Working with Images

All images added to StudioLine are stored in the central Image Archive. The archive contains a high-resolution master copy of an image as well as descriptive information. The original image is no longer required and can be moved to an offline medium, such as a backup tape or other removable storage device. This helps conserving disk space. If an image is later needed in another application, it can simply be exported.

Images added in Page Editor mode are stored in a special $AutoArchive$ folder of the image archive. Generally, it is preferred to switch to Image Archive mode when adding images. This way images can immediately be organized into folders and categorized for easy retrieval later. See the chapter Image Archive for further information.

Images on Removable Media

The origin of an image (e.g., a specific Photo CD) is remembered in the Image Archive, in case there is ever a need to refresh or update the master copy.

The first time images are added from a new CD-ROM, StudioLine will prompt to name the CD-ROM. (In case of Photo CDs, the default name is the disk label.) Should StudioLine ever need to reload the original image file, it will ask you to re-insert that same CD-ROM by the name you had chosen.

Placing an Image

You may also open a second instance of StudioLine and drag the image from another page. Click the right mouse button over an image to view it’s context menu.

Defaults Inherited from Prototype

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The Prototype Image is found in the layout of a page and defines the standard image settings for this page. Whenever an image is placed on a page, it is automatically processed by any image tools associated with the prototype. This makes it easy to give all images on a page consistent size and appearance, such as soft borders or shadow effects. See the chapter on Layouts for additional information.

The list of active tools can be viewed and edited from the image’s context menu.

Severing the Inheritance

Any changes to the Layout’s prototype image will propagate to the images on the page. By making a single change in the prototype, all images on the page can be updated.

You may decide that some images, such as buttons or logos, are to be separate from the prototype. For those images, choose “Independent of Prototype” from the context menu.

Scaling the Image

The 8 handles on the selector band appear when a single object has been selected. It can be used to resize the object.

Additional scaling, cropping and orientation functions are available in the Image Toolbox.

Providing Descriptive Information

Most browsers are capable to display a small pop-up window with descriptive information about the image over which the cursor is resting. The information may also appear while an image is loading. It is usually taken from the so-called “Alternate Text”. For some images this function may be a requirement, for others it could be distracting.

StudioLine generates the descriptive information from the image’s descriptors. To change or remove the “Alternate Text”:

If the image had been inserted from the Image Archive, it may already contain descriptive information. Any changes you make in Page Editor will be local to that page. The original in the Image Archive will not be effected.

Animated GIF Files

Normally, StudioLine stores images in a compressed format. For animated GIF files, it is important that the original image format is not altered. To avoid loss of the animation effect, certain restrictions apply: