Copyright: Copyright © 1997 Leonardo Loureiro
Citation: Copyright © 1997 Leonardo Loureiro


Welcome to LView Pro

Copyright © 1993-97 Leonardo Haddad Loureiro

All Rights Reserved

Marketed by MMedia Research Corp.

  http://www.lview.com

Thank you for your interest in LView Pro software. The Evaluation Version allows you to evaluate the software for a period of up to 21 days, before purchasing the Full Version. LView Pro is protected under United States and International Copyright laws, and its use is conditioned to observance of the terms stated in the License Agreement

If you are new to LView Pro or graphics processing, start with the following help topics:

  Purchasing Information

  What is LView Pro?

  Image Editor

  Catalog Editor


License Agreement

LView Pro Copyright © 1993-97 Leonardo Haddad Loureiro. All rights reserved.

Images on LView Pro CD-ROM Copyright © 1996-97 Guilherme Goretkin and Leonardo Haddad Loureiro.

Distributed by MMedia Research Corp.

License

Read carefully the following terms and conditions before using this software. Your use of any version of LView Pro indicates your acceptance of this license agreement. For additional license information specific to use and/or distribution of the Evaluation Version of LView Pro, see the section titled Evaluation License. No component part of any version of LView Pro may be distributed individually, disassembled, copied, reverse engineered, or altered in any form. This includes all elements in the LView Pro package, interface items, menus, and dialogs.

Full Version

One copy of the Full Version of LView Pro may be used by at most one person at any given time. The Full Version of LView Pro may be accessed through a network if and only if a copy of LView Pro is purchased for each workstation connected to the network, regardless of whether LView Pro is used at different times or concurrently.

Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.


LView Pro Evaluation License

Read the License Agreement section first.

Evaluation and Purchasing

LView Pro is not free software. You are hereby licensed to use the Evaluation Version of LView Pro, without charge, for a limited time evaluation period of 21 days. Purchase of the Full Version of LView Pro is mandatory for use extending beyond the evaluation period. Use of the Evaluation version of LView Pro after the evaluation period is expired constitutes a violation of this license and of U.S. and International Copyright Laws.

Distribution

You are hereby licensed to make unmodified copies of the Evaluation Version of LView Pro software and documentation for the purpose of distributing it via electronic means: Web, FTP, Bulletin Board Systems, Electronic Services. You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such copies, however made. You are also prohibited from distributing the software and/or documentation with other products or services (commercial or otherwise) without obtaining prior written permission, with no exceptions.


Purchasing LView Pro

The Evaluation Version allows you to evaluate the software for a period of up to 21 days. Purchase of the Full Version is mandatory for use extending beyond the evaluation period.

Description: The Full Version of LView Pro is available in CD-ROM format. The CD-ROM contains the LView Pro and Setup software, and documentation files. Included in the CD-ROM is a collection of +800 high resolution images scanned from photographs taken from various sites in the Greater Miami Area.

Pricing: The price of a single user copy of LView Pro is US$40.00. Volume discounts are available as described on the purchase form.

Accepted Payment Options

•	Credit Cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners).

•	Checks or Money Orders in US currency drawn on a US bank.

•	Purchase Orders: Available for corporate or governmental purchasers; for a maximum payment term of 30 days; must be pre-paid for orders of 6 or less copies; option restricted to mail or fax ordering methods.

Ordering Methods

•	Secure on-line Credit Card orders made at the LView Pro Web site: http://www.lview.com.

•	Mail orders: Must be accompanied by Purchase Form, mail to address listed on form.

•	Fax orders: Must be accompanied by Purchase Form, fax to number listed on form.

•	Email orders: Email Purchase Form to email address listed on form.

  Click here to access the Purchase Form.


LView Pro Full Version, Purchase Form

1. Shipping Information (please PRINT):

Name:	____________________________________________________
Company:	____________________________________________________
Address:	____________________________________________________
Address:	____________________________________________________
City, State:	____________________________________________________
ZIP, Country:	____________________________________________________
Phone:	____________________________________________________
Email:	____________________________________________________

2. Pricing for LView Pro 2.0 or newer: (Please write for quantities over 99 copies)

1st copy (w/CD-ROM) US$40.00			US$ 40.00	A
2nd to 24th copies US$20.00 ea	___	x US$20.00=	_________	B
25th to 99th copies US$17.00 ea	___	x US$17.00=	_________	C
Additional CD-ROMs US$10.00 ea	___	x US$10.00=	_________	D
Sub total (add A + B + C + D)	_________	E
Florida orders add required sales tax (6% of E)	_________	F
Non US orders add US$ 8.00 additional S&H	_________	G
Total (add E + F + G)	_________

3. Payment:

US funds only. Send check or money order drawn on a US bank, payable to MMedia Research Corp. Select payment option:

__ Enclosed check or money order, number: ________________________________

__ Credit card: ( ) VISA ( ) MasterCard ( ) AMEX ( ) Discover ( ) Diners

Cardholder name:	_________________________________________
Card number:	_________________________________________
Expiration date (MM/YY):	_________________________________________
Cardholder signature:	_________________________________________

4. Send this form together with payment to:

Mail:	MMedia Research Corp.
	LView Pro Purchase
	1501 East Hallandale Beach Boulevard #254
	Hallandale, FL 33009  --  USA
Fax:	954-458-9698 (Florida, USA) (Credit card only)
Email:	purchase@lview.com (Credit card only)
Credit card orders may be submitted on-line at http://www.lview.com


What is LView Pro?

LView software was first published in early 1993, as a standalone utility for viewing and editing image files. From its first version, LView became well known for its key characteristics: ease of use, reliability, and performance. Evaluation copies of LView software were made available on the Internet, where it quickly became the preferred tool to work with images found on ftp sites and newsgroups.

By the time when Web publishing became popular, LView had already been upgraded to LView Pro, and included support for the creation of images with transparent colors, and other features specific to Web graphics. Maintaining its characteristic of providing state-of-the-art software quality, the first 32-bit versions of LView Pro were available one year before the release of Microsoft Windows 95.

This version of LView Pro continues the trend set by its predecessors. It is custom made to take advantage of features found in Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0 operating systems.

Being a complete image processor, LView Pro allows you to create images from scratch and/or from existing image files. TWAIN compatible devices are supported, such as scanners and frame grabber cards, making it easier to transfer images into your computer.

LView Pro helps organize image libraries, by creating image catalogs. Slideshow and format conversion operations, as well as regular file operations (such as copy, move, delete, rename) are available.

Whether you are an expert or novice in digital image processing, use graphics at work or for the pleasure of viewing and building image libraries, you will find an invaluable tool in LView Pro.

 LView Pro Feature Summary


Summary of Features

The following paragraphs summarize main features of this version of LView Pro:

•	Create Image Catalogs: Manage large number of image files, copy/move/rename/delete image files, optionally store thumbnails (miniatures of the original images) and text descriptions. Make slideshows with the original images, with interactive or timed slide advancement. Browse original images in Full Screen mode. Batch convert image files to another format.

•	Full Support for Multi-Frame Image Creation: Create Multi-Frame Images for animation. Clone frames, insert frames from disk files, change frame order, choose undraw methods, and frame delays. Use transparency. Create a single global color palette based on colors in all frames. Preview animation without leaving the editor.

•	Advanced Image Selection Operations: Select rectangles, ovals, circles, or squares. Free hand selection. Fill selection tool. Selection paint brush, with user defined size and shape. Combine selections by adding or subtracting from selected areas. Save selections to the disk for later use. Copy and paste selections to/from the image or clipboard. Move or clone selected areas. Use selections to clip painting operations. Drop Shadows from selected areas. Change the selection transparency, increase its feather, remove transparent pixels. Colorize selected areas. Crop image to selected area. Paste from the clipboard into new or existing selections.

•	Advanced Color Matching: Match colors by Red/Green/Blue components, or by Hue/Saturation/Value attributes, or by Brightness. User defined tolerance factor, matches similar colors. Color matching is used in several operations, such as Color Fill, Selection Fill, Transparent Pixel removal, etc.

•	Undo and Redo operations: Multiple level Undo and Redo operations, up to the last 32 editing operations, per image frame.

•	Paint Colors: Individual support for Foreground, Background, and Transparent colors.

•	Color Selection Window: Select paint colors for palette based and True Color images. Sort palette entries, delete unused entries, swap palette entries, change color specifications, save and open palette specifications to/from disk files. Display colors attributes in Red/Green/Blue or Hue/Saturation/Luminance, in decimal or hexadecimal base. Use the Mask feature to quickly match image pixels to respective palette entries.

•	Functional Zoom: Scaling from 1:16 to 16:1, change zoom factor with the mouse, menu, or keyboard shortcut. All editing operations are available in all zoom levels.

•	Functional Grid: User configurable size, pixel grid, snap painting operations to grid.

•	Open Multiple Windows for the Same Image or Catalog: View the image in its normal size in one window, while editing a zoomed part of it in another window. Browse catalog images in one window while viewing the original image files in another window.

•	Brush Shapes and Sizes: Square, Round, Slash, Back slash, Horizontal and Vertical brushes, sized from 1 to 200 pixels.

•	Paint Brushes: Normal, anti-aliasing Pen, Pencil, Marker, Crayon, Chalk, and Charcoal. Optionally using a Paper Texture.

•	Clone Brush: Paint an image over another image, with user defined opacity control, optionally using a Paper Texture.

•	Retouch Brush: Paint localized retouch operations, such as Lighten, Darken, Soften, Sharpen, Blur, Emboss, and Smudge, with user defined opacity and optionally using a Paper Texture.

•	Color Replacer Brush: Paint replacing Foreground, Background or Transparent colors for another color. Replace colors throughout the whole image or selection.

•	Advanced Fill Tool: Fill with solid colors, Patterns, Images or Gradients (Linear, Rectangular, Diamond, Cross, Oval, and Radial). Use Advanced Color Matching (see above). Fill within Selections.

•	Airbrush: Anti-aliasing, with variable shape, size and opacity, optionally using a Paper Texture.

•	Color Channel Separation and Merging: RGB and YUV color models.

•	Image Transformations: Mosaic, Ellipse, Pinch, Punch, Horizontal/Vertical Convex/Concave Cylinder, Horizontal/Vertical Perspective, Horizontal/Vertical Skew, etc. User defined transformations are supported.

•	Image Special Effects: Add Borders, Buttonize, Gray Palette, Motion Blur, and Seamless Pattern.

•	Image Filters: Edge enhancement, Find edges, Trace contour, Blur, Soften, Sharpen, Emboss, Despeckle, Median, Erode, Dilate, Noise, etc. User defined filters are supported.

•	Image Color Depth: Change the number of colors on an image, creating adequate palettes or using user supplied palettes. Optional inclusion of Windows' colors. User defined number of palette entries.

•	Image Color Editing: Negative, Grayscale, Contrast, Brightness, Red/Green/Blue, Gamma Correction, HSV, YUV, etc. User defined color transformations are supported.

•	Common Image Operations: Flip Horizontal/Vertical, Rotate left, right, or user defined angle, Resize, with resample option for True Color images.

•	Advanced Image Operations: Combine images with Add, Subtract, Multiply, Difference, Darker, and Lighter pixels, with optional divisor and bias parameters.

•	OLE2: Use LView Pro to embed images into Word Processor documents, Database records, etc.

•	TWAIN Support: Use LView Pro to interface with your TWAIN compliant device, such as a scanner or frame grabber card. Images are transferred directly into LView Pro, to be edited and saved to the disk.

Miscelaneous: Page setup and print preview. Associate with graphics file types, and activate LView Pro from the Explorer to view, edit, or print files.

Graphics File Formats: LView Pro supports the formats most commonly found on the Internet and in Microsoft Windows environments:

•	BMP

Windows and OS/2 Bitmap

•	GIF

CompuServe's Graphics Interchange Format, including subformats GIF87a and GIF89a. Support for transparency, interlacing, and animation.

•	JPG

Joint Photographer's Experts Group, lossy compression, JFIF format. Support for progressive encoding and decoding.

•	PBM

Jef Poskanzer's Portable Bitmap.

•	TGA

Truevision TARGA.

•	PCX

ZSoft's PCX.

•	TIFF

Aldu's Tagged Image File Format.


Acknowledgments

•	This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

•	Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

•	OS/2 is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

•	The Graphics Interchange Format (C) is the Copyright property of CompuServe Incorporated. GIF (SM) is a Service Mark property of CompuServe Incorporated.

•	The PCX file format was created by ZSoft Corporation.

•	Truevision, TARGA and TGA are registered trademarks of Truevision, Inc.

•	TIFF (TM) is a trademark of Aldus Corporation.

•	Portable Bitmap Utilites, PBMPLUS and PBM, PGM, PPM formats are the copyright property of Jef Poskanzer.

•	TIFF support is based in part on Sam Leffler's TIFF library, which requires the following copyright notice:

Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Sam Leffler

Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Silicon Graphics, Inc.


Context Help

When you click on the  [image]  Main Toolbar button, or use the Context Help menu command, LView Pro switches into Context Help mode and waits for a command. Click the mouse pointer anywhere, or use the mouse or keyboard to select a menu item. LView Pro will display the help topic associated with the interface item or menu command you selected.


The Title Bar

The title bar is located along the top of a window. It contains the name of the application and document.

To move the window, drag the title bar.  Note: You can also move dialog boxes and document windows by dragging their title bars.

click to open the Control Menu, double click to exit LView Pro

click to Minimize LView Pro or a document window

click to Maximize LView Pro or a document window

click to exit LView Pro or close a document window


The Main Toolbar

The Main Toolbar is initially displayed across the top of the LView Pro window, below the menu bar. It can be moved and sized. This toolbar provides quick mouse access to commands used in LView Pro.

  Click on this Main Toolbar button to use Context Help.

To hide or display the Main Toolbar, use the Main Toolbar menu command.


The Status Bar

The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the LView Pro window.  To display or hide the status bar, use the Status Bar command in the View menu.

The left area of the status bar describes actions of menu items as you use the arrow keys to navigate through menus. This area similarly shows messages that describe the actions of toolbar buttons as you depress them, before releasing them. If after viewing the description of the toolbar button command you wish not to execute the command, then release the mouse button while the pointer is off the toolbar button.

The right areas of the status bar provide information about the active image or catalog:

•	When the Active Editor is the Image Editor, the status bar information is:

Where:

 displays the mouse pointer position, from the upper left corner of the image.

 displays the size of the image or current operation.

 displays the current zoom level.

 displays the frame number in a multi-frame image.

•	When the Active Editor is the Catalog Editor, the status bar information is:

Where:

 displays the filename corresponding to a catalog record

 displays the original size of the image in a catalog record.

 displays the position of a record and the number of records in the catalog.


Mouse Buttons

LView Pro uses both the left and right mouse buttons on selection, painting and drawing operations. The help topics use the terms primary and secondary to refer to these mouse buttons. When Windows is configured for Right-handed operation, the primary button is the left mouse button (and the secondary is the right button). When Windows is configured for Left-handed operation, primary button means right button (and secondary means left).

Whichever configuration is used, the primary mouse button is the one you use to access window menus, click on buttons, etc.


Multiple Document Interface

A Windows application has a single document interface, when it can only work with a single document at a time. An example of single document interface application is Windows' Notepad. To edit more than one document, using a single document interface application, you need to start more than one instance of that application (one for each document).

LView Pro implements a multiple document interface, which means that a single instance of LView Pro can edit multiple documents (images or catalogs). In fact, you can even open more than one window for the same document, to edit different parts of the same image, or to view the same part using different zoom levels. As a rule, each document (image or catalog) being edited is displayed in its own window, and a document can be displayed in more than one window.

Multiple Document Interface is useful for a number of reasons: all documents share the same system resources (such as menus, buttons, bitmaps, etc.) which saves memory; multi-document operations can be performed (such as cloning parts of one image into another; operating images together; splitting images into color channels; etc).

  Active Document


Active Document

When more than one document is opened, the one that was edited last (or opened last) is called the active document. Menu, mouse, or keyboard commands operate on the active document. LView Pro displays the name of the active document on its title bar, so you know which one it is. You will also notice that the window title of the active document is painted with a different color.

You can make another document become active by either clicking the mouse button on the document's title bar, or by selecting it on the Window menu.

  Active Editor


Active Editor

LView Pro supports two types of documents: images and catalogs. Each type has its own editor. When the active document is an image, the active editor is the Image Editor. Conversely, when the active document is a catalog, the active editor is the Catalog Editor.

The terms active image and active catalog are also used to refer to the active document.

Images in LView Pro may be composed of more than one frame. Throughout the documentation, the term active image is used to refer to the frame of the active image that is currently being displayed and edited.

  Multiple Document Interface


Image Editor

LView Pro Image Editor can create new images from scratch or from existing images. It can also be used to view or edit existing image files.

  Flip (Image Menu)

  Rotate (Image Menu)

  Resize (Image Menu)

  Redimension (Image Menu)

  Understanding Color Adjustments

  Understanding Filters

  Understanding Transformations

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions

  The Draw Toolbar

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  The Color Selection DialogBar

  Zooming and Scrolling

  Using a Grid

  Frames and Animation

  Working with Selections

  Painting and Drawing


The Draw Toolbar

The Draw Toolbar is initially displayed across the left side of the LView Pro window. It can be moved and sized. This toolbar provides quick mouse access to painting, drawing, and other image related commands used in LView Pro.

  Click on this Main Toolbar button to use Context Help.

To hide or display the Draw Toolbar, use the Draw Toolbar menu command.


The Draw Options DialogBar

The Draw Options DialogBar is initially displayed across the bottom side of the LView Pro window. It can be moved. This DialogBar provides access to configuration options for the tools available in the LView Pro Draw Toolbar. This DialogBar changes contents according to the currently selected tool in the Draw Toolbar.

Some of the options displayed in this DialogBar are used by more than one tool. Below is a list of all of these options:

Feather	This option determines the increment amount that is automatically applied to selections being created. The selection feather may be incremented after selections are created, with the Increase Feather command Available for Selection tools: Selecting Shapes  Freehand Selections  Painting Selections  Filling Selections
Line	This option determines the thickness of the line used in line drawings and to bound shapes. Available for Drawing tools: Line drawing  Shapes
Match mode	This option determines the desired type of color comparison. Available for tools that use Advanced Color Matching: Color Replacer Brush  Fill Tool  Filling Selections
Opacity	This option determines the opacity of the paint used in a brush. Small values make the paint more transparent, higher values make the paint more opaque. Available for some Brushes: Clone Brush  Retouch Brush  Airbrush
Shape	This option determines the shape of the brush. Available selections are Square, Round, Slash, Back slash, Horizontal, and Vertical. Available for all Brushes: Paint Brushes  Clone Brush  Retouch Brush  Color Replacer Brush  Airbrush  Selection Brush
Size	This option determines the size of the brush. Available sizes range from 1 to 200 pixels. Available for all Brushes: Paint Brushes  Clone Brush  Retouch Brush  Color Replacer Brush  Airbrush  Selection Brush
Texture	This option determines the type of paper texture LView Pro simulates when painting with brushes. Paper textures alter the way the paint mixes with the paper (the image being painted). Use No Texture to paint without paper texture simulation. Available for all Brushes: Paint Brushes  Clone Brush  Retouch Brush  Color Replacer Brush  Airbrush
Tolerance	This option determines the margin of tolerance for color comparison operations. Available for tools that use Advanced Color Matching: Color Replacer Brush  Fill Tool  Filling Selections


The Color Selection DialogBar

The Color Selection DialogBar is initially displayed across the right side of the LView Pro window. It allows quick access to painting colors. For palette based images, the Color Selection DialogBar provides access to palette entry colors and performs palette related operations.

Elements of the Color Selection DialogBar

Paint Colors	Three rectangles located on the upper part of the DialogBar. Display the Foreground, Background, and Transparent colors.
Color Information	Under the Paint Colors area. Displays the color components of a color, can display Red, Green, and Blue or Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity. For palette based images, displays the palette index of the color.
Current Color	Color rectangle under the Color Information area. Displays the color under the dropper mouse pointer.
HSL/RGB button	Selects between Red, Green, and Blue or Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity display.
DEC/HEX button	Selects between decimal or hexadecimal numeric base.
Operation Buttons	For palette based images only, provide access to palette related operations.
Color Palette Area	On the bottom part of the DialogBar, select the Foreground, Background, and Transparent colors among the colors displayed here. When the active image is in True Color format, contains 24-bit colors. When the active image is in Palette Based format, contains the color palette entries for selection.

Changing paint color specifications

Click the primary mouse button on one of the three color boxes (Foreground, Background, or Transparent) located on the upper part of the DialogBar. This will display a color selection dialog, where you can specify the color attributes for the color you clicked on. On this color selection dialog, you can also define up to 16 custom color combinations. LView Pro remembers these custom colors between sessions, and you can use them to quickly select paint colors.

Selecting colors from the Color Palette Area

Foreground color	Click the primary mouse button on the color
Background color	Click the secondary mouse button on the color
Transparent color	Click either mouse button on the color, while pressing the Alt key.

Changing the color specification of a palette entry

Available for palette based images: Double click either mouse button on the palette entry you wish to modify. Select the new color on the color selection dialog that is displayed.

Specifying Foreground, Background, and Transparent colors

Click the primary mouse button on the color rectangle displaying the color you wish to modify. Select the color you wish on the color selection dialog that is displayed. If the active image is in palette based format, LView Pro automatically finds and uses the palette entry containing the color specification closer to the one you selected.

Operation Buttons (available for palette based images)

  Mask

Press this button to turn on the Mask feature. When the Mask feature is on, clicking the dropper tool on the image or on the Color Palette Area activates a visual cue to identify pixels painted with the selected color: Pixels in the image are all painted Black, except pixels painted with the selected color, which are painted White.

  Open

Click on this button to open a previously saved color palette specification from a disk fille.

  Save

Click on this button to save the color palette specification to a disk file, for future use.

  Sort

Click on this button to sort palette entries using the Sort Palette Entries dialog.

  Swap

Click on this button to swap palette entries using the Swap Palette Entries dialog.

  Delete

Click on this button to delete palette entries using the Delete Palette Entries dialog


Zooming and Scrolling

LView Pro can display images in Zoom levels ranging from 1:16 to 16:1. The Zoom level can be increased with the Zoom In command, decreased with the Zoom Out command , and turned off with the Zoom Off command. The keys + and - can also be used to increase and decrease the Zoom level.

  Use this Main Toolbar button to quickly turn Zoom off.

  When you select the Zoom tool on the Draw Toolbar, the mouse pointer takes the shape of a magnifying lens. Click the primary mouse button on an image, and LView Pro will increase the Zoom level and try to center on screen the portion of the image where you clicked the mouse. Clicking the secondary mouse button decreases the Zoom level.

While the mouse pointer is shaped as a magnifying glass:

•	If you click and hold down either mouse button without moving the mouse pointer, Zoom levels are automatically increased/decreased after an short initial delay.

•	Zooming and Scrolling are intimately related in LView Pro. You can click and hold down either mouse button and move it around to make LView Pro scroll the image on screen. It is as if you were grabbing and moving the image with the mouse pointer.

  When you select the Hand Scroller tool on the Draw Toolbar, the mouse pointer takes the shape of a hand. Click either mouse button on an image, and move it around. LView Pro scrolls the image on screen, as if you were grabbing and moving it with the mouse pointer.

While the mouse pointer is shaped as a hand:

•	If you click and hold down either mouse button without moving the mouse pointer, Zoom levels are automatically increased/decreased after a short initial delay (just like when the mouse is shaped like a magnifying lens).

  When you select either the Grid or the Frames tool on the Draw Toolbar, LView Pro transforms the mouse pointer into the shape of a magnifying lens or of a hand, whichever of these tools was used last. The commands described above also work in this case.


Using a Grid

LView Pro can display a Grid to aid in the process of painting and drawing. The Grid helps you position drawings at precise distances and compare the position of different parts of the image. Some painting, drawing, and selection operations can be constrained to operating over grid lines, making it easier to paint/draw in straight lines, draw squares and circles.

  Use this Main Toolbar button to quickly show/hide the Grid. This is equivalent to using the Grid command.

  When you select the Grid Tool on the Draw Toolbar, the Draw Options DialogBar displays and allows you to modify the following grid setting options:

Show

Select this option to show the Normal Grid or the Pixel Grid (depending on their individual settings). This is equivalent to using the Grid command.

When this option is not selected, LView Pro does not show the Grid.

Normal Grid

Select this option to show the Normal Grid when Show is selected. The Normal Grid is displayed as squares of configurable Size.

Size

Set this option to the desired size for the Normal Grid.

Pixel Grid

Select this option to display a Pixel Grid (a pixel size grid), instead of the Normal Grid, when the current Zoom level is greater than the selected value for Zoom. The Pixel Grid is useful for pixel precise drawing/painting/selecting operations, it clearly individualizes pixels in the image. Note that the Pixel Grid is only displayed when Show is selected, and it takes precedence over the Normal Grid, depending on the current Zoom level.

Zoom

Set this option to the minimum Zoom level from which the Pixel Grid should take precedence over the Normal Grid.

Style

There are four available styles for the Grid:

Reverse Color: This style of grid is always visible. The grid is painted by reversing the color of pixels underneath it. If you are editing an image with many gray colors, the grid may appear too faint. Select another style of grid in this case.

B&W Selection: This style of grid is painted with alternating Black and White line segments (resembling a selection frame).

Solid White: This style of grid is painted with solid White lines. It is useful when editing a dark image.

Solid Black: This style of grid is painted with solid Black lines. It is useful when editing a light image, or images that do not have many dark areas. This grid may be smoother to work with than the Reverse Color grid, for most photographic quality images.

Snap To

Select this option to make LView Pro snap drawing/painting/selecting operations to the Grid, when the Grid is visible.


Frames and Animation

LView Pro offers complete support for the creation, editing and previewing of multi-frame images, for the purpose of animation. Multi-frame images are popular on Web graphics publishing, and use the GIF89a graphics file format. At the moment of writing, GIF89a is the only multi-frame image format (aside from movie type formats, like AVI) used for image frame animation.

To select global animation options for the active image, such as frame relative order and looping, use the Animation command.

  When you select the Frames Tool on the Draw Toolbar, the Draw Options DialogBar displays and allows you to modify and execute the following Frame setting options:

Frame

Set this option to the frame number of the active image you wish to view/edit. You can also change the frame number with the Goto Frame command or its keyboard shortcuts.

Left and Top

Set these options to the desired left and top coordinates of the current frame within the animation. Image frames need not be all the same size, if an animation frame changes a small part of the image, you can make that frame small and position it to cover the affected area of the image. Doing this reduces the overall image file size. The Left and Top frame position can also be changed using the keyboard arrow keys while pressing the Alt key (Alt+Left to move one pixel left, Alt+Right to move one pixel right, Alt+Up to move one pixel up, Alt+Down to move one pixel down).

Duration

Set this option to the desired duration of the current frame. When the image is animated, the current frame will be displayed for the duration you select, before advancing to the next frame. Duration is expressed in 100ths of a second (i.e. use 100 to achieve a 1 second duration).

Undraw Method

Select the action that should be taken when the current frame's duration expires, and the animation advances to the next frame. Available methods are:

Undefined	This method leaves the undraw decision to the software performing the animation. It is that software that decides what to do when advancing to the next frame. LView Pro uses the Leave method when the Undraw Method is set to for Undefined.
Leave	The image is not changed
Restore Background	The area painted with the current frame is filled with the selected background color
Restore Previous	The area painted with the current frame is restored to its previous contents (the image that was displayed before the current frame was painted)
  Use Transparency

Select this option to activate transparent color processing for the current frame. When this option is selected, transparent pixels in the current frame (pixels that are painted with the currently selected transparent color) are not displayed during the animation. This option is useful for frames that contain non-rectangular images.

  Insert New Frame

Click on this button to insert a new frame after the current frame. LView Pro displays a dialog to prompt for frame dimensions before creating the new frame.

  Insert Existing Frame

Click on this button to insert a new frame, after the current frame, from the contents of an existing image file. LView Pro displays a dialog to select the image file name.

  Insert Clone Frame

Click on this button to insert a new frame, after the current frame, initialized with the same image as the current frame. This option is useful when creating animations that display similar frames. You can clone frames and then edit the cloned images to introduce animation changes.

  Delete Frame

Click on this button to remove the current frame from the animation. LView Pro confirms the deletion before performing it. Frame deletion cannot be undone.

  Create Global Color Palette

Click on this button to create a global (single) color palette for all the frames in the animation. This button activates the Create Global Palette dialog.

  Animate Frames

Click on this button to animate the frames in the active image. Click on this button again to stop the animation. You can also animate frames with the Animate command and its keyboard shortcut.


Working with Selections

LView Pro Selections have multiple purposes

•	Drop shadows from selected parts of the active image. This specially useful to create effects when adding text.

•	Colorize the selected part of the active image with a user selected tone of color.

•	Overlay the active image with semi-transparent images. This feature can be used to create amazing visual effects.

•	Restrict the scope of editing/painting commands. Painting operations are clipped to selected areas, which means that non-selected areas are not affected by painting operations. This is useful for precise painting, when you don't want paint to go outside well delimited areas, or to perform color replacement operations within a bounded area.

•	Restrict cut/copy/paste operations to the selected parts of the active image. This is useful for creating images by piecing other images together, without seams.

•	Restrict the scope of Color Adjustment, Filter, Transformation, and some Special Effects operations to the selected parts of the image. This is useful to retouch or enhance parts of the image without modifying parts that do not need changing.

•	Restrict the scope of Flip and Rotate commands.

Two Selections States

•	Non-floating

When a selection is first defined (delimited) or when areas are removed from or added to a selection, the selection state is set to non-floating.

Non-floating selections are easily recognizable because they are delimited with a moving frame (also called marquee) painted with Red and Gold colors.

Non-floating selections are used for clipping, clipboard processing and some special effect purposes. They can easily be transformed into floating selections.

•	Floating

When a selection is moved, by clicking the mouse pointer in a selected area and dragging it, a non-floating selection is switched into floating state.

Floating selections are easily recognizable because they are delimited with a Blue and Gold marquee.

Selections also switch into floating state when the commands Copy or Cut from image (Selection Menu) are used.

Floating selections switch back to non-floating state when the mouse is clicked outside the selected area, or when the command Paste to image (Selection menu) is used.

Floating selections are used for the same purposes as non-floating selections, and, in addition, can be moved, made semi-transparent and be tiled (pasted) anywhere on the active image.

Simple and Complex Selections

•	Simple selections can be defined from simple shapes, such as rectangles, ovals, squares, and circles. Defining simple selections is as easy as drawing these shapes with the Shape Selection tool.

•	Complex selections, made from irregular shapes, would be very hard to draw or to define in terms of simple shapes. LView Pro makes it easy to define complex selections, with the Free Hand, Selection Brush and Fill Selection tools.

Changing Selections

Complex selections may sometimes be easier to define when broken down into pieces. LView Pro allows you piece a selection together by removing areas from and adding areas to existing selections:

•	When you hold down the Control key while using a selection tool, the area you define is removed from the current selection. The mouse pointer signals that the area will be removed from the selection by displaying a minus sign -

•	When you hold down the Shift key while using a selection tool, the area you define is added to the current selection. The mouse pointer signals that the area will be added from the selection by displaying a plus sign +

Re-using Selections

LView Pro allows you to save selections to disk files, and to read them back whenever needed, even when editing a different image. This is useful when you define a complex selection, that can be used in more than one image. It is also useful when you are not quite done defining a selection but must interrupt your work.

Related Topics

  Selecting Shapes

  Freehand Selections

  Painting Selections

  Filling with Selections

  Paste as a New Selection (Edit Menu)

  Paste Into Selection (Edit Menu)

  Drop Shadow (Selections Menu)

  Colorize (Selections Menu)

  Copy from Image (Selections Menu)

  Cut from Image (Selections Menu)

  Paste to Image (Selections Menu)

  Replace Image (Selections Menu)

  Change Opacity (Selections Menu)

  Remove Transparent (Selections Menu)

  Open (Selections Menu)

  Save As (Selections Menu)


Selecting Shapes

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Shape Selection tool.

This tool allows you to select areas of the active image by enclosing them into simple shapes.

To achieve greater precision, you can Zoom into the image, and optionally use the Grid to help you draw straight lines.

Options for this tool are set using the Draw Options DialogBar. Available options are:

Shape

Select the shape you would like to use among Rectangle, Square, Oval, and Circle.

Feather

Select the increment amount to be automatically applied upon selections creation.

  Working with Selections

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  The Draw Toolbar

  Zooming and Scrolling

  Using a Grid


Freehand Selections

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Freehand Selection tool.

This tool allows you to select areas of the active image by freely drawing a line around these areas.

Click either mouse button and, without releasing it, drag the mouse pointer around the area you would like to select. When you release the mouse button, LView Pro automatically closes the area by connecting the initial point to the final point.

To achieve greater precision, you can Zoom into the image, and optionally use the Grid to help you draw straight lines.

Options for this tool are set using the Draw Options DialogBar. Available options are:

Feather

Select the increment amount to be automatically applied upon selections creation.

  Working with Selections

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  The Draw Toolbar

  Zooming and Scrolling

  Using a Grid


Painting Selections

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Selection Brush.

This tool allows you to paint selected areas on the active image.

Click either mouse button and, without releasing it, drag the mouse pointer over the areas would like to select.

To achieve greater precision, you can Zoom into the image, and optionally use the Grid to help you draw straight lines.

Options for this tool are set using the Draw Options DialogBar.

  Working with Selections

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  The Draw Toolbar

  Zooming and Scrolling

  Using a Grid


Filling with Selections

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Selection Fill Tool.

This tool allows you to select areas of the active image using the Advanced Color Matching algorithm.

This tool works exactly like the Fill Tool, except that areas of the image become selected, rather than painted. This is the indicated tool to quickly select areas with complex boundaries, yet filled with pixels of similar colors.

Click either mouse button on a pixel within the area you would like to select.

Options for this tool are set using the Draw Options DialogBar.

  Working with Selections

  Fill Tool

  Understanding Advanced Color Matching

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  The Draw Toolbar


Painting and Drawing

LView Pro offers a variety of painting and drawing tools.

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Paint Brushes

  Clone Brush

  Retouch Brush

  Color Replacer Brush

  Fill Tool

  Airbrush

  Text Tool

  Line drawing

  Shapes


Choosing Paint Colors

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Dropper Tool.

This tool allows you to choose painting colors from colors found on pixels of the active image. LView Pro uses three colors: the Foreground color, the Background color and the Transparent color. Select the Dropper tool, and the mouse pointer takes the shape of a dropper. Move the dropper over the active image, or current selection, and the color of the pixel exactly underneath the dropper is displayed on the Color Selection DialogBar. When you see the color you would like to paint with, select it to be the new Foreground, Background or Transparent color using a mouse click:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

You can select painting colors from the active image or selection while using other painting tools, without having to switch to the Dropper tool. When you press the Control key, the mouse pointer temporarily switches into the shape of the Dropper, and allows you to select colors. This feature is available when you use any of the following painting tools:

NOTE: You can also select paint colors using the Color Selection DialogBar.

  Paint Brushes

  Color Replacer Brush

  Fill Tool

  Airbrush

  Text Tool

  Line drawing

  Shapes

You can also choose paint colors using the Color Selection DialogBar.


Paint Brushes

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use one of LView Pro's Paint Brushes.

There are 7 Paint Brushes in LView Pro, you can choose one of the following brushes from the Brush Type list in the Draw Options DialogBar:

•	Normal: Draws solid colors.

•	Pen: Draws solid colors, uses anti-aliasing when painting over True Color images.

•	Pencil, Marker, Crayon, Chalk, and Charcoal: Imitate the drawing patterns of the real world tools they are named after.

To use a Paint Brush, click a mouse button on the active image, or current selection, and drag it to paint. You can draw a straight line going from the last point you painted to the current mouse position if you press the Shift key before clicking the mouse button. To select which paint color is used by the brush:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Other options for Paint Brushes are Size, Shape and Paper Texture, which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Clone Brush

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Clone Brush.

Use of the Clone Brush is restricted to True Color images.

With the Clone Brush you can paint one image over another image, with variable opacity. The Clone Brush operates over one Source Image (the image that is to be cloned), one or more Target Images (images over which the Source Image is painted) and a choice of Clone Mode.

To select the Source Image for the Clone Brush, press and hold the Shift key and click either mouse button on a image being edited by LView Pro. The selected image becomes the source for the Clone Brush, and the point where the mouse was clicked establishes the cloning anchor point. You can change the Source Image at any time, by repeating this operation.

There are two Clone Modes:

•	Non-aligned: Every time you click a mouse button to start a cloning operation, the cloning anchor point of the source image is aligned with the point where the mouse is clicked on the target image. This is useful to clone the area around the anchor point on the source image over different areas on the target image.

•	Aligned: The first time you click a mouse button to start a cloning operation, the cloning anchor point of the source image is aligned with the point where the mouse is clicked on the target image. Subsequent mouse clicks do not change that alignment. This is useful to keep source and target images aligned while performing more than one cloning operation.

To use the Clone Brush, click a mouse button on the active image (which becomes the Target Image), or current selection, and drag it to paint. You can draw a straight line going from the last point you painted to the current mouse position if you press the Shift key before clicking the mouse button.

Other options for the Clone Brush are Size, Shape, Opacity, and Paper Texture, which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Retouch Brush

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Retouch Brush.

Use of the Retouch Brush is restricted to True Color images.

The Retouch Brush is similar to a Paint Brush, but instead of painting with colors, it performs retouch effects on the active image or current selection.

There are 7 retouch modes in LView Pro, you can choose one from the Retouch Mode list in the Draw Options DialogBar, among Lighten, Darken, Soften, Sharpen, Blur, Emboss, and Smudge.

To use the retouch Brush, click a mouse button on the active image, or current selection, and drag it to retouch the image underneath the brush. You can retouch a straight line going from the last point you retouched to the current mouse position if you press the Shift key before clicking the mouse button.

Other options for the Clone Brush are Size, Shape, Opacity, and Paper Texture, which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Color Replacer Brush

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Color Replacer Brush.

The Color Replacer Brush is very similar to the Normal Paint Brush, except that it only paints over pixels whose color matches the color selected to be replaced.

To select which color to paint with (Paint Color) and which color to replace (Replacing Color), use one among the possible combinations of keyboard and mouse button selections, summarized below:

Mouse Button	Keyboard	Paint Color	Replacing Color
Primary	---	Foreground	Background
Secondary	---	Background	Foreground
Primary	Alt	Transparent	Background
Secondary	Alt	Transparent	Foreground
Primary	Alt+Shift	Foreground	Transparent
Secondary	Alt+Shift	Background	Transparent

The Color Replacer Brush uses the Advanced Color Matching algorithm to match image colors to the Replacing Color. Note that the None Color Matching mode is not intended for use with the Color Replacer Brush. When this mode is selected, the Color Replacer automatically uses the Red, Green and Blue mode instead.

To use the Color Replacer Brush, click a mouse button on the active image, or current selection, and drag it to replace colors on the area of the image underneath the brush. Colors on that area, that match with the Replacing Color, are painted with the Paint Color.

Shortcut: To make the Color Replacer Brush act over the whole image or selection, painting with the Paint Color all pixels currently painted with colors that match the Replacing Color, double click the mouse button.

Options for the Color Replacer Brush are Size, Shape, Opacity, Match Mode, Tolerance, and Paper Texture, which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Fill Tool

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Fill Tool.

The Fill Tool operates in two steps: (1) First it determines which pixels will be painted in the fill operation, using the Advanced Color Matching algorithm. (2) Then, it paints these pixels according to options set in the Fill Options dialog, accessible when you click the button labeled Options on the Draw Options DialogBar.

To use the Fill Tool, click and release a mouse button while the mouse pointer is on the active image, or current selection. The color of the pixel underneath the mouse pointer is compared to neighboring pixels, in a search for matches using the Advanced Color Matching algorithm. Every time a color match is successful, neighbor pixels of the newly matched pixel are added to the search. In other words, it is the color of the pixel under the mouse pointer that, together with color matching options, determines which pixels will be painted.

When the Solid option is selected (see Fill Options dialog), you can select which paint color to use:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Gradients are always painted the Foreground and Background colors.

Options for the Fill Tool are Match Mode, Tolerance, and Fill Style (configured by clicking on the Options button), which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Airbrush

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Airbrush.

To use the Airbrush, click and hold a mouse button while the mouse pointer is on the active image, or current selection. LView Pro simulates one spray of paint with an airbrush, and after a short delay starts continuously spraying paint. You can move the airbrush around, while it is spraying. You can select which paint color to use:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Options for the Airbrush are Size, Shape, Opacity, and Paper Texture, which are set in the Draw Options DialogBar.


Text Tool

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Text Tool.

To use the Text Tool, click the mouse on the active image, where you would like to add text. The Add Text dialog dialog will display to allow you to type the text you would like to add. Text is created using the options currently set for the Text Tool. Text is added to the image as a new floating selection, which can be moved around. The floating selection has the shape of the letters on the text you typed, and is filled with one of the painting colors. To select which painting color should be used:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Options for the Text Tool are:

Font

Set this option to the font name you would like to use

Size

Set this option to the desired (average) size of text characters

  Bold

Click on this button to select bold characters

  Italic

Click on this button to select italic characters

  Underline

Click on this button to select underlined characters

  Strikeout

Click on this button to select strikeout characters

  Left

Click on this button to left-justify multiple lines of text

  Center

Click on this button to center multiple lines of text

  Right

Click on this button to right-justify multiple lines of text


Line drawing

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Line Tool.

To use the Line Tool, click a mouse button on the starting point of the line you would like to draw. Without releasing the button, drag the mouse pointer to the ending point of the line, and only then, release the button. To select which painting color should be used:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Options for the Line Tool are:

Line

Select the desired line width

Connected

Select this option to draw a line starting at the ending point of the previous line. This option is useful to draw a sequence of connected lines.


Shapes

  Click on this Draw Toolbar button to use the Shape Tool.

To use the Shape Tool, click a mouse button on the active image and drag it to draw the currently selected shape. When the size of the shape is satisfactory, release the mouse button. To select which painting color should be used:

•	Foreground color: click the primary mouse button

•	Background color: click the secondary mouse button

•	Transparent color: click either mouse button, while pressing the Alt key.

Options for the ShapeTool are:

Line

Select the desired line width for the shape borders

Shape

Select the shape you would like to draw, among: Rectangle, Square, Oval, Circle, Round Rectangle, and Round Square

Filled

Select this option to fill the shape with the same color used for the border. When this option is not selected, shapes are hollow.


Catalog Editor

LView Pro Catalogs are useful for organizing groups of image files, performing common file operations, executing slideshow, or format conversion operations.

  Creating a Catalog

  Updating a Catalog

  Browsing a Catalog

  Catalog Navigation Commands

  Performing Slideshows

  Converting File Formats

  Performing File Operations


Creating a Catalog

Use the New (File Menu) command to create a new Catalog. Select LView Pro Catalog for the type of document to be created, and then select the filename where the new Catalog will be stored. Finally, fill out the Catalog Properties dialog with options for the new Catalog. If you are creating a Catalog to perform a Slideshow or Format Conversion operation, you may not need to store Thumbnails. Preventing Thumbnail storage speeds up the creation process, and this option can always be changed in the future. You can add new folders to the list of folders that are automatically searched for files when the Catalog is updated.


Updating a Catalog

Select the Update (Catalog Menu) command. Data stored in each catalog record is compared to the current status of the image file the record represents. If the catalog stores Thumbnails, these are updated to reflect changes made to the original image files. Folders listed in the Catalog Properties dialog are searched for new or changed image files. You can stop the Catalog update operation by selecting Stop Update from the Catalog menu.


Browsing a Catalog

Use the arrow keys to move from one record to the other. Use the PgUp and PgDn keys, to advance or return one page at a time. The keys Home and End take you to the first and last records.

Selecting Records

Press the the Shift key while browsing with the keyboard to select records visited. When the Shift key is pressed, you can also select groups of records by clicking the mouse button on a last record of the group. Records are selected from the current one to the one you click. Press and hold the Control key and click the mouse button on a record, to toggle its selected state.

Moving Records

Records may be moved within the catalog to change the order of processing for slideshows or browsing operations. Click the mouse button on selected records and drag it to the position where you would like to move them. Records are moved to the position preceding the record where the mouse button is released.


Catalog Navigation Commands

During normal edition:

•	Arrow keys

•	Page up and Page down keys

•	Home and End keys

During Slideshow Operations:

•	Right arrow, spacebar and one mouse click advance to the next slide

•	ESC key, and mouse double-clicks interrupt the slideshow


Performing Slideshows

Select the Start Slideshow (Catalog Menu)  command to start a slideshow. The original image associated with each catalog record is exhibited in Full Screen. Exit the slideshow with the ESC key, or by double-clicking a mouse button. The order of records in a slideshow is the same as their order in the Catalog. Each catalog record determines how the slideshow should proceed after displaying its associated image. You can change record slideshow properties with the Record Properties (Catalog Menu)  command, for a single record or for multiple records. Use the Catalog Properties (Catalog Menu) command to select if slideshow operations should cycle back to the first slide after the last one is displayed.


Converting File Formats

Use the Convert Files (Catalog Menu)  command to convert the format of files in the Catalog.


Performing File Operations

File Rename, Move, Copy, and Delete operations can be performed to the original image files associated with selected catalog Records. All File Operations are performed using the Windows shell functions, which allows them to be undone with the Windows Recycle Bin.

Select the records you would like to perform operations with (Rename operations can be performed to a single record at a time), and then use one of the following menu commands:

  Rename File (Catalog Menu)

  Copy Files (Catalog Menu)

  Move Files (Catalog Menu)

  Delete Files (Catalog Menu)


New (File Menu)

Use this command to create a new image or catalog in LView Pro. Select the type of new document you want to create in the File New dialog box

New images can also be created directly from the Windows' clipboard, with the Paste As New Image command, or with the Acquire command.

Existing image files can be opened with the Open command, and existing catalogs with the Catalog Command

  Open Command

  Catalog Command


Open (File Menu)

Use this command to open an existing image file in a new Image Editor window. Multiple images and catalogs can be edited, each in its own window. Use the Window menu to switch among the multiple opened documents.

Recently used image or catalog files may still be in the recently used document list, where they can be directly selected.

You can create new images or catalogs with the New Command.

  Catalog Command


Catalog (File Menu)

Use this command to open an existing catalog file in a new Catalog Editor window. Multiple images and catalogs can be edited, each in its own window. Use the Window menu to switch among the multiple opened documents.

Recently used image or catalog files may still be in the recently used document list, where they can be directly selected.

You can create new images or catalogs with the New Command.

  Open Command


Close (File Menu)

Use this command to close all windows containing the active document, image or catalog.

Catalog files do not need saving, they are automatically updated.

LView Pro suggests that you save changes to your image before you close it.  If you close an image without saving, you lose all changes made since the last time you saved it.


Save (File Menu)

Use this command to save the active image to its current name and directory.  When you save an image for the first time, LView Pro displays the Save As dialog box so you can name your image.  If you want to change the name and directory of an existing image before you save it, choose the Save As menu command.

When editing an image embedded in an external OLE2 container, this command is not available.


Save As (File Menu)

Use this command to save and name the active image.

To save an image with its existing name and directory, use the Save command.

When editing an image embedded in an external OLE2 container, this command is replaced by the Save Copy As menu command.


Save Copy As (File Menu)

This command is only available when editing an image embedded in an external OLE2 container. Use it to save a copy of the active image.


Delete (File Menu)

This command is available when editing an existing image or catalog. Use it to delete the file corresponding to the image or catalog. This command works with the file delete options set for the Windows' recycling bin.


On Open (File Menu)

This command is available when Windows is set to use a palette based display mode .

Use this command to activate the Color Conversion on Open dialog.


On Save (File Menu)

Use this command to activate the Color Conversion on Save dialog.


File Type Associations (File Menu)

Use this command to activate the File Type Associations dialog.


Graphics File Formats (File Menu)

Use this command to activate a dialog to configure options for handling different graphics file formats.

  BMP Options

  GIF Options

  JPG Options

  PBM Options

  TIFF Options


Recent File List (File Menu)

Use this command to activate the Recent File List dialog.


Taskbar Start Menu (File Menu)

Use this command to activate the Create Taskbar Start Menu dialog.


Undo/Redo Levels (File Menu)

Use this command to activate the Undo/Redo Levels dialog.


Acquire (File Menu)

Use this command to interface with a TWAIN compatible device (such as a scanner or frame grabber card). The TWAIN device will display a dialog and allow you to obtain an image. Once the TWAIN device is finished obtaining the image, it will transmit the image data to LView Pro so you can view, edit and save it.


Select Source (File Menu)

Use this command to select among different available TWAIN devices. TWAIN will display a dialog to allow you to select a device for use with the LView Pro Acquire command.


Page Setup (File Menu)

Use this command to select options for printing the active image or catalog.


Print Preview (File Menu)

Use this command to preview how the active image or catalog would be printed using the currently selected Page Setup options.


Print (File Menu)

Use this command to print the active image or catalog. Printing is performed according to the currently selected Page Setup options. You can preview how images and catalogs will be printed using the Print Preview command.


Send (File Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor. The active image must have been saved to the disk, or opened from an existing file, before this command is made available.

Use this command to send the file from where the active image was read from, or saved to, through electronic mail. This command presents a mail window with that file attached to it. You may then fill out the To: field, Subject: field, etc., and add text to the body of the message if you wish.  When you are finished you may click the "Send" button to send the message.


1, 2, 3, 4 ... (File Menu)

Use the numbers and filenames listed at the bottom of the File menu to open the last documents you closed.  Choose the number that corresponds to the document you want to open.


Exit (File Menu)

Use this command to end your LView Pro session.  You can also use the Close command on the application Control menu.  LView Pro prompts you to save documents with unsaved changes.


Undo (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to reverse the last editing action, if possible. The Undo command dims on the menu if you cannot reverse your last action.

You can redo editing actions with the Redo command.

You can specify the maximum number of undo (and redo) actions, per image frame, using the Undo/Redo levels command.


Redo (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to reverse the last Undo action, if possible. The Redo command dims on the menu if you cannot reverse your last Undo.

You can undo editing actions and Redo commands with the Undo command.

You can specify the maximum number of undo (and redo) actions, per image frame, using the Undo/Redo levels command.


Clear Undo (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to clear (empty) all undo buffers, for all image frames. Undo and Redo actions will become unavailable.


Cut (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

One of the following actions is performed:

•	If there is no defined selection: Cut copies the active image to the clipboard and then paints it with the currently selected background color.

•	If a selection is defined, but is not floating: Cut copies the selected area to the clipboard and paints the selected area with the currently selected background color.

•	If a floating selection exists: Cut copies it to the clipboard and eliminates the selection.

Cutting data to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.


Copy (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

One of the following actions is performed:

•	If there is no defined selection: The active image is copied to the clipboard.

•	If a selection is defined: The selected area is copied to the clipboard.

Copying data to the clipboard replaces the contents previously stored there.


Paste as a New Image (Edit Menu)

This command is available when there is image data on the clipboard. Use this command to create a new image and initialize it with a copy of the image on the clipboard.


Paste as a New Selection (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor, and when there is image data on the clipboard. Use this command to create a new floating selection and initialize it with a copy of the image on the clipboard.


Paste Into Selection (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor,

when there is image data on the clipboard, and a selection is defined on the active image. Use this command to replace the contents of the selection with the image on the clipboard. The image is sized to fit inside the current selection.


Clear (Edit Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

One of the following actions is performed:

•	If there is no defined selection: The active image is painted with the currently selected background color.

•	If a selection is defined: The selected area is painted with the currently selected background color.


Empty Clipboard (Edit Menu)

This command is available when there is image data on the clipboard. Use this command to clear (empty) the clipboard contents. This can be useful if the system is running low in memory.


Main Toolbar (View Menu)

Use this command to show/hide the Main Toolbar.


Draw Toolbar (View Menu)

Use this command to show/hide the Draw Toolbar.


Draw Options (View Menu)

Use this command to show/hide the Draw Options DialogBar.


Color Selection (View Menu)

Use this command to show/hide the Color Selection DialogBar.


Status Bar (View Menu)

Use this command to show/hide the Status Bar.


Hide Tools (View Menu)

Use this command to hide/undo hide all tool windows (Main Toolbar, Draw Toolbar, Draw Options, Color Selection, and Status Bar). When you use this command, LView Pro hides all tool windows that are currently visible, and changes the name of this menu command to Undo Hide. Select Undo Hide to make these tool windows visible again.

You can also hide/undo hide all tool windows by pressing the H keyboard shortcut key.


Zoom In (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to zoom into the active image. You can also use the keyboard shortcut + or the zoom tool in the Draw Toolbar to achieve the same result.

Note that changing the zoom level does not alter the dimensions of the image. To alter the dimensions, use the Resize command.


Zoom Out (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to zoom into the active image. You can also use the keyboard shortcut - or the zoom tool in the Draw Toolbar to achieve the same result.

Note that changing the zoom level does not alter the dimensions of the image. To alter the dimensions, use the Resize command.


Zoom Off (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to view the active image without zoom.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Z or the zoom-off button in the Main Toolbar to achieve the same result.


Grid (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor.

Use this command to show/hide the Grid. You can also use the keyboard shortcut G or the grid button in the Main Toolbar to achieve the same result.


Goto Frame (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor and when the active image has more than one frame.

Use this command to view or edit another frame of the active image. You can go to the first, last, next, and previous frame. You can also change the frame number on Draw Options DialogBar, when you select the  [image]  Frames Tool on the Draw Toolbar.

Keyboard shortcuts:

Alt+PgUp	Goto previous frame
Alt+PgDn	Goto next frame
Alt+Home	Goto first frame
Alt+End	Goto last frame

  Frames and Animation


Animate (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Image Editor and when the active image has more than one frame.

Use this command to start/stop animating the active image. Animations can also be started/stopped with the keyboard spacebar.

  Frames and Animation


Record Display (View Menu)

This command is available when the active editor is the Catalog Editor.

Use this command to change the way LView Pro displays catalog records. Options are:

•	Both Thumbnail and Title (available for catalogs that store thumbnails)

•	Thumbnail only (available for catalogs that store thumbnails)

•	Title only

•	Original image

Note that you can display the same catalog in more than one window, using different options in each window. To open a catalog in more than one window, use the New Window command


Full Screen (View Menu)

Use this command to enter/leave Full Screen mode. LView Pro positions its window over all available display area, including over the task bar area. The LView Pro caption is hidden, and the menu is positioned just outside the display area, to make more editing/viewing space. You can still access menu commands if you click the mouse pointer on the first row of pixels, or if you use a keyboard shortcut to access top level menu items, e.g. Alt+F to access the File Menu, Alt+V to access the View Menu, etc.

Full Screen mode is specially useful if your display is configured for less than 1024x768 resolution. You can also enter/leave Full Screen mode by pressing the F keyboard shortcut key.


Flip (Image Menu)

Use this command to flip (mirror) the active image or current selection in the horizontal or vertical direction.


Crop (Image Menu)

Use this command to replace the active image with the current selection. The selection may be floating or not.

  Working with Selections


Rotate (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Rotate dialog.


Resize (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Resize dialog.


Redimension (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Redimension dialog.


Color Adjustments (Image Menu)

Both pre-defined and user-defined color adjustments operations are supported.


Filters (Image Menu)

Both pre-defined and user-defined are supported.


Transformations (Image Menu)

Both pre-defined and user-defined transformations are supported.


Add Borders (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Add Borders dialog.


Buttonize (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Buttonize dialog.


Gray Palette (Image Menu)

Use this command to transform the active image into gray palette format. The image will be transformed into palette based grayscale format, with an associated color palette with entries ranging from pure black to pure white.


Motion Blur (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Motion Blur dialog.


Seamless Pattern (Image Menu)

Use this command to create a new image from the active image, or current selection. LView Pro will create an image suitable to be used as a pattern with the Fill Tool, in the sense that it can be tiled without showing seams.


Count Colors (Image Menu)

Use this command to count the number of distinct colors used in the active image.

If the active image is palette based, LView Pro will open the Count Colors dialog to show an individual usage count per palette entry.

If the active image is in True Color format, only the color count is displayed.


Color Depth (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Color Depth dialog.


Color Channels (Image Menu)

LView Pro can split images into their color components (channels) in two modes: Red, Green, and Blue, and Y, Cb, Cr. In either case, three images are created, each composed of a single color channel of the original image. You can edit these images in separate, and then use the Combine Channels dialog to re-create the original image with the changes made.


Operate (Image Menu)

Use this command to activate the Operate Images dialog.


Animation (Image Menu)

This command is available when the Active image has more than one frame.

Use this command to activate the Animation dialog.


Select All (Selections Menu)

Use this command to add the whole active image into a selection.

  Working with Selections


Select None (Selections Menu)

Use this command to remove the current selection, if one is defined.

  Working with Selections


Invert Selection (Selections Menu)

Use this command to invert the current selection: selected areas become de-selected, de-selected areas become selected.

  Working with Selections


Cut from Image (Selections Menu)

Use this command to cut the current selection from the active image. The selection becomes floating, and the image under the selection is painted with the background color. You can achieve the same effect by clicking the primary mouse button on a non-floating selection.

  Working with Selections


Copy from Image (Selections Menu)

Use this command to copy the current selection from the active image. The selection becomes floating, and the image under the selection is preserved. You can achieve the same effect by clicking the secondary mouse button on a non-floating selection.

  Working with Selections


Paste to Image (Selections Menu)

Use this command to copy the current selection to the image at its current position. The selection becomes non-floating.

  Working with Selections


Replace Image (Selections Menu)

Use this command to replace the active image with the current selection. The selection may be floating or not.

  Working with Selections


Change Opacity (Selections Menu)

Use this command to activate the Change Selection Opacity dialog.

  Working with Selections


Colorize (Selections Menu)

Use this command to activate the Colorize Selection dialog.

  Working with Selections


Drop Shadow (Selections Menu)

Use this command to activate the Drop Shadow dialog.

  Working with Selections


Increase Feather (Selections Menu)

Use this command to activate the Increase Selection Feather dialog.

  Working with Selections


Remove Transparent (Selections Menu)

Use this command to activate the Remove Transparent Pixels dialog.

  Working with Selections


Open (Selections Menu)

Use this command to read a previously saved selection.

  Working with Selections


Save As (Selections Menu)

Use this command to save the current selection position, shape, and size for future use.

  Working with Selections


Update (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to start a catalog update operation. Each record stored in the catalog is updated by trying to read information from the original image file. This operation can, optionally, delete records associated to files that are not found during the update. The update operation also searches the folders listed in the Catalog Properties dialog for new image files.

Several catalog operations become unavaliable during the update operation. While the update is performed, this menu command is renamed to Stop Update. You can stop an update operation at anytime, by selecting this menu command.

  Catalog Editor


Scan Folder (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to scan a folder for image files. New catalog records will be created to newly found files, and existing catalog records will be updated if they correspond to any files in the folder being scanned. This command is useful to introduce records for image files stored in folders that are not listed in the Catalog Properties dialog.

Several catalog operations become unavaliable during the scan folder operation. While the operation is performed, the Update command in the catalog menu is renamed to Stop Update. You can the scan folder operation at anytime, by selecting Stop Update.

  Catalog Editor


Sort Records (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to activate the Sort Records dialog.

  Catalog Editor


Find Record (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to activate the Find Record dialog.

  Catalog Editor


Repeat Find (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to repeat the find operation from the current record in the catalog, using the same options as in the last Find Record command.

  Catalog Editor


Remove Records (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to remove the currently selected records from the catalog. The remove operation cannot be undone.

  Catalog Editor


Select All Records (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to set all catalog records in selected state.

  Catalog Editor


Rename File (Catalog Menu)

This command is available when only a single catalog record is in selected state.

Use this command to rename the original file corresponding to the selected catalog record. The catalog record is updated to store the new file name you choose.

  Catalog Editor


Copy Files (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to copy the original files corresponding to the selected catalog records into a destination folder.

  Catalog Editor


Move Files (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to move the original files corresponding to the selected catalog records into a destination folder. The catalog records are updated to reflect the change of folder.


Convert Files (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to activate the Convert Files dialog.

  Catalog Editor


Delete Files (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to delete the original files associated with the selected catalog records. Optionally, the records are also removed from the catalog, depending on the current settings of the Catalog Properties dialog.

This command works with the file delete options set for the Windows' recycling bin.

  Catalog Editor


Start Slideshow (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to start a Full Screen slideshow with the original images corresponding to records in the catalog. Slide advancement is performed according to options set for each catalog record in the Record Properties dialog.

  Catalog Editor


Record Properties (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to activate the Record Properties dialog for the currently selected catalog records.

  Catalog Editor


Catalog Properties (Catalog Menu)

Use this command to activate the Catalog Properties dialog for the active catalog.

  Catalog Editor


New Window (Window Menu)

Use this command to create a new window to display and edit the active document (image or catalog). New windows can be created and closed individually. The document is closed only when the last window associated with it is closed.


Cascade (Wndow Menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows in an overlapped fashion.


Tile Horizontally (Window Menu)

Use this command to vertically arrange multiple opened windows in a non-overlapped fashion.


Tile Vertically (Window Menu)

Use this command to arrange multiple opened windows side by side.


Arrange Icons (Window Menu)

Use this command to arrange the icons for minimized windows at the bottom of the main window. If there is an open document window at the bottom of the main window, then some or all of the icons may not be visible because they will be underneath this document window.


Auto Fit (Window Menu)

Use this command to resize the active document window to better fit the document's dimensions.


1, 2, 3, 4 ... (Window Menu)

LView Pro displays a list of currently open document windows at the bottom of the Window menu.  A check mark appears in front of the active document. Choose a document from this list to activate it.

An asterisk * next to an image's name indicates that the image has not been saved since was last modified.


Help Topics (Help Menu)

Use this command to access the LView Pro help file.


Context Help (Help Menu)

Use this command to make LView Pro switch into Context Help mode.


Tip of the Day (Help Menu)

Use this command to activate the Tip of the Day dialog.


Visit Web Page

Use this command to visit the LView Pro Web Page. Internet Web access from your computer and Web browsing software are required.

LView Pro can be purchased on-line on the Web.


About LView Pro

Copyright © 1993-97 Leonardo Haddad Loureiro

All Rights Reserved

Marketed by MMedia Research Corp.

  http://www.lview.com

  License Agreement

  Purchasing Information

  Acknowledgments


Restore (Control Menu)

Use this command to return the active window to its size and position before you chose the Maximize or Minimize command.


Move (Control Menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow [image] so you can move the active window or dialog box with the arrow keys.

Note:  This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.


Size (Control Menu)

Use this command to display a four-headed arrow [image] so you can size the active window with the arrow keys.

After the pointer changes to the four-headed arrow:

•	Press one of the DIRECTION keys (left, right, up or down arrow key) to move the mouse pointer to the border you want to move.

•	Press a DIRECTION key to move the border.

•	Press ENTER when the window is the size you want.

Notes:

•	This command is unavailable if you maximize the window.

•	You can use the mouse to drag the size bars at the corners or edges of the window.


Minimize (Control Menu)

Use this command to reduce the LView Pro window to an icon, or to reduce the active document window to an icon.

You can minimize a window with the mouse, by clicking on the minimize button on the window caption.


Maximize (Control Menu)

Use this command to enlarge the active window to fill the available space.

You can maximize a window with the mouse, by clicking on the maximize button on the window caption.


Close (Control Menu)

Use this command to close the active window or dialog box.

Double-clicking a Control-menu box is the same as choosing the Close command.

Note:  If you have multiple windows open for a single document, the Close command on the document Control menu closes only one window at a time. You can close all windows at once with the Close command on the File menu.


Next Window (Control Menu)

Use this command to switch to the next open document window.  LView Pro determines which window is next according to the order in which you opened the windows.


Previous Window (Control Menu)

Use this command to switch to the previous open document window.  LView Pro determines which window is previous according to the order in which you opened the windows.


Add Borders (Dialog)

Use this dialog to add borders to the active image. Borders are painted with the currently selected background color.

Dialog box options:

Left, Top, Right, and Bottom

The desired size, in pixels, of the border at each side of the image.

Use same size on all sides

Check to use the same size on all sides.

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


Add Text (Dialog)

Use this dialog to type text to be added as a floating selection to the active image, at the mouse pointer location.

Dialog box options:

Type Text Below

Window where text is typed. Text is displayed on screen as you type it. Use Ctrl-Enter to insert a new line into the text.

  Working with Selections

  Add Text Tool


Animation (Dialog)

Use this dialog to select global animation options for the active image. Global options are: frame relative order and looping. For information about setting local animation options (options related with frame attributes) see Frames and Animation .

Dialog box options:

Frame

Select the frame to move up or down from this list.

Move Up

Click on this button to move the selected frame up (swap it with the previous frame).

Move Down

Click on this button to move the selected frame down (swap it with the next frame).

Count

Select the number of times the animation should loop. Select 0 to avoid looping: animation will be executed only once from the first to last frame.

Forever

Check this option to loop forever. When this option is not checked, the image will loop Count times.

  Frames and Animation


Buttonize (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in True Color format.

Use this dialog to create a Windows rectangular button effect around the active image, or current selection. LView Pro uses the currently selected Foreground and Background colors to paint the edges of the button.

Dialog box options:

Edge Size

Select the percentage of the image that should be included in the border of the button. The smallest allowed percentage 1%. Use 50% to include all image in the border.

Transparent Edge

Check this option to create a transparent edge. The edge is created opaque if this option is unchecked.

Image Preview

Click this button to preview the button on the active image.

Thumbnail preview

A small size preview of the results of this operation is exhibited on this window.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Working with Selections

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


Catalog Properties (Dialog)

Use this dialog to view/change the properties associated with the active catalog.

Dialog box options:

Filename

The filename where the catalog is stored. For information only, cannot be changed.

Auto Record Removal

Select optional update removal policies for catalog records:

When Image File is Deleted during catalog operation

Check to delete records when you use the Delete Files command

When Image File is not Found or unreadable during update

Check to delete records without image when you use the Update command

Thumbnail Storage

Select options for thumbnail (small copies of the original image file) storage on catalog records:

Do not store (this can be changed later)

Check to avoid thumbnail storage. This option makes the catalog file smaller, and speeds up update operations. This may be useful if you are creating a catalog for the purpose of performing slideshows or format conversion operations. You can change this option after the catalog is created.

Store with maximum pixel Width and Height of …

Select the maximum dimensions of a catalog thumbnail. Smaller dimensions result in smaller catalog files.

During Updates, scan these Folders for new/changed Image Files

Select a list of folders to be automatically scanned for new or changed image files, when you use the Update command.

Add

Click this button to add a folder to the list.

Remove

Click this button to remove the current folder from the list.

Cycle back to first slide after last slide is shown

Check this box to make slideshow operations restart from the beginning after the last slide is exhibited. When this box is unchecked, slideshow operations end at the last slide.

  Catalog Editor


Change Selection Opacity (Dialog)

This dialog is available when a floating selection is defined.

Use this dialog to change the opacity of the current floating selection.

Dialog box options:

Opacity Factor

Select higher values to make the selection more opaque. Smaller values make the selection transparent, and allow the active image to be seen through the selection image. The opacity factor is taken into account when you use the Paste on Image command.

  Working with Selections


Color Adjustment Specification (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create or edit a user-defined color adjustment operation.

Dialog box options:

Name

Use this box to select the name of the operation. This name is displayed in the list of operations in the User-defined Color Adjustments dialog.

Message

This box displays a message about the expressions that are typed in the following options. The message helps you find errors and correct the expressions.

Initial Expression

Type an expression that will be executed once, in the beginning of the operation. This expression is useful to initialize variables for use on the other expressions.

New Red Component Values

Type an expression to specify the new Red component of a pixel. This expression is evaluated for each pixel of the image.

New Green Component Values

Type an expression to specify the new Green component of a pixel. This expression is evaluated for each pixel of the image.

New Blue Component Values

Type an expression to specify the new Blue component of a pixel. This expression is evaluated for each pixel of the image.

Curve Window

The shape of component expressions is displayed in this window, as you move the focus from expression to expression.

  Understanding Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Color Adjustments

  Understanding Expressions


Pre-defined Color Adjustments (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the pre-defined Color Adjustment operations to the active image or current selection. Color Adjustment operations work restricted to the current selection only when the active image is in True Color format.

Available pre-defined color adjustments include:

Name	Action
Negative	Photographic negative
Grayscale	Remove color
Contrast	Adjust contrast
Brightness	Adjust brightness
Logarithmic Brightness	Alternative brightness increase
Hyperbolic Sine	Alternative brightness + contrast increase
Exponential De-contrast	Reduce contrast maintaining bright colors
Red, Green, and Blue	Adjust color components individually
Gamma Correction	Adjust individual R, G, and B gamma values
Hue, Saturation and Value	Adjust color components by hue, sat, and val
YUV (Y, Cr, and Cb)	Adjust color components by YUV

  Understanding Computer Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Color Adjustments

  Understanding Color Models


User-defined Color Adjustments (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the user-defined Color Adjustment operations to the active image or current selection. Color Adjustment operations work restricted to the current selection only when the active image is in True Color format.

From this dialog you can also create new or edit existent user-defined Color Operations.

  Understanding Computer Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Color Adjustments


Color Conversion on Open (Dialog)

Some image file formats are capable of storing images in True Color format, or images without color palettes. When such image files are opened, and Windows is set to use a palette based display mode, LView Pro automatically converts the image into palette based format. Use this dialog to select how this type of Color Depth conversion should be performed.

Color Conversion on Open is not necessary when Windows is set to use a True or High color display mode. In this case, this dialog will not be available.

  Understanding Computer Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Display Modes

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions


Color Conversion on Save (Dialog)

Some image file formats are not capable of storing images in True Color format, or images without color palettes. When LView Pro is asked to save a True Color image in such image file formats, it automatically converts the image into palette based format. Use this dialog to select how this type of Color Depth conversion should be performed.

  Understanding Computer Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions


Color Count (Dialog)

This dialog is displayed when you select the Count Colors command and the active image is in palette based format.

This dialog informs the total number of unique colors that are actually used (Colors Used) and, for each palette entry, the total number of pixels that are colored with the entry's color specification.


Color Depth (Dialog)

Use this dialog to change the Color Depth of the active image. LView Pro does not convert an image into True Color format, when Windows is set to use a palette based display mode.

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Display Modes


Colorize Selection (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in True Color format and a selection is defined.

Use this dialog to colorize the current selected area. The brightness of the pixels in the area is used, together with the color options, to colorize the area.

Dialog box options:

U (or Hue) value

Enter the desired amount of the U (or Hue) component.

V (or Sat) value

Enter the desired amount of the V (or Sat) component.

Method

YUV Method: Check this option to use the YUV color model.

HSL Method: Check this box to use the Hue/Saturation/Luminance model.

Apply

Click this button to preview the button on the active image.

Color preview bar

A vertical bar showing the possible colors resulting from the selection of options, from darkest to lightest color.

Thumbnail preview

A small size preview of the results of this operation is exhibited on this window.

  Working with Selections

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Color Models


Combine Color Channels (Dialog)

This dialog is only available when Windows is set to use a True of High color mode.

Use this dialog to combine 3 images into a single True Color image.

Dialog box options:

Extract First Color Component From

Select the image containing the first color component (Red or Y) from the list.

Extract Second Color Component From

Select the image containing the second color component (Green or U) from the list.

Extract Third Color Component From

Select the image containing the third color component (Blue or V) from the list.

Color Components are

Red, Green, and Blue

Check this option if the source images contain Red, Green, and Blue components.

Y, U, and V

Check this option if the source images contain Y, U, and V components.

  Understanding Display Modes

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Color Models


Create Global Palette (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create a global (single) color palette for all frames in the active image. LView Pro creates a global palette, and then uses it to convert each frame to palette based format.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Frames and Animation

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions


Create Taskbar Start Menu (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create a menu for LView Pro on the Windows taskbar, accessible through the Start button. The menu will be created under the Programs submenu.

Dialog box options

Menu name (under Programs menu)

Type the desired name for the menu.

Create Menu

Click to create the menu and exit the dialog.

Existing folders

If you wish to add LView Pro to an existing menu, select it from the list (not recommended).


Delete Palette Entries (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in palette based format.

Use this dialog to delete entries from the color palette associated with the active image. Pixels that are painted using deleted entries are re-mapped to remaining entries by a nearest color matching algorithm. This command is useful for reducing the number of colors in an image, when the image does not use (or does not need to use) a large number of palette entries. Palette based images with fewer palette entries may result in smaller files depending on the format they are saved to.

Dialog box options:

Select Entries to Delete

Unused Entries

Check this option to delete entries that are not used by any pixels in the image.

Foreground Entry

Check this option to delete the entry associated with the foreground color.

Background Entry

Check this option to delete the entry associated with the background color.

Transparent Entry

Check this option to delete the entry associated with the transparent color.

Entries used by less than … pixels

Check this option to delete entries that are used by less than a total number of pixels you select. Using this option with a 0 value is equivalent to selecting Unused Entries.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


Drop Shadow (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in True Color format and a selection is defined.

Use this dialog to create a shadow for the current selection. The shadow is created using the current background color.

Dialog box options:

Offsets

Horizontal and Vertical

Select the offsets of the shadow from the selection area. A value of 0 and 0 places the shadow directly under the selection area. Positive values move the shadow to the right and down. Negative values move the shadow to the left and up.

Opacity

Select the opacity level of the shadow. Higher values make the shadow more opaque, lower values make it more transparent, combining the shadow with the image.

Blur

Select the blur level of the shadow edges. Select 0 for no blurring. Lower values result in crisp, well defined, edges. Higher values increase blurring.

Thumbnail preview

Shows the relative position of the shadow to the selection area, using the selected Horizontal and Vertical offsets.

  Working with Selections

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


File Type Associations (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create or delete file type associations with LView Pro.

File types (extensions)

In this dialog, file type means file extension. The type of a file named image.bmp is .bmp.

Automatic file association

LView Pro automatically associates itself with image file types that are not associated with other applications. LView Pro only changes existing associations when requested to so, through this dialog.

Other image processing applications may redirect file type associations to themselves without consulting you first. If this happens, you can return to this dialog to re-establish lost associations with LView Pro.

Purpose of establishing file type associations with LView Pro

•	Windows Explorer

•	When you double click on a file associated with LView Pro, the Explorer automatically starts LView Pro to view/edit the file.

•	When you click on a file associated with LView Pro using the secondary mouse button, the Explorer displays a menu from where you can open or print the file

•	The Explorer menu command File | Print works with files associated with LView Pro

•	Web, FTP, Email software

If the Web/FTP/Email software you are using consults the Windows Registry, it will automatically start LView Pro to view/edit images downloaded from the Internet or embedded in email messages.

•	Other software

Any software that consults the Windows Registry will start LView Pro to view/edit files associated with LView Pro.

Dialog box options:

Types (Extensions)

Lists the file types that will be associated with LView Pro if you exit this dialog with OK.

Add Defaults

Click to add the default file types to the Types list.

Add Type

Click to add a new type to the list. For instance, you may have files with .jpeg extension, and wish to associate them with LView Pro.

Remove Type

Click to remove the selected type from the Types list.


Fill Options (Dialog)

Use this dialog to select options for the Fill Tool.

Notes: Gradients are painted with color tones that vary from the background to the foreground color.  The only mode that works with palette based images is Solid.

Dialog box options:

Select

Select the Fill mode from the list. Available modes are Solid, Pattern, Image, Linear gradient, Rectangular gradient, Diamond gradient, Cross gradient, Oval gradient, and Radial gradient. The best way to understand these modes is through the observation of the Preview window.

Angle

This option is available when Fill mode is set to Linear. Select the angle for the gradient lines.

Vertical(%) and Horizontal(%)

This option is available when Fill mode is set to any of the gradient modes, except Linear gradient. Select the Vertical and Horizontal percentage over the image (or selection) dimensions, where the center of the gradient will be placed.

Preview

This window shows a preview of the results of the selected options.

Parameter list

The parameter list appears under the Select list when Fill mode is set to Pattern or Image. When Fill mode is set to pattern, select one of the pre-defined patterns from the list. When Fill mode is set to image, select one of the images that are currently being edited by LView Pro.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Fill Tool

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


Filter Specification (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create or edit a user-defined filter operation.

Dialog box options:

Name

Use this box to select the name of the operation. This name is displayed in the list of operations in the User-defined Filters dialog.

Kernel

Enter the multiplication factors that compose the Kernel matrix.

Divisor

Select the global division factor to be applied after multiplication by the Kernel matrix.

Bias

Select the global additive factor to be applied after division.

RGB

Check this option if the filter should be applied over color components. If this option is unchecked, the image or selection is converted to grayscale prior to applying the filter.

  Understanding Filters

  User-defined Filters dialog

  Understanding Image Colors


Pre-defined Filters (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the pre-defined Filters to the active image or current selection. Filter operations are available to images in True Color format.

Available pre-defined filters include: Edge Enhance, Edge Enhance More, Find Edges, Find Vertical Edges, Find Horizontal Edges, Trace Contour, Blur, Blur More, Soften, Soften More, Sharpen, Sharpen More, Emboss, Despeckle, Median, Erode, Dilate, Add Random Noise, Add Uniform Noise.

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Filters


User-defined Filters (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the user-defined Filters to the active image or current selection. Filter operations are available to images in True Color format.

From this dialog you can also create new or edit existent user-defined Filters.

  Understanding Computer Colors

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Filters


Find Record (Dialog)

Use this dialog box to find a record among all records in the active catalog. Records may be searched by the original filename or by their descriptive text.

Dialog box options:

Enter full or partial text

Type, in full or in part, the file name or descriptive text you are trying to locate.

Find by Title

Check this option to search for a file name (Title).

Find by Description

Check this option to search for a record description.

Find

Click this button to start the search.

  Catalog Editor

  Record Properties dialog


Format Conversion (Dialog)

Use this dialog to convert the selected catalog records to a target graphics file format.

Dialog box options:

Select Target File Format

Select the target image file format from the list. The image files associated with the selected catalog records will be converted to that format.

Options

Click to configure options for the target file format.

Overwrite Original Image Files

Select this option to overwrite the original image files with the converted files.

Store Converted Files on Folder

Select this option to store converted files on a specified folder. Original files may still be overwritten, if they reside on that folder.

Browse...

Click on this button to select the folder where converted files should be stored.

Stop on errors

Check this option to make LView Pro stop the format conversion operation if an error occurs. If this option is not checked, LView Pro will proceed to convert the next file after an error occurs.

Conversion Log

A log of the conversion operations is displayed in this window.

Save Log

This option is available after the conversion operation is completed, and allows saving the Conversion Log into a text file.

Start

Click on this button to start the conversion operation. During conversion, this button is renamed to Stop. Click on Stop anytime during the conversion operation and LView Pro will interrupt the conversion after finishing the conversion of the current file.

  Catalog Editor


Increase Selection Feather (Dialog)

This dialog is available when a selection is defined.

Use this dialog to increase the current selection feather. Increasing the selection feather makes the selection edges advance outward, which may make the edges smoother.

Dialog box options:

Increase Feather by

Enter the number of pixels to increase the feather.

  Working with Selections


Motion Blur (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in True Color format.

Use this dialog to create a motion blur effect on the active image or current selection.

Dialog box options:

Direction

Select the direction of the motion, in degrees.

Intensity

Select the intensity of the motion, in pixels.

Image Preview

Click on this button to view the results of the above options on the active image.

Thumbnail preview

This window displays a small size preview of the motion blur effect.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Working with Selections


New (Dialog)

This dialog is displayed when you select the New command.

Use this dialog to select the type of new document you wish to create. Available types are LView Pro Image and LView Pro Catalog.


New Image (Dialog)

This dialog is displayed when you request LView Pro to create a new image.

Dialog box options:

Dimensions

Enter the desired width and height for the new image. Image dimensions can be changed after the image is created, by using the Resize command or the Redimension command.

Number of colors

Select the desired number of colors from the list. True Color images cannot be created when Windows is set to use a palette based display mode. The number of colors of an image can be changed after the image is created, by using the Color Depth command.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Display Modes

  Color Depth dialog


New Type Extension (Dialog)

This dialog is displayed when you select the Add option in the File Type Associations dialog.

Dialog box options:

Enter extension

Type the file extension you wish to add. For instance: .jpeg


Operate Images (Dialog)

This dialog box is available when Windows is set to use a True Color display mode.

Use this dialog to create a new image as a result of an operation between two images being edited by LView Pro. The resulting image is created in True Color format.

Dialog box options:

Select Source Image 1

Select the first source image for the operation. Image selection order matters for pixel operation Subtract.

Select Source Image 2

Select the second source image for the operation.

Select Pixel Operation

Add	pixels are added.
Multiply	pixels are multiplied.
Darker	darker pixel is selected.
Lighter	lighter pixel is selected.
Subtract	pixels in the first image are subtracted from pixels in the second image.
Difference	resulting pixel is the absolute value of the difference from pixels in the two images
Divisor

Resulting pixel is divided by the value you select for this option.

Bias

Resulting pixel is added to the value you select for this option (after applying divisor).

When Over/Underflow Occurs

Truncate Result to [0..255] Range

Check this option to truncate resulting pixel to the range. For instance, if pixels are added, and the resulting color component is 256, it will be truncated to 255.

Let Result Wrap Around [0..255] Range

Check this option to let results wrap around the range. For instance, if pixels are added, and the resulting color component is 256, it will be wrapped around to 0.

  Understanding Display Modes

  Understanding Image Colors


Recent File List (Dialog)

Use this dialog to select the number of files that are available on the File menu, in the 1, 2, 3, 4 ... file list.

Changes made in this dialog will only take place the next time LView Pro is started.

Dialog box options:

Number of files in the Recent File list

Type the desired number of files.


Record Properties (Dialog)

Use this dialog to view or change properties for the selected records in the active catalog.

Most options in this dialog are for information only, and cannot be edited. When more than one record is selected when this dialog is activated, only the slideshow advancement options can be edited. This way, you can change slideshow advancement options for a group, or for all the records with a single operation.

Dialog box options:

Title

The original file name, associated with the catalog record.

Folder

The folder where the original file is stored.

Size (KB)

The size in Kilobytes of the original file.

Type

The graphics file format of the original file.

Dimensions

The original image dimensions.

Description

Type a description of the original image file. Catalog records can be sorted by description.

Slideshow Advancement

Interactive (after mouse click, spacebar)

Select this option to make a slideshow operation stop after displaying the original image associated with catalog record. Slideshow will resume after a mouse button is clicked, or after keying the spacebar.

Timed, after delay (seconds) of

Select this option to make the slideshow operation display the original image associated with the catalog record and then advance to the next record after the time delay expires. Keep in mind that there are additional delays, due to the time consumed to read an image file from the disk. When timed delay is selected, the slideshow will still advance if you click a mouse button or key in the spacebar.

  Catalog Editor


Redimension Image (Dialog)

Use this dialog to change the active image dimensions. Unlike the Resize command, Redimension does not change the appearance of the image. It simply enlarges or shrinks the editing area, creating empty spaces or removing part of the image. The original image is placed on the upper left corner of the new editing area. When Redimension is used to enlarge the editing area, new areas are painted with the current background color. The options in this dialog are the same as in the Resize dialog.

  Resize command

  Choosing Paint Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar


Remove Transparent Pixels (Dialog)

This dialog is available when a selection is defined.

Use this dialog to remove transparent pixels from the selection.

Dialog box options:

Tolerance

Select the level of tolerance for the Advanced Color Matching algorithm.

Match mode

Select the color match mode for the Advanced Color Matching algorithm.

  Working with Selections

  Understanding Advanced Color Matching


Rename File (Dialog)

This dialog is available when a single record is selected in the active catalog.

Use this dialog to rename the original file associated with the selected record.

Dialog box options:

Current name

Informs the current file name of the original image.

New name

Type the new file name for the original image.

  Catalog Editor


Resize Image (Dialog)

Use this dialog to change the dimensions of the active image or current selection. The image or selection is enlarged or shrunk to fit in the selected new dimensions. To change the size of the editing area without altering the image, use the Redimension command.

Dialog box options:

Current size

Informs the active image or current selection dimensions, click on this button to initialize the new size options to with the current image size.

320x200, 640x350, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 and 1280x1024

Click on one of these buttons to select the corresponding width and height. When the option Preserve Aspect Ratio is selected, LView Pro computes new width and height values to fit the image into the selected size.

New size

Type the desired values for the new width and height. When the option Preserve Aspect Ratio is checked, LView Pro computes the other dimension when you change either width or height.

Preserve Aspect Ratio

Check to make LView Pro preserve the current image aspect ratio (the proportion between image width and height). If this option is unchecked, the resized image may appear wider or taller than the original image.

Resample (higher quality, slower)

This option is available when the active image is in True Color format. Check this option to instruct LView Pro to perform a higher quality, yet slower, type of resize algorithm, where colors are averaged to reduce jagged lines and image artifacts.

  Understanding Image Colors


Rotate Image (Dialog)

Use this dialog to rotate the active image or current selection. When a True Color image is rotated by an arbitrary angle, LView Pro applies a color averaging algorithm to reduce jagged lines and image artifacts.

Note: Display coordinates grow left to right, and top to bottom. The origin of an image (point 0, 0) is at the left and top position. Therefore, positive angle rotations (between 1 and 359 degrees) are performed in the clockwise direction.

Dialog box options:

Right (clockwise)

Check this option to rotate the image in the same direction as the rotating hands of a clock. This is equivalent to rotating the image by an angle of 90 degrees.

Left

Check this option to rotate the image in the opposite direction that the Right option would. This is equivalent to rotating the image by an angle of 270 degrees.

Upside down

Check this option to rotate the image upside down. This is equivalent to rotating the image by an angle of 180 degrees.

Angle (1-359 degrees)

Check this option to rotate the image by the specified angle, in degrees.

  Working with Selections

  Understanding Image Colors


Sort Records (Dialog)

Use this dialog to sort all records in the active catalog. Note that the sort order you select does not become an attribute of the catalog. In other words, the catalog may become unsorted as new records are introduced, or as changes are made to the original image attributes used as sort keys.

Dialog box options:

First, Second, and Third Keys

Select the sort keys from these list. The second and third keys are used to break ties, and may be set to None when not needed. Available sort keys are: File Title, File Pathname, Record Description, File Size, File Date, File Type, Image Area (width multiplied by height), Image Width, and Image Height.

Ascending

Check this option (there is one associated with each key) to instruct LView Pro to sort the associated sort key in ascending order. When this option is unchecked, LView Pro sorts the key in descending order.

  Catalog Editor


Sort Palette Entries (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in palette based format, and is accessible through a button in the Color Selection DialogBar.

Use this dialog to sort the palette entries in the color palette associated with the active image.

Dialog box options:

Sort Key

Utilization

Sorts entries based on the number of pixels that utilize each entry.

Brightness

Sorts entries based on the brightness of the color at each entry.

RGB, GRB, BRG, RBG, GBR, and BGR

Sorts entries based on their Red, Green, and Blue component values, in the order of the component initials, e.g. RGB means Red first, Green second, Blue third.

User defined expression on Variables

Sorts entries based on a user defined expression on the variables described on the dialog box. For instance, to sort entries by the sum of their Red, Green, and Blue components multiples by their utilization, you would enter: (R+G+B)*U.

Range

First palette entry to sort

Set this option to the index of the first entry to be included in the sort operation. For instance, to exclude the first 8 palette entries from the sort operation, set this option to 8 (palette indices start at 0).

Last palette entry to sort

Set this option to the index of the last entry to be included in the sort operation. For instance, to exclude the last 8 palette entries in a 256 color palette from the sort operation, set this option to 247 (palette indices start at 0, the 256th entry is numbered 255).

Order

Select between Ascending and Descending order.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar

  Understanding Expressions


Splash Window (Dialog)

The Splash Window is displayed when LView Pro starts. On the LView Pro Evaluation Version, it reminds you of the remaining evaluation time and provides easy access to purchasing information.

  License Agreement

  Purchasing LView Pro


Swap Palette Entries (Dialog)

This dialog is available when the active image is in palette based format, and is accessible through a button in the Color Selection DialogBar.

Use this dialog to swap the color specification between two palette entries.

Dialog box options:

Select Entries to Swap

Foreground with Background

Select this option to swap the palette entries associated with the Foreground and Background colors.

Background with Transparent

Select this option to swap the palette entries associated with the Background and Transparent colors.

Transparent with Foreground

Select this option to swap the palette entries associated with the Foreground and Transparent colors.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Color Selection DialogBar

  Choosing Paint Colors


Tip of the Day (Dialog)

This dialog  is optionally displayed when LView Pro starts, and is activated by the Tip of the Day command.

Use this dialog to read tips about using some of the features in LView Pro.

Dialog box options:

Show Tips on StartUp

Select this option to display this dialog when LView Pro is started. If this option is unchecked, this dialog will only display when you select it on the Help menu.

Back

Click on this button to review the previous tip.

Next

Click on this button to read the next tip.


Transformation Specification (Dialog)

Use this dialog to create or edit a user-defined transformation operation.

Dialog box options:

Name

Use this box to select the name of the operation. This name is displayed in the list of operations in the User-defined Transformations dialog dialog.

Message

This box displays a message about the expressions that are typed in the following options. The message helps you find errors and correct the expressions.

Initial Expression

Type an expression that will be executed once, in the beginning of the operation. This expression is useful to initialize variables for use on the other expressions.

New Column Expression

Type an expression to specify how columns are transformed. This expression is evaluated for each pixel of the image.

New Row Expression

Type an expression to specify how rows are transformed. This expression is evaluated for each pixel of the image.

  Understanding Expressions

  Understanding Transformations


Pre-defined Transformations (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the pre-defined Transformations to the active image or current selection.

Available pre-defined transformations include: Mosaic, Ellipse, Pinch, Punch, Horizontal or Vertical Concave or Convex Cylinders, Horizontal or Vertical Perspectives and Skews, and the Spinning Wheel. The effect of these transformations is best described by seeing their results.

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Transformations


User-defined Transformations (Dialog)

Use this Multiple Operation Dialog to apply one of the user-defined Transformations to the active image or current selection.

From this dialog you can also create new or edit existent user-defined Transformations.

  Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

  Understanding Transformations


Undo/Redo Levels (Dialog)

Use this dialog to select the maximum number of Undo commands that can be applied to image frames. Each time an Undo command is applied, the action can be re-done by applying the Redo command.

Note that some editing operations require and generate more than one undo operation. For instance, when a non-floating selection is cut from the image, and moved in a single mouse operation, there will be separate undo levels for each step of the operation (moving the selection, painting the image with the background color and floating the selection).

Changes made in this dialog will only take place the next time LView Pro is started.

Dialog box options:

Number of Undo/Redo Levels

Select the desired maximum number of undo levels. Select 0 to prevent LView Pro from storing undo or redo information. Higher values require more disk space for temporary files.

Windows Temporary file folder

This option cannot be edited, it informs the location of the temporary file folder as designated by Windows. Undo/Redo buffers are stored in temporary files on that temporary file folder. Each frame of each image has its own Undo/Redo buffers.


JPG Options

Use this dialog to select options for the JPEG graphics file format.

Dialog box options:

Use Progressive JPEG Compression Format

Select this option to save JPEG files using progressive compression format.

Perform Entropy Optimization

Select this option to perform an entropy optimization algorithm when saving JPEG files. This may produce slightly smaller files.

Save in JPEG Grayscale Format

Select this option to save JPEG files using grayscale format. Color information is lost in the process. Slightly smaller files are produced.

Compression Quality Factor

Use this option to trade-off between image quality and compression ratio. Higher values produce larger files, preserving more image quality. Lower values produce smaller files, preserving less image quality.


BMP Options

Use this dialog to select options for the Windows Bitmap graphics file format.

Dialog box options:

Create Files Using Format

Select among Windows Bitmap and OS/2 Bitmap.


GIF Options

Use this dialog to select options for the CompuServe GIF graphics file format.

Dialog box options:

Create Files using Version

Select the version to use. Version GIF87a cannot be used if animations or images with transparent colors are to be created.

Use Interlaced Format

Select this option to create interlaced GIF files.

Save Transparent Color Information (GIF89a only)

Select this option to save transparent color information (version must be GIF89a). If this option is not selected, transparent color information is not saved.


TIFF Options

Use this dialog to select options for the Aldu's TIFF graphics file format.

Dialog box options:

Create File With

Select the type of compression to be used when creating TIFF files.


PBM Options

Use this dialog to select options for the Jef Poskanzer's Portable Bitmap graphics file formats.

Dialog box options:

Create Files In

Select between Binary and Ascii formats. Files in Ascii format can be edited using a text editor such as Windows Notepad.


Understanding Computer Colors

Computer display colors are described in terms of basic color components: Red, Green, and Blue (RGB for short). In general, each color component can assume values between 0 and 255, for two reasons: values limited to this range can be in a single computer byte, and 256 values seem to provide a sufficient variety of shades. The value 0 is normally associated with the absence of color, and the value 255 with the full color. Examples:

•	RGB = (255, 0, 0) represents the brightest pure Red color.

•	RGB = (0, 255, 0) represents the brightest pure Green color.

•	RGB = (0, 0, 255) represents the brightest pure Blue color.

•	RGB = (0, 0, 0) is pure Black.

•	RGB = (255, 255, 255) is pure White.

•	RGB = (255, 255, 0) is pure bright Yellow (Red combined with Green)

A shade of gray is obtained when all color components have the same value, varying from black to white. A light gray color can be described with RGB = (192, 192, 192), dark gray with (128, 128, 128).

When and each of R, G, and B are encoded with a single byte, RGB color descriptions require 3 bytes of storage, and are called 24-bit colors, because each byte has 8 bits. Images described with 24-bit colors are also called True Color images. Images composed only of shades of gray are called Grayscale images.

  Display Modes


Understanding Display Modes

Your computer is equipped with a display card (hardware) and a display driver (software). The card+driver combination is what enables the computer display. While you can't easily change the display card (unless you purchase a new one to replace the old one inside your computer), you can change the way the display driver works.

Display drivers are capable of working in different (display) modes. In some modes, only 16 simultaneous colors can be rendered. In other modes, it may be possible to display 256 simultaneous colors, out of a color palette (table of color descriptions). These are called Palette Based display modes.

Display modes capable of rendering 24-bit colors are called True Color display modes.

Some display modes can display 24-bit colors, but need to truncate color components. For instance, a display mode may be able to display only 6 bits of Red, 5 bits of Green, and 5 of Blue (a total of 16 bits, or 2 bytes). True color images can be viewed and edited in these display modes, although they will not display as accurately as they would in a true color mode. Display modes that render 24-bit colors after truncation are called High Color modes.

It is recommended that you work with images using a High or True color mode. LView Pro can view and even edit True Color images under palette based display modes, but color detail is lost in the process. You can use Control Panel's Display settings to check and change the display mode you are using (click on the Settings tab).

  Click here to activate Control Panel's Display


Understanding Image Colors

Computer images can be thought of as a finite collection pixels (dots) disposed in rows and columns. Pixels contain the RGB description of the image color at the pixel's position. In one image, pixels describe colors in two different ways:

•	Each pixel contains its RGB color description, the image is in True Color format.

•	Each pixel contains one index to the image's color table (color palette), the image is in palette based format.

Color Palette

A color palette is a table of RGB color descriptions. Normally, color palettes are limited to 256 entries, indexed from 0 to 255. On a palette based image, each pixel contains a palette entry, a number from 0 to 255, which can be stored in a single computer byte.

The potential number of colors of an image is called Color Depth.

Notes about palette based images

•	Palette based images are limited to 256 colors (the max. number of palette entries).

•	Because of this limitation on the number of colors, several editing operations cannot be applied to palette based images. If you wish to perform an operation that is restricted to True Color images, use the Color Depth dialog to transform the image into True Color format.

•	More than one palette entry can contain the same RGB color specification

•	Two pixels that are painted with the same RGB combination may refer to different palette entries

•	The memory, in bytes, required to store an uncompressed palette based image is roughly equal to the product of the image's dimensions (width x height) in pixels.

Notes about True Color images

•	True Color images are limited to slightly less than 17 million colors, the number of RGB color descriptions that can be made with 1 byte for each R, G, and B. The actual number of colors in a given image is limited to the total number of pixels it contains, e.g. a 1,000 x 1,000 (width x height) image can contain at most one million colors (if each of its pixels contains a different RGB combination).

•	The memory, in bytes, required to store an uncompressed true color image is roughly equal to 3 times the product of the image's dimensions (width x height) in pixels.


Understanding Advanced Color Matching

Advanced Color Matching is an algorithm that finds pixels with similar colors, based on user selected comparison criteria and variable margin of tolerance.

LView Pro uses Advanced Color Matching to

•	Determine which pixels are affected by fill operations, when using the Fill Tool.

•	Determine which pixels will compose a selection (or be removed or added to a selection) when using the Selection Fill Tool.

•	Determine which pixels will be removed from a selection when using the Remove Transparent command.

•	Determine which pixels will have their colors replaced when using the Color Replacer Brush.

Comparison Criteria and Variable Tolerance

The Tolerance option dictates how strict Advanced Color Matching should be. Setting Tolerance to 0 makes only exact matches acceptable. Non zero Tolerance allows similar color matching. The degree of similarity required for a color match is loosened as Tolerance values increase. Four color comparison modes are available:

•	None

Pixels are matched regardless of their color. This mode is useful when using the Fill Tool to completely fill the area defined by a selection. In this case, all pixels in the selection must be affected by the operation, regardless of their color. The value assigned to the Tolerance option is not used in this mode.

•	Red, Green, and Blue

Pixels are matched by their RGB color encoding. The Tolerance value is used to determine how much RGB deviation is acceptable.

•	Hue

Pixels are matched by their similarity in color (see Understanding Color Models). Use this mode to match similar tones of a color. The Tolerance value is used to determine how much Hue deviation is acceptable.

•	Brightness

Pixels are matched by their similarity in brightness. The Y component of each pixel is calculated to check for matches (see Understanding Color Models). The Tolerance value is used to determine how much Y deviation is acceptable.


Understanding Multiple Operation Dialogs

Multiple Operation Dialogs are dialog boxes that can perform more than one operation. Each operation may work on image data processed by previous operations. At any time, all preceding operations may be reverted, and the editing process be restarted from the original image data.

LView Pro groups similar operations into Multiple Operation Dialogs, because it is often the case that more than one of such operations are needed. Color Adjustment operations, for instance, are grouped into a Multiple Operation dialog. If the image needs both Brightness and Contrast adjustments, both are performed in a single dialog box and the overall adjustment does not require entering and leaving different dialog boxes.

Multiple Operation dialogs also make it easier to experiment with options for individual operations, and to try changing the order of different operations.

LView Pro uses Multiple Operation Dialogs for

•	Color Adjustment operations, pre-defined or user-defined

•	Filter operations, pre-defined or user-defined

•	Transformation operations, pre-defined or user-defined

Multiple Operation Dialog box options:

Select

A list of available operations. When an operation is selected, LView Pro immediately applies it to the image in the Preview window.

Revert before apply

Check this option if you want LView Pro to change the image using only the currently selected operation. If this option is unchecked, operations will modify the image data maintaining all modifications made by previously selected operations.

Preview

This window shows a preview of the effects of operations performed to the active image or current selection.

Close

Click on this button to close the Multiple Operation Dialog and keep changes made.

Apply

Click on this button to apply modifications to the active image or selection. If the option Revert before apply is selected, the image reverts to the state it was before the previous operation was applied.

Revert

Click on this button to revert the image to the state it was when the Multiple Operation Dialog was started. This button can undo changes even when the Revert before apply option is not selected.

Help

Click on this button to obtain help about the type of operations offered in the Multiple Operation Dialog box.

New

This button is available for user-defined Multiple Operation Dialog boxes. Click on this button to create a new user-defined operation.

Edit

This button is available for user-defined Multiple Operation Dialog boxes. Click on this button to edit the specification of the currently selected user-defined operation.

Delete

This button is available for user-defined Multiple Operation Dialog boxes. Click on this button to delete the currently selected user-defined operation.

Options

Options for the operations in the Select list appear under the Preview window, when the selected operation accepts optional parameters. When a Multiple Operation Dialog box displays user-defined operations, optional parameters will appear when the selected operation uses any of the adjustment factor variables available for their expressions.


Understanding Color Adjustments

LView Pro Color Adjustments are operations that change the color of all pixels in the active image, or (when a selection is defined and the image is in True Color format) the color of all pixels in the current selection.

In a color adjustment operation, the new color of a pixel is determined by two factors: the current color of the pixel, and the type of color adjustment operation. In other words, the colors of neighboring pixels is not taken into account (unlike in a Filter operation), and the position of pixels in the image is not changed (unlike in a Transformation operation).

Using Color Adjustment operations is a matter of understanding how to work with a Multiple Operation Dialog, selecting the desired operation from the list and adjusting the options of the operation while previewing its effects. Most of the pre-defined Color Adjustment operations are very straightforward and act like the buttons on a TV set (like brightness, contrast, etc.).

Creating user-defined Color Adjustment operations

The following text assumes that you have read the section Understanding Expressions.

You can create new color adjustment operations by teaching LView Pro new ways to translate Red, Green, and Blue components. The Color Adjustment Specification dialog (accessible from the User-defined Color Adjustments dialog) allows you to do just that. New operations are defined by three required expressions (one for each color component) and one optional initialization expression. Some of the pre-defined color adjustment operations have options that can be adjusted during the execution of the operation. User-defined operations can also use up to 3 adjusting factors. The variables are:

X	Color value normalized to [0..1]
A1	Adjustment factor 1 [-255..255]
A2	Adjustment factor 2 [-255..255]
A3	Adjustment factor 3 [-255..255]

If you use any or all of the adjustment factors in the expressions, LView Pro will display them just like Red, Green, and Blue offset options are displayed in the pre-defined Color Adjustment Operation. Adjustment factors can be set to values in the range [-255..255]. You can transform them into another range, in the Initial Expression. For instance, if you would like to have an adjustment factor in the range [0..100], you could use the initial expression: A1=(A1+255)/510 * 100.

The variable X represents the current value of each component of each pixel, when you edit. If you wish to compute the negative of an image, you would set the new value of each component to 1-X (remember that X is normalized to the [0..1] range).

Here is another example of a more complex (and probably useless) operation, just to illustrate the process. This is what the operation will do:

•	For pixels that have less than 64 on their current Red component, triple the Red component value. For other pixels, double the Red component.

•	Divide the Green component by a user selected adjustment factor, between 1 and 2.

•	Multiply the Green component by a second user selected adjustment factor, between 1.1 and 1.6.

To specify the above operation, you would set:

Initial Expression	RedThreshold = 64/255 ; A1=(A1+255)/510+1 ; A2=(A2+255)/510*0.5+1.1
New Red Component Expression	X < RedThreshold ? X * 3 : X * 2
New Green Component Expression	X / A1
New Blue Component Expression	X * A2


Understanding Filters

LView Pro Filters are operations that change the color of all pixels in the active image, or (when a selection is defined and the image is in True Color format) the color of all pixels in the current selection.

In a Filter operation, the new color of a pixel is determined by the current color of the pixel and its neighbors, and the type of color filter operation. Unlike in a Transformation operation pixel positions are not changed.

Using Filter operations is a matter of understanding how to work with a Multiple Operation Dialog, selecting the desired operation from the list and adjusting the options of the operation while previewing its effects. Most of the pre-defined Filter operations have self-explanatory names, and the best way to describe what they do is by using them on a number of images.

Creating user-defined Filter operations

You can create new filter operations by teaching LView Pro new ways to compute colors from groups of pixels. The Filter Specification dialog (accessible from the User-defined Fitlers dialog) allows you to do just that. New operations are defined by a matrix called the Kernel, one Divisor factor, one Bias factor, and the option to perform the filter operation over RGB values (as opposed to grayscale values).

Kernel, Divisor, Bias, and RGB

The Filter operation works by sliding the Kernel over each pixel in the image or each pixel in the current selection. The new color of the pixel is computed by multiplying the elements on the Kernel by the color of pixels covered by the it. The results of these multiplications  are added together, then divided by the Divisor factor, and finally added to the Bias factor to obtain the new color.

When the Filter operation is performed over RGB values, the whole operation is repeated once for each component (Red, Green, and Blue). Alternatively, the Filter operation may be performed over the corresponding grayscale value of each pixel. This is equivalent to transforming the image into grayscale format, and then using the same Kernel, Divisor, and Bias over RGB values.


Understanding Transformations

LView Pro Transformation operations do not change the color of pixels, but their position. A Transformation is a function from the 2-dimensional plane into the 2-dimensional plane, that associates a new position to every existing position in the image, or current selection.

Using Transformation operations is a matter of understanding how to work with a Multiple Operation Dialog, selecting the desired operation from the list and adjusting the options of the operation while previewing its effects. Most of the pre-defined Transformation operations have self-explanatory names, and the best way to describe what they do is by using them on a number of images.

Creating user-defined Transformation operations

The following text assumes that you have read the section Understanding Expressions.

You can create new Transformation operation by teaching LView Pro new ways to re-position pixels. The Transformation Specification dialog (accessible from the User-defined Transformations dialog) allows you to do just that. New operations are defined by two required expressions (one for the new column and another for the new row of each pixel) and one optional initialization expression. Some of the pre-defined Transformation operations have one option that can be adjusted during the execution of the operation. User-defined operations can also use one adjusting factor. The variables are:

I	Column being computed
J	Row being computed
X	Column normalized to [0..1]
Y	Row normalized to [0..1]
W	The image (or selection) Width
H	The image (or selection) Height
A	Adjustment factor [0..100]

If you use the adjustment factor in any or all the expressions, LView Pro will display it and allow it to be modified in the User-defined Transformations dialog. The adjustment factor can be set to values in the range [0..100]. You can transform it into another range, in the Initial Expression. For instance, if you would like to have an adjustment factor in the range [0..pi], you could use the initial expression: A1=A1/100*pi.

For example, a transformation that would act like LView Pro's Flip Horizontal command, could be defined as follows:

Initial Expression	not needed, leave blank
New Column Expression	W - I - 1
New Row Expression	J

The new row expression is set to J (the row being computed), because Flip Horizontal does not change the row of any pixels. The new column expression is set to W - I - 1, because we want to invert the horizontal position of pixels. When the new position of a pixel in the first column (column 0) is computed, the result is: W - 0 - 1, which is equal to W - 1 (the last column, since columns are numbered from 0). When the new position of a pixel in column W - 1 is computed, the result is W - W + 1 - 1, which is equal to 0 (the first column).

All of LView Pro's pre-defined Transformation operations can be described in terms of an Initial Expression, New Column Expression and New Row Expression. The specification of one of the pre-defined Transformation operations, the Spinning Wheel, is added by default to the list of user-defined Transformation operations.


Understanding Color Models

It is beyond the scope of this document to fully and precisely describe what color is. Our description is restricted to common color models used in computer graphics (and elsewhere), and in LView Pro.

Color models are used to describe colors, breaking it down to color components. Given a set of color components and a color model, one can re-construct a color.

The RGB model

The RGB model is used to specify colors in display devices. Windows bitmaps are encoded using this model and so are several other graphics file formats.

The RGB model breaks colors into three components: Red, Green, and Blue (RGB). Virtually every computer software, and so does LView Pro, encodes RGB using one byte for each component, which yields 256 values per component and nearly 17 million (256 * 256 * 256) possible color combinations.

LView Pro uses the RGB model in most occasions. The Red Green, and Blue pre-defined Color Adjustment operation, for instance, works directly with the RGB components of each pixel in the image, allowing you to add or subtract a constant value from each component (the changing the options for the operation). For an example of RGB encoded colors, see Understanding Computer Colors.

The HSL and HSV models

HSL stands for Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity. HSV stands for Hue, Saturation, and Value. HSL and HSV are different by we will focus on what they have in common.

Unlike the RGB model, HSV and HSL aim to describe colors in a way that is suitable for humans to describe it. For instance, if an image looks dark, we can lighten it up by increasing the Luminosity of all pixels in the image. If an image looks too colorful, we can reduce the Saturation component. If skin looks too yellow or too green, we can adjust the Hue.

Roughly speaking, the Hue component describes the hue of the color (as expected), the Saturation component describes the amount of color, and the Luminosity and Value components describe the brightness of the color. Maximum Luminosity always produces white, and minimum luminosity produces black, no matter what the Hue or Saturation components are. Absence of Saturation produces grayscale images.

LView Pro uses HSL and HSV in a number of occasions:

•	The Color Selection DialogBar can display colors using HSL (or RGB) components.

•	The Colorize Selection Dialog accepts color descriptions using the HSL model, in addition to YUV (see below).

•	The Hue, Saturation and Value Pre-defined Color Adjustments  allows you to manipulate image or selection pixels in terms of HSV components.

•	The Advanced Color Matching algorithm can compare colors by their Hue components.

The YCbCr and YUV models

YCbCr and YUV are different models, but again we will focus on their commonalties. The Y component represents brightness, much like the Luminosity in HSL. The Cb (U) and Cr (V) components represent color. YUV and YCbCr (or similar models) are used in a variety of occasions, including television broadcast, JPEG compression, Kodak Photo CD format, MPEG encoding, etc. YUV offers greater resolution than HSL, in the sense that changes in YUV component values are more perceptually uniform.

LView Pro uses YUV and YCbCr in two occasions:

•	The Colorize Selection Dialog accepts color descriptions using the YUV model, in addition to HSL. Using YUV in this dialog may allow you to find more precise colors for the image you are trying to colorize.

•	LView Pro can split an image into YUV color channels, and combine YUV channels to produce an image.

•	The YCbCr  Pre-defined Color Adjustments  allows you to manipulate image or selection pixels in terms of YCbCr components.

•	The Advanced Color Matching algorithm can compare colors by their Brightness (Y) components. This is more precise than using the L component of the HSL method.


Understanding Color Depth Conversions

A palette based image can contain at most 256 colors (see Understanding Image Colors) and a True Color image can contain any RGB color combination (see Understanding Computer Colors). There are occasions when a True Color image must be converted to palette based format, and vice-versa. In other cases, a palette based image must be converted to use a different color palette, perhaps with a different number of color palette entries. This topic explains how these type of conversions are performed in LView Pro, and what options are available.

Color Depth conversions in LView Pro

The following are all the occasions where color conversions occur in LView Pro.

1.	When a True Color image is opened for viewing/editing and Windows is set to use a palette based display mode. This color depth conversion is performed automatically. You may configure options for this type of conversion using the On Open command.

2.	When a True Color image is saved using a graphics file format that cannot store images in True Color format. LView Pro automatically performs a color depth conversion You may configure options for this type of conversion using the On Save command.

3.	When you select the Global Palette button to create a single color palette for all frames in the active image. LView Pro displays a dialog box to obtain options for a color depth conversion operation.

4.	When you select the Color Depth command. LView Pro displays a dialog box to obtain options for a color depth conversion operation.

Steps in a color depth conversion operation

•	Decide if the conversion result will be in True Color or Palette based format. In cases 1-3 above, the result is a palette based image. In case 4, you may wish to convert a palette based image into True Color format. This is useful, because many editing operations cannot operate on palette based images, because of their intrinsic limitation on number of colors. Conversion from palette based to True Color format is straightforward and does not require any other options to be specified. Note that LView Pro will only convert to True Color format when Windows is set to use a True or High color display mode.

•	If the conversion result is a palette based image, the next step is to create a new color palette. LView Pro can create the palette based on the colors of the image being converted, or it can read a palette specification from a user selected file. In general, best results are achieved by allowing LView Pro to create the palette. But, it may be necessary to convert an image to use a determined palette, e.g. when preparing images that will coexist in a software or environment that is limited to displaying certain color palettes.

•	If you do not choose to specify a palette file, other palette creation options are taken into consideration. You specify the maximum number of colors on the color palette (a number greater than 1 and smaller or equal to 256). Optionally, you may request that the default Windows colors be added to the palette. This is useful if the converted image will be displayed in Windows environments. Palettes containing the default Windows colors must have at least 16 entries.

•	Once the palette creation method is selected, LView Pro proceeds to create the palette based on the image colors or to read a palette from the selected file. When the palette is available, LView Pro converts the image to use it by matching the current colors in the image with the colors in the new palette.

•	Two color matching methods are available, Error Diffusion and Nearest Color. When converting a True Color image into palette based format, it is virtually impossible to find matches for the (potentially) thousands or millions of colors in the original image among the (at most) 256 colors in the new palette. The Error Diffusion method tries to correct errors made when matching colors by propagating these errors into subsequent matching operations. This method is best applied when converting photographic quality images of people, sceneries, wildlife, etc. The Nearest Color method simply picks the best color in the new palette to match each color in the image. This method works best with line drawings, cartoons, etc.


Understanding Expressions

LView Pro has an embedded expression evaluator software, capable of evaluating floating point arithmetic and logic expressions over constants and variables. You can think of it as a fancy calculator.

LView Pro uses Expressions to

•	Specify user-defined Color Adjustment operations.

•	Specify user-defined Transformation operations.

•	Specify user-defined palette entry sort keys.

How to use Expressions

When a dialog box requires an expression, it displays the list of available variables and descriptions in the context. Some of the variables represent the data being manipulated, other are adjustment factors that may be changed when executing the operation. Write the expressions using these variables and the operators, functions and constants listed below.

Operators

+  -  *  /	Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
%	Remainder
^	Exponentiation
( )	Grouping
=	Assignment
==  !=	Equal to, different than
<   >   <=   >=	Less than, greater than, less or equal, greater or equal
!   &&   ||	Logical not, logical and, logical or
? :	Ternary assignment
;	Expression separator (allows you to write a sequence of expressions anywhere an expression is used)

Built-in Functions (trig functions operate with angles in radians)

Sqrt (X)	Square root of X
Abs (X)	Absolute (unsigned) value of X
Sin (X)	Sine of X
Cos (X)	Cosine of X
Tan (X)	Tangent of X
Log (X, Y)	Logarithm of X on base Y
Ln (X)	Logarithm of X on base e
Exp (X)	e raised to X
Floor (X)	X rounded down
Ceil (X)	X rounded up
CoTan (X)	Cotangent of X
Sec (X)	Secant of X
CoSec (X)	Cosecant of X
ArcTan (X)	Arc-tangent of X
ArcSin (X)	Arc-sine of X
ArcCos (X)	Arc-cosine of X
HSin (X)	Hyperbolic sine of X
HCos (X)	Hyperbolic cosine of X
HTan (X)	Hyperbolic tangent of X

Constants: pi and e


OLE2 Support

LView Pro implements the LView Pro Image OLE2 document type. You can embed images in word processing documents, databases, and virtually any application that supports OLE2. Select the menu command Insert | Object on the software you are using, and select LView Pro Image from the list of available objects. LView Pro will start and create a new image that will be embedded in the document where it was inserted.


No Help Available

There is no help available.


Size Window

Click and drag the mouse pointer to change the active window size.


LView Pro on the Web


How to: Create Animated Images

Animated images are often used on Internet Web pages. LView Pro can create animated images from existing image files (each image file is used to define one frame of the animation) or from scratch.

Clicking the button [image] on the Draw Toolbar activates the Frames tool, which allows you to add, clone, and delete frames from the active image. A number of other operations related with image frames are also available.

At the time of writing, the only graphics file format used for Web animation (aside from movie formats, such as AVI) is CompuServe's GIF, using its GIF89a format version. When the image frames are created, make sure to save the image using this format with the Save As command.

Note: The Evaluation Version of LView Pro creates larger GIF files than the Full Version does.

 The Draw Toolbar

  Frames and Animation

  GIF Options

  Save As (File Menu)


How to: Create Transparent Images

Images with transparent background are often used on Internet Web pages. LView Pro can save images with transparent color information in CompuServe's GIF graphics file format, using its GIF89 format version.

Images saved into GIF file format must be in palette based format. The transparent color is, in fact, one of the image's palette entries. Software that exhibits images using transparency attributes, do not display pixels that would be painted using the color specification in that palette entry. That's how the transparency effect is achieved.

Follow these steps to produce an image with transparent pixels:

•	Make sure the image is in palette based format

Use the Color Depth command to check if the image is palette based, and to change it into that format, if needed. This step must be performed before all others.

•	Select the palette entry corresponding to the transparent color

Use either the Dropper tool or the Color Selection DialogBar to select the Transparent color for the image. The Mask feature in the Color Selection DialogBar helps you determine which palette entry is used to paint the pixels you would like to make transparent. If the pixels you would like to make transparent are painted using more than one palette entry, you will have to paint them all using the same entry (there can only be one transparent color - palette entry). The Color Replacer tool is very useful for this task.

•	Select GIF file format options

Use the Graphics File Formats command to access the GIF options dialog. On that dialog, make sure that the options GIF89a and Save Transparent Color Information are both selected. When both these option are selected, image frames that have the "Use Transparency" attribute selected (see next step) are saved with transparent color information. When either or both of these options are not selected, frames are not saved with transparent color information, regardless of their individual settings.

•	Select Frame Transparency Options

Click on the Frames button [image] on the Draw toolbar, and press the  Use Transparency button [image] on the corresponding Draw Options dialog bar. One image may contain several frames, only the frames that have this attribute selected are saved with transparent color information.

•	Save the image to a file using GIF format

Use the Save As command for that purpose, select the GIF format from the list of available formats.

  Understanding Image Colors

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions

  Choosing Paint Colors

  The Color Selection DialogBar

  Frames and Animation

  The Draw Options DialogBar

  GIF Options

  Save As (File Menu)


How to: Create Optimized Palettes for Groups of Images

LView Pro can create a single color palette optimized for the colors found on a group of images. The primary purpose of this operation is to find a color palette suitable to display the various frames on an animated image. This feature is also useful if you are creating a group of images to be displayed on the same Web page, or to be used by the same application, e.g. a computer game.

To create the optimized color palette:

1.	Use the File|Open command to bring one of the images into LView Pro.

2.	After opening the first image click on the Frames button [image] on the Draw toolbar to activate the Frames Draw Options dialog bar.

3.	Use the Insert Existing button [image] on the Frames Draw Options dialog bar to add each of the other images as a new frame of the active image.

4.	After you are done inserting images, use the Global Palette button [image] on the Frames Draw Options dialog bar to create the optimized color palette. A dialog box will open to allow you to set options for the palette creation.

5.	After creating the optimized color palette, LView Pro will convert each image frame to use the newly created palette.

6.	If you wish, you can save the optimized color palette to a palette disk file, by using the Save Palette button [image] on the Color Selection dialog bar.

Hint: To convert other images to use the optimized palette created above:

1.	Save the optimized palette to a disk file, as described in item 6 above.

2.	Use the File|Open command to bring the image you wish to convert into LView Pro

3.	Use the Image|Color Depth command to convert the image, and select the option to read a pre-defined palette from the palette file you saved.

  Understanding Color Depth Conversions

  The Color Selection DialogBar

  Frames and Animation

  The Draw Options DialogBar


How to: Edit with Precision

Sometimes it may seem hard to perform precise editing operations on small areas of an image. This topic shows a strategy you may use to achieve more precision on these operations.

1.	Use the Window|New Window command to create a new window for the image you wish to edit. This will make LView Pro exhibit the active image in two separate windows.

2.	Each window may be set to a different level of zoom. You can take advantage of that to help you perform difficult editing operations. On one window, zoom into the image until you can see individual pixels. Depending on the size of your display and the resolution of your screen, a zoom level between 1:8 to 1:12 should be sufficient.

3.	Arrange both windows so that you can get a good, comfortable view of the image on them. You can use Window|Tile Vertically to accomplish that, or manually move and resize them.

4.	Optionally, turn on the Pixel Grid to see a boundary around each pixel, on the zoomed image.

5.	Now, proceed to edit the image using the zoomed image. The effects of each editing command you perform will also be displayed on the other window, the one displaying the image without zoom. That way, you can monitor the effects of changes you make at pixel level.

6.	If you make a mistake, use the Edit|Undo command, or click on the Undo button [image]  on the Main Toolbar to return the image to the state it was before that mistake. You can configure LView Pro to use a number of undo levels greater than the default, with the dialog Undo/Redo Levels (File Menu, under Preferences).

7.	If you are not sure if you really like one particular editing command, use the Edit|Undo and Edit|Redo [image] commands to compare the previous state of the image with the one after the editing command.

  Zooming and Scrolling

  Using a Grid

  The Main Toolbar


How to: Get the Red Eye Out

Removing the red eye effect, caused by flash photography, is a common retouch operation. It also provides for a good hands-on example on how to use different editing features in LView Pro.

Pre-requisites

This type of retouch operation can only be performed on True Color images. And, Windows must be set to use a True or High color display mode. If these two conditions are not met, some of the editing commands described below will not be available, their menu names or buttons will be dimmed out.

Getting the photograph into LView Pro

•	If you have already scanned, or downloaded, the image file with the digitized photograph, simply use the File|Open command to bring it into LView Pro, for editing.

•	If all you have is the photograph, and a TWAIN compatible scanning device, you can use the File|Acquire command to scan the photograph right into LView Pro.

Preparing the image for the retouch operation, when necessary

•	If the image is in Palette Based format, use the Image|Color Depth command to convert to True Color format.

Getting ready to perform a precise retouch operation

•	Unless you have a close-up photograph, the eyes will occupy a very small area of the image. If that is the case, check the topic: How to Edit with Precision before you proceed.

Selecting the area for the retouch operation

•	The retouch operation must be constrained to the target area: the eyes. The way to constrain an editing operation is to enclose it into a Selection.

•	There are several ways to define selections with LView Pro. In this case, a good approach is to begin with the Shape Selection tool. Click on the Shape Selection button [image] on the Draw Toolbar.

•	On the Draw Options dialog bar, select Oval from the list of shapes. The oval shape will probably allow you to enclose one eye into a selection, missing very few pixels.

•	Select one of the eyes, by clicking and dragging the mouse pointer around it, while using the Shape Selection tool. Don't worry if you select too many or too few pixels. The important thing is that most of the pixels you select compose the eye.

•	After selecting the first eye, press and hold the SHIFT key (doesn't matter which, if your keyboard has more than one). Without releasing the SHIFT key, click and drag the mouse pointer to select the second eye. When you are done selecting it, you can release the SHIFT key.

•	When you perform a selection operation with the SHIFT key held down, the area you select is added to the current selection. So, you will now have both eyes selected.

•	In most cases, the selection performed above will be good enough to proceed. But, if you feel you missed too many pixels of the eye, or included pixels that are not part of the eye, continue to read this section.

•	To add or remove the stray pixels to/from the selection, use the Selection Brush. Click on the Selection Brush button [image] on the Draw Toolbar. On the Draw Options dialog bar, adjust the brush size down to 1 single pixel.

•	To add one or more pixels to the selection, press and hold the SHIFT key, and paint them with the Selection Brush, by clicking and dragging the mouse pointer.

•	To remove one or more pixels from the selection, press and hold the CONTROL key, and paint them with the Selection Brush.

Getting the red eye out

•	Once you are satisfied with the selection, you can proceed to the retouch operation. Because you have selected an area of the image, editing commands will be constrained to operate on it, while the selection remains defined.

•	The easiest way to remove the red-eye effect is to Colorize the selected area. The Selections|Edit|Colorize command does just that. Select different color combinations, and click on the Apply button to check which one produces the desired color for the eyes. When you find the color you are looking for, exit the dialog.

•	If you wish to obtain a darker or lighter tone of the color you selected, use one of the Color Adjustment Operations, from the Image menu. Because the selection will still be defined after being colorized, the color operation will also be constrained to it.

•	The Colorize Selection dialog accepts color specifications in two color models. Here is a list of some common color combinations that you may want to try, using the YUV model:

	U	V
caramel	100	164
green	100	125
blue	180	120
gray	128	128
magenta	160	160

Hint: You can find out the HSL combination that forms a particular color, to use it to Colorize an image or selection, by selecting the HSL display on the Color Selection dialog bar, and then moving the mouse pointer over the color you are looking for.


How to: Create Slideshows

LView Pro performs Slideshows on the original image files associated with Catalog records. The quickest way to perform a slideshow, or to browse images in Full Screen mode, is to create a catalog without Thumbnails. Catalogs that are not required to store Thumbnails create and update quicker than those that do store them. Once the Catalog is created, use the Start Slideshow command.

You can customize slide advancement using the Record Properties command for an individual record or a group of catalog records. To change the order of slides, remove slides, etc., and for a list of navigation commands, see the topics about the Catalog Editor.

  Catalog Editor

  Catalog Properties (Dialog)

  Record Properties (Dialog)


How to: Create New Patterns

One of the Fill Styles available for the LView Pro Fill Tool is Pattern. All patterns are stored in pattern files in the Patterns folder, located in the folder where LView Pro software was installed to. Pattern files are in Windows Bitmap format, using the file extension .pat. LView Pro can read these files for viewing or editing, although it is not recommended that you change them directly or their original contents will be lost.

You can add new patterns for use with the Fill Tool, here's how to do it:

•	Create the file containing the new pattern

Must be a file containing an image in Windows Bitmap format. Use LView Pro to create the image, or to read it from an existing image file. Then, use the Save As command to save the file into the Patterns folder.

•	Instruct LView Pro to use the new pattern

You must edit the file named Patterns.txt, located in the Patterns folder. This file can be edited using the Windows Notepad application. This file contains 2 lines of text for each pattern: the name of the pattern (displayed in the list of available patterns) and the filename where the pattern image is stored. Type a name for the new pattern, and the name of the file where you saved the pattern image (no path, just the filename and extension). Make sure to enter information in that order, and not to disturb existing information. The best way to enter the new information is by adding two new lines of text at the end of the file. The next time you execute LView Pro, the new pattern will be added to the list of available patterns.


How to: Create New Textures

LView Pro may, optionally, simulate Paper Textures when performing painting operations. Paper textures are stored in texture files, in the Textures folder, located in the folder where LView Pro was installed to. Texture files are in Windows Bitmap format, using the extension .tex. LView Pro can read these files for viewing or editing, although it is not recommended that you change them directly or their original contents will be lost.

In addition to being stored in Windows Bitmap files, Texture images must be in palette based format, and their color palette must contain 256 grayscale entries, from Black - palette entry 0 with RGB (0, 0, 0) - to White - palette entry 255 with RGB (255, 255, 255). Pixels in Texture images vary in transparency according to their color. White pixels are completely  opaque, and Black pixels are completely transparent.

You can add new textures for use with LView Pro painting operations, here's how to do it:

•	Create the Texture image

You can use LView Pro to paint it from scratch, to read it from an existing image file, or to scan it (or otherwise obtain it from a TWAIN compatible device ). Once you have the image, it must be prepared to be used as a Texture. Because of the way transparency in Textures is implemented, you may want to use the Negative pre-defined Color Adjustment operation , if your texture is defined using dark pixels. Then, use the Gray Palette Special Effect to transform the Texture image in palette based format with the color palette described above.

•	Store the Texture and instruct LView Pro to use it

Once the Texture image is ready, follow the same steps as you would to create a new Pattern . The differences are: Textures are stored in the Textures folder (not in the Patterns folder), and the text file to edit is named Textures.txt (not Patterns.txt).


How to Quickly Adjust Brightness & Contrast

Brightness and Contrast image attributes, among other color related attributes, can be edited using one of the Color Adjustment commands. However, because both these attributes are commonly used, LView Pro provides keyboard shortcuts to quickly change them. Unlike all other editing commands, these keyboard shortcuts also work when viewing the original images associated with Catalog Records.

Key	Effect
Asterisk  ( * )	Small Brightness Increase
Slash ( / )	Small Brightness Decrease
Shift Asterisk ( Shift+* )	Small Contrast Increase
Shift Slash ( Shift+/ )	Small Contrast Decrease