SBJV: Jpeg Image Viewer
(C) Scott M Baker
Purpose:
The purpose of this program is to display jpeg, bmp, tga (and possibly
other) image files on your computer screen. Several special features are
included, such as a slideshow mode, ability to stretch images to fit full
screen, and a visual picture index.
This program is designed to be a companion to SBNews/Newsbot, my nntp
download & decode program, although SBNews is not necessary for operation
of SBJV.
- 16-bit (Windows 3.1) Version: SBJV16xx.ZIP (xx denotes version
number)
- 32-bit (Windows 95) Version: SBJV32xx.ZIP (xx denotes version number
- Slideshow mode: Display images automaticly onscreen. Can be
set to forward, reverse, or random order.
- Encrypted Images: You may encrypt your image files with the enclosed
ENCRYPT.EXE utility and use SBJV to view the encrypted files, protecting
them from undesired viewers.
- Visual Index: a 4x4 scrollable grid of thumbnail images -- useful to
find a picture when you don't know the name, or as an overview of your image
collection
- One-click file categorization.
- JVIEW.EXE: Executable; what you need to run to get the program
to work.
- JVIEW.HTM: Documentation in HTML format (read with your browser)
- JVIEW.DOC: Documentation in plain-ASCII format (read with any plain
ascii text editor)
- BWCC.DLL (16-bit) or BWCC32.DLL (32-bit): Borlands Custom-Control DLL
library; used to support SBJV's grey dialog boxes.
- FILE_ID.DIZ: Brief description file; useful for bbs distribution
- REGISTER.HTM: Registration info in HTML format
- REGISTER.DOC: Registration info in plain-ASCII format
- README.1ST: General information on documentation & archives
- ENCRYPT.EXE: Standalone utility, Used to encrypt files on disk
- DECRYPT.EXE: Standalone utility, Used to decrypt files on disk
Here are some very quick notes on installing and using SBJV:
Installation:
- Unzip the distribution archive into the directory of your choice.
Running:
- Run JVIEW.EXE -- this can be done in various ways - from the
Win-95 command prompt, the Windows Explorer (and/or file manager), the Windows
Run Program command, etc.
- Along the right hand side will be a directory and file listing. You may
double-click entries in the directory listing to change working directories,
or double click filenames in the file list to view an image
- The "Index" button may be used to open up the visual index.
The visual index mode may be accessed by pushing the Index button
while you are in a directory containing pictures. When activated, it will
display a grid of thumbnail images, which are generated automatically by
SBJV based on the images in the current directory.
Double clicking on any image will cause the large viewer to display the
image.
SBJV was designed to allow easy one-click categorization of images.
To use the categorization features, do the following:
- Under the "Options" pull-down menu, select "Display Categorization
Pane". This will enable a vertical panel along the right side of the screen.
- On the categorization panel, use the "Add/Edit" button to add new categories
to the list. For each category, type in the category name and the physical
directory location.
- Once you have finished setting up your categories, you may click on any
category to automatically move the current image to that location.
- "-i INI_FILE_NAME". Sets the name of the INI file
to use. By default, SBJVuses the file newsbot.ini in your windows directory.
Specifying a filename here will cause newsbot to use the file under that
name in newsbot's home directory. For example "JView -i
jview1.ini" would use the filename "news1.ini" in newsbot's home
directory.
"-noabout"
. Omits display of the about dialog on startup
of SBJV. Note: Only supported in registered version!
- You can also place a single filename on the command line to cause jview
to load that filename. For example, "
jview c:\myfile.jpg
" would
load and display the file c:\myfile.jpg.
What are they?
SBJV includes a catalog image generator. Catalog images are images that
contain a collection of thumbnails. They are useful in case you wish to
distribute a summary of your collection of images to another user. For example,
catalogs are used widely in binary picture newsgroup to give an overview
of a selection of pictures before they are uploaded.
How do you generate them?
The option to generate catalogs is located under the File menu in the
main window of SBJV. First go into the directory you wish to generate the
catalogs from. Then, select "Generate Catalogs" from the file menu. You will
be presented with a rather complex dialog box of options. Most of these are
already set to the default values and need not be altered. Click on "Ok".
Your catalogs will be placed in your SBJV/SBNews directory (unless you have
specified otherwise).
What are all those complicated options?
There are several options that control the output of the catalogs. Most
are set to defaults and need not be modified. Here is a descriptive listing:
- Background Style. This controls the background
appearance of the catalogs (i.e. the area that is not covered by the thumbnails).
Several different styles are available depending on your personal preference.
- Raised Groupbox / Sunken Groupbox. These simulate a 3-dimensional
box around each image. The background color is automatically chosen to be
light gray.
- Flat Gray / Flat Black / Flat White. These are pure colors.
- Tiled "Blend" of image. This takes another image (specified in the blend
field) and tiles it for use as the background. The effect is similar to how
MS-Windows can tile an image for wallpaper on your desktop.
- Stretched "Blend" of image. This takes another image (specified in the
blend field) and stretches it to fill the background. Aspect ratio is not
preserved, so some images may not look right in this perspective.
- Blend Filename. This is the name of the file that
will be blended into a background if you specified Tiled/Stretched blend
as the background style above. Any JPG/GIF/BMP file will work.
- Thumbnail Image Properties.
- Center image in box. This causes each thumbnail image to be centered
within it's box rather than aligning it to the upper left corner.
- Fast integer scaling. Causes images to be scaled to a multiple of 1/2,
1/4, or 1/8. The image will probably not fill the whole box in this case.
You probably should NOT check this option unless you have a good reason for
doing so.
- Output File Path. This specifies the path to which
output files will be written. It defaults to the directory in which SBJV/SBNews
was loaded.
- Output File Name. This is the name of each catalog file.
Do NOT specify a path or extention for the filename. The extention "jpg"
will automatically be added. Catalog numbers will also be added automatically.
- Cat-Number padding. This controls how numbers are
represented in the filename. This is best shown by example:
- No Padding: example "cat1.jpg", "cat2.jpg", ..., "cat99.jpg"
- Pad 1 digit: example "cat1.jpg", "cat2.jpg", ..., "cat99.jpg"
- Pad 2 digits: example "cat01.jpg", "cat02.jpg", ..., "cat99.jpg"
- Pad 3 digits: example "cat001.jpg", "cat002.jpg", ..., "cat099.jpg"
- Initial Cat-Num. This is the starting number for
the catalog filenames. You can start it anywhere you'd like, but "1" is usually
a good bet.
- Output Image Size. This specifies the resolution of
the catalog files. You may choose anything you like -- larger resolutions
offer better quality and/or more images per page, but require a higher resolution
display to view them fullsize. 800x600 or 1024x768 is usually a good choice.
- Number of Columns. The number images across a page from
left to right.
- Number of Rows. The number of images down a page from
top to bottom.
There is also a button called "Annotate" which will let you
configure a header (text across the top of a page) and a footer (text across
the bottom of a page) to be added to the catalogs. This is a good place to
put a title or copyright information.
I would like to thank the following people for their help, support,
or contributions to SBNews/Newsbot and SBJV:
- The many people who've helped me beta-test!
- The Independent JPEG Group
- The ISO Jpeg Standards Committee
- Brian Kantor & Phil Lapsley (RFC977)
- S. Barber (NNTP Extensions document)
- The Papa winsock site
- The Tucows winsock site
- Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen, "Notes on News"
SBJV is a shareware program and as such, you are only granted
the right to operate it for a limited time to evaluate it's performance.
Continued usage requires registration in the amount of $15.00.
For information on registration, please see REGISTER.DOC (or REGISTER.HTM).
US-Mail:
Scott M. Baker
2241 W Labriego
Tucson, Az 85741
United States of America
My Bulletin board:
The Not-Yet-Named BBS
(520) 544-4655 (USR Dual 14.4k)
(520) 797-8573 (USR Sportster 28.8k)
Email:
smbaker@primenet.com
My Homepage:
http://www.primenet.com/~smbaker
Find the latest SBNews/Newsbot at this address:
http://www.primenet.com/~smbaker/sbnews/sbnews.html
Find the latest SBJV at this address:
http://www.primenet.com/~smbaker/sbjv/sbjv.html
- Version 1.0
- Split SBJV from SBNews to form a standalone utility
- Initial public release
- Version 1.1
- Fixed problem with 256-color mode
- Fixed File:Exit command causing crash (well, it did exit!)
- Fixed scrollbars shutting off when scrolled all the way down
- Added categorization system to jpeg viewer
- Toggles for categorization and directory panes
- Version 1.2
- Changed ICON to reflect program name
- Misc small bug fixes
- Version 1.3
- 32-bit packing in 32-bit version
- Documentation update for categorization & visual index modes
- Fixed abort problem in unregistered about dialog
- Added stretch to min(Window,Fullsize) option to jpeg viewer
- Added center option to jpeg viewer
- Made Jpeg picture viewer background gray
- Eliminated flicker when resizing JPeg viewer
- Spiffed up appearance of Jpeg and Index windows with gray background
- Added file marking options to jpeg viewer
- Added "only display marked files" option to slideshow
- Made move and delete handle marked batches of files
- Version 1.4
- Fixed problem with jpeg viewer delete button causing crash
- Added Next and Previous menu items to Jpeg viewer menu
- Added keyboard shortcuts for next and previous items in Jpeg viewer
- Fixed tabbing problems in jpeg viewer somewhat
- Mouse click+drag can be used to scroll images in jpeg viewer
- Fixed JPeg viewer categorization pane getting messed up when window resize
- Improved GrayStatic control; Eliminated unneccessary repaint of full
control
- Version 2.0
- Added automatic lookahead to Jpeg viewer
- Maybe fixed a memory leak while viewing GIF/BMP files
- Set literal strings in code segment option in 16-bit version (save dseg
space)
- Added print command to jpeg viewer
- Added generate catalogs command to jpeg viewer
- Added context sensitive help to several dialog boxes
- Added splitter to Jpeg Window to allow resizing of file/dir pane
- Added horizontal scrollbars to Jpeg Window file/dir pane
- Raised maximum number of Jpeg categories to 75
- Categorization pane will automatically go multi-column if necessary
- Version 2.1
- Fixed GPF in 16-bit version due to insufficient stack space
- Changed JView path storage to use a variable rather than system wide
cwd
so one JView window won't interfere with another's path
- Fixed help file problem if program not loaded from directory with help
file+
- Version 2.2
- Spiffed up overwrite dialog box
- Added optional filename argument to command line
- Fixed -noabout command line switch which wasn't working
- Version 2.3
- Added join directories command to jpeg viewer
- Jpeg viewer can now load bmp's with less than 256 colors
- Added additional information to jpeg viewer overwrite messagebox