HyperImage Overview

HyperImage is a powerful but easy to use image processing utility.

With HyperImage you can process digital images, enhance them, merge them with other images, or use tools to add to them.

Color, Selection, Size and Filters can be used to create the image you really need.

Common Tasks

Selection Tasks

Color Tasks

Misc. Tasks

User Interface Objects

Menu

Dialogs


Selection Tasks

With selections you can work on parts of the image, and enhance it for emphasis, merge it with other images, or copy, cut or paste it for use with other images or other applications.

Choose from the following common tasks :

Selecting an area in the image

Moving a selection in the Image

Exchanging selections with other images or applications

Merging images into a selection


Selecting an area in the image

To Select An area in the active image, follow these steps :

1. Move the mouse cursor into the image area.

2. Press the left mouse button and do not release it.

3. Drag the mouse to define the selection area. A rectangular will appear on the image to describe the area of the selection area.

4. When you are satisfied with area selected, release the mouse button.


Moving a selection in the Image

To move the selected area in the active image follow these steps :

1. Point the mouse cursor into the selected area on the image.

2. Press the shift key and left mouse button at the same time, continue to hold the mouse button.

3. Move the mouse around while holding the mouse button, a rectangular shape will move with your mouse cursor to indicate the new location of the selected area.

4. When you are satisfied with new location, release the mouse button.


Exchanging selections with other images or applications

To copy an area from the active image to other images follow these steps :

1. Select the desired area in the active image.

2. Choose Edit|Copy

If you want to insert this area to another image do the following :

3. Bring the image window of the target image to front. (Click to it or choose it from the Window menu)

4. Select the area you want to insert the copied image into.

5. Choose Edit|Paste  or Edit|Paste & Resize


Merging images into a selection

To merge an image into a selected area of the active image follow these steps :

1. Select the desired area on the active image.

2. Choose Selection|Load from file...


Color Tasks

Using HyperImage you can change the brightness, contrast, gamma correction and color depth of images.

Choose from the following common tasks :

Create background images for the WWW or WinHelp

Prepare Images for WinHelp 3.1


Create background images for the WWW or WinHelp

To Create background images for the WWW or WinHelp follow these steps :

1. Choose the desired active image.

2. Use Image|Color|Gramma Correction... and try to move the slider to the left, press the Preview button to check how faded the image is.

3. When you are satisfied with the image, choose Ok.


Prepare Images for WinHelp 3.1

To prepare images for WinHelp 3.1 follow these steps :

1. Decide if you want to use a 3rd party DLL that can display 256 color images.

2. If you decided to use a DLL like Interactive Help or OSHT, set the number of colors of your image to 256 using Image|Color|Convert to Index 256

3. If you decide to use standard WinHelp 3.1, set the number of colors of your image to 16 using Image|Color|Convert to Indexed 16

4. In the Reduce Color Depth Dialog try to choose palette optimization, dithering and reduce color bleed, and press the Preview button to test your image.

5. When you are satisfied with the results, choose Ok.


Misc. Tasks

Several Misc. tasks include - putting a border around an image, writing text above or beneath an image and more.

Choose from the following common Tasks :

Creating a border around an image

Adding Text Above or Beneath an Image


Creating a border around an image

To Create a border around the image follow these steps :

1. Select the internal border of the image.

2. Choose Selection|Filters|Negate

3. Choose Edit|Select All

4. Choose Selection|Filters|Negate


Adding Text Above or Beneath an Image

To add a text message above an image follow these steps :

1. Choose Image|Resize|Enlarge...

2. Enter a new Height in the Image Enlarge Dialog

3. Check the Set Selection to Original check box and press Ok.

4. Move the selected image down until it can not be moved any more.

5. Select the white area at the top of the image.

6. Choose Tools|Text...

To add a text message beneath the image, skip steps 3 & 4, and in step 5 select the white area at the bottom of the image.


Menu

The menu system is used to provide access to the HyperImage program functions - The menu appears at the top of the screen - several sub-menus appear on the menu according to the state of the program.

The following menu options are available :

File Menu

Edit Menu

Image Menu

Selection Menu

Tools Menu

Window Menu

Help Menu


File Menu

The File menu is used to manage the images edited by the program, use this menu to create new images, open existing images, close images, save images, scan images using a scanner, capture images from the screen or exit the HyperImage program.

The following options are available :

File|New...

File|Open...

File|Close

File|Save

File|Save As...

File|Scan...

File|Capture

File|Exit


File|New...

 Use the File|New menu option to start a new image.

The New Image dialog is displayed - and you are prompted to define image attributes - image size and color depth. After you have defined these attributes a new image is created and it is displayed in a window. You can use all the image and selection commands to edit this image.

See Also:

New Image Dialog


File|Open...

 Use the File|Open option to load an image from a disk

The Open Image dialog is displayed, you can navigate the drives and directories on you disk, until you find the file you are interested in. Double Click on the file, or click on the file name and choose ok, A new image window is opened wand the image is loaded from the file.

See Also

Open Image Dialog


File|Close

 Use the File|Close option to close the active image window,

If the image in the active image window has been altered, and has not been saved to disk, you will have to choose if you want to save the image, abandon the changes or cancel the close operation.

The active Image Window will be closed, and another Image Window (if one was open when you chose the File|Close option) will become the active window.


File|Save

 Use the File|Save option to save the image in the active Image Window.

The image in the active image window will be saved to the disk.


File|Save As...

 Use the File|Save As... option to save the image in the active Image Window to a new file.

The Save Picture As... dialog open, and you will be able to navigate your computer's drives and directories to choose a new file to save the image to.

The image will be saved to the new file.

See Also:

Save Picture As... Dialog


File|Scan...

 Use the File|Scan... option to scan a new image.

Your Scanner's Image acquisition window will appear and you will be able to acquire an image using your scanner.

When you are satisfied with the results, choose the button or menu option that send the scanned image back to the application.

The Scanner's window will disappear and the scanned image will appear in a new Image Window.


File|Capture

 Use the File|Capture... option to capture a region of the screen.

When you choose File|Capture... the HyperImage program will become invisible, the cursor will change to a cross shape, and you will have to define the region you want to capture.

Move the cursor to  the top-left corner of the region you want to capture, click the left mouse button and keep on pressing it. Drag the mouse while you are pressing the button to the bottom-right corner of the region you want to capture, and leave the mouse button.

The are you have marked will be captured and a new image window will be created. The HyperImage program will re-appear and you will be able to edit the image you captured in the new image window.


File|Exit

 Use the File|Exit option to end the HyperImage program.

The program will ask for your permission to save, or abandon any image that has been modified and not saved to disk, and in the end it will terminate.


Edit Menu

The Edit menu allows you to undo and redo operation, and exchange information between images and applications using the Windows clipboard.

The following options are available :

Edit|Undo

Edit|Redo

Edit|Cut

Edit|Copy

Edit|Paste

Edit|Paste & Resize

Edit|Select All


Edit|Undo

 Use Edit|Undo to undo the last image processing operation.

The last image processing operation you perfromed will be undone, and the active image will be back in the state it was before the operation was performed.


Edit|Redo

 Use Edit|Redo to redo the last undo operation.

The last Edit|Undo operation will be redone, and the active image will be back at the state it was before the Edit|Undo option was chosen.


Edit|Cut

 Use Edit|Cut to cut the selected region of the image to the clipboard.

The selected region of the active image will be cut to the clipboard. An empty region will appear in the active image, in it's place.


Edit|Copy

 Use Edit|Copy to copy the selected region of the active image to the clipboard.

The selected region of the active image will be copied to the clipboard. You will be able to paste this region to other applications or to another image, or selection region in HyperImage.

The original image is not changed.


Edit|Paste

 Use Edit|Paste to paste an image from the clipboard into the active image.

The image in the clipboard will be pasted into the selected region of the active image. If no region is selected - the entire image is considered to be selected.

The pasted image is not resized to fit in the selected region.


Edit|Paste & Resize

 Use Edit|Paste & Resize to paste an image from the clipboard into the selected region of the active image, and resize it to the selected region's size.

The selected region on the active image will be replaced by the image that is on the clipboard. This image will be resized to the size of the selected region.


Edit|Select All

 Use Edit|Select All to select the active image as the selected region.

The entire image is selected as the selected region. Any previous selection is lost.


Image Menu

The Image menu allows you to perform operations that effect the entire image.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Display

Image|Color

Image|Filters

Image|Resize


Image|Display

The Image|Display menu is used to set the display zoom of the active image. By default the image is displayed in it's notmal zoom level (1:1). You can change that to smaller or higher zoom levels, or to fit into the Image Window size.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Display|100%

Image|Display|Fit in Window

Image|Display|25%

Image|Display|33%

Image|Display|50%

Image|Display|75%

Image|Display|200%

Image|Display|300%

Image|Display|400%

Image|Display|500%

Image|Display|1000%


Image|Display|100%

Use the Image|Display|100% to view the image in it's original size.


Image|Display|Fit in Window

Use the Image|Display|Fit in Window to view the image in the size of the Image window.


Image|Display|25%

Use the Image|Display|25% to view the image in 25% of it's original size.


Image|Display|33%

Use the Image|Display|33% to view the image in 33% of it's original size.


Image|Display|50%

Use the Image|Display|50% to view the image in 50% of it's original size.


Image|Display|75%

Use the Image|Display|75% to view the image in 75% of it's original size.


Image|Display|200%

Use the Image|Display|200% to view the image in 200% of it's original size.


Image|Display|300%

Use the Image|Display|300% to view the image in 300% of it's original size.


Image|Display|400%

Use the Image|Display|400% to view the image in 400% of it's original size.


Image|Display|500%

Use the Image|Display|500% to view the image in 500% of it's original size.


Image|Display|1000%

Use the Image|Display|1000% to view the image in 1000% of it's original size.


Image|Color

The Image|Color option allows you to change the color attributes of the image, perform gamma corection, adjust the brightness and contrast, and convert the image to different color depth options.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Color|Gamma Correction

Image|Color|Brightness...

Image|Color|Contrast

Image|Color|Convert to B&W

Image|Color|Convert to GrayScale

Image|Color|Convert to Indexed 16

Image|Color|Convert to Index 256

Image|Color|Convert to TrueColor


Image|Color|Gamma Correction


Image|Color|Brightness...


Image|Color|Contrast


Image|Color|Convert to B&W

Use the Image|Color|Convert to B&W to convert the active image to a 2 color (Black & White) image. B&W Images use 1 bit to represent each pixel.


Image|Color|Convert to GrayScale

Use Image|Color|Convert to GrayScale to convert the active image to a GrayScale image. GrayScale images use a 8 or 4 bit palette with grey level colors.


Image|Color|Convert to Indexed 16

Use Image|Color|Convert to Indexed 16 to convert the active image to a 4 bit image. 4 bit Images can display up to 16 colors from a palette. WinHelp 3.1 BMP  files should be 4 bit images, unless you use a 3rd party WinHelp extension DLL.

If the active image has more than 4 bit depth before the conversion, the Reduce Color Depth dialog is displayed. From this dialog you can choose if you want to optimize the palette, perform palette dithering and reduce color bleeding during the color reduction.


Image|Color|Convert to Index 256

Use Image|Color|Convert to Indexed 256 to convert the active image to a 8 bit image. 8 bit Images can display up to 256 colors from a palette. GIF files that are used on the World Wide Web are are 8 bit images.

If the active image has more than 8 bit depth before the conversion, the Reduce Color Depth dialog is displayed. From this dialog you can choose if you want to optimize the palette, perform palette dithering and reduce color bleeding during the color reduction.


Image|Color|Convert to TrueColor

Use Image|Convert to TrueColor to convert the active image to a TrueColor 24 bit image. TrueColor images can have up to 16.7 million different colors. JPEG files are always 24 bit.


Image|Filters

The Image|Filters menu allows you to process the image through several images in order to sharpen or soften it, display object's edges using the extract edges filter, or rotate and mirror the image.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Filters|Blur

Image|Filters|Negate

Image|Filters|Extract Edges...

Image|Filters|Sharpen...

Image|Filters|Soften

Image|Filters|Rotate

Image|Filters|Horizontal Mirror

Image|Filters|Vertical Mirror


Image|Filters|Blur

Use Image|Filters|Blur to pass the active image through a blur filter. The Image will appear slightly blured after the filter has been applied. You can re-apply the filter to get more blured images.


Image|Filters|Negate

Use Image|Filters|Negate to pass the active image through a negate filter. The image will appear like the negative of the original picture after the filter had been applied.


Image|Filters|Extract Edges...

Use Image|Filter|Extract Edges... to extract the edges of objects in the active image.

The Filter Preview Dialog will be displayed, and you will be able to try different levels of the extract edges filter before you decide to activate it.


Image|Filters|Sharpen...

Use Image|Filters|Sharpen to apply the sharpen filter to the active image.

The Filter Preview Dialog will be displayed, and you will be able to try different levels of the sharpen filter before you decide to activate it.


Image|Filters|Soften

Use Image|Filters|Soften to apply the soften filter to the active image.

The Filter Preview Dialog will be displayed, and you will be able to try different levels of the soften filter before you decide to activate it.


Image|Filters|Rotate

Use Image|Filters|Rotate to rotate the active image. The Rotate Sub-menu include pre-defined rotation angles, or the ability to try custom rotation angles.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Filters|Rotate|Custom...

Image|Filters|Rotate|45°

Image|Filters|Rotate|90°

Image|Filters|Rotate|135°

Image|Filters|Rotate|180°

Image|Filters|Rotate|225°

Image|Filters|Rotate|270°

Image|Filters|Rotate|315°


Image|Filters|Rotate|Custom...

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|Custom... to rotate the active image in a specific angle.

The Filter Preview Dialog will be displayed, and you will be able to try different angles of the rotate filter before you decide to activate it.


Image|Filters|Rotate|45°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|45° to rotate the active image 45° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|90°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|90° to rotate the active image 90° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|135°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|135° to rotate the active image 135° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|180°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|180° to rotate the active image 180° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|225°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|225° to rotate the active image 225° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|270°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|270° to rotate the active image 270° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Rotate|315°

Use Image|Filters|Rotate|315° to rotate the active image 315° clockwise.


Image|Filters|Horizontal Mirror

Use Image|Filters|Horizontal Mirror to mirror the active image horizontaly.


Image|Filters|Vertical Mirror

Use Image|Filters|Vertical Mirror to mirror the active image vertically.


Image|Resize

The Image|Resize menu allows you to resize the image or enlarge it to make more space for other images to merge.

Choose from the following options :

Image|Resize|Fast...

Image|Resize|Resample...

Image|Resize|Enlarge...


Image|Resize|Fast...

Use|Image|Resize|Fast... to resize the active image using pixel duplication/deletion.

The Image Resize Dialog displayed - you set the new image dimensions and the image is resized using pixel duplication/deletion to the dimensions you set.


Image|Resize|Resample...

Use|Image|Resize|Resample... to resize the active image using a resample algorithm.

The Image Resize Dialog displayed - you set the new image dimensions and the image is resized using a resample algorithm to the dimensions you set.

Resampling an image is slower than pixel duplication/deletion, but it usually results in a better looking image.


Image|Resize|Enlarge...

Use Image|Resize|Enlarge to enlarge the area of the active image. The image is not rescaled.

The  Image Enlarge Dialog will be displayed and you will be able to specify the new size of the image. The original image will not be re-scaled, and will appear on the top-left corner of the new enlarged image.


Selection Menu

The Selection Menu includes options to process the selected area of the active image. Using the options in the menu you can crop the image to the selected area, load another image into this area, or use filters on the selected area.

Choose from the following options :

Selection|Load from file...

Selection|Crop

Selection|Filters


Selection|Load from file...

Use Selection|Load from file... to load, merge and resize an image into the selected area of the active image.

The Load file to selection Dialog  is display, and you can choose an image file from the files available on your computer's disks. After you choose the file, the image is loaded, resized to the size of the selection, and inserted instead of the selected area.


Selection|Crop

Use Selection|Crop to crop the active image to the area selected.

The active image will be replaced with an image of the original selected area.


Selection|Filters

Use Selection|Filters to choose from the available selection filters. The selected area on the active image will be passed through the chosen filter.

Choose from the following options :

Selection|Filters|Blur

Selection|Filters|Negate


Selection|Filters|Blur

Use Selection|Filters|Blur to pass the selection area on the active image through a blur filter.

You can choose this filter again if you want to have a more blured area.


Selection|Filters|Negate

Use Selection|Filters|Negate to pass the selected area on the active image through a negate filter.

The selected are will be replaced by a negative image of that area.


Tools Menu

The Tools menu allows you to apply tools to the image, including rectangles, lines, arrows or text messages.

Choose from the following options :

Tools|Arc...

Tools|Chord...

Tools|Pie...

Tools|Rect...

Tools|Round Rect...

Tools|Line

Tools|Arrow In...

Tools|Arrow Out...

Tools|BiHead Arrow...

Tools|Text...


Tools|Arc...

Use Tools|Arc to draw an arc on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the arc will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line.


Tools|Chord...

Use Tools|Chord to draw a chord shape on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the chord will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line. You can also define the fill color, the fill pattern and if the fill color should be transparent.


Tools|Pie...

Use Tools|Pie... to draw a pie shape on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the pie will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line. You can also define the fill color, the fill pattern and if the fill color should be transparent.


Tools|Rect...

Use Tools|Rect to draw a rectangular shape on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the rectangular will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line. You can also define the fill color, the fill pattern and if the fill color should be transparent.


Tools|Round Rect...

Use Tools|Round Rect... to draw a rounded rectangular on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the rounded rectangular will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line. You can also define the fill color, the fill pattern and if the fill color should be transparent.


Tools|Line

Use Tools|Line to draw lines on the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the line will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line.


Tools|Arrow In...

Use Tools|Arror In... to draw an arrow pointing into the image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the arrow will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line.


Tools|Arrow Out...

Use Tools|Arrow Out... to draw an image pointing out of the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the arrow will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line.


Tools|BiHead Arrow...

Use Tools|BiHead Arrow... to draw an arrow with arrow heads on both ends, into the active image.

The Image Tools Dialog will be displayed, you will be able to define the area the arrow will be drawn into, the color of the bounding line, and the type of line.


Tools|Text...

Use Tools|Text... to write text over the active image.

The Text Tool Dialog will be displayed, and you will be able to enter the text message, the area on the image the message will be displayed, and the font, size and color attributes of the message.


Window Menu

The Window menu includes options to arrange all the Image Windows in the HyperImage workspace, tile, cascade or close Image windows, or choose a specific Image window from the open ones.


Window|Cascade

Use Window|Cascade to cascade all the image windows in the HyperImage workspace.


Window|Tile

Use Window|Tile to tile all the open image windows in the HyperImage workspace.


Window|Arrange Icons

Use Window|Arrange Icons to arrange the icons of all the minimized image windows in the HyperImage workspace.


Window|Minimize All

Use Window|Minimize All to minimize all the image windows in the HiperImage workspace.


Window|Close All

Use Window|Close All to close all the Image Windows in the HyperImage workspace.


Help Menu

The Help menu provides help and information about HyperImage and operations that can be done in the HyperImage product.


Dialogs

HyperImage communicates with you through several dialogs. These dialogs get your input and perform operations according to your input.

Choose from the following options :

New Image Dialog

Open Image Dialog

Save Picture As... Dialog

Reduce Color Depth Dialog

Filter Preview Dialog

Image Resize Dialog

Image Enlarge Dialog

Load file to selection Dialog

Image Tools Dialog

Text Tool Dialog


New Image Dialog

Use the New Image Dialog to specify the parameters of a new image you are creating.

Use the Picture Type group to define the color depth of the image.

Use the Width and Height edit boxes to define the dimensions of the new image in pixels.

If you are creating WinHelp 3.1 titles, the Indexed 16 Picture Type is recommended.

For World Wide Web images we recommend using the Indexed 256 option, this Picture Type is good for WinHelp 4.0 images too.


Open Image Dialog

Use the Open Image dialog to open a new Image Window with the file you choose.

By default, the Open Image dialog displays all the files that are recognized, choose the file you want and double-click on it to open the window.

You can use the Drives and Directories input controls to navigate your hard disk.

HyperImage loads images according to their file suffix. e.g. - If you choose a file called image.jpg a JPEG file will be opened even if you chose another type in the File Type box.


Save Picture As... Dialog

Use the Save Picture As... dialog to save the active image to a different file on your disk.

Use the Directories and Drives input controls to navigate your computer's disks and choose the path to the new image.

HyperImage saves files according to the file suffix. e.g. - If you enter the file image.jpg the image will be saved in JPEG format even if you chose another format in the File Type box.


Reduce Color Depth Dialog

Use the Reduce Color Depth dialog to specify the parameters to reduce the number of colors of an image.

Optimize Palette creates an optimized palette for the color reduction - this means that the palette might not include the standard Windows Palette colors. Make sure the program you use the image in can handle images with optimized palettes. (eg. - WinHelp 3.1 can not, a 3rd party WinHelp extension like Interactive Help or OSHT can).

Dither will perform dithering of the palette during the color reduction.

If No Color Bleed is checked, the reduction algorithm will minimize color bleed from a pixel to neighboring pixels.


Filter Preview Dialog

Use the Filter Preview Dialog to preview the effects a filter will have on the image.

Use the slider to set different values to the image, and press the Preview button to preview the results.

If the Live Preview button is checked - Preview will be performed when you change the parameters in the slider.

When you are satisfied with the results - choose Ok to apply the changes to the active Image.


Image Resize Dialog

Use the Image Resize dialog to specify the new dimensions the image will be resized/resampled to.

If the "Retain Aspect Ratio" checkbox is checked, the original Width/Height aspect ratio of the image will be retained.


Image Enlarge Dialog

The Enlarge Image dialogs allows you to set the new size of the active image. You are enlarging the working area of the image, but you do not re scale the image itself. After you have enlarged the image, the original image will be in top-left area of the new image, the new image space will be set to the white color.

If you need to merge two or more images, and you do not want to resize them, you the enlarge option, and paste the other image (or load into a selection) - in the new "white" area.

If you set the "Set selection to original" option in the dialog, the original area becomes the selected area of the enlarged image. This can be convenient if you want to move the original image in the new space.


Load file to selection Dialog

Use the Directories and Drives inputes to navigate your computer's disks, and choose the desired file from the files listbox.

The selected file will be loaded, resized to the size of the selected area and merged with the active image.


Image Tools Dialog

The Image Tools dialog is used to apply drawing tools to the active image.

Use the top-left tools list box to choose the tool you want to draw.

The Left, Right, Top and Bottom sliders define the area the tool will be applied to.

Width and Height are used only with the Round Rect tool - Use these sliders to define the height and width of the rounded corners.

You can edit the line a fill attributes of the drawing tool by clicking on the Line or Fill radio buttons in the lower left side of the dialog.

The controls on the lower right side of the dialog allow you to define the color, the line type and the fill type that will be used. If Transparent BackColor is chosen the image is seen through the painted tool.


Text Tool Dialog

The Text Tool dialog allows you to overlay text messges on top of the image.

Use the Text edit box to write the text message that will be displayed.

The Left, Right, Top and Bottom sliders define the bounding area the text will appear in. When you enter the Text Tool Dialog, the selected area on the active image is the initial area.

Choose Font Style to set the font name, size, color and display attributes of your message.

Fit To Selection ignores the choices made in Font Style and fits the text to the bounding area automatically.