.

It is a dictionary of CCSpriteFrame objects:

CCSpriteFrame:
- texture id
- rect

b)
CCSpriteSheet is a CCNode. (See CCSpriteSheet doc in API reference)

CCSprite is also a CCNode and it is the the "main" graphics node. (see CCSprite doc in the API reference)

Optionally you can create an CCSprite with a CCSpriteFrame...

The key is:
- Use Texture Atlas (you can generate them with Zwoptex, tools/mkatlas.pl, ImageMagik, etc..). Zwoptex also generates a .plist that can be loaded into the CCSpriteFrameCache.
- Use CCSpriteSheet

By using texture atlas you will improve the loading time and reduce the texture memory
By using CCSpriteSheet you will improve the rendering performace (See Performance Tests)

Posted 1 year ago #
Alsenes
Member
Well, may be I'm a bit dense today, but I need a little help with this
I'm currently testing zwoptex in cocos2d a love both, but I guess I need help with best practices for both of them.
Right now I'm testing an atlas texture with zwoptex with all my menu elemets using this
```
[[CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache] addSpriteFramesWithFile:@"MenuScene/MenuAtlas.plist"];

	NSString * menubgframeName = @"menu_background.png";

	CCSprite *bg = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:menubgframeName];
	bg.position = ccp(160,240);
	[self addChild:bg z:0];

        CCSprite *menuelement 2 ….
        ……

        ……
```
This works ok, but I don't know if I'm getting all the advantages of using texture atlases.As far as I understand, loading the .plist with CCSpriteFrameCache will also make an CCSpriteSheet with the .png file, wich is an AtlasManager since 0.9??
I think my problem is I don't understand the diferences between TextureAtlas and SpriteSheets
Posted 1 year ago #
VTX
Member

I also have a question about the spriteFrameCache:

In the loading scene I preload the plist files generated with zwoptex. I also preload the png files of them by using the sharedTextureCache. Is this good practise, or are the png's automatically loaded into the sharedTextureCache when I am loading them into the spriteFrameCache?

Posted 1 year ago #
Alsenes
Member

ok, so, after further reading, to gain both performance improvements,
we need to load an atlas with all our sprites ( for improving the loading time and reduce the texture memory) and then add each of those sprites as a child of an spritesheet, so they are all drawn in the same batch( faster rendering performance), right?

Now, what I don't know is if by usingspriteframecache with the zwoptex .plist is already doing all this or it's just doing the atlas part and we still need to add those sprite as a spritesheet child for faster drawing.

Hope I made myself clear, because I'm not english.
Any hint would be appreciated, thanks!

Posted 1 year ago #

Alsenes
Member

Well, I almost have it. I really need some help now, I figured it out mostly, but now I'm clueless.
BTW, I know I won't get much improvement doind this on a menuScreen, I'm just trying to figure it out before applying this to the playscene loading process.
I'm using version 0.99.1 I believe, I prefer not to change versions till the project is done..just in case.

//This will also load MenuAtlas.png on the TextureCache.
[[CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache] addSpriteFramesWithFile:@"MenuScene/MenuAtlas.plist"];

//Create the SpriteSheet and add it as a child (to the Layer)
CCSpriteSheet *menusheet = [CCSpriteSheet spriteSheetWithFile:@"MenuScene/MenuAtlas.png"];
[self addChild:menusheet];

//Now every sprite you create from that Atlas(MenuAtlas.png) has to be added as a child to the Spritesheet
//Adventure button
CCSprite * adventurebttn = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:@"adventure_1.png"];
[menusheet addChild:adventurebttn];
//Time button
CCSprite * timebttn = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:@"time_1.png"];
[menusheet addChild:timebttn];
//Score button
CCSprite * scorebttn = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:@"scores_1.png"];
[menusheet addChild:time2bttn];

//and every other sprite that is on that Atlas.
//After loading all the menu Items I create the menu as this, using as sprites the previous ones from the atlas added to the //SpriteSheet

CCMenuItemImage *newGameButton = [CCMenuItemImage
					itemFromNormalSprite:adventurebttn
					  selectedSprite:adventure2bttn
					  target:self
					  selector:@selector(NewGame:)];

But I get a black screen and an error:

*** Assertion failure in -[CCSprite draw], /Users/AlbertoSendra/Desktop/ZCupxDv2/libs/cocos2d/CCSprite.m:493
*** Assertion failure in -[CCSprite draw], /Users/AlbertoSendra/Desktop/ZCupxDv2/libs/cocos2d/CCSprite.m:493
*** Assertion failure in -[CCSprite draw], /Users/AlbertoSendra/Desktop/ZCupxDv2/libs/cocos2d/CCSprite.m:493
and keeps appearing on the console till I stop the task.

that line in CCSprite says:

NSAssert(!usesSpriteSheet_, @"If CCSprite is being rendered by CCSpriteSheet, CCSprite#draw SHOULD NOT be called");

I suppose something I've done wrong creating the spritesheet and adding It's child that confuses cocos2D when calling rawing, so nothing ends up showing
after reading this post: http://www.cocos2d-iphone.org/forum/topic/7830#post-47584
I guess there's a problem with parenting using sprites from an spritesheet in the menu buttons??
Maybe because the itemFromNormalSprite:adventurebttn method calls the draw function in CCSprite for drawing it, but being an spritesheet child it should call the textureatlas draw function? or something like that..

Posted 1 year ago #

riq
Key Master

Thats why in v0.99.5 CCSpriteSheet was renamed to CCSpriteBatchDraw.... CCSpriteSheet was a very confusing name.

So, in v0.99.5 parlance, if you want speed, you need to parent your CCSprites to a CCSpriteBatchDraw.

Zwoptex is a tool that lets you create a texture atlas.

In order to have the best possible performance you have to place all your sprites in a texture atlas AND you also need to parent your sprites into a CCSpriteBatchNode (or CCSpriteSheet in v0.99.4)

Posted 1 year ago #
renuka
Member

Hi,

I have also one confusion right now i am doing below thing in one app

I am adding this in delegate file
[[CCSpriteFrameCache sharedSpriteFrameCache] addSpriteFramesWithFile:@"Balloons.plist"];
// Load our sprites in the background
[[CCTextureCache sharedTextureCache] addImage:@"Balloons.png" ];

and then using it in scene file using below syntax.

CCSprite *background = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:@"game_background.png"];
[self addChild:background];

so is it fine?

should i add that png file in scene like this one
self.spriteSheet = [CCSpriteSheet spriteSheetWithTexture:[[CCTextureCache sharedTextureCache] addImage:@"Balloons.png"]];
[self addChild:_spriteSheet z:-1];

and then use like below one

CCSprite *background = [CCSprite spriteWithSpriteFrameName:@"game_background.png"];
[_spriteSheet addChild:background];

can anyone say me which way is better to use?

Please reply me asap

Posted 1 year ago #

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