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-
- Universal Filter V2.1
-
- http://www.uni.coloraid.de
-
-
-
- Introduction
- ------------
-
- The 'Universal' filter allows reading many image formats with
- PageStream V3.x/V4.x wich are not originaly supported by
- PageStream. It also allows formats like IFF ILBM and others to be
- loaded much faster.
-
- The new 'Universal' V2 filter is now based on the IRW library.
- The IRW library allows loading many different file formats.
- Actualy, currently most of the features of IRW can't be used by
- PageStream (like support for IPTC, ICC and more).
-
-
- Requirements
- ------------
-
- - AmigaOS 2.04 or newer.
- - PageStream V3.1, V3.2, V3.3, V3.4, V4.0 or newer
- - The IRW library (usualy comes with the Universal filter)
-
-
- Features
- --------
-
- The Universal filter basicly does support all the CMYK, RGB and
- grayscale image formats available in the IRW library into
- PageStream. But it does not only add support for many new graphic
- formats to PageStream. Often the Universal filter is MUCH faster
- and can load far more types of images.
-
- Supported IRW library formats are:
-
- BMP: 1, 4, 8, 16, 24 and 32 Bit, Windows V3 and OS/2 format,
- RLE4, 8, 24 compression
- DataTypes: OS 3.0 DataTypes (24 Bit OS 3.5 support is planned)
- DCX: only the first image is loaded (IRW does support more)
- IFF ILBM: including HAM, HAM8, EHB, CMYK
- IFF DEEP: Not yet available in V2 - use Universal filter V1.xx
- JPEG: 8 Bit, 24 and 32 Bit CMYK JFIF, progressive JPEG, Hemera
- PCX: 1,2,4,8 and 24 Bit images
- GIF: (not shipped with all versions of the IRW library)
- PGM/PBM/PPM: P1-P6 types with up to 48 Bit
- PNG: 1-48 Bit - incl. interlaced
- Targa: supports all known RGB, RGBA types incl. compression
- TIFF: 1-64 Bit, RGB, RGBA, CMYK, YCbCr with None, PackBits,
- RLE, JPEG, G3, G4 and Next compression, Strips
- or Tiles, Packed or separate color
- (LZW not shipped with all versions of the IRW library)
-
- As you can see, it does support several additional image formats
- and does replace some filters shipped with PageStream. Don't
- worry about compatibility. You can still use the limited
- PageStream filters if wanted.
-
-
- Installation
- ------------
-
- Simple... run in the install program from the Workbench and it
- will do the trick. Next time you load an image in PageStream, you
- might get the "Studio's Universal Filter" offered when loading
- images. Choose it to make use of it.
-
-
- New since V1.xx
- ---------------
-
- The Universal filter V2 is now using the IRW library to load
- images. The IRW library is one of the basic components under
- development for color management applications. The IRW library
- allows reading basicly any type of color data (palette, images...)
- in basicly any color space. The library is also designed to
- handle all the extras that can be found in an image, including
- future additions.
-
- What are the benefits of the new Universal filter thanks to the
- use of IRW:
-
- - Now image data can be loaded with less than 8 Bit. So <8Bit
- data is not converted to 8 or 24 Bit anymore. This makes loading
- faster and requires less memory.
-
- - The IRW library does support many new data types: CMYK, 16 Bit
- and such. Note that PageStream currently does not handle things
- like 16 Bit, ICC or IPTC support as offered by the IRW library.
- The filter automaticly converts data whenever possible.
-
- - New image formats are supported. However, IFF DEEP support is
- currently removed until the old IFF code is rewritten and added to
- IRW. Similar, I haven't found the time to add 24 Bit OS 3.5/3.9
- Datatype support yet. Keep using the V1 filter in case you must
- load IFF DEEP.
-
- - PageStream does load all filters into memory during startup.
- Thanks to the image routines now being part of the external IRW
- library, the new universal filter requires nearly no memory unless
- an image is loaded.
-
- - The IRW library does allow reading a complete image into memory
- without require a prescan of the image like the old routines.
- This can dramaticly lower loading times.
-
- - The IRW library requires much less memory during loading of an
- image.
-
- - The Universal filter is now free to any PageStream user.
-
- - Reliability is a major concern. Roughly 30 percent of the work
- involved was dedicated to error handling. IRW does detailed error
- messages including hints how to solve problems if available. The
- error messages are localized and often offer a Retry option where
- possible.
-
- - All format specific details are handled by the IRW library.
- This allows adding new features and settings to the IRW library
- without requiring the Universal filter to be changed or updated.
-
-
- IRW is still under development. Some major features are not yet
- implented. To tell you some details not yet implemented but
- already planned or already partly done (in order of priority):
-
-
- Tech Info
- ---------
-
-
- Some more info about the Universal loader:
-
- - Why this filter? Simply because it didn't cost me much work and
- I made it free to CanonStudio and Studio owners in hope that
- someone finaly finds the time to forward images to me that don't
- get loaded by the Universal loader. So it's a way I hope to
- advance my image reading routines and make them work on nearly all
- images. You already will find that it really works with MANY
- images where similar other software on the Amiga fails.
-
- So, please, if you do have problems loading an image, let me know
- of it and just don't switch to a different format to work with
- PageStream. I want the Universal loader to work with all images
- with formats supported.
-
- - PageStream currently does only use the filter when importing the
- image. Once loaded, it the image is saved with the PageStream
- document file without further need for the filter unless you left
- the image external in PageStream. In this case, the filter will
- be used when loading the images in the document again. In case
- the filter is not available, PageStream currently automaticly
- prompts the filerequester with the file to be loaded again using a
- different filter. So, basicly, it's safe to use the universal
- filter. I will keep it updated in case Softlogik changes the
- filter interface. And in case you run into trouble in the future,
- you shouldn't have any problems switching to a different filter.
-
- So using the Universal filter is save for the future of your
- documents. If you want to share document files with PageStream
- users without the Universal filter, simply make sure the images in
- your document. Or better: ask the user to get the Universal
- loader ;-)
-
- - Memory requirement. I know some PageStream users are running out
- of memory. So here is some info that might be usefull. PageStream
- does load all graphics filters during it's start. This means, a
- XYZ format filter does require memory on your machine even if you
- never will use the XYZ format.
-
- So if you are low on memory, you might think about removing
- filters from the PageStream3:Softlogik/filters drawer to a backup
- drawer on your harddisk. This way you might gain lot's of
- precious memory. Sure, buying more memory should be the first
- choice. But there is more: the Universal filter is extremly
- small requiring only little memory. Only while loading an image
- the Universal filter will load the IRW library wich contains all
- the routines for loading images.
-
-
-
-
- Known Bugs??
- ------------
-
- CMYK images saved in JPEG format using PhotoShop are saved
- inverted. This is a known fault of PhotoShop. The IRW library
- tries to detect if the images was saved by PhotoShop and does
- automaticly correct the image. In practice, this detection seems
- to work reliable and there are no known problems. However, if
- your CMYK JPEG images do load inverted, than it might be caused by
- the detection being fooled. Please report such images.
-
-
- If you do have an image in a supported format that is not loaded
- by the Universal filter, please report to:
-
- Wolf Faust
- Am Dorfgarten 10
- 60435 Frankfurt
- Germany
-
- EMail: wfaust@uni.coloraid.de
- (wfaust@wfaust.de in case wfaust@uni.coloraid.de fails)
- http: www.uni.coloraid.de
- Tel: ++49-69-5486556
- Mobile: ++49-179-6924769
- Fax: ++49-69-95409598 (NO REPLY IS GIVEN VIA FAX!)
-
- Please note in your report:
-
- 1. What application was used to write the image you have trouble
- with? What type of image is it (size, colors,...) ?
-
- 2. What PageStream and Universal Filter version are you using?
-
- 3. If possible, enclose a sample image (DO NOT SEND IMAGES AS
- EMAIL WITHOUT GETTING ASKED FROM ME)
-
- 4. How do you exactly load the image in PageStream?
- Via Menu? Via ARexx???
-
- COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER
- ====================
-
- Copyright ©1997-2001 Wolf Faust. All rights reserved. All
- distribution- and marketing rights to the software are vested in
- Wolf Faust. The software and documentation has been provided to
- you strictly 'as is', without warranty of any kind. In no event
- shall Mr. Faust be held liable for any loss or damages arising
- out of any action, from whatever source, concerning the use or
- inability to use the product. You may not use, copy, or transfer
- the product, or any copy or portion, without prior consent in
- writing from or Wolf Faust.
-
- Installer and Installer project icon (c) Copyright 1995-96 Escom
- AG. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and distributed under
- license from Escom AG. More is Copyright (c) 1986-1993
- Commodore-Amiga, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and
- distributed under license from Commodore. Teile der
- JPEG-Laderoutine basiert auf Arbeit der Independent JPEG Group.
-
- INSTALLER SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO
- WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY
- OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED. THE MORE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED
- "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS
- AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED.
-
-
-
- THANKS
- ------
-
-
- At last a big thanks to the people (Deron, Gary...) at SoftLogik
- providing info, software and help to make this filter possible.
-
-
- History
- -------
-
-
- 16.09.97 V1.1 - First public version based on Studio V2.15
- for test purpose.
- 18.09.97 V1.2 - BME's filerequester tried to loadcheck drawers
- causing an error requester by Universal as no
- drawer can be read...
- - If loading a picture object with Datatype
- fails, no error requester is displayed
- - An error requester is displayed if the
- SL_SystemInit() call to SL code fails
- (bad PageStream version?) during the
- start of PageStream.
- 24.09.97 V1.3 - Non-Standard IFF ILBM B/W 1 Bit without colormap
- files saved by BME/PageStream are now loaded.
- 02.11.98 V1.31 - Now also checks/installs for PageStream V4 assign
- 02.02.99 V1.4 - DPI Information is now fowarded for PNG/IFF DEEP.
- 17.04.99 V1.5 - AsyncIO library caused crashes with interlaced
- GIF. Removed AsyncIO until author fixed that library.
- - GIF now does much less Seek() calls.
- 01.05.99 V1.6 - Minor Bug: Fixed problems with IFF images that
- are roughly >30% larger than uncompressed causing
- the IFF loader to prompt an error 48 because of
- buffer underrun.
- (So far, the only program I know that seems to save
- such ugly files: Candy Factory Pro).
- 03.09.99 V1.7 - Fixed a bug with TIFF RGB files with more than
- 1 additional alpha channel (saved by PhotoShop
- for instance).
- - Added support for TIFF LogLuv compression codec.
- - Added support for images saved by Hemera products
- (NetGraphics and ClipArt CDROMs).
- 16.06.00 V1.8 - No more requesters are prompted for unsupported CMYK
- (and other) files.
- - Fixed reading PCX files with 8 Bits per pixel with
- more than 1 plane.
- - Reading of DCX files did not work. Fixed.
- - BMP 4 Bit RLE compression did not work correctly
- and caused error requester. Fixed.
- - Reading of PNG grayscale with alpha channel files
- did not work. Fixed.
- - BMP 32 Bit support added.
- - PPM/PGM P5/P6 comments and white space values
- are skipped while reading header.
- - assert() debug calls disabled in TIFF source.
- - Unknown TIFF compression schemes may be prompted
- to the user. The TIFF routines may continue
- loading faulty data despite the error message
- (bug in TIFF library). Fixed.
- - Installer: uninstall added and update
- routines improved.
- 16.03.01 V2.00 - New filter now based on IRW library:
- - IFF DEEP support temporarly removed
- (keep using old V1.xx filter)
- + Now <8Bit data modes supported
- + much faster
- + nearly no memory used while not loading
- + support for 16 Bit and CMYK data added
- + enhanced PGM/PBM/PPM/JPEG/BMP/TIFF routines
- + improved error handling thanks to IRW
- + Locale Support
- + Compiled for various CPU for maximum speed.
- + lot's of small enhancements
- 04.07.01 V2.10 - Size of color palette was reported wrongly to
- PageStream. Color images with palette thus
- could cause crashes of PGS after loading such
- images.
- Thanks goes to DJNick <djnick@ptt.yu> for
- reporting the bug...
-
- - IRW Library Update to V1.05 (04.07.01):
- + Changed: Stack usage of tiff, targa and DoOpen
- routine lowered by roughly 1 KByte. This should
- better avoid crashes/faults with application
- calling IRW without enough stack memory
- (PageStream/HHV!).
- PGS users: please increase stack size by roughly
- 4096 bytes in order to get a decent sized stack!
- Thanks goes to Steve Bowman <stevebow@hotkey.net.au>
- for reporting the problem (wich was not a fault
- of the filter/IRW).
- + Changed: pnglib updated from 1.0.8 to 1.0.9
- + Fixed: Failure accessing BMP header may not
- got prompted (failure code and error
- text was returned to application,
- but there was no error message shown
- by IRW to the user if the application
- asked IRW to do so).
-
-
-
- (Continue by pressing 'Q')
-