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Table Of Contents ----------------- Page 2 -- Distance Calculator Page 2 -- Pad Canvas Page 2 -- Virtual Memory accommodation Page 3 -- Custom Area Shape Selections Page 4 -- ANIM OP-5 Generation from Sequencer Page 5 -- Automatic Custom Display Updating Page 6 -- Roll Image Geometric Process Page 7 -- Compose and Process panels reorganized Page 8 -- Zoom Clip Page 9 -- Image masks Page 10 -- Shadows in Compositing Page 11 -- FilmStrips Page 12 -- Sequence Processing Page 17 -- Morphing Page 25 -- List Requester (ARexx-based capability) Page 25 -- Load Image as Secondary Page 25 -- Load Image as Blend Page 25 -- Load Image as Brush Page 26 -- Co-ordinates Page 26 -- Grid Page 27 -- Adding Noise Page 27 -- Clip to exact size (F/x) Page 27 -- X-Specs Over-Under Page 27 -- X-Specs Interleave Page 27 -- X-Specs Separate Page 28 -- F/x User Transforms Page 28 -- Stretch (Scale, Zoom) Page 28 -- Map to Range Page 29 -- Color Balance Page 29 -- Numeric Area Selection Page 30 -- Black Balance Page 30 -- Force Dynamic Page 30 -- X-Specs Conversion Page 31 -- Absolute Resample - no anti-aliasing Page 31 -- Merge with Render from Range Page 32 -- Additional Render Controls and Capabilties Page 33 -- Compose with Logical OR Page 33 -- Compose with Logical AND Page 33 -- Multiple Blend Technique Application Page 33 -- Smooth Edge Blending as a Percentage Page 33 -- Masks Page 34 -- Color Separations Page 36 -- CMYK and RGB Recombination Page 37 -- Genlocking Page 38 -- DCTV Page 38 -- Brushes Page 38 -- Color Definition Page 39 -- Palette Mapping Page 39 -- Paint Settings To Disk Page 40 -- New fill modes Page 41 -- Dual Range Fills Page 43 -- DPI operations Page 43 -- Initialize buffer to Color Page 43 -- Setup Panel Page 43 -- Information Panel Page 43 -- Display Panel Page 44 -- Dither Off Page 44 -- Public Interface Modules Page 56 -- ARexx Port Names Page 56 -- Render command changed Page 56 -- Filerequest command changed Page 56 -- Newbuf command (changed) Page 56 -- Firecracker-specific manipulation (new commands) Page 57 -- Finding the mouse location from ARexx (new command) Page 57 -- coords <show> <top> (new command) Page 57 -- grid <on> <xgrid> <ygrid> <xoff> <yoff> (new command) Page 57 -- newasprimary (new command) Page 57 -- newbuf (changed) Page 57 -- fromdigiview (changed) Page 58 -- dome (changed) Page 58 -- caric (changed) Page 59 -- imagemaspect (new command) Page 59 -- loadimask (new command) Page 59 -- saveimask (new command) Page 59 -- loadmask (new command) Page 59 -- savemask (new command) Page 60 -- backuptoundo (new command) Page 60 -- coords <show> [showattop] (new command) Page 60 -- grid <on> <xgrid> <ygrid> <xoffs> <yoffs> (new command) Page 60 -- autoactivate (new command) Page 61 -- setpalette (new command) Page 62 -- DISPLAYMODE (new command) Page 62 -- pal (new command) Page 63 -- autoprimary <mode> (new command) Page 63 -- newbrush <bufferNumber> (new command) Page 63 -- newblend <bufferNumber> (new command) Page 63 -- loadassecondary <name> (new command) Page 63 -- loadasblend <name> (new command) Page 63 -- loadasbrush <name> (new command) Page 64 -- render (changed) Page 65 -- CANCEL command (new command) Page 66 -- Public Interface Page 66 -- Installing the PI Modules Page 66 -- Image Locking Page 67 -- Unlock Buffer (in Buffer Panel) Page 69 -- PI Module Code Examples Page 71 -- Changes List (from v7.00 onwards) Information Updated September 8th, 1992 ============================================================== I M A G E M A S T E R for the Amiga (Also applies to F/c and HAM-E versions) ============================================================== Information current to version 9.17 of these programs Document Author: Ben Williams Software: Barry Chalmers, Ben Williams, Pete Patterson +-----------------NOTICE------------------+ | This information is copyright 1991,1992 | | Black Belt Systems, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | | under the Pan-American Conventions. | +-----------------------------------------+ The latest versions of our image processing software have many additional functions which are not described in the manual. This document describes those capabilities until a new manual is released. For developers, please note that we have included much more detailed information on the Public Interface; and that the release disk does contain a directory with a complete example of how to write a PI Module using SAS C. Until we do formally reprint the manual, additional documentation will be provided in on-disk format, ready for printing on your own printer. We had originally planned to print continual addendums, but there is no way we can keep up with the fast pace of development of this program using something as conventional as paper. We will eventually reprint the image processor manual with this new information included. Assuming you are a registered user, you will be notified at that time what you'll need to do to obtain the new paper manual. Make certain you register! This on-disk documentation has been carefully formatted to be printable on virtually any printer providing it has at least 60 lines per page, is able to print at least 80 columns of text, and understands the industry standard "$0C" (decimal 12) character as a "form feed". For a quick update on what changes have been made to the image processor, see the changes list at the end of this document. The latest changes are at the end of the list. The features described there will be at the beginning of the main descriptions, except if there was already a section on that subject. We hope you enjoy these additional capabilities! -1- Distance Calculator =================== This tool is found in the analysis panel. It allows you to convert distances between Inches, cm, picas, points, Horizontal pixels, and Vertical pixels. This works with the distance and area calculation capabilties already available in Imagemaster. Pad Canvas ========== This tool is found in the resizing and clipping panel, under the process main panel. It's function is to pad the selected area to a new size, and it allows the user to position the clipped and padded area into any one of nine specific regions. You could use this to easily center an image in an otherwise blank display, for instance. Following is the ARexx coding for this operation: 'padcanvas <Xsize> <Ysize> <Position> <NewName>' ARexx command. [returns the buffer number] Xsize and Ysize are the dimensions of the new buffer, Position is 1 = Top Left 2 = Top Center 3 = Top Right 4 = Middle Left 5 = Middle Center 6 = Middle Right 7 = Bottom Left 8 = Bottom Center 9 = Bottom Right The Following is a working script : /* ARexx example of PADCANVAS operation * / address('IM_Port'); 'entire'; options results; 'padcanvas 400 400 5 NewClip'; 'newcurrent '||result; exit 0; Virtual Memory accommodation ============================ In the SETUP panel, a button marked "Use Public Memory" is now available. This button is (by default) selected; Imagemaster's philosophy about memory is that since it needs to get at it's own images, and external PI modules also need to, then the image memory should be public. Some virtual memory managers, in particular GigaMem from Germany, make the assumption that memory which is to be virtual is NOT public; they look at the type of memory a program asks for and if the memory is not public, they will allocate virtual memory. Since VM is very, very useful when processing large images, we have provided a way for Imagemaster to NOT use public memory. Just release the button and save the config; then restart Imagemaster. -2- Custom Area Shape Selections ============================ The image manipulation software now has the capability to use an unlimited number of custom shapes for selecting areas for processing, composition, analysis, painting and so on. In the area selection panel, you will now find "Load New Shape", "Shape From Center", and "Shape From Corner". Until you load a custom shape, the other two selections will be ghosted. Shape files have the extension ".ish" attached to them. We have provided a number of them with the program, you may place them anywhere in your computer's filesystem. Once you have specified a directory to load shapes from, saving the preferences of the image manipulation program (from the setup panel) will cause this location to be remembered permanently. You can use any one custom shape at a time. Once one is loaded, it stays loaded until you load a new shape. Some that we have provided with this release are triangles, pentagons, octagons and stars. You can create these shapes yourself, too, if you're handy with graph paper and comfortable editing ASCII files. ".ish" files contain only ASCII text. Examining one will show the very simple structure of the files. Blank lines "lift the pen" which allows you to make shapes that are multiple - that is, disjoint. Lines which begin with an asterisk are comments; these are ignored by the image manipulation software. Lines with co-ordinates on them are used as active point locations for the shape. We suggest you examine the "Triangle.ish" file, as it is very easy to understand. There is also an "example.ish" file which is designed to be instructive. When drawing with a custom shape, you can reposition it by pressing the right mouse button. Note that shapes from center act differently than shapes from corner. Note also that changing the direction you move the mouse when you drag out the shape will reverse (or flip, or both) the shape you are drawing. Shapes can be used in the line drawing tools inside the paint portion of the program --- you may find this a fine aid to construction of certain types of drawings. They may also be used with the morph tools. If you design your own shape files, please feel free to upload them to CompuServe or to our company support BBS, where other users of our software will be able to benefit from them. Our support BBS number is (406) 367-2227. ---------- -3- ANIM OP-5 Generation from Sequencer =================================== We have added the capability to generate Amiga animations directly from within the image manipulation software. Both the sequencer and the morph generator can do this. You must install the latest PI Modules from the disks (or the telecomm distribution archive) for this to work. Whenever you wish to generate anims, you simply set up three of the four script entries in the sequencer or the morph generator with the names of three predefined scripts. The script entries and the exact contents are as follows: Name Of Script Exact Contents ------------------ -------------- Opening Script rxpi:animwr1.rexx Pre-Render Script Post-Render Script rxpi:animwr3.rexx Closing Script rxpi:animwr4.rexx Note that there is nothing specified for the "Pre-Render" script. This is intentional. For almost all cases of morphing, no Pre-Render script is required. For almost all cases of sequencing with the exception of batch rendering, you will want to use your own, custom script to specify what effects will occur during the sequence. For instance, the example scripts given later on in this document all belong in the Pre-Render script entry. If you use this with this anim generation capability, then all four script entries will be used. You don't have to worry about the three we provide; they will work very well with the others described here. Once you have placed the scripts named above in the proper three entries, rendered output from the sequencer or morph generator will go directly to ANIM format. You must remember to select a render mode appropriate for the animation, as well as a render output size and so forth - this will ensure that the animation is the type you want it to be. Note that some animation players require the use of a constant palette, or will simply look better if you use a constant palette. For the technically minded: --------------------------- The four scripts now available in the sequencer allow you to have total control over the disposition of the files generated. This ANIM generator is a good example of what you can do. All you need to know is that the Opening script runs once, before all other activity; the pre-render script runs just before each frame is rendered or saved; the post-render script runs just after each frame is rendered or saved; and the closing script runs once after all frames have been generated. You can use these four "launches" to completely control any external disposition of the generated files. Output to film recorders or single-frame video recorders are obvious applications. The possibilities are endless, and the flexibility is unlimited. ---------- -4- Automatic Custom Display Updating ================================= With version 9.09, we have added the capability to automatically lauch a script every time the software re-displays the current buffer to the monitor. This capability is meant to be used with pre-prepared scripts and commands provided by Black Belt or other developers. What it does for you is allows you to view on a different display than the one you normally use (for instance, the Amiga graphics output when using Imagemaster), the current condition of the primary image, automatically. We have provided the first of these automatic update display modules for Impulse's FC24 board. If you have an FC24, and are using it on a separate monitor, simply place... rxpi:imfc24.rexx ...in the entry entitled "redraw script" inside the display panel. (You must use the imfc24 script from the latest PI Module distribution; earlier versions of the PI Module are not capable of this). Once this is set, press the "Call Redraw Script" button and you're ready to go. From now on, the image you're working on will be maintained on the independant FC24 monitor as well as on the Amiga (or HAM-E) display. This only works in the standard Imagemaster. In the provided imfc24.rexx script, there are several variables at the beginning of the script that may be set by the user to control the display resolution used on the FC24 during automatic updates. For Developers: --------------- Using this new capability is simple. The scripts which are called from the "redraw script" entry are called with the following 5 parameters: "JACKIN" - structure pointer (in ASCII Hexadecimal) "X1" - leftmost point of the area which needs redrawing "Y1" - topmost point of the area which needs redrawing "X2" - rightmost point of the area which needs redrawing "Y2" - bottommost point of the area which needs redrawing An ARexx script that uses these might look like... /* Sample Automatic Display Script For Developers */ parse arg jacker x1 y1 x2 y2; /* get parameters */ address command cmpi:mydupdate jacker x1 y1 x2 y2; /* do it! */ 'finish'; /* Very Important - tells us we can continue */ ...here, the ARexx variables "jacker", "x1", "y1", "x2" and "y2" are automatically set by our software when we call your script. You can then use the data in these variables to instruct your display control program what it is it needs to do. Here, we're calling a hypothetical program called "mydupdate" which would take these variables and then deal with the display it is written to handle. Finally, we use 'finish'; to tell our software it may continue processing. ---------- -5- Roll Image Geometric Process ============================ This operation allows you to roll an image in the horizontal, vertical or both directions. Normal rolling goes down and right; negative roll amounts cause rolling to go left or up. There are three roll modes. The first is "wrap", where the portion of the image that has rolled off of the edge re-appears on the opposite edgein the newly opened area. The second is "fill with edge pixels", where the pixels rolled off the edge are lost and the incoming edge is filled with a duplicate of the receeding edge of the image. The third is "pad with color", where the pixels rolled off the edge are lost and the incoming edge is filled with a solid color you select using "set foreground color" in the process panel. This function is located in the Geometric Operations panel, which itself is located under the main Process panel. ARexx Operation --------------- rollimage <xamount> <yamount> <mode> parameters <required> [optional] : <xamount> - a positive or negative value for horizontal roll <yamount> - a positive or negative value for vertical roll <mode> - 0=wrap, 1=edge fill, 2=color fill. effects: ARexx variable RC is set to zero if no problems, nonzero if the user presses "CANCEL" while the effect is being generated example of use: /* simple test script for 'rollimage' */ address 'IM_Port'; /* allows us to talk to our software */ 'rollimage' 10 10 0; /* do the roll in edge wrap mode. */ if rc ~= 0 then say "User Pressed Cancel!"; /* informer */ exit 0; /* all done! */ ---------- -6- Compose and Process panels reorganized ====================================== With version 9.00, a major reorganization of the image processing and composition control panels was put into effect. This was done for two main reasons. First, the process panel and the F/x panel, a panel of other process operations, had both become so loaded with functions that it was quickly becoming a significant effort to locate a particular tool - especially if that tool wasn't one you used often (and so were not quite familiar with where it was placed). The compose panel, though not nearly as heavily loaded, suffered from a similar problem. The new panel organization, while quite different from the organization present in versions 1.00 through 8.02, is easier to learn and easier to use because it is more highly structured. The second reason comes about because the image manipulation software does not contain pre-drawn buttons (gadgets). Instead, it generates the buttons and other controls needed for a particular panel only when it is time to open that panel, and then discards them after that panel has been closed. We designed it this way because it saves many hundreds of thousands of bytes of ram during operation, and also reduces the main program size on disk by the same amount. These are both significant benefits; however, when a large panel needs to be generated, the time involved to create the control images and other items for display can become significant. The new organization of the panels results in more control panels, all of which contain fewer controls... so the individual panels are generated more quickly. In addition to the major panel rework, other user interface changes were also made to help ease the program's operation. The "info" panel is now accessable directly from the main panel; the render controls in the File I/o panel have been subtly re-arranged to be easier to use; the program's autoactivation capabilities have been steamlined for more efficient operation; the font list requester was widened for easier use with longer font names; you can now use the 2.0 (ASL) file requester if you prefer, and the sequence processor can now sort the file list for you. The following lists show the general organization of the new panels; the number following each new panel represents the number of basic tools in each. In many cases, these tools lead to still other tools and effects, totalling many hundreds of different operations. Process --------- Standard Adjustments ( 22 ) R,G,B Corrections ( 9 ) Filters ( 21 ) Geometric Transformations ( 19 ) Special Effects ( 33 ) Analysis ( 8 ) Resizing and Clipping ( 9 ) Set Blend ( 10 ) Compose --------- Linear Compositions ( 8 ) Color Keyed Compositions ( 8 ) Color Recombinations ( 7 ) Algebraic Compositions ( 4 ) Logical Compositions ( 3 ) Special Compositions ( 7 ) Composition Controls ( 5 ) -7- Zoom Clip ========= This operation allows you to zoom in a specific amount "into" the image in the primary buffer. It is located in the Process, Resizing and Clipping panel. The intention is to allow zooms within animation sequences to be generated in a natural manner. You can specify the percentage to zoom in, and also the output resolution for the resulting clip. Note that the output resolution will always default to the same resolution as the current primary image. Remember that the higher the resolution of the source image, the more detail will result in the zoom. Extreme magnifications, while smooth, will very likely not appear realistic. We suggest that for extreme zoom effects, you may wish to generate several sequences using different resolution sources. ARexx Operation --------------- zoomclip <xzoom> <yzoom> <xc> <yc> <name> [xs] [ys] parameters: <xzoom> - required Percentage from 101% to 2000% <yzoom> - required Percentage from 101% to 2000% <xc> ---- required Horizonal (X) Center, in pixels <yc> ---- required Vertical (Y) Center, in pixels <name> -- required Name for the newly created clip [xs] ---- optional (X) Size for newly created clip [ys] ---- optional (Y) Size for newly created clip effects: ARexx variable RC is set to zero if no problems, nonzero for error if OPTIONS RESULTS is in effect, returns ARexx variable "RESULT" as the number of the newly created clip. example of use: /* test script for 'zoomclip' in sequence processor */ options results /* let image processor return results */ 'tween 101 200'; /* get value for this frame, 101% to 200% */ Z = result; /* copy to variable named "Z" */ 'zoomclip' Z Z 100 100 "zoomed image" 320 200; /* do the zoom */ 'finish'; /* tell image processor script is done */ ---------- -8- Image masks =========== General ------- In the image processor, images may have a local mask. This mask is permanently associated with the image, and its purpose is to define the usable (valid) region of the image. For instance, if you create a text object image, there is a mask that is the shape of the text which "masks off" the rest of the image area, which is actually rectangular. In addition, when you specify a region of an image you want to do something to with any of the region selection tools, you are creating a temporary mask within which the effect is to occur. In normal operation, if the image has a local mask, both the local mask and the temporary main (area selection) mask are used to specify the region to be affected. Loading and Saving Masks ------------------------ You may load,and save masks from and to both the main (area selection) and local (validation) masks. In addition, you can specify logical operations to occur when you load a mask; you can 'or' it with the currently existing mask, replace the current mask with it, and so on. Note that there are corresponding ARexx commands for loading and saving both masks. Virtual Resolution ------------------ Masks are saved in the resolution of the image they are associated with, so this is the limit of detail you can save. When masks are loaded, however, they are scaled to the same size as the current image. This "virtual" resizing allows you to use a mask as a cookie- cutter on any size image simply given that you've defined it the way you want to. One example of this might be to create a text object, and then save the mask. Now, reload that mask as the image mask using replace, and the only parts of the image that are valid are those regions within the shapes of the letters. This is a very powerful capability. Masks from ARexx ---------------- From ARexx, you can use masks with the sequence processor very handily. Say you have a series of images within which you wish to affect the same relative region. Load one of the images, and carefully define the area to be affected. Save the main mask. Now, in the sequence processing script, you can reload that mask using REPLACE mode and each image processed in the sequence will be affected in the same region. The ARexx commands are 'loadmask', 'savemask', 'loadimask' and 'saveimask'. All are explained later in this document. The load commands have logical variations; and, or, xor, subtract, replace. ---------- -9- Shadows in Compositing ====================== General ------- Shadows can be generated as an additional effect during compositing operations. There are two controls in the Compose panel that facilitate this. The "switch" that controls whether a shadow is generated is called "Shadow Enable". When this is selected, a shadow is generated. How the shadow appears is controlled by the panel that appears when you select "Shadow Control" from the compose panel. In this panel you will find the means to set the direction of the shadow to any angle, its intensity (how dark the shadow appears) and the length of the shadow. The angle should be set to the opposite direction that you want the illumination to appear to be coming from. '0' degrees is straight up, and as the angle increases, the shadow proceeds clockwise from that position. 1/4 of a turn is 90 degrees. Shadow intensity is least (lightest) when it is set to zero, and most intense (darkest) when it is set to 255. Note that if you are using any blending techniques, the shadow will also obey the blend parameters; a partially transparent object will produce a lighter shadow than a non-transparent object. The shadow will follow the transparency curve of the object exactly unless you specifically tell it not to. The length of the shadow is specified in pixels, and it essentially defines the distance that the shadow position is offset from the position you placed the original item being composited. This capability allows you to create shadows with realistic soft edges easily. One technique you might like to try is setting a blend with very soft edges, and with shadow on, compositing the images together. Next, turn the shadow off, and the blending off; now re-composite the images using "Previous Region". This will generate a perfect shadow with soft edges, yet the composed image will be sharp. This effect duplicates what happens when an object is removed a significant distance from the surface where the shadow is cast. ---------- -10- FilmStrips ========== General ------- The image processor's film strip capability provides you with two distinct capabilities; - you can have a visual record of what you've been doing - you can animate the contents of a filmstrip as a test The filmstrip contents may be saved and reloaded; you can view the filmstrip in interlace or non-interlace; you can manually insert frames or let the image processor do it for you, automatically; you can use a VCR-style control panel to go anywhere in the filmstrip; and you can set the filmstrip to any length you like (based upon how much memory you have, of course). You can choose between either a B&W filmstrip, or a color filmstrip. There is a tradeoff here; B&W filmstrips are very good for detail, but you can't see any color effects that may be important to you. Color filmstrips, while very good at generally representing color, are very rough by comparison due to the dithering techniques that must be used to make full color images from a 16-color preset Amiga palette. Color filmstrips work much better as an interlace filmstrip since there are twice as many pixels available for the dither to use. If you use a color filmstrip and want it to be viewed with the supplied viewer (FilmView), then you'll need to ensure that version 1.01 of the viewer is being used (this is supplied on the current release disks). When you change the length of the filmstrip, if the new length is longer than the previous length, the filmstrip contents are retained. If the new length is shorter, then any frames which were "deeper" into the filmstrip than its new length will be lost. You can change the animation playback from "pong" to "loop"; this will come in handy often. Reverse animation is also available. Other controls available include insertion, deletion and swapping of frames. Frames are numbered to facilitate these operations. You'll find the filmstrip controls in the DISPLAY, Morph and Sequence panels. Filmstrip allocation (creation) is performed only in the display panel. ---------- -11- Sequence Processing =================== General ------- In the File I/o panel, the control "Set Up Multi-frame Sequence" provides access to the sequence processor. This is a capability that allows you to select a group of images to be loaded (or you can select a single image to come from the secondary buffer), processed, and optionally resaved in either 24-bit IFF format or rendered to another display mode - or both. We strongly suggest you have the FilmStrip operating when you do sequence processing. This will allow you to see each frame as it is processed as a history, which is very enlightening. Also, if you elect to run the sequence without generating any output, you can use the filmstrip to examine the general effect to see if it was what you wanted. Processing is done using a very simplified form of an ARexx script, which can be as simple as three lines of text, or as complex as you like. The script you choose is executed once for each frame in the sequence - we'll show you how to do it here. It is very important that you take the time to look at the example scripts presented here, even if you are NOT an ARexx user; we have designed this capability so that you can use it VERY easily and if you elect to ignore it you're going to be shooting yourself in the foot - no kidding. Brief Description ----------------- Essentially, multi frame sequence processing is broken up into two stages. First, you need to prepare a simplified ARexx script that will process your images in the fashion you desire. Second, you use the sequence processing control panel to select a set of images to apply these effects to; you also select what you want done with the results - save them as IFF, render them to a particular output mode, or discard them (this last is useful to test scripts to see if they have the desired effect). As we mentioned previously, we strongly suggest you leave the filmstrip turned on. One of the most revealing things you can do to a sequence to see if it's what you wanted is to animate it using the filmstrip. You can see if the results are smooth enough; if not, you should use more frames. Perhaps you'll determine that you can get away with fewer frames. Even if you got everything perfect on the first try, it's nice to have that confirmed by the filmstrip animation. -12- We describe two example ARexx scripts in painstaking detail further on in this document; we'll begin with a description of the options available to you in the sequence control panel. Sequence Control Panel ---------------------- This control panel presents you with two lists, one on each side of the display. The list on the left acts like a file requester; you use it to navigate through the Amiga's filesystem and choose files. Each file you choose from the left hand list is placed into the right hand list, which is the list of files that will be processed for this sequence. Below the lists are the name of the ARexx script that will be used to process each of the selected images, and the number of image files that have been selected for processing. Finally, at the bottom of the display are a set of controls which allow you to set up various items used in the sequence processing. Here is a description of each control: "Set Path" allows you to set the path where the list requester will begin looking for image files. "Parent" causes the left list requester to change directories to the parent directory of where it is currently located. "Set Script" allows you to specify up to four ARexx scripts to be used to process the sequence of images. "Save List" and "Load List" allow you to save and reload the right-hand list of images for later use. "Delete Entry" allows you to remove a particular image file from the right hand list after clicking on that entry. "Film" provides access to the filmstrip controls. "Run List" opens a new control panel where you specify the output filenames for the results of the sequence process operation; you can cancel out of this panel if needed, or you can execute the operation there. You can also use the secondary or primary buffer as the source for the operation, repeatedly. "Done" exits the sequence processing panel without actually doing a sequence. ARexx Script Particulars ------------------------ There is one new command which must be used at the end of any script that is built for multi-frame processing. This command is 'finish'; It tells the image processor that all operations in the script have completed, so another image may be loaded (or the operation can terminate, if the last frame has been processed. If you neglect to include the 'finish' command, only the first frame of the sequence will be processed. -13- In addition to the 'finish'; command, we have provided the 'tween'; command. You'll use it in scripts where you want various parameters to change from frame to frame. We'll show you how to use this command a little further on. For the user who really wants to get into the "nitty gritty" of working with these scripts, two arguments are always passed to the ARexx script which you may use if you like. The first argument is the current image number. In other words, if you have selected 20 images to be processed, and this is the third image, then this argument will be "3". For a sequence of 20 images, the argument will go from 1 to 20; it will never be zero. The second argument passed is the total number of frames. In the example we explained just previously, the second argument would be 20. These two arguments can be used to control anything you can imagine, but require you to be fairly sophisticated in your script-writing. For the vast majority of users, the 'tween'; command will handle everything you need to do. Constant Effects Across Multiple Frames --------------------------------------- Here is a very simple example of how to apply a particular set (constant) effect across a sequence of images. /* SimpleSeq.rexx - minimal demonstration script */ 'entire'; /* specify do entire image */ 'contrast 50'; /* 50% contrast increase */ 'finish'; /* mandatory final command */ SimpleSeq.rexx is a good example showing just how really simple a script can be. It selects the region to be affected (the entire image), applies a 50% contrast to that region, then informs the image processor that it may proceed to the next image in the sequence. If you select 60 images, all of them will have this exact amount of increased contrast. Variable Effects Across Multiple Frames --------------------------------------- We'll look at how you might gradually apply the contrast effect over time now, using the 'tween'; command. The example script here has only three more lines than the example that showed you how to apply a constant level of contrast; this clearly shows how easy it is to create extremely powerful, perfectly sequenced effects automatically. If you've been avoiding ARexx, it's time to have some real fun! Here is the actual script, ready to use: /* Contrast.rexx - shows how to get varying effects across frames */ options results; /* this tells IM, IMFC or IP to return "result" */ 'entire'; /* select entire image as operation target */ 'tween 0 100'; /* get "tween" value into autovariable "result" */ 'contrast '||result; /* apply the tweened amount, changing smoothly */ 'finish'; /* mandatory final command - end of script */ <detailed explanation provided on next page> -14- Here is a line by line explanation of the script. /* Contrast.rexx - shows how to get varying effects across frames */ -------------------------------------------------------------------- This line is an ARexx "comment". It serves two purposes here. First, the ARexx language says that the first line of an ARexx script MUST be a comment - so you have to at least put the comment delimiters in the first line, shown here... /* */ ...or ARexx won't even attempt to execute the script. The other purpose is to inform you what the script is about. After all, since you are required to put the comment there, it might as well be useful, eh? Comment lines may appear anywhere and have no effect upon the actual operation of the script. options results; ---------------- This is a command to the ARexx language itself which informs any program receiving a command (the image processor, in this case) that it is ok to return a value if a macro command is executed that should return one. If this line is not present, then you won't get a value back from the image processor. We need it here because the 'tween' command does need to return a result to the script (see the next explanatory paragraph for details on this). 'entire'; --------- This is a command to the image processor which tells it that the region we want to affect by the next process we execute is the entire image. You might have used 'oval' or 'rect' here instead, if you just wanted to contrast a portion of the image. 'tween 0 100'; -------------- This command to the image processor is the key to easy variable processes over multiple frames. What it is saying is that over the course of this sequence, the starting value (for the first frame processed) is to be "0"; and the ending value (for the last frame processed) is to be "100". The tween command uses this information with internal information the image processor maintains about how many frames there are and which one is being processed now, to determine the appropriate value to return for this particular frame in the sequence - no matter what frame it is. The 'tween' command can start with a low value and go to a high one, or vice- versa. It can also handle negative numbers. For operations where there are multiple parameters, just use multiple 'tween' commands and put the "result" from each into it's own variable. The 'tween' command is simple, and very powerful. Here are some examples... 'tween -100 100'; var1 = result; 'tween 100 0'; var2 = result; 'tween -75 50'; var3 = result; ...now var1, var2 and var3 could be used later as different parameters for a script that needed several different values. <explanation continued on next page> -15- 'contrast '||result; -------------------- This is the actual command to the image processor which instructs it to apply a certain amount of contrast to the image of the sequence that is currently being processed. The image processor's contrast command can take values from -100 to 100, and the variable "result" contains a value within these limits, which we got from the 'tween' command. Note that the variable "result" is set whenever you call ANY command to the image processor after executing "options results", so it is constantly being reset to a new value. Often, the best course is to copy the value in "result" to a new variable, like we showed you in the explanation for the 'tween' command. Here's another example... 'tween -25 25'; tweenvalue = result; ...where the semicolons serve to separate ARexx commands. The next command changing the contents of "result" won't unintentionally lose you your returned value here. In the script example, because we use "result" immediately after we get it from the 'tween' command, we don't need to copy it, it's still got the value we wanted in it. The dual vertical bars are a concatination operator; they "glue" text together. Let's say that the variable "result" contains the number "25". The result of this line will be sent to the image processor and it will look like this... contrast 25 ...which is exactly what you want. 'finish'; --------- This line tells the image processor that the script is complete. The sequence processing then knows to go on and load the next frame to be worked upon, or to terminate if the last frame has been completed. Note that the scripts described here belong in the "Pre-Render" script entry. The other three script entries are used to control more complex batch operations. ---------- -16- Morphing ======== General ------- This is a compose operation. Morphing is the process of combining two images to form a third image, using geometric (positional), timing and color information from both source images. Usually, it is also taken to mean the generation of a sequence of images which provide a continuous (or as nearly so as possible) change from one image to the other. This effect is the basis for many current video and cinematic scenes of startling content. You'll find it under "Special Combinations" in the Compose Panel. You can only use it if you have both a primary and a secondary image loaded. The Morph capability implemented in our image processor provides the abilities to generate individual frames as needed, or a sequence of frames to your specifications. You have excellent control over the three most important factors in the process: 1 - The geometry transform information (positional changes) 2 - The colorimetry transform information (transparency changes) 3 - The velocity of individual positional changes (rate of change) The first, geometric control is provided by the user specifying "control points" on both of the source images. To understand what this means, let's consider a simple example. Say you wish to apply the morph process (we'll simply call this "morph" from now on) to a man's face and a woman's face. The images are quite different; the man is swarthy and has a wide, solid face, while the woman is elegantly slim, with high cheekbones and has an oriental cast to her eyes. A good beginning for working on these two images is to start with what the images have in common; what the viewer will "naturally" assume are features that are "the same". Examples of this are eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, and ears. For the eyes, you might place control points on the start image at the corners of the eyes. Note that points automatically appear in the same location on the other image. Now, you move the points on the other image so that these points are also in the corners of it's eyes. What you have done is told the image processor that you expect these two locations - the eye corners - to remain "attached" to each other throughout the morph process. You'll continue to apply control points to the pupils of the eyes, across the eyebrows, the lips, the ears, the edges of the face and so on. You may use as few as ten or so points, or you may use several hundred. The more you use, the more precisely controlled the morph effect will be. Note that you can save your control point sets; you should do this often, so as to prevent the loss of your work in case of a system failure of any kind. The best way to learn how to morph is to try a few. We strongly suggest that you start with two faces; and that you keep the initial morphs very small, about 96x60 or 48x30. Morphing is a computationally intensive process, and generating each frame takes considerable time. -17- Here's a useful hint. When you're experimenting, set the number of frames to 20, and then generate only frame 10. Use a linear transparency curve. This will show you what will occur for a morph that is 50% complete; that is when both images are maximally merged with each other. If you have missed something important, it will likely show more at this time than any other. The morph capability is extremely open-ended; experimentation can produce outstanding results. We have found that you typically need between 50 and 150 control points to create the most effective morph results. Fewer points tend to leave areas "uncontrolled", more result in longer computation times and not much difference in output quality. By all means experiment, though - you may achieve effects we did not expect, which please you. Following are specific descriptions of the items available to you as part of the image processor's current morphing capabilities. Elements of the Morph Display ----------------------------- At the top left, the source image is presented. This is the image that has the most impact upon the morph at the beginning of the sequence (when using the default transparency curve). At the top right, the destination image is presented. This is the image that has the most impact upon the morph at the end of the sequence. In the center bottom portion of the display is the point vector window. This window presents you with the paths over time that the points you have defined will travel; and where they will be for the particular frame being generated (during the actual morph process). At the right center is a small frame where postage-stamp sized images are presented during sequence generations. This lets you know where you are, so to speak, when the morph is operating. At the left center, some text is presented which tells you how many control points are currently defined. Finally, at the bottom is a control panel used to control major operations and modes within the morph generation. Add Points ---------- When this button is depressed, you can add points to the source (left) image. When you add a point, it will also appear (in the same relative location) on the right image. You can immediately move the points on the right image, even though you are still in Add Points mode. You cannot add points to the destination image, only the source image. Move Points ----------- When this button is depressed, you can move any point on either image. -18- Delete Points ------------- When this button is depressed, you may delete any point on either image. When a point is removed from an image, the corresponding point on the other image is also removed. Delete All Points ----------------- This button removes all of the points that are currently defined. Swap All -------- This button allows you to swap the source and destination images, and all the points that were defined for them. This causes the morph to be generated in the opposite order, and may help you if you are having trouble building a mental image of what you want to happen during the morph. Swap Points ----------- This swaps only the point definitions. This is useful when you enter the morph tools with the primary and secondary images loaded backwards; instead of having to exit the morph panel and start over, you can just swap the points. This makes it so that the proper set of points is associated with the correct image. If the morph is now backwards, that is, the generation will be in the opposite order than that which you intended, then use Swap All to reverse the sequence and you'll be ready to go. Load Points ----------- This allows you to load a set of points which were previously saved. Note that all point position information is in a virtual space. This allows you to perform experimental morphs using very low resolution copies of images (we suggest 160x100 for most attempts) until you get the morph behaivior the way you want it; then, you can use higher resolution images and the morph point set will still be located in the same places on the image - the virtual space causes the translation to be completely transparent to you. Points may include velocity information. Save Points ----------- This allows you to save the currently defined set of points in a named file for later reuse. Velocity information may be saved as well. Interlace Work Area ------------------- This control allows you to use an interlaced screen display to work with the morph tools. If you have a deinterlacing device attached to your computer, or flicker doesn't bother you, you should use this setting. The additional vertical resolution allows more precision when placing points, and also provides better grey scale accuracy (due to more, and smaller, points available for dithering). -19- Set Controls ------------ This button opens a new control panel. Here, you load or create a transparency curve; once created, you can save the curve for later use. You may draw the curve using your mouse. Note that when curves are saved as files, they are saved in ASCII format so you can, if you are so inclined, edit the files yourself. The file format includes a virtual resolution for the morph, comments, and specific point-pair information. You also set the total number of frames you wish to be considered when morphing from the source image (the one on the left) to the destination image (the one on the right). Finally, you also set the output resolution here. The output resolution is the resolution that the morph frames will be generated in. Morph 1 Frame ------------- This control will prompt you for the single frame you wish to generate out of the sequence you have defined (using Set Controls). Once you tell it what frame you want to do, it will immediately proceed to that frame, bypassing any others which would normally preceed it, and build that morph state. If you abort the generation, it will return to the morph control panel. If the morph process is allowed to proceed to completion, you are presented with the buffer selection panel. Once you choose a destination buffer, the main control panel returns. Sequence Generate ----------------- In this panel, you set up the path, name and extension you wish to be used for the generation of multiple output frames. You have the opportunity to select a subset of the complete morph; in other words, if this is a 20 frame morph, you can specify that you only want to generate frames 14-17 or any other contiguous sequence. You can specify that the current render settings be used, in which case each frame of the morph will be rendered instead of saved as 24-bit images. Note that for most renders which are going to become animations, you will have to carefully provide a good set of colors to use or the animation will be poorer quality. An effective way to pick the "right" colors is to render a small set of morph frames (the default size is good) and then composite those into one frame. Let the render tools pick colors from that single frame, then save the resulting palette. This will be an excellent palette to use across the total morph in the larger size. You may cancel out of this panel, in which case no frames will be generated, or you may select Done to initiate the proceedure. The generation of the morph sequence may be interupted at any time by pressing the close gadget on the progress bar indicator. Drop Grid --------- This button allows you to "drop" a regular, rectangular grid of control points upon the images you're working with. Often, this may provide the "nailed-to-the-wall" effect for the majority of the image you need when doing distortion (single- image) morphs. -20- Set Point Velocity ------------------ This button allows you to (optionally) set the morph velocity of the currently selected point. Point morph velocities (speeds) are set by using graphs; you can pick from three preset graphs (standard linear, early and late) or you can create your own new graph (See "Set Vels", next) with any velocity curve you wish to use. The overall effect is that of portions of the image morphing at a different time than other portions; it adds a nice "liquid" feel to the morph if done gently. If done with a heavy hand, it makes the morph look very distorted, more of a horror-movie type of effect. When you set the velocity of a point, the associated velocity curve is saved in the morph points file (assuming you save it, of course). Be sure to use unique names for the individual curves. Pnt Vel ------- This button opens the velocity curve control panel. Here, you can load, save and create velocity curves for use in your morphs. There are three preset (standard) curves available; early, late and normal. These curves are always set up, so you don't have to save them. If you change them, they will be automatically saved with the points file. In this case, make sure you change the name of the curve! Note that a point defaults to being assigned to the "normal" velocity curve if you've not changed it at all. One consequence of changing the normal curve is that all the points you did NOT assign will now have this new rate of change. Enhance Anti-Alias (in Morph Controls) -------------------------------------- This button, when depressed, causes the morph generator to use sophisticated anti-aliasing techniques when generating output morph frames. This will slow the morphing process down about 15 percent. Grp Vel ------- This button allows you to assign velocity curves to groups of points, instead of just one at a time. After selection, the points are highlighted. Shape Add --------- This button adds control points at the corners of an ISHAPE. It is used as follows : (1) When in morph hit the 'Shape Add' button. (2) Use the requestor to choose an ISHAPE or cancel to retain the current one. (Ovals/polygons with 3 to 95 points/sides are supplied in the IShapes drawer.) -21- <continuation of shape add description for morphing> (3) Click and drag with the left mouse button in either view area to size and position the shape over the feature you want. Holding down the right mouse button at the same time will move the shape. (4) When you release the left mouse button, the shape will be duplicated in the other view area. The shape has an orientation arrow shown on it. Click with the left mouse button in this other view area and position it on the matching feature. Its orientation arrow will follow the cursor. You should make the arrow point the same way in each view, because Morph is going to use each corner in order. (5) When you release the left mouse button this time, morph control points will be placed at the corners of the shape. Zooming In ---------- When placing control points, you may find that you need more precision than is available with the normal view. To accommodate that need, the ZOOM button is available. The Zoom capability is used as follows: . When in Morph, press the Zoom button . Draw a rectangular area to zoom in to, on either the left or right frame. Holding down the right mouse button while drawing will reposition the zoom rectangle. . Click on the Zoom button to undo the magnify. While in the zoomed state the arrow keys can be used to pan. The L key will isolate panning to the Left frame. The R key will isolate panning to the Right frame. The B key will apply panning in both frames. The < key will also reduce the amount of zoom 25%. The > key will increase the amount of zoom 25%. -22- Arc Vectors - overview ---------------------- This control opens up a whole new set of capabilities. First, as the name of the control implies, you can change the morph vectors from linear paths to curved paths. This can add an organic feel to your morphs quite easily. Secondly, the display presented to you here is an "onionskin" type of overlay, which allows you to see both images at one time, overlaid one upon another; you can move the endpoints of the control vectors here if you prefer, in an environment that may provide a more intuitive view of what is going on in some cases. Vector Display -------------- Vectors are displayed using a closed box, an open box, and an open triangle. The closed and open boxes are the source and destination points as set in the main morphing panel. Either or both of these may be moved by "grabbing" the desired point with the mouse and dragging it. The triangular point may also be grabbed with the mouse and moved. If you do this, the morph vector path will change from a simplex vector to a complex curve; when the morph executes, the path of the regions controlled by this vector will also curve in a similar manner, depending also (of course) on the paths of other vectors within strong attraction ranges. Curve "handles" --------------- When you extend a morph control vector into a complex arc, the triangular control point moves away from the arc a bit further than the arc itself extends. This is normal, and is a consequence of the type of curve-fitting methods used. Usually, you will want to be able to easily associate this control point with the arc it controls; this capability is available; you may choose between three different types of display methods for this association. 1 - You can select the "I" display, which attaches the point to the arc via a single line, which we call an "I-Beam". 2 - You can select the "V" display, which attaches the point to the arc with a pair of new vectors. 3 - You can select no attachment; useful in crowded displays; reduces clutter. All Vectors, or Single Vectors ------------------------------ When you are manipulating vectors, you may elect to see all of the vectors at one time, selecting the one to operate upon with the mouse, or you can select one vector at a time, using the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard to select the next or previous vector for display. This is very useful in very crowded displays. -23- Onionskin --------- The onionskin display is a full-screen type that can show an overlay of the two morph source images in any degree of transparency. There is an adjustable slider that may be set for all of the source image, all of the destination image, or some mix of the two. It defaults to a 50% mix of the images. If you change the position of this slider, there will be a one-time delay while a new display may is calculated, after which the display will be updated immediately for all succeeding operations, even when going back and forth between the two morph display screens. Exit ---- This exits the morph control panel without generating any frames. ---------- -24- List Requester (ARexx-based capability) ======================================= This capability allows you to bring up a list requester inside the image processor from which the user can select an entry; once an item is selected, a value (selected by you) is returned to the calling ARexx script or macro. The list environment for the PI Modules is implemented using this capability. For more details, see the information describing the list environment for PI Modules. In particular, see the script "launch.rexx" and the file "list.list" for a complete example of how to use this powerful capability. Here is the format of the ARexx command: 'listreq "Title text",listfilename,"keywords,etc"' ---------- Load Image as Secondary ======================= This option will appear when you already have a Primary image buffer, it allows you to load the next image in automatically assigned as the secondary buffer. If buffers besides the primary are already loaded, then you will also be presented with the option to replace an old buffer as secondary. ---------- Load Image as Blend =================== This option will appear when you already have a Primary image buffer, it allows you to load the next image in automatically assigned as the blend buffer. If buffers besides the primary are already loaded, then you will also be presented with the option to replace an old buffer as blend. ---------- Load Image as Brush =================== This option will appear when you already have a Primary image buffer, it allows you to load the next image in automatically assigned as the brush buffer. If buffers besides the primary are already loaded, then you will also be presented with the option to replace an old buffer as brush. ---------- -25- Co-ordinates ============ The image processor now provides you with the option of displaying image X and Y co-ordinates while you work in the display. This option is controlled by a button in the Display panel called ``Show Cords''. There is another button that affects the co-ordinates, also in the Display panel. This one is called ``Drag Relative''. If you select it, then the co-ordinate display will show you the size of the object, or the distance of the pointer from the location you started drawing or selecting. This is useful if you need to create a specific size object. You can use the ``Cords at bottom'' button to switch the display from the top right to the bottom right. The ``s'' key will do the same thing when pressed while you are drawing. The following two ARexx commands allow to to set these conditions up: COORDS <show> [showattop] ------------------------- Here, <show> is required, 0 means no, 1 means yes GRID <on> <xgrid> <ygrid> <xoffs> <yoffs> ----------------------------------------- Here, <on> is required and should be 1 for on, 0 for off. If <on> is present, then the other four parameters must also be. <xgrid> and <ygrid> define the spacing of the grid. <xoffs> and <yoffs> define the offset from the top left edge of the image where the first vertice of the grid will occur. These last two parameters MUST be values less than the first two. ---------- Grid ==== The image processor provides a grid capability. This is enabled in the Display panel by the ``Use Grid'' button, and when on, allows you to draw only on the selected grid size. Grid size and position is controlled by two buttons in the Display panel called ``Set Grid Interactive'' and ``Set Grid Numeric''. If you use the interactive mode, you are presented with the main image, and you use the mouse to pull out a rectangle. That rectangle sets both the gird size (the same as the rectangle) and its origin (the same as the rectangles corners). If you use the numeric method, you are prompted for an X and Y size, as well as an X and Y origin. The sizes represent the width and height of each grid cell. The origin represents the distance from the upper left hand corner (0,0) of the image that the first ``snap'' point occurs. ---------- -26- Adding Noise ============ The function F/x Random Dither allows you to add noise to an image if the region is too smooth for your taste. You can set the amplitude of the noise to your liking. You can select luma or an indpendant RGB dither. ---------- Clip to exact size (F/x) ======================== This capability allows you to specify a rectangular region, for instance 100 by 75, and then clip that exact size region from the primary image. This is useful when you are trying to create a smaller output image from an already existing larger image. ---------- X-Specs Over-Under ================== This function takes an image that is interleaved for the X-Specs glasses and modifies that image to the X-Specs Over-Under format, used by some X-Specs viewers. The conversion takes place entirely in the Primary buffer. ---------- X-Specs Interleave ================== This function takes an image that is over-under, that is, has one field over the other, and changes it to the interleaved format. The conversion takes place entirely in the Primary buffer. ---------- X-Specs Separate ================ This function takes an interleaved X-Specs image in the Primary buffer and separates the two fields into two new buffers. You have the opportunity to name these buffers if you like; if not, they will be called Clip_N and Clip_N+1, where N is the current clip number. Note that this process creates two new buffers which have half the number of lines of the Primary buffer in addition to the Primary buffer, and as a result will require as much additional memory as the Primary buffer consumes. ---------- -27- F/x User Transforms =================== This is one of the most flexible, and potentially complicated, operations in the entire image processor. In simple terms, this provides you with a graph, where you have the opportunity to specify the resulting output from every level in a buffer. You can cause this function to create the exact operations for contrast, brightness, gamma, negative, histogram equalization and more. You can save (and reload later, of course) any transform curve you create; several are provided as ``boilerplate'' for you to try out. A special function also sets the transform curve to the current curve of the image itself; this can be used to equalize the image. The files that are saved are in a textual format. The file should contain at the beginning the four letters ``TFRM''. Following that first line, you can have one of three things on any line of the file. (1) a blank line, which will be ignored; (2) a line that begins with the ``*'' character, which allows the line to contain any comment; (3) or a number from zero to 255. Only the first 256 lines which contain numbers are read from the file. You can create, or modify, these files with any good text editor (but not a word processor). The curve itself can be drawn with the mouse, smoothed, or as mentioned previously, generated from the image. Note that there is a smaller graph area which contains the current transform curve of the image at the upper left. ---------- Stretch (Scale, Zoom) ===================== The Stretch Clip operation now has the ability to stretch to a particular percentage, as well as the original stretch to a particular pixel size. ---------- Map to Range ============ This tool is similar to the Map To Palette capability, except it uses the current range, and (since ranges may be smaller than 256 colors) the range will be automatically interpolated (smoothed) if the range is 255 or less colors. ---------- -28- Color Balance ============= Color Balance is a tool that re-balances the entire image, based upon a region you specify. The principle underlying Color Balance is the same as that used by Grey and White balance operations, but with a twist. The assumption made is that you can (by observing) locate an area on the image that you want to be tinted to an exact shade of a particular color. If you can, you identify this area using the region select tools, and the function will re-balance the entire image based upon that information. What you end up with is a tinted image; similar to using a dye when developing film. ---------- Numeric Area Selection ---------------------- This is an area selection tool which allows you to create a selected rectangle using numbers instead of the interactive tools. This provides a very specific area selection for precision operations. -29- Black Balance ============= Black Balance is a tool that re-balances the entire image, based upon a region you specify. The principle underlying Black Balance is the same as that used by Grey and White balance operations. The assumption made is that you can (by observing) locate an area on the image that should have been black. If you can, you identify this area using the region select tools, and the function will re-balance the entire image based upon that information. This is very effective for images that have low contrast or coloration. ---------- Force Dynamic ============= This operation is similar to the Dynamic Range operation. To understand the difference, we need to look at Dynamic Range. The Dynamic Range operation examines the entire image, finds the darkest and lightest regions, and then linearly expands the contrast and moves the brightness center appropriately. This results in the maximum possible contrast without losing any image information. Force Dynamic does the same thing, except that the examination for maximum and minimum regions is only performed in the region you specify, not the entire image. As a result, Force Dynamic can indeed lose image data. One possible use would be for an image that was contained as a sub- image within another --- for instance, a picture on a television in a larger image. You can use Force Dynamic on the TV image, and that image will be brought to its maximum non-destructive contrast (and portions, or all of the rest of the image may be seriously damaged). ---------- X-Specs Conversion ================== This operation allows you to create an X-Specs interleave format image from the image in the Primary buffer and the image in the Secondary buffer. You can even do this with dissimilar size images! ---------- -30- Absolute Resample - no anti-aliasing ==================================== The stepped Zoom operation now allows you to reduce an image's resolution without averaging neighboring pixels; this was added so that the automatic expansion of HAM-E images to hi-resolution pixels (with synthesis of intervening pixels using the same method as our advanced hardware Anti-Alias engine) could be reversed without any unintended smoothing of the image. Suggested use is to run it on the horizontal axis only. ---------- Merge with Render from Range ============================ This operation will take a range of colors you have defined in the palette and render the secondary image into the primary image using only those colors. The operation is similar to a merge, in that the entire secondary image is rendered into the region you specify. For instance, if you have a 4 color range that consists of black, white, and two intermediate grey levels, then that's how the image will be placed into the primary image. This allows you to use unlimited creativity in color compositions. One option is to use dither when rendering using the range colors. Dither effectively increases the available color space, and images will look more accurate, as well as somewhat ``rougher''. Another option is to turn ``Excursion Off'' for the render. This is only effective if dither is on; the effect is to increase the number of colors available in dither, but it will also make the iamge appear even rougher. Another option allows you to select a stretched merge, or a sub- sampled merge. You can use blending in the normal fashion with this operation, also. You should be aware that when blending is on, more colors are used to composite the image, as various levels of the colors in the range are blended with the colors in the primary image. ---------- -31- Additional Render Controls and Capabilties ========================================== The image processor's Amiga mode rendering procedures have been completely re-written during the production of revisions 7.02 and 7.03. We are confident that our rendering capabilities now meet or exceed those of any other product currently available for final image quality. Comparison renders performed at Black Belt Systems using the latest releases of commercial Amiga packages which also render to Amiga mode images provide the basis for this confidence. If you have other software which performs these tasks, we encourage you to make the same comparisons. Knowing what package performs better in this regard will serve you well as your create your Amiga mode images. Details ======= The control "Turn Off Excursion Limit" may now be used to modify the quality of most render modes. It works with dithering to provide a larger color space. If you turn off the dither when rendering, this has no applicability. If you turn excursion off, the dither operations can reach more colors in the color space. The image may appear rougher as a result. We suggest you try things both ways before committing to a final render. Most images will be better with this button depressed. All Amiga render modes now have multiple dither choices for your rendering convenience; you may currently choose from: No Dither ------- Uses the nearest color in the palette; contours. 2-Point EDD ----- Most color accuracy; roughest image. Heavy dithering >Floyd-Steinberg - Best compromise; not too rough, good color accuracy Jarvis ---------- A bit smooth; begins to show contouring (mach bands) Stucki ---------- Extremely smooth; contouring is quite evident Random F-S ------ Rough; good color accuracy, tends to hide errors Dual Random F-S - Not so rough; good color accuracy. Less clumping. You may modify any dither method with either Left->Right scan or Serpentine scan. Serpentine is almost always better. For low color renders that pick new color registers, 16 colors for instance, you should try "Chekov Forcing" and see if your image renders better with it on. This will cause the color picking code to choose slightly different registers which will help portions of the image that have color "hot spots" to render more accurately. Our suggestion for the best render quality for most images (there will be a few exceptions to this) is to use the Floyd-Steinberg dither, serpentine scan, excursion limiting off. Chekov forcing is a 50-50 kind of thing. Sometimes it helps a lot, but it may make the render worse. ---------- -32- Compose with Logical OR ======================= This image composition operation will combine the Secondary image into the Primary image using the logical OR operation. ---------- Compose with Logical AND ======================== This image composition operation will combine the Secondary image into the Primary image using the logical AND operation. ---------- Multiple Blend Technique Application ==================================== You can now use any of the three blending techniques in combination with each other. The manual implies that the blending techniques are independant and exclusive. While you can still use them independantly, you can also use them together in any combination. ---------- Smooth Edge Blending as a Percentage ==================================== The smooth edge blending capability now has the ability to be specified as a percentage of the region's size. The specify by number of pixels is still intact, of course. This will help you use the technique on larger images, and also allows you to apply similar looking edge blends without having to re-specify the blend lengths. ---------- Masks ===== The image processor can now save masks with images, contrary to the statement in the printed manual that it does not. These masks are in a proprietary format readable by our image processing software, and will be (should be) ignored by other IFF readers automatically if they are written correctly. The PMBC Public Interface module will also save and load masks with images. ---------- -33- Color Separations ================= General ------- The image processor now has full RGB, CMY and CMYK color separation capability for both 12 and 24 bit images. The color separation tool is located in the File I/O panel; it is extremely flexible and allows you to save multiple control parameter settings for your various color separation needs. Color separations are positive, and so where you expect a lot of ink to be on the paper, the image on screen will have the most color (``ink''). If you use a color map, the image will be the color of the separation (cyan, for instance) where the paper is white, which is somewhat counter-intuitive, and it will be black where it is maximum cyan. ---------- Under Color Removal ------------------- This control sets the amount of color (cyan, magenta, yellow) ink removed when they can be replaced by black. ---------- Gray Component Replacement -------------------------- This control sets the amount of black ink that replaces what was removed by the Under Color Removal tool. ---------- Magenta Ink Mix Correction -------------------------- This control compensates for impure ink colors, IE, the cyan ink is not pure cyan. The default value is set for Inkum Inks, which we strongly recommend for inkjet use. ---------- Yellow Ink Mix Correction ------------------------- This control compensates for impure ink colors, IE, the magenta ink is not pure magenta. The default value is set for Inkum Inks, which we strongly recommend for inkjet use. ---------- Output 12 Bit ------------- This setting allows you to create 12 bit color separations, needed for some Amiga DTP programs. You should always use 24 bit separations for professional work. ---------- -34- Output 24 Bit ------------- The setting allows you to create 24 bit accurate color separations. ---------- Gray CMAP --------- This section causes a grey CMAP to be placed in the output file, which is required for proper color separation operation. The alternative, Color CMAP, makes the images easier to understand and view, but is not useful for real separations. Color CMAP ---------- This places a color CMAP in the separation file, which will let you visually cue in to how much ink will be used when observing the files. Do not use this settings for final work; You must place a Gray CMAP in the file for it to be useful. ---------- Set To Default -------------- This control forces the Under Color Removal, Gray Component Replacement, Magenta Ink Correct, and Yellow Ink Correct to their respective default values. Set To No Correction -------------------- Just as it says. The colors are created via a straight mathematical transform with no correction for the shortcomings of inks and paper. Generate CMYK Separation ------------------------ This produces four output files, cyan, magenta, yellow and black. This is what you will typically use for professional separations. Generate CMY Separation ----------------------- This produces three output files, cyan, magenta and yellow. This is what you will typically use for three color printer ribbons. Generate RGB Separation ----------------------- This allows you to separate the image into it's respective R, G and B components. We don't know what use it is, but others have this capability, so we added it also. -35- Save Settings ------------- This allows you to save the current settings of the Color Separation panel. This is very useful for situations where you'll be outputting to various print agencies or printers, and the settings are different. Note that if you save a settings file and name it ``Default.csep'', it will be automatically loaded when the software starts. It should be located either in the current directory or drawer (not recommended) or in the s: assignment (highly recommended). ---------- Load Settings ------------- This loads any settings that you saved. ---------- Extensions ---------- You can preset the extensions used on the color separation files if you like, using the four text entry fields provided. ---------- CMYK and RGB Recombination ========================== Recombinations are done with the compose panel. The general idea here is that you prepare a blank buffer (White for CMYK, Black for RGB) to receive the recombined image. Each portion of the image to be recombined is loaded as a secondary buffer, then processed using the matching recombination function. For instance, to recombine a CMY image, you would create an all-white buffer of the size you want the output image. Now, load the Cyan (C) portion of the separated image. Make it the secondary and recombine that portion. Now load the M and Y portions and do the same. For CMY or CMYK recombination, you need to know what the UCR, GCR and ink correction settings were or the image colors will come out wrong. To do this with an RGB image, the process is the same except for one thing; you need to start with an all-Black buffer instead of a white one. This is technically because RGB colors are additive and CMYK colors are subtractive. -36- Genlocking ========== Creating a Transparent Region ----------------------------- Rendering now allows you to specify Transparency for genlocking by marking a region that you do not want to be transparent. So, if you have drawn a graphic you want to appear in the top right of the frame, just move the object there using the usual tools, then when you render, just define that object as the ``non-transparent'' region. The entire remaining portion of the image will be drawn using the Amiga (or HAM-E) ``color zero'', which will make it transparent for genlocking purposes. Keep in mind that not using the color zero color can substantially reduce the render quality of an image, especially when you are using fewer colors. ---------- Color-Keying: Transparency by Color ----------------------------------- You can also create a genlock (transparent) region by selecting the Color Gen Mask button. This will cause the image to have transparent (genlock) areas wherever the color in the image matches the color selected in the process panel using "define color". The color radius also affects the genlock area generation. An example would be where you have a picture of a model you have taken against an aqua background. Select the aqua area as the "defined color", and then use Color Gen Mask to build the genlocked image. The image will be transparent everywhere but where the model is. Of course, if the model is wearing any aqua color, or has aqua eyes, that region will be transparent as well. You can fix this up by changing the colors of that region using the paint tools. Keep in mind that not using the color zero color can substantialy reduce the render quality of an image, especially when you are using fewer colors. ---------- Creating Non-transparent Renders -------------------------------- If you want a render to be totally non-transparent (that is, doesn't use the Amiga color zero anywhere), then select the "Identify the genlock non-transparent area" button an choose "entire image" as the region. The entire image will be non-transparent. Keep in mind that not using the color zero color can substantialy reduce the render quality of an image, especially when you are using fewer colors. ---------- -37- DCTV ==== Compatibility ------------- The image processor can now load DCTV files from the 1.1 version of the DCTV software as well as the original software format and the library format. Filtering --------- The DCTV library allows you to filter the RGB image that is used to create the final DCTV image. If you select the "Use DCTV RGB Filter" button when you render DCTV images, this filter is called into action. Again, this function is entirely dependant upon the code in the DCTV.library software. Black Belt Systems is not responsible for any image degradation you may experience in the final DCTV image. ---------- Brushes ======= Transparent Brush Cutting ------------------------- When you select "Cut Out New Brush", you will now get a two button panel that asks you if you'd like to do this as a transparent operation or just as a solid area. If you do select transparency, the transparent portion of the cut will occur where the background color (See Color Definition, next) is similar to the color in the cut region. The color radius affects the transparent region calculations. ---------- Color Definition ================ Adjust Foreground Color ----------------------- This new option within the paint panel allows you to immediately adjust the foreground color using RGB controls. ---------- Sample to Foreground Color -------------------------- This new option within the paint panel allows you to immediately adjust the foreground color by selecting a region on the Primary image. ---------- -38- Adjust Background Color ----------------------- This new option within the paint panel allows you to immediately adjust the background color using RGB controls. ---------- Sample to Background Color -------------------------- This new option within the paint panel allows you to immediately adjust the background color by selecting a region on the Primary image. ---------- Palette Mapping =============== In the main paint panel there is a new option called "Palette Mapping". This function is for artists who wish to change colors which have already been painted with, from the palette or from a range. To do this:- (1) Copy the range that you have drawn with into the current palette, (2) Choose "Palette Mapping" and "Establish Map", you will then be able to select the area to be affected, (3) Adjust the colors in the palette to the new colors you want, (4) Choose "Palette Mapping" and "Apply Palette Changes"; This will change the drawn colors in the image in the same way you changed the palette colors. Note that the "Establish Map" function only works on colors that exactly match those in the palette. Also, "Toss Map" can be used to free up some memory after you have finished Palette Mapping. ---------- Paint Settings To Disk ====================== In the Paint Panel are Load and Save Paint Settings buttons. This saves all the settings you are then using to paint with including the foreground and background colors. ---------- -39- New fill modes ============== Brush Emboss ------------ This fill mode will emboss the image with a pattern derived from the brightness of the current brush. The fill proceeds in a regular rectangular fashion. ---------- Brush Brick Emboss ------------------ This fill mode is similar to Brush Emboss, but every other line of repeated brush patterns is offset by 1/2 the brush width, resulting in a fill that has the 50% offset characteristic of brick architecture. ---------- Poly-range Fills ---------------- Polyrange fills are a new and unusual type of fill developed by Black Belt specifically for our image processing software. The best way to describe a polyrange is to begin with a polygon. Let's take a polygon in the form of a triangle as our example. A triangle has three points. What polyfill will do is assign a color to each of those points from the range you supply, assuming only that the range you supply has three points. So, if you have a range that is red, green, blue, yellow... etc, then the triangle will have red, green and blue assigned to the three points of the corners. Now, there are two different ways that polyranges will work, depending on the Smooth Range fill setting. If smooth range fill is off, then the pixels inside the triangle will be filled according to the vertex (point) they are nearest to. So, pixels near the red vertex will also be red, and so on. If smooth range fill is on, then the pixels inside the triangle will be filled with all three colors, proportionally to how near they are to that particular vertex. So, for pixels right at the red vertex, you get red. For one halfway between red and green, but far away from blue, you'll get a yellow color. Keep in mind that polyranges can work with any number of points, so you can make some really spectacular fills. Note that large numbers of vertexes will cause long computation times, however. Rectangles and full screen polyrange fills act like four vertex polygons, and so require a four color range. If you have less colors in the range than there are vetexes in the polygon, then the range will repeat along the vertexes untill all vertexes are assigned a color. ---------- -40- Freehand and Elliptical Polyranges ---------------------------------- We've done something wild, here. Since a freehand area or an ellipse are not composed of vertexes as polygons, polyarcs, rectangles and so on are, we needed a different way to apply polyranges to them. What we have done is to find out the length of the edge of the freehand area or ellipse, and then we distribute the entire range of colors around the perimeter of the region. Let's say you have a 6 color range (you might want to try this, the results are stunning!) or Red, Yellow, Green, Aqua, Blue, Purple. These colors are placed at points equidistant from each other around the perimiter of the object. So, if you draw a very round ellipse, with smooth range on, you get a gorgeous ``color wheel''. Freehand areas provide very strange and beautiful results. Again, be careful not to use ranges with very many colors unless you are prepared to wait more time. ---------- Dual Range Fills ================ The image processor now provides for a new type of fill that uses two separate color ranges to derive fill colors. These can be utilized once you have selected two ranges; you can select both from the paint panel, the new button to pick the secondary range is called ``Select Second Range''. Once you have picked the two ranges, you can use the following fill tools: Dual Horizontal Range --------------------- This fill mode places the two ranges above, and below the region to be filled. The pixels in the filled area are derived as a function of the distance between the top range, and the bottom range; they change horizontally across the filled region as they utilize different pixels from the two adjacent ranges. Dual Vertical Range ------------------- This fill mode places the two ranges left, and to the right of the region to be filled. The pixels in the filled area are derived as a function of the distance between the left range, and the right range; they change vertically across the filled region as they utilize different pixels from the two adjacent ranges. Dual Horizontal Warp Range -------------------------- This fill mode places the two ranges above, and below the region to be filled. The pixels in the filled area are derived as a function of the distance between the top range, and the bottom range; they change horizontally across the filled region as they utilize different pixels from the two adjacent ranges. The ranges are ``pinched'' together near the edges of the filled region. -41- Dual Vertical Warp Range ------------------------ This fill mode places the two ranges left, and to the right of the region to be filled. The pixels in the filled area are derived as a function of the distance between the left range, and the right range; they change vertically across the filled region as they utilize different pixels from the two adjacent ranges. The ranges are ``pinched'' together near the edges of the filled region. ---------- Dual Range Example ------------------ You need to create two different ranges. You can use as few as two colors in the first range, and five in the second range. You're going to be using the "Smooth Range" modifier, so you'll get a beautiful spread of colors anyway. Make the first range all dark blue. That's right, NO color change in the range. Make the second range go from aqua to orange to aqua. That's easy to do, just set one end of the range of colors to orange, one to aqua, and choose mirror range. From the palette display, select the aqua-orange-aqua range and place this in the range panel. Return to the palette, and then place the Blue-Blue range in the range panel. Since the Blue-Blue is the last range you entered, it is the current range. Now, exit back to the paint panel. Here, select the Second range (the aqua-orange-aqua one) using the control provided for that purpose. Go into the Fill panel, select "Smooth Range" and also select the fill mode as "Dual Horizonal Range". In this context, "Horizontal" means the way that the range lies on the image - NOT the way that the fill occurs. Here is how the fill will work: Top of fill Range 1 Blue <----------------------> Blue | | | | | | | | | Filled area where color | | | <-- changes smoothly between | | | the two adjacent ranges | | | | | | Range 2 Aqua <-------Orange---------> Aqua Bottom of fill You're ready to try the fill itself now. Select a rectangular region and fill it, or do the entire image if you'd like. You should have blue at the top, and this should fade down to an orange glow in the middle where the sun has just dissapeared. ---------- -42- Any Angle Range Fill -------------------- This powerful fill mode consists of an angle entry field and a mode button in the fill modes panel. You can specify any possible angle, either positive or negative. ---------- DPI operations ============== There are several operations that work within the concept of "Dots- Per-Inch". One is accessed in the Buffer panel; it allows you to "Set Current DPI and Size" for a buffer. For instance, you can say, this buffer is 8.5x11, or that it is 200 DPI. There is an operation in the F/x panel that allows you to rescale using DPI as the criteria. You may find this particularly useful if you are into printed graphics. The distance calculator also understands DPI very well. ---------- Initialize buffer to Color ========================== This brings up the RGB panel and allows you to create the buffer filled with a specific color. ---------- Setup Panel =========== There is now a setup button in the image processor that provides you with the ability to specify Interlace or Non-interlace when the program starts. ---------- Information Panel ================= Other Buffers ------------- This tool allows you to obtain X:Y pixel information, total memory used, parent, and other information about any buffer in the system. ---------- Display Panel ============= Fast HAM draw mode ------------------ This display mode uses a pre-calculated palette for fast drawing. Future updates of the image processing software will concentrate on improving the speed of this tool; it will be the very first to be re- coded into assembly language. ---------- -43- Dither Off ========== The display can now be generates without dither, to reproduce images which already have dither in them more effectively. This option is not normally expected to be used. Public Interface Modules ======================== Support Summary --------------- Readers: Targa, JFIF/JPEG, IFF Palettes, RGB8, RGBN, ANIM OPT-5, PMBC, Raw, SHAM, DHR, ARZ0, ARZ1, AHAM, DKB Trace, NJPL (Mac or IBM a & b), UPB8, DEC "IRAW" format (1, 8 and 24-bit chunky format), Rendition-6rn, Rendition ALPHA- channel data, PCX files, Board Master PCB files, HotLinks Subscribe, & HotLinks Info (HotLinks is from SoftLogic, Inc). Writers: Targa, JFIF/JPEG, RGB8, PMBC, Raw, VistaPro binary altitude maps, ANIM OPT-5, Rendition-6rn, Hotlinks Publish, Hotlinks Update. Effects: Tesselate, Koch fractal Snowflake, Graph generation, Erode/Dilate, Detailed Histogram Reporter. Display: GVP IV24, DMI Resolver, Firecracker 24; Harlequin; also auto-display for FC24, DMI Resolver and Harlequin. Also BCD-2000A controller driver scripts for single frame recording animations from the IV24 board. Capture: None available from us at this time; note that an EPSON ES300c driver is available from: Metadigm at (714) 253 2828. The driver may be purchased as an upgrade from the ASDG ES300c driver, if you own it, or as a new product. Metadigm operates some rather strange hours at the time this was written, so don't discouraged if you don't get ahold of them on the first call - keep trying! We endorse this scanner driver very highly; we use it every day. Introduction ------------ This portion of the document describes, very briefly, each of the Public Interface (PI) modules which are supplied with Imagemaster. All of these modules are installed by the procedure on the main release disk. In order to use the PI Modules described here, you must complete that installation. -44- Using PI Modules ---------------- Once the PI Modules have been installed, using them is very, very easy. PI Modules are grouped into five logical ``classes'' of operations: F1 - Load ------ decode and load a specific file format F2 - Save ------ encode and save a specific file format F3 - Operate --- perform a function on an image in Imagemaster F4 - Capture --- fetch an image from a device such as a scanner F5 - Generate -- display an image devices such as a 24-bit card To use a module from one of these classes within Imagemaster, you simply press one of five function keys, F1 through F5, as shown at the left of the list in the previous paragraph. After pressing a function key, you will be presented with a list of the available PI Modules of that particular type - pressing F1 brings up a list of all the image reader types available. Simply click upon the reader module you wish to use and select ``done'', or double-click on the module; either way starts the reader running. In the following portion of this document, we will briefly explain each of the modules for all five classes so that you have a reference for the types of operations each PI Module performs; also, each of the five classes will be explained further. Load Modules (F1) ----------------- Load Modules are used to decode and load images into Imagemaster, from files which have been saved in unusual or alien (from another machine) file formats. Load Modules present you with one (or more, in some cases) file requester(s) and allow you to specify where in your computer (on which disk and in which directory) the file is, so that the reader can find it and load it. HotLinks Subscribe ================== The subscribe module allows you to read in a hotlinks ILBM image. After invoking the subscribe module, you will be presented with the hotlinks subscribe requester. The particulars of this and all other hotlinks requesters and operations are covered in the documentation which accompanies the HotLinks Editions package from SoftLogik. Once you have selected a hotlinks image object, it will be loaded into your chosen buffer. At this time, ImageMaster will not automatically re-read buffers that were loaded with the Subscribe module. This is not a bug, but an implementation decision. Generally, ImageMaster will be used to feed PageStream high quality processed image data; given the current state of Amiga software, there are few programs that are likely to be providing Imagemaster with updated images on a regular basis. This situation may change in the future. -45- JPEG/JFIF ========= Loads JPEG files which are in JFIF format. JPEG is a file format which is ``lossy'', which means that when the image is changed into JPEG format, some of the image information is lost. For this reason, JPEG images may not be of as high a quality as you usually expect from a 24-bit file format. Note that the compression used by the JPEG process is extremely effective; so much so that images may be only 1/50th of their uncompressed size. Because of this, you may find that a JPEG file which appears to be quite small uncompresses to a very large image, which you may not be able to load into Imagemaster without having additional RAM memory available. JPEG images contain a full 24-bits of color information. For more information on the JPEG format, see the JPEG save module documentation. IFF Palette =========== Loads IFF Palettes from IFF images created by most Amiga software. These palettes are loaded into Imagemaster's internal paint system palette for later use. The currently loaded image is not affected by the loading of this palette. IFF Palettes usually contain 12 bits of color information. On occasion, they will contain 24-bits of color information. PMBC ==== PMBC image files are loaded by this module. PMBC files are true color, 24-bit images in a completely lossless format, along with an alpha channel and image shape mask. For more information on PMBC, see the PMBC save module documentation. RAW === RAW image files are files of literally raw image data. There are no extra bits of information describing anything about the image, such as it's size or resolution. For color raw images, there need to be three separate (but related) image files. One will contain the red information, one the green information and one the blue information. The RAW reader will present you with a file requester for each of these files so that you can specify each one. In addition, you need to tell the RAW reader what size the image is, since that information is not in the image file itself. RAW files contain a full 24-bits of color image data. For more information on RAW files, refer to the documentation for the RAW save module. Rendition ========= Rendition format files are likely to have been produced by software from Octree corporation, makers of the Caligari line of image rendering systems. Rendition files contain 24-bits of color information, and possibly alpha (transparency) information. Rendition Alpha Channel Data ============================ This reader creates a buffer which you may then use as transparency information from the alpha data in a rendition file. -46- Board Master ============ This reader can load any Board Master file as a B&W graphic image of the PCB traces and structures. PCX reader ========= This reader will load 2-256 color PCX files. Animation Frames ================ Animations, in this context, are IFF ANIM OP-5 animations such as those produced by Electronic Arts DPaint program, or Imagemaster itself. This reader asks you which frame it is you wish to load from within the animation. ANIM files may contain normal Amiga images, HAM-E images, or DCTV images. Targa ===== Targa images (usually) come from IBM computers. There are a number of different Targa formats; some are 24-bits, some 16-bits and so on. So what you get when you load the image will depend upon the particular file format ebing used. These images were invented by Truevision, Inc. SHAM (and AHAM) =============== SHAM, or ``Sliced HAM'', is a format especially designed for the Amiga. These HAM-mode files contain palette information for every scan line, or some groups of scan lines. When these images are loaded, Imagemaster obtains the correct palette information and applies it to the 24-bit image it creates in the new buffer. These images were invented by NewTek Inc. AHAM is a compatible clone from ASDG. DHRZ (and ARZ0/ARZ1) ==================== DHRZ, or ``Dynamic Hi-Res'', is a format especially designed for the Amiga. These hires mode files contain palette information for every scan line, or some groups of scan lines. When these images are loaded, Imagemaster obtains the correct palette information and applies it to the 24-bit image it creates in the new buffer. These images were invented by NewTek Inc. ARZ0 and ARZ1 are compatible clones from ASDG. DKB Trace ========= These images are created by the PD Ray-Trace program of the same name. They are 24-bit full color images. DKB Trace was written by David K. Buck. RGB8/RGBN ========= These formats contain 24-bit and 12-bit color images, respectively. They are created by programs such as Turbo Silver and Imagine, from Impulse Inc. -47- FITS ==== These images are created by software from NASA (National Aeronautic and Space Administration) and JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratories). These images (usually) contain images obtained by space probes, or similar data. There are many FITS formats; we have attempted to support the most common ones. The FITS specification is incomplete and contradictory, so some images may not load with this PI Module. If this happens to you, please send one or more of these image to us on a floppy disk and we will attempt to update the reader to handle them. UPB8 ==== These files are saved from our own 256 color paint system for the HAM-E. UPB8 files contain images with up to 256 24-bit colors. Save Modules (F2) ----------------- Save Modules are used to take an image which is already available (loaded) inside Imagemaster, encode them (compress and/or encrypt) and then save them to a file in a specific format suitable for loading by another program, possibly on another type of computer. Save Modules present you with a file requester, which you use to specify a location for the newly created file to be placed. HotLinks Publish ================ The Publish module allows Imagemaster to create new hotlinks image files. You will be given a choice of several image types to create. The choices are as follows: RGB - Saves the Image as triplets of RGB data. CMYK - Saves the image as quadruplets of CMYK data GREY - Saves the image as grey scale data BW - Saves the image as pure black or pure white pixels With the exception of the BW format, all other formats ask for the number of bits per color channel. The slider bar allows you to choose from one to eight. This option allows you to cut down the image size at the expense of color resolution. If you do not plan on doing color output, we recommend that you use the GREY format at eight bits. This will give you fairly small image sizes. For color work, use RGB or CMYK at eight bits unless you really need to save space. In that case, cut the number of bits down as needed. If you choose the BW option, you will be asked for a number between 1 and 99 which will become the percentage threshold for assigning black or white to each pixel. The luma value of each pixel is computed using the standard NTSC RGB weighting, and is compared against this value. Pixels below the threshold are written as black, while those above the threshold are written as white. After choosing an image type and color resolution (or BW threshold), you will be presented with the hotlinks Publish requester. Fill in the requester and select OK. The buffer will be Published under the new name and will be available to other hotlinks clients. -48- HotLinks Update =============== The Update module is almost identical to the Publish module. It differs only in the requester that is offered by hotlinks. You will be given a list of available hotlinks image objects and you must choose one of them to update. Note that you may update any hotlinks image with any image you wish. You do not need to subscribe to the image before you can update it, nor does the new image need to be the same size or type as the old image. You may get a hotlinks error if another hotlinks program has the hotlinks image locked. You should be able to fix this by closing the file in the other application. For example, if you have a hotlinks image open in Soft Logik's BME, you cannot update it from within Imagemaster until you close it in BME. JPEG/JFIF ========= JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format images are highly compressed, 24-bit color accurate images. No mask or alpha channel information is saved; the image compression method used is ``lossy''. This save module provides you with the ability to set the compression used from light to heavy. More compression results in more loss of image detail. JPEG is great for some things... and absolutely the worst thing to use for others. Consider: JPEG loses some quality when it compresses an image. Not a lot, if you use minimum compression, but still, some loss of quality occurs. If you're a scientist or a doctor, don't think "loses quality", instead think "loses and changes data"! Consider what happens if you're working on this image over a number of sessions. Each time you save and load the image in JPEG format, it deteriorates a little more (or a lot, if you compress it a great deal). The lesson, and the rule that comes from it, is obvious: Don't EVER use JPEG as a storage format for an image you're working on, or for an image that will be used in another image (unless you positively KNOW that the loss of quality won't matter, for whatever reason). JPEG is really good for archival storage of images you like, but aren't "serious" about. On minimum compression, a single use of the JPEG technique on an image will not seriously degrade it. And that's what you'd normally do with an archived image. Store it once, then load it as you please to view it, as many times as you like. -49- PMBC ==== PMBC stands for Plane Minimizing Bitmap Compression. It is a format invented at Black Belt Systems for lossless compression of high-color images. Using PMBC results in an image file which generally will be considerably smaller than the same file in 24- bit IFF format, the normal Amiga standard. PMBC is especially good at compressing images with gradients and areas of monochrome color in them. PMBC is not good at compressing images which contain large amounts of dither, such as an image which has been rendered to 256 colors for VGA use. You can expect an average improvement in storage requirements of about 16% over IFF-24; many images will exceed this average by a large amount, particularly those with monochromatic (by which we mean B&W, cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green or blue) information. Rendition ========= These images are 24-bit color files. Used with Octree Software products on the Amiga. Vista Binary ============ These images are actually altitude maps in a special binary format that Virtual Reality's VistaPro can read. Once saved in this format, VistaPro can load the file, and then generate a landscape from the data Imagemaster placed in the file. RAW === RAW images contain no control information. Images are saved left to right, top to bottom, one byte per pixel in three files: red, green and blue. A five-by-five black image that had a dark red spot near the upper left would be saved as follows: red file green file blue file ---------------------------------------------------- 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 33 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 For each of the preceeding three files, the bytes are saved in the following order: All Files -------------- 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 -50- RGB8 ==== This file format is an Impulse file format. Images saved in this format can be loaded into Imagine as various brushes and maps. RGB8 is a 24-bit byte-level non-lossy compressed format, which is generally not as efficient as IFF24 or PMBC; for this reason, you normally would only use this for compatibility with Impulse products. Targa ===== This file format is used with Truevision's Targa boards and related software on the IBM PC. Process Modules (F3) -------------------- Process Modules are used to perform operations upon an image which is already loaded into Imagemaster. These operations could be something as simple as applying contrast, or very complex, somthing like the morph function in Imagemaster. Each process will present you with a series of control panels appropriate for it's particular needs. HotLinks Info ============= The Info module simply presents you with the hotlinks file requester and then allows you to examine and modify the information associated with a hotlinks file. HIST ==== This module will create a text-file containing detailed numeric reports on all 256 levels each of red, green, blue, average (R + G + B) / 3, and Luma ((R x .30) + (G x .59) + (B x .11)). The file will detail each of these five reports, mark the name of the image and the total number of pixels involved in the analysis. Each level will have a number of pixels data item. Lines in the text file which begin with the asterisk (*) character are not data lines. Other lines have the format: cNNN:v Where "c" is R, G, B, L or A for Red, Green, Blue, Luma and Average; where "NNN" is a three digit number from "000" to "255", leading zeros always present. The colon character ":" is always present in a data line. "v" is a number without leading zeros that may range from "0" to the number of pixels in the region being analyzed. This module is specifically intended for those analyzing image data. KOCH ==== This PI Module generates a Koch fractal snowflake into the image which is the primary image. -51- Graphs ====== Executing the graph PI Module will bring up a file requester. You should select a graph file such as EXAMPLE.GRAPH . The graph will then be drawn in a new buffer. There is also an example graph file called EXAMPLE.table which you can use to see how to prepare graphs. Tesselate ========= The PI Module will provide you with a choice of triangle edge length. This is the size of each smooth area on the final result. Then you are presented with the normal area selection panel to identify the area you want to tessellate on. Erode ===== 'Brightness Erode' thins brighter areas of the image and expands darker areas. This can result in a water color paint like effect, especially on dithered images. 'Brightness Dilate' does the opposite to Erode. It has a dramatic effect on human portraits. Small cell sizes of 2 to 4 are recommended. Pressing F1 will provide you with a choice between 'Erode' and 'Dilate'. Then you adjust the cell size. A larger cell size will yield more dramatic results. Then you are presented with the normal area selection panel to identify the area you want to change. Capture Modules (F4) -------------------- Capture Modules operate external equipment in such a way as to allow you to bring an image into Imagemaster from a real-life source, such as an electron microscope, video camera, flatbed or handheld scanner, etc. Each Capture Module will provide you with the appropriate controls to perform the operation it is intended for. ES-300c ======= This module is commercial; it is available from Metadigm, Inc. You can contact Metadigm at (714) 253-2828. The ES-300c scanner module is available stand-alone or as an upgrade from the ASDG software for the ES-300c (the upgrade allows you to use the cable that came with the ASDG software). If you do own the ASDG scanner module, we strongly recommend the Metadigm upgrade; the module's performance is better and the module is much easier to use. -52- Display Modules (F5) -------------------- Display Modules are essentially the opposite of Capture Modules. They allow you to take an image currently loaded into Imagemaster and ``send'' it to a display device such as a 24-bit display card, or a photographic imager like the Polaroid Digital Palette. The most common use of a Display Module is to view an image on a high-color device. IV-24 ===== This PI Module supports GVP's 24-bit display card, the IV-24. It provides output to the IV-24 display only. It cannot be used for automatic update operations, as the IV-24 shares the screen with the Amiga's display. FC24 ==== This PI Module supports Impulses FireCracker 24 display card. If you place the script (rxpi:imfc24r.rexx) in the "Redraw Script" text entry field found in the Display panel, and activate the "Call Redraw Script" button in the display panel, then as soon as Imagemaster completes redrawing on the Amiga screen, it will also redraw on the FC24 screen. This allows continuous monitoring of the image on the second monitor. DMI Resolver ============ This PI Module supports Digital Micronics ``Resolver'' 256-color 24-bit display board. If you place the script (rxpi:resolver.rexx) in the "Redraw Script" text entry field found in the Display panel, and activate the "Call Redraw Script" button in the display panel, then as soon as Imagemaster completes redrawing on the Amiga screen, it will also redraw on the Resolver screen. This allows continuous monitoring of the image on the second monitor. -53- Adding new aftermarket PI modules --------------------------------- To add any new PI Module (PIM), you'll follow these simple steps: 1 - Copy the ARexx portion of the PIM into RXPI: 2 - Copy the command portion(s) of the PIM into CMPI: 3 - Edit the file CMPI:list.list to activate the PIM (Each PIM .doc file should show you the single line needed) 4 - Print out the PIM documentation file for future reference The first two steps are basically self-explanatory. The third is easy to do, but you do need to understand what the file CMPI:list.list does for you. Essentially, the file CMPI:list.list is a list (no surprise, eh?) of the available PIMs you have installed. The list also contains "keywords" that indicate what "class" of PIM it is. We have currently defined the following classes of PIMs: 1 - Reader; these load various file formats 2 - Writer; these save various file formats 3 - Effect; these perform effects upon an already loaded image 4 - Capture; these retrieve images from peripheral hardware devices 5 - Display; these provide images to peripheral hardware devices At times, a PIM may fall into more than one catagory, particularly in the case of file handling PIMs. For instance, the JFIF/JPEG PIM can load and save JPEG files, so it is both a reader and a writer. We have configured the system so that the module will show in both lists in a clear fashion. When you add a PIM to the CMPI:list.list file, you add one line of text which names the ARexx script, describes the capabilties the PIM provides, and has the keywords which let the image processor know what class(es) the PIM falls into. Here's a possible list entry for the IFF Palette reader PIM as an example: "palrd", "IFF Palette reader", load The first portion of the line ("palrd") is the name of the ARexx script without the ".rexx" extension and without any path. The extension ".rexx" is added to the end of this field automatically and the string "rxpi:" is used as the path. The second portion of the line ("IFF Palette reader") is the description of the PIM's capabilities. This portion of the line actually appears in the list requester inside the image processor. The third portion of the line (load) consists of a keyword which defines the class which the IFF Palette reader PIM falls into; load is the keyword for a Reader. You can add comments to the list file on any line by simply beginning the line with an "*" (asterisk) character. -54- You will also see lines in the CMPI:list.list file which begin with an "!" (exclamation point) character. These lines are text lines which are placed next to the list requester when it appears; generally, you won't want to change these lines, although you certainly can. Here are the three types of lines together: * comment line; has no effect and may contain anything ! appears on-screen, next to the list requester itself * the next lines add entries to the list requester "jpeg load", "JPEG/JFIF file load", load "jpeg save", "JPEG/JFIF file save", save RGBxr, "Impulse RGB8/RGBN file load", load eroder, "Erode (F/X)", effect imiv24r, "GVP IV-24 Display", display Examining the CMPI:list.list file will be instructive if you're interested in custom modifications. Note ---- When you install a new PI system, the "list.list" file will be replaced with a new version. Your old list.list file will be renamed to list.list.old; you'll still find it in the CMPI: assigned location. In order to reinstall your aftermarket PI modules, you'll have to use a text editor to copy the lines from the .old file to the current list.list file. Until this is done, your aftermarket PI modules will not show in the PI requesters. Removing PI Modules from the list: ---------------------------------- Edit the file "CMPI:list.list" and simply remove the single line that describes the PI Module you want to delete. This line will not begin with either a "!" or a "*" character. If you do not wish to remove the line, but only want to temporarily disable it, place an asterisk (*) before all other characters on that line, and the line will be treated as if it were a comment (that is, it will be ignored). -55- ARexx Port Names ================ Here's something we inadvertantly left out of the manual... the port name for the ARexx ports in Imagemaster, Imagemaster F/c, or Image Professional. Here it is: IM_Port ---------- Render command changed ====================== On page 177 of the manual, the parameters given are not complete. Parameter number six <name>, described on page 178 (correctly), is missing. Make sure you take this into account if you are using the render command. Here is the correct command string: render <lace> <width> <height> <mode> <usep> <name> [cols] ---------- Filerequest command changed =========================== This command now returns the string 'FR_CANCELLED' if the user cancels the file requester. This allows you to abort operations in progress. ---------- Newbuf command (changed) ======================== The newbuf command now has the following syntax: newbuf <width> <height> [name] [MASK] The new keyword MASK allows you to specify a new buffer with a local mask plane available. This is required if you are writing a PI Load module that will need a local mask (for a non-rectangular image). Note that there are two optional parameters here; you'll need to provide a NULL string for the "name" parameter if you want the automatic naming to work, as in the following example: 'newbuf "'||width||'","'||height||'","","MASK"'; ---------- Firecracker-specific manipulation (new commands) ================================================ The ARexx commands FCHIDE and FCSHOW have been added; these turn the FC24 display on and off. They have no effect (and cause no error) in the other versions of the image processor. ---------- -56- Finding the mouse location from ARexx (new command) =================================================== The ARexx command "WHEREMOUSE" returns the mouse's current co- ordinates using the image resolution. ---------- coords <show> <top> (new command) ================================= This allows you to turn the co-ordinate facility on and off from ARexx, and also to control the placement of them. If show is 1, then co-ordinates are on. If 0, then they are off. If top is 0, then the co-ordinates are displayed at the top of the screen. If 1, then at the bottom. ---------- grid <on> <xgrid> <ygrid> <xoff> <yoff> (new command) ===================================================== This command allows you to set a particular grid. When on is 0, the grid is off. When 1, grid is on. xgrid and ygrid allow you to set the spacing between grid lines; xoff and yoff allow you to set any offset from the top left corner (0,0) of the image. ---------- newasprimary (new command) ========================== This is similar to the newbuf ARexx command, except that the buffer it creates is always the primary buffer. The newbuf command would create the new buffer as the primary buffer only if there was no previously existing primary buffer; otherwise, the new buffer was just added as ``another'' buffer in the system. When you use OPTIONS RESULTS in the ARexx script so that the image processor knows it can return data to you, the number of the buffer created will be returned. This new command ensures that the newly created buffer will be the primary buffer, regardless of previously existing buffers in the system. ---------- newbuf (changed) ================ The ARexx newbuf command now returns the number of the buffer it creates if you use OPTIONS RESULTS in the ARexx script. ---------- fromdigiview (changed) ====================== The ARexx fromdigiview command now returns the number of the buffer it creates if you use OPTIONS RESULTS in the ARexx script. ---------- -57- dome (changed) ============== The ARexx dome command now has an optional extra parameter, "effect". You call it this way: 'dome 60 50'; /* dome <radius> [effect] */ or... 'dome 60'; If you don't use the extra parameter, it defaults to 100% ---------- caric (changed) =============== The ARexx caric command now has an optional extra parameter, "effect". You call it this way: 'caric 60 50'; /* caric <radius> [effect] */ or... 'caric 60'; If you don't use the extra parameter, it defaults to 100% ---------- -58- imagemaspect (new command) ========================== This command returns the aspect ratio of the chosen buffer. 'imagemaspect '||BUFFERNUM'; /* get aspect ratio */ loadimask (new command) ======================= saveimask (new command) ======================= This command loads the image mask (the valid image area mask) from a saved mask file. 'loadimask <complete_filename> [mode]' where... mode 1 = Replace existing mask (default) 2 = OR 3 = AND 4 = XOR 5 = MINUS The opposite command is: 'saveimask <complete_filename>'; loadmask (new command) ====================== savemask (new command) ======================= This command loads the main mask (the region selection mask) from a saved mask file. 'loadmask <complete_filename> [mode]' where... mode 1 = Replace existing mask (default) 2 = OR 3 = AND 4 = XOR 5 = MINUS The opposite command is: 'savemask <complete_filename>'; -59- backuptoundo (new command) ========================== This command has specifically included to enhance the public interface capabilities. If you are writing an external process, and are operating upon the contents of the Primary buffer, using this command before you perform your process will copy the initial contents of the Primary buffer into the UnDo buffer, allowing the user to UnDo the changes caused by your process. ---------- coords <show> [showattop] (new command) ======================================= Here, <show> is required, 0 means no, 1 means yes. ---------- grid <on> <xgrid> <ygrid> <xoffs> <yoffs> (new command) ======================================================= Here, <on> is required and should be 1 for on, 0 for off. If <on> is present, then the other four parameters must also be. <xgrid> and <ygrid> define the spacing of the grid. <xoffs> and <yoffs> define the offset from the top left edge of the image where the first vertice of the grid will occur. These last two parameters must be values less than the first two. ---------- autoactivate (new command) ========================== The autoactivate ARexx command has been added so that you can change the state of the image processor's automatic re-activation of it's main control panel when it completes all pending operations. Since there may be times when you have another process running, and don't want the image processor to reactivate it's window during that time, this command was added. Use it as autoactivate 0 to turn autoactivation off, and use it as autoactivate 1 to turn it back on again. If you are passing control to another program, make sure that autoactivate 0 is in the ARexx script before the other program is called; and when control is returned to the image processor, make sure that autoactivate 1 is in the script before you bring up the the image processor screens. Bringing the the image processor's display to the front with autoactivate off may seriously confuse the user. ---------- -60- setpalette (new command) ======================== This ARexx command has been added so that the color of any of the 256 palette entries may be set from a script. The PI Module which is now supplied uses this command to set palette entries once it has read the IFF file and extracted the CMAP (color map) chunk from within the image file. Use is simple: 'setpalette' entry R G B; Where the parameters are defined as: entry: [0-255] (which palette color of 256) R: [0-255] (intensity) G: [0-255] (intensity) B: [0-255] (intensity) Here is an ARexx fragment that sets the palette to a grey scale: do i=0 to 255 'setpalette' i i i i; end; Here is an ARexx fragment that sets the palette to all black: do i=0 to 255 'setpalette' i 0 0 0; end; Here is an ARexx fragment that sets the palette to a reverse grey scale: do i=0 to 255 'setpalette' i 255-i 255-i 255-i; end; ---------- -61- DISPLAYMODE (new command) ========================= DISPLAYMODE <mode> <lace> [quality] ------ for Image Professional DISPLAYMODE <mode> <lace> ----------------- for Imagemaster DISPLAYMODE <mode> <res> ------------------ for Imagemaster F/c This command allows you to change the current display mode within the image processing software. It has no effect upon the image itself, nor upon output render results. In the following table, "Q" is used to specify the [quality] switch. for IP <mode> is 0 = luma 1 = avg 2 = reg Ord Dither 3 = HAM-E 24 bit (also depends on Q flag) 4 = HAM-E 18 bit (also depends on Q flag) 5 = EDD 256 colors <lace> 0 = non-lace 1 = lace display [quality] 0 = normal 1 = high quality (HQ) for IM <mode> is 0 = luma (in 16 shades) 1 = avg 2 = 16 color hi-res 3 = 32 color lo-res 4 = half-brite 5 = HAM (fast) 6 = HAM (quality) for IMFc <mode> is 0 = luma (256 shades) 1 = avg 2 = color (24 bit) (the second parameter is then <resolution>) 0 = low res 1 = med-res 2 = med-res 2 3 = hi-res ---------- pal (new command) ================= This is used with options results in ARexx. Reports 0 for NTSC and 1 for PAL modes. Used to determine how Imagemaster is running at the time of macro execution. ---------- -62- autoprimary <mode> (new command) ================================ This command puts the image manipulation software into a mode where any newly allocated buffer is automatically made the primary buffer. This makes ARexx scripting, especially in Sequence or Morph scripting, much easier to deal with. mode = 0 new buffers do not become the primary unless there are none mode = 1 " always become primary ---------- newbrush <bufferNumber> (new command) ===================================== Selects the chosen buffer as the current brush, as used in the paint tool panel. ---------- newblend <bufferNumber> (new command) ===================================== Selects the chosen buffer as the current blend, as used for alpha control purposes (under the Set Blend panel). ---------- loadassecondary <name> (new command) ==================================== Loads an image file and makes it the secondary buffer. Uses the image path and extension set with the appropriate ARexx commands or last typed into Imagemaster's requester. It returns the buffer number of the new buffer. ---------- loadasblend <name> (new command) ================================ Loads an image file and makes it the blend (alpha) buffer. Uses the image path and extension set with the appropriate ARexx commands or last typed into Imagemaster's requester. It returns the buffer number of the new buffer. ---------- loadasbrush <name> (new command) ================================ Loads an image file and makes it the brush buffer. Uses the image path and extension set with the appropriate ARexx commands or last typed into Imagemaster's requester. It returns the buffer number of the new buffer. ---------- -63- render (changed) ================ The following replaces the description of the RENDER Arexx command on pages 177 and 178 of the manual. Summary of changes: - * 19 new render modes * No more size restrictions, except when rendering for DCTV (as required by the device). * Number of colors defaults to the maximum for that render mode. Detail for ARexx render command ------------------------------- render <lace> <width> <height> <mode> <usepalette> <name> [numcolors] --------------------------------------------------------------------- <lace> 0 = no, 1 = yes. Ignored for GIF and the non-viewable IFF renders. <width> render image width. Only restricted to between 640 and 736 for DCTV. <height> render image height. Only restricted when rendering for the DCTV to between 200 and 241 for non-lace and between 400 to 481 for lace. <mode> 1 = HAM-E mode, 18 bit 2 = HAM-E mode, 24 bit (extended color space dithering) 3 = Register mode for the HAM-E device, undithered 4 = Register mode for the HAM-E device, dithered (EDD) 5 = Register mode for the HAM-E device, Black and White average 6 = Register mode for the HAM-E device, Black and White luma 7 = 256 color GIF 8 = 16 shade Amiga hi-res - Black and White Average 9 = 16 shade Amiga hi-res - Black and White Luma 10 = 16 color Amiga hi-res - color 11 = 32 color Amiga lo-res 12 = 64 color Amiga half-brite 13 = Amiga HAM 14 = DCTV 3-bitplane (width must be 640 to 736, and height 200 to 241, or 400 to 482) 15 = DCTV 4-bitplane (width must be 640 to 736, and height 200 to 241, or 400 to 482) <continued next page> -64- 16 = Amiga Hi-Res with 1 bitplane and 2 colors 17 = Amiga Hi-Res with 2 bitplanes and 4 colors or less 18 = Amiga Hi-Res with 3 bitplanes and 8 colors or less 19 = Amiga Lo-Res with 1 bitplane and 2 colors 20 = Amiga Lo-Res with 2 bitplanes and 4 colors or less 21 = Amiga Lo-Res with 3 bitplanes and 8 colors or less 22 = Amiga Hi-Res with 4 bitplanes and 16 colors or less 23 = Amiga IFF render (not displayed ) with 6-bitplanes and 64 colors 24 = Amiga IFF render (not displayed ) with 7-bitplanes and 128 colors 25 = Amiga IFF render (not displayed ) with 8-bitplanes and 256 colors <usepalette> If 0 the image colors will be chosen; if 1 then the currently loaded palette will be used. <name> The image name used to save the rendered image to. The full name will be a combination of the render path that was set with the RENDERPATH command, this name, and the extension that was set with the RENDEREXT command. [numcolors] The number of colors used to render with. This defaults to the maximum number of colors possible for each render method. This only indicates the number of registers for Amiga HAM and HAM-E modes even though the actual number of displayable colors is much higher. (Ignored for DCTV renders.) ---------- CANCEL command (new command) ============================ This command is to be used in sequence processor scripts. Its effect is the same as when the user presses cancel with the mouse; it provides a method for a script to terminate the sequence operation because of some internally detected reason (failure, usually). -65- Public Interface ================ Provided PI Modules ------------------- We have provided a number of PI modules with the image processor. These PI Modules provide: * JPEG load and save capability * PMBC load and save capability * RAW load and save (both color and B&W) * Direct insertion of an image to the FireCracker 24 Black Belt Systems has accomplished a number of ``firsts'' with these PI Modules; Our image processing software is the first commercial software on the Amiga to provide JPEG load and save capability, and the only software of any kind to provide PMBC save and load capability. Our PI system is the very first example of a free and open image processing system, not to be confused with "fee" systems from other manufacturers where the developer must pay for the "privilege" of expanding the product. To develop modules for Imagemaster, all you need are the skills to do so; we'll help all we can, and for free! Call our technical support line at (406) 367-5509 anytime during mountain time business hours for developer support. ---------- Installing the PI Modules ========================= To install the provided modules, go into the disk in the release set that contains them and read the file entitled PI_Exec.doc. This gives explicit directions on installation and use. ---------- Image Locking ============= This capability provides a safety net under all Public Interface Modules. What happens is that when an ARexx script LOCKs a buffer, it cannot be changed from inside the image processing software; this allows external processes to run long operations without the concern that user might quit the program and pull the rug out from under, so to speak. Image locking is done with the following commands: LOCKIMAGE <buffer number> UNLOCKIMAGE <buffer number> UNLOCKALL Note that the NEWBUF command now returns the buffer number if you set OPTIONS RESULTS before you call it. This conveniently provides the buffer number to lock without any further ARexx manipulation. ---------- -66- Unlock Buffer (in Buffer Panel) =============================== This is the "escape hatch" for the user if they believe that a buffer has been left locked by mistake. This should rarely, if ever, be used by the normal user. However, if you are developing PI Modules, it may come in very handy. Unlocking a locked buffer when it is still being accessed by an external process means that the image processor can delete the buffer, or even exit and delete everything - which means that the task that was writing into the buffer will now be writing in what the system thinks is free memory - very scary stuff. This button warns the user that unlocking isn't advised normally. ---------- Access to any buffer for PI Modules ----------------------------------- This is similar to what you can do with the JACKIN operation, but it is specific to a single buffer. The intent is to allow an ARexx script to create a new buffer which is NOT the primary buffer, and begin working on it without getting in the user's way; the user can continue to work normally, yet this other buffer is "happening"; for instance a ray tracer can render right into it while you do other things. Here are the relevant commands: UNPLUG <plugpointer> plugpointer = PLUGIN <buffer number> which returns a pointer to a structure as follows: struct plugina { struct jackinbuff *buffer; unsigned char id[4]; / * 'P','L','U','G' * / }; ...where "buffer" points to: struct jackinbuff { unsigned char *red; unsigned char *green; unsigned char *blue; unsigned char *mask; unsigned short x; unsigned short y; }; The expected sequence of operations is to allocate a buffer, PLUGIN to it, LOCK it, do stuff to it, and finally UNLOCK it. Before you use a "plugina" structure, you should check the "id" array and make sure that the four characters P, L, U and G are in positions 0, 1, 2 and 3. If not, the structure isn't valid and your command should fail with a warning to the user. ---------- -67- Structures ---------- If you are working with the Public Interface, you'll find these structures useful: /* * Structure that represents each buffer in IM */ struct rgbu { unsigned char *red; /* X by Y size array */ unsigned char *green; /* X by Y size array */ unsigned char *blue; /* X by Y size array */ unsigned char *mask; /* X by Y size array (?null?) */ unsigned short x; /* X size */ unsigned short y; /* Y size */ }; The rgbu structure represents the data built for you about each of the buffers (Primary, Secondary, Brush, Blend, Undo). In the case of the UnDo buffer, the mask pointer will always be NULL. The red, green and blue pointers point to a linear array of unsigned bytes where 0 is fully dark, and 255 is fully bright for that color. The mask pointer, if present, points to an array of unsigned bytes that will contain non-zero values where the image exists, and zero where it does not. If you write image data in regions of the red, green and/or blue buffers that is masked (mask is zero), the user will never see it. The memory is there and you may write in it if you feel you have a good reason (temporary storage?). The x and y values represent the x and y dimensions of the buffer. Buffer data is arranged X first, then Y. If an image is 320 by 200, the first pixel of the first line is at offset 0 in the buffer; the second pixel in the third line is at offset 961. You can locate pixel data using the following formula, where ``x'' is the width, Y is the current Y position and ``X'' is the current X position: p = (Y * x) + X This should be all the information you need to utilize the data in the rgbu structure. <continued next page> -68- /* * Represents the main info struct in IM */ struct jacker { struct rgbu *pr; /* Primary Buffer */ struct rgbu *se; /* Secondary Buffer */ struct rgbu *un; /* UnDo Buffer */ struct rgbu *bl; /* Blend Buffer */ struct rgbu *br; /* Brush Buffer */ unsigned char *msk; /* User Mask (Primary-size) */ char jack[4]; /* verify: chars J,A,C,K */ struct Screen *showscr; /* screen of gadget panel */ unsigned char pname[4]; /* processor name: 'IP'00 'IM'00 or 'IMFC' */ long ver; /* version of the program */ }; The jacker structure contains only two types of data. First, there is a group of pointers to the various rgbu structures that represent the state of those buffers within the system. If one of these pointers is NULL, then that buffer does not currently exist. Next, there is a pointer to a mask. This mask is always the same size as the Primary buffer; it will only exist if there is a Primary buffer; and as a result, you can get the X:Y size of the mask by examining the X:Y sizes specified in the rgbu structure for the Primary buffer. ---------- PI Module Code Examples ======================= The following code fragment assumes the use of the above structures. It is the beginning of a CLI command which accepts the pointer passed in from the ARexx script fragment shown, and then checks for reasonable values in the structures. There is an additional item in the jacker structure which is a short character array that is loaded with the four ASCII characters J, A, C and K. This is not documented in the manual, but it is there in all cases and you should ALWAYS check for it before assuming that everything is ok to proceed. <continued next page> -69- You should always do this, or it's equivalent, when beginning a process operation upon the primary buffer: void main(argc,argv) int argc; char *argv[]; { int tot,i; struct jacker *j; unsigned short dx,dy,x,y; if ((argc != 2) || (strcmp(argv[1],"?")==0)) { printf("%d arguments...\n",argc-1); printf("Requires one argument:\n\n"); printf("'JACKIN' hex pointer\n\n"); exit(1); } sscanf(argv[1],"%x",(int *)&j); /* *jackin */ if (j->pr == 0) { printf("No Primary Buffer!\n"); exit(2); } if ((j->pr->x == 0) || (j->pr->y == 0)) /* bad */ { exit(3); } if (j->jack[0] != 'J') exit (4); /* check sanity */ if (j->jack[1] != 'A') exit (5); if (j->jack[2] != 'C') exit (6); if (j->jack[3] != 'K') exit (7); /* * We got here, so there IS a primary * buffer. We can now proceed... */ The previous example used a value passed by the following ARexx code fragment: address 'IM_Port'; /* talk to the image processor */ options results; /* allow replies */ 'jackin'; /* get pointer to structs */ jackadr = result; /* copy return value */ options; /* disallow replies */ 'wbtofront'; /* bring WorkBench up */ address command 'c:ccpr '||jackadr; /* send... */ This ARexx fragment, or something extremely similar to it, is what you use to send the Public Interface pointer to your custom process, image reader, or image render program. Note that in combination with the other ARexx commands for panels, file requesters, area control specifiers and so on you can create a great deal of the required logic for your tool(s) using nothing more than the ARexx interface. There is a complete example of a "process" type of PI Module on the release disks, with SAS C source code, ARexx, and linkable object modules which provide progress bar indication and control panel based message services. -70- Changes List (from v7.00 onwards) ================================= The following information provides a terse list of changes applied to each revision of the image processors listed. For details, refer to the text in the preceeding sections. The most recent changes are at the end of the list. When reading the changes list, you can interpret items which have a leading (+) symbol to be features added; items which have a leading (-) symbol are items which have been removed or bugs we've fixed. v7.00 ----- + New ARexx command 'listreq "Title text",listfile,"keywords,etc"' If there is more than one keyword they should be put inside double quotes but separated by spaces or commas. + All new buffer creation operations that can have a choice for the destination bring up . New as Secondary . New as Brush . New as Blend and when an existing buffer can be replaced, there is also . Old as Secondary (Hold Primary) . Old as Brush (Hold Primary) . Old as Blend (Hold Primary) -71- v7.01 ----- + Change to ARexx command DISPLAYMODE <mode> [lace] [quality] in IP only modes are 0 = luma 1 = avg 2 = reg Ord Dither 3 = HAM-E 24 4 = HAM-E 18 5 = EDD 256 colors lace 0 = non-lace 1 = lace display quality 0 = normal 1 = high quality - Now all display mode changes intelligently do not re-allocate display screen. Helps reduce memory fragmentation problems + Image composition Logical And + Image composition Logical Or + New compose operation Add as Cyan (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasc' + New compose operation Add as Magenta (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasm' + New compose operation Add as Yellow (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasy' + New compose operation Add as Black (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addask [ucr] [gcr]' These <ucr> <gcr> values are the user's best estimates of what was used to create the separation and only the ratio is significant. Normally they are 64, 64. If they are ommitted then the program supplies the last values it used, so separating and reloading will work simply. + New ARexx command 'WHITEN' which makes the primary image all white (faster than newbuf can) + New ARexx command 'VERSION' which returns the version,revision -72- v7.02 ----- + Compose Morph screen and operations enabled for release + New File I/O buttons 'Set Render Mode' 'Set Render Size' 'Set Dither Type' And 'Render to File' just asks for area select + Dither types added are No Dither Normal Edd Floyd-Steinberg Jarvis,Judice,Ninke Stucki + Lace gadget in Render Size panel now changes the Vertical Size + Amiga mode renders now update the paint palette with the rendered palette. So that before rendering 'PALETTELOAD name' will load colors and after rendering 'SAVEPAL name' will save rendered colors Note! All renders from ARexx always took note of the <usepalette> parameter which causes the renders to use colors from the palette. + File I/O panel now has a 'Set Render Mode' option. The Render to File operation no longer asks about render settings. + Aspect ratio is now saved with rendered images, and all IFF file loading sets the aspect ratio of the incoming image. + Renders to IFF with more than 100 colors use Ben's Spectral method less colors use Barry's method. + IP 'gate" enabled for release. Only HAM-E owners will now be able to use IP, as we originally intended. -73- 7.03: ----- + Dither Type panel provides 'Left->Right Error Prop' or 'Serpentine Error Prop' - 16 color Hi-Res Render and 32 color Lo-Res render had their vbar titles swapped. Fixed. + New dither methods Random F-S Dual Random F-S + Excursion limit gadget now in dither panel + Render and Morph path and settings now get saved with default file + Chekov Forcing in dither panel added. Significant render improvements are possible using this option in low color renders + Match Image Size in Render Size panel sets props + DCTV 1.1 images can now be read as well as 1.0 and library generated ones -74- 7.04: ----- + New compose operation Add as Red (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasr' + New compose operation Add as Green (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasg' + New compose operation Add as Blue (from color separation) and ARexx command 'addasb' + You can now select rendering as the output of the morph capability instead of only 24-bit files. Uses the current render settings - Panning in IP would confuse at the bottom edge, fixed - Changing display in IP from non-lace to lace when panned to the bottom sometimes crashed. + Auto-Activate control in Display control panel for multitasking friendly operations. If Auto-Activate is off, no window will activate and no screen will come to the front automatically. - In Morph sequence after the 'Total Frames' is decreased to less than the 'End Frame', the end frame was reset to one too high. + Special keystroke operation 'C' now saves the canvas to disk as an IFF in most areas of the program. Special keystroke 'G' still active for all gadget panels. - Special keystroke operation 'P' (show display palette) is only active when an image has just been drawn in the canvas. + File requester now <selects> when return is hit in the file name gadget. Also, pressing return in the path and extension gadgets does not blank the other fields. The next active gadget then becomes the file name gadget. -75- 8.00: ----- + 68030 and FPU version of IM, IMFC and IP now available + Sequence Processor added for multiple image handling + Shadow generation added to all compose operations + Morph processor can now tack down image edges + Filmstrip capability added + ARexx command "finish" added for sequence processor + ARexx command "tween" added for sequence processor + Panel may now be hidden during progress bar activities (right mouse) + Caricature operation now has "effect" control as well as radius + Dome operation now has "effect" control as well as radius + Caricature ARexx macro now has extra parameter for effect (def to 100%) + Dome ARexx macro now has extra parameter for effect (def to 100%) + GIF reader taught how to deal with faulty image size info - Errors from 7.02 onwards in 256 color image generation fixed - ARexx oval and rect commands fixed -76- 8.01: ----- - Error that caused 68000 version of 8.00 to crash instantly if the user attempted to morph fixed - A number of "enforcer hits" fixed, all harmless (byte reads from low memory) - Bug that caused 250 ms delay (1/4 second) each time a morph point was added in a 3000-class machine fixed -77- 8.02: ----- + Balance to Color in process panel + The File I/O panel now allows render settings to be changed even when no buffer is loaded. Inappropriate gadgets are ghosted. + Render and Save as 24-bit can both be selected in multi-frame processor + Load and save main mask + ARexx commands 'loadmask <complete_filename> [mode]' mode 1 = Replace existing mask (default) 2 = OR 3 = AND 4 = XOR 5 = MINUS ...and 'savemask <complete_filename>' + Load and save image mask + ARexx commands 'loadimask <complete_filename> [mode]' mode 1 = Replace existing mask (default) 2 = OR 3 = AND 4 = XOR 5 = MINUS If the image does not already have a mask, [mode] is forced to 1 ...and 'saveimask <complete_filename>' + Amiga draw modes in IM improved + ARexx command 'imageaspect <picnum>' reports aspect ratio + Multi-frame processor has 'Execute Using Primary' - Cancel in multi-frame processor now resets the 'finish' status - The script in the multi-frame processor was clipping in the wrong place and clipping in this panel could disturb the actual script and path strings - Trying to run the multi-frame processor without a script is handled with a message - Dome and caricature could not handle large negative effect amounts that can be passed from ARexx - Number of frames was not being reset in display panel after a new film strip was loaded -78- 9.00: ----- + Process panel and sub-panel reorganization + Compose panel reorganization + User can now select either the 2.0 (ASL) file requester or the Black Belt Systems file requester, as they prefer. Khalid Aldoseri's ASL replacement file requester has also been tested and now works with this software. ARexx supported. + "Zoom Clip" operation added. Provides a scaled zoom into the primary image. ARexx supported. + The font list requester can now handle fonts with names (including the point size) up to 46 characters in length + Sort directory list button in Multi-frame Processor allows you to optionally sort the list of files + Info button put back into main panel for ease of access + Color Separation button in File I/o panel moved to the second line so that all render controls would locate in the first line - Numerous small bug fixes applied. -79- 9.01: ----- - problem when calling FR from ARexx with new requesters only -80- 9.02: ----- - Jarvis and Stucki dither were broken - The Info gadget needed to be ghosted when IP started until the code is entered - Zoom Clip prop gadgets would drop percent by 1 on re-entry -81- 9.03: ----- - Radial Wave ran out of precision in images higher than 400 lines -82- 9.04: ----- + Entire image area selection made about 4 times faster - Radial Wave, Dome, and Caricature were unprotected against zero wavelengths/radius passed from ARexx - Radial wave prop gadgets got thrown back to zero after being last set at max -83- 9.05: ----- + The multi-frame and morph sequencer can now both handle four scripts: (1) Opening before all frames. :-- (2) Pre-render after image load or morph + ops, loop | but prior to the save or render. :-- (3) Post-render after each render. (4) Closing after all frames. Any of these script names may be blank and will then be skipped. If any script exists, you MUST complete it with a 'finish'; command! The objective here is to allow you to create a "setup" script, a "do the job" script, a "clean up" script, and a "finish everything" script. We have used this to build in a complete ANIM generator... rxpi:animwr1.rexx - for the "setup" script [optional script] - for the "do the job" script rxpi:animwr3.rexx - for the "clean up" script rxpi:animwr4.rexx - for the "finish everything" script ...for any set of effects you run in the sequence processor or the morph generator. For just morphing or rendering, you won't need to use a "do the job" script. The morphed output from a sequence becomes the current buffer temporarily. The displaced current buffer and the old secondary buffer are locked until they are returned after the sequence. + The gadget panel can be displayed in lace via a default settings button (you have to set it, save defaults, and then restart) + ARexx command 'setpalette <pos> <red> <green> <blue>' added + Aspect ratios default to 44 / 52 rather than 10 / 11 + Render Palette from Image now uses the A method for number of colors under 100 and B method over 100 + New Process/Special Effect - 'Render Palette for Amiga Ham' - When a non-primary buffer is being rendered, the 'Selected Area' should be automatically set to 'entire', and if 'Match Image Size' is selected then output resolution is set to the full image size - Color assignment for 16 color Hi-res just after image colors had been mostly but not radically changed, were sometimes throwing in a strange color causing renders to be noisy. - 16 color Hi-Res and 32 color Lo-Res gadgets in render mode panel were inverted text-wise - cosmetic change only for panel - Render from ARexx would not render sometimes - Morph and multi-frame sequence now appends .0001,.0002,.. to output filenames instead of "_" character + number - Clip with exact size will now remember its parent -84- 9.06: ----- - Cancelling the multi-frame processor will replace the displaced buffers + The multi-frame processor can run without any scripts at all - When rendering from the multi-frame process the entire area is marked for rendering -85- 9.07: ----- - Color preview not showing when the gadget panel is in lace - Define color from composition panel was not running -86- 9.08 ---- + Post-render Script gets passed three parameters instead of two, used in the animation writer for the sequence processor and morph tools; they are: thisframe totalframes "renderfilename" NOTE: The ANIM generation tools MUST be run using 9.08 or later; they require this particular capability and will not operate properly on earlier versions of the image manipulation s/w. -87- 9.09 ---- + VERY IMPORTANT For Image Professional Users!!! In Image Professional, the ARexx port name has been CHANGED from "IP_Port" to "IM_Port"! For all of our scripts, this should cause no problem, as they have been written (up to this date) to use either the IP_Port name or the IM_Port name. From now on, we will write ONLY for the IM_Port name. This will simplify many ARexx scripts, and will ensure that third- party scripts have fewer problems between the various versions of our image manipulation software. At this point, Imagemaster, Imagemaster F/c and Image Professional ALL have the same port name. + Many new PI Module capabilities (see PI_EXEC.DOC from the PI disk or the PIE.LZH archive for telecomm updates) + New capabilities which provide for automatic display updating on external/additional display dedvices. FC24 PI Module updated to utilize this capability. Display updating is very efficient, information on the rectangular sub-region that was changed is used to limit display refreshes. + Added ANIM writer capability (this also requires latest PI Mods) + If the morph generator is not calling any scripts, it will not redraw the main display for each frame (this saves time). + Roll image geometric process added - Palette from image operation would disturb the display. This has been fixed. - Bug where Image Professional only could not always reach the bottom scan line of an image using the area selection tools such as rectangle. Fixed. - ASKPROP ARexx command would not return values larger than four digits. Fixed. -88- 9.10 ---- + Random dither now has luma mode; this is a VERY nice addition to the random dither effect - try it and see! + Pressing 'r' when the morph display is on will redraw the two morph windows as well as the control points + Added "Exclude Black" button to histograms... this has the effect of amplifying the histogram by removing what is often a high content, but low-information portion of the histogram data. + Select ALL button added to sequence processor + Filmstrip frames are now numbered + Added "reverse" animation button to filmstrip controls + You can now delete filmstrip frames by number + You can now insert filmstrip frames by number + You can now swap filmstrip frames by number + Filmstrip re-allocation is now non-destructive so that you may change the number of frames as a way to shorten or lengthen an existing filmstrip. - Loading images which did NOT have masks would not work properly as a brush. - Emboss positioning works better now + New ARexx commands 'emboss <contrast>' and 'punch <contrast>' Contrast is usually from 0 to 255. A secondary image needs to be assigned, and an area selection should be made prior to the emboss or punch command. - Clip with exact size would miss the bottom line in Imagemaster - Imagemaster palette foreground/background selection could get confused - Certain "short" windows in the control panels would show a bit of underlying data because they were too short - we've added some height so that this harmless, but unsightly artifact is gone. -89- 9.11 ---- + The pointer is invisible when moving points in a morph + Filmstip now has speeds up to 30 + Loading and saving filmstrips has progress bar + Redraw scripts are sent a 'finish' parameter when the redraw script option is turned off or the image processor ended + The Redraw script name cannot be changed while the redraw script option is ON. + New ARexx command 'pal' which reports 0 for NTSC 1 for PAL + New ARexx command 'autoprimary <mode>' mode = 0 new buffers do not become the primary unless there are none mode = 1 " always become primary + DCTV renders go to 566 vertically if IM is in PAL - Dual Vertical and Horizontal Warp range could divide by zero when the area is 1 pixel wide - Undo in Imagemaster now takes care of the color space so that undo-ing to an image with a different palette will no longer break during partial redraws. -90- 9.12 ---- + Pre-defined shape area selections! Area select panel now has - 'Shape from Corner' 'Shape Centered' 'Load Shape' See EXAMPLE.ISH for an example shape file format. - Perspective scale was not correctly using the image local mask when it existed - EXTRA_HALFBRITE flag was not being set in IFF saves - Area print allowed area to be 1 pixel past image right and bottom causing the wrong area to be printed - Drawing an elipse on a <= 2x2 image would crash - Palette and range screens would draw with the wrong colors when the main display was in 16-color HI-Res - Palette and range screens would disturb main canvas color redraw color space - Hue change window overwrote the left text field - New/From Blend/From Digiview selection shows below gadgets - Message window was also too short - Buffer rename window was also too short - Paint fill operations did not clear mask second time through - New buffer did not initialize to color if there was no primary buffer - 2-way vertical blend was not using lower transparency curve correctly - Map to range went past the range in bright areas - Workaround for DCTV overscan limit of 704 under AmigaDOS 2.0 - Painting redraw in IM could redraw outside screen area - AmigaDOS file requester interface returned extension twice -91- 9.13 ---- + Distance Calculator in analysis panel. Converts distance measured (or typed in) between Inches, cm, picas, points, Horizontal pixels, and Vertical pixels. + Pad Canvas operation in Re-Sizing and Clipping in Process Panel pads the selected area to a new size allowing the user to position the clipped area in any of 9 arrangements. + 'padcanvas <Xsize> <Ysize> <Position> <NewName>' ARexx command. It returns the buffer number. Xsize and Ysize are the dimensions of the new buffer, Position is 1 = Top Left 2 = Top Center 3 = Top Right 4 = Middle Left 5 = Middle Center 6 = Middle Right 7 = Bottom Left 8 = Bottom Center 9 = Bottom Right The Following is a working script :- /* ARexx example of PADCANVAS operation * / address('IM_Port'); 'entire'; options results; 'padcanvas 400 400 5 NewClip'; 'newcurrent '||result; exit 0; + Horizontal and Vertical Flip operations now work outside of and move the image local mask + Morph 'Drop Grid' button + Composition using color keying now keys the area before doing transparency channel generation, so that the transparency edges follow the keyed area. + Filmstrip has a Color mode; Display control has 'Color Film' button just like 'Lace Film' (FILMVIEW 1.01 is required to view color filmstrips) + 'newbrush <bufferNumber>' ARexx command selects a new brush + 'newblend <bufferNumber>' ARexx command selects a new blend control buffer <continued next page> -92- Imagemaster 9.13 changes, continued ----------------------------------- + The following LOADAS... ARexx commands all use the image path and extension that were set with 'IMAGEPATH' and 'IMAGEEXT' commands or last typed into IM's file requester, and return the buffer number of the new buffer. 'loadasprimary <name>' ARexx command loads an image file and makes it the primary. + 'loadassecondary <name>' ARexx command loads an image file and makes it the secondary. + 'loadasbrush <name>' ARexx command loads an image file and makes it the brush. + 'loadasblend <name>' ARexx command loads an image file and makes it the blend control buffer. + Morph Discrete Velocity Control The Morph panel has added :- . 'Set Point Velocity' button to set the associated velocity of each point; . 'Set VELs' to load or draw new velocity curves. The default velocity curve for control points is <normal>. The associated velocity curves are saved with the points file. Three standard Velocity curves are available at startup: <normal>, <early>, and <late>. If these curves are changed by the user, they are no longer standard and will therefore be automatically saved with the points file. - Pointer remained busy after palette screen closure - Palette mapping did not do entire image area selection - Cut out brush in Paint Control with entire image or previous region was being ignored -93- 9.14 ---- - Selecting display modes and then changing the mode in the display control panel caused the image to be scrambled - zoomclip ARexx command was not working if a previous region was not selected. - 'Unknown Internal error' messages replaced with meaningful messages - Exact image mode change was broken -94- 9.15 ---- + New Enhance anti-alias operation available in morph controls + Morph view creation now done faster and subsequent redrawing or partial redrawing is very fast. + New 'Grp Vel' button added to morph controls which lets the user draw an area on either morph frame and set the velocity of all enclosed points. Therefore, 'Set Point Vel' button has been changed to 'Pnt Vel'. After selection, the changed points are highlighted. + Multi-frame processes retain the altered current buffer until after the post-render script. This has a huge effect on the ability to perform operations in the post-render phase; our new single-frame controller scripts use this capability. + New Area selection option 'Numeric Rectangle' which takes keyboard typed coordinates for the rectangle edges. + New: IM has 'Dither' setting in display control, so dither can be turned off + New: 'CANCEL' ARexx command equivalent to hitting the cancel button for use within multi-frame sequences, kills the sequences immediately. + Further anti-piracy mods made (only) to IP for thieves who were using ASDG's AdPro to steal the entry codes. + IP panning in 256 color mode is now much faster. -95- Imagemaster 9.15 changes, continued ----------------------------------- + 'Shape Add' button in morph adds control points at the corners of an ISHAPE. It is used as follows : (1) When in morph hit the 'Shape Add' button. (2) Use the requestor to choose an ISHAPE or cancel to retain the current one. (new Ovals/polygons with 3 to 95 points/sides are supplied in the IShapes drawer.) (3) Click and drag with the left mouse button in either view area to size and position the shape over the feature you want. Holding down the right mouse button at the same time will move the shape. (4) When you release the left mouse button, the shape will be duplicated in the other view area. The shape has an orientation arrow shown on it. Click with the left mouse button in this other view area and position it on the matching feature. Its orientation arrow will follow the cursor. You should (normally) make the arrow point the same way in each view, because Morph is going to use each corner in order. (5) When you release the left mouse button this time, morph control points will be placed at the corners of the shape. - IP (only) was confused when panning in exact image mode. - Morph one frame came out with bad display -96- 9.16 ---- + Button in Setup panel to switch MEMF_PUBLIC off, to help virtual memory managers. + In Morph 'Zoom' button, used as follows: . When in Morph press the Zoom button . Draw a rectangular area to zoom in to, on either the left or right frame. Holding down the right mouse button while drawing will reposition the zoom rectangle. . Click on the Zoom button to undo the magnify. While in the zoomed state the arrow keys can be used to pan. The L key will isolate panning to the Left frame. The R key will isolate panning to the Right frame. The B key will allow panning to both frames. The < key will also reduce the amount of zoom 25%. The > key will increase the amount of zoom 25%. - The amount of image redrawn when moving a point in Morph is reduced. - In IP; Hi-Quality mode was switched off for Exact Image display. IP did not correctly draw in Exact Image / Hi-quality HAM-E mode. If the HiQ switch-off was over-ridden, leaving exact image mode could disturb entire image HiQ redraws. Fixed. - Panning large images (>640 wide) in Exact Image mode would not move all the way to the edge (IP & IM). Fixed. -97- 9.17 ---- + New morph engine; faster, (about 2 minutes per broadcast resolution frame) and more accurate. + ARexx command 'actpri' reports the preserved old primary buffer during a multi-frame sequence. + Display in morph panels is 4-8x faster + New "onionskin" capability in morph + New arbitrarily curved control vectors in morph + Main document updated to contain PI information, "pi.doc" obsolete + PI Modules to support PageStream (Soft Logik) "HotLinks" + Ability to abort when Imagemaster is drawing (if this leaves you with a partially drawn display, press "R" to redraw the image. A much requested addition! + IV24 Display PI Module - updated, portions re-written in assembler for considerable speed improvement; also an ARexx port was added to facilitate its use with single frame controller scripts. One ARexx command is supported, "QUIT". The port address is 'IMIV24'. This allows you to display an image and then kill it as soon as the single frame controller has recorded it. See the macros "setframe.rexx" and "postiv.rexx" in RXPI:, these go in the first and third script positions for the sequencer and/or the morph scripts. This script works with the BCD 2000A SF controller. Note that you must run the supplied (by BCD) BCDARexxHandler program for this script to work. + Informative vector display is not done while morphing with the film strip showing. + Morphing Velocity control now also affects transparency. Areas of the image will have different transparency depending on neighboring control points' velocity curves. + 'Warp Morph' from the Process/Special Effects panel. + 'Add Points','Move Points','Delete Points' in the morph panel are now combined in one cycle gadget + Transparency can be set per control point, or group of control points New buttons in morph panel: * 'Pnt Trn' for setting the transparency curve of the hilighted point. * 'Grp Trn' for setting the transparency curve of points identified by drawing a lassoo around the group. <continued next page> -98- 9.17 changes, continued... -------------------------- + 'Set Controls' option in morph now also has buttons for choosing from a list of transparency curves. The default curves are <normal>, <late>, and <early>. - DMI Resolver Display PI Module- crashing bug fixed. - Bug with ANIM reader PI module fixed where loading a frame would nuke the previous frame - Bug with CBM/Khalid requesters not parsing paths correctly fixed. -99- .ish .......................................................... Page 3 absolute resample ............................................. Page 31 adding morph control points ................................... Page 18 affects entire image, balancing ............................... Page 29 and, logical composition ...................................... Page 33 angle, of shadows ............................................. Page 10 angled range (fill mode) ...................................... Page 43 ANIM OP-5 ..................................................... Page 4 ANIM PI reader ................................................ Page 47 animations .................................................... Page 4 Antialias, morphing ........................................... Page 21 Arc Vectors ................................................... Page 23 ARexx port name ............................................... Page 56 ARexx simplification .......................................... Page 12 Arguments, sequence processor ................................. Page 14 ARZ0 PI reader ................................................ Page 47 ARZ1 PI reader ................................................ Page 47 autoactivate (ARexx) .......................................... Page 60 automatic update display modules .............................. Page 5 autoprimary (ARexx) ........................................... Page 63 B&W filmstrips ................................................ Page 11 background color setting ...................................... Page 39 backuptoundo (ARexx) .......................................... Page 60 batch operations .............................................. Page 4 BBS number .................................................... Page 3 black balancing ............................................... Page 30 Blend loading (ARexx) ......................................... Page 25 blend type combinations ....................................... Page 33 Board Master PI reader ........................................ Page 47 brush brick emboss (fill mode) ................................ Page 40 brush emboss (fill mode) ...................................... Page 40 Brush loading (ARexx) ......................................... Page 25 brushes, transparent .......................................... Page 38 capture, PI ................................................... Page 52 caric (ARexx) ................................................. Page 58 centering images .............................................. Page 2 changes list .................................................. Page 71 Chekov forcing ................................................ Page 32 clipping, exact size .......................................... Page 27 CMAP type, color separations .................................. Page 35 co-ordinates .................................................. Page 26 color balancing ............................................... Page 29 Color filmstrips .............................................. Page 11 color keying, for genlocking .................................. Page 37 color recombinations .......................................... Page 36 color separations ............................................. Page 34 color zero, in genlocking ..................................... Page 37 color, setting new buffer to .................................. Page 43 constant effects in sequences ................................. Page 14 constant palette .............................................. Page 4 coords (ARexx) ................................................ Page 26 coords (ARexx) ................................................ Page 57 coords (ARexx) ................................................ Page 60 curves, in morphs ............................................. Page 23 custom shapes ................................................. Page 3 dctv .......................................................... Page 38 deleting morph control points ................................. Page 19 DHRZ PI reader ................................................ Page 47 Dilate PI Process ............................................. Page 52 display elements, morph ....................................... Page 18 display updating (external), automatic ........................ Page 5 display, PI ................................................... Page 53 displaymode (ARexx) ........................................... Page 62 distance calculator ........................................... Page 2 dither, in display ............................................ Page 44 dither, random ................................................ Page 27 dithering (in output renders) ................................. Page 32 DKB Trace PI reader ........................................... Page 47 DMI Resolver PI Display ....................................... Page 53 dome (ARexx) .................................................. Page 58 DPI operations ................................................ Page 43 dragging and co-ordinates ..................................... Page 26 dual ranges (fill mode) ....................................... Page 41 Erode PI Process .............................................. Page 52 ES-300c PI Capture ............................................ Page 52 exact size clipping ........................................... Page 27 exchanging morph points ....................................... Page 19 fast ham draw mode ............................................ Page 43 FC24 PI Display ............................................... Page 53 FCHIDE (ARexx) ................................................ Page 56 FCSHOW (ARexx) ................................................ Page 56 filerequest (ARexx) ........................................... Page 56 filmstrip ..................................................... Page 11 finish (ARexx) ................................................ Page 13 FITS reader ................................................... Page 48 force dynamic ................................................. Page 30 foreground color setting ...................................... Page 38 format, user transform files .................................. Page 28 fromdigiview (ARexx) .......................................... Page 57 FR_CANCELLED .................................................. Page 56 GCR (Grey Component Replacement) .............................. Page 34 generating morph sequences .................................... Page 20 genlocking tools .............................................. Page 37 Graph PI Process .............................................. Page 52 grid (ARexx) .................................................. Page 26 grid (ARexx) .................................................. Page 57 grid (ARexx) .................................................. Page 60 grid .......................................................... Page 26 Grouping, velocities .......................................... Page 21 Hist PI Process ............................................... Page 51 history, using the filmstrip .................................. Page 12 HotLinks Info ................................................. Page 51 Hotlinks Publish .............................................. Page 48 HotLinks subscribe ............................................ Page 45 HotLinks Update ............................................... Page 49 IFF PI reader ................................................. Page 46 image locking (ARexx) ......................................... Page 66 image structures (ARexx) ...................................... Page 68 imageaspect (ARexx) ........................................... Page 59 info, about any buffer ........................................ Page 43 Info, HotLinks ................................................ Page 51 ink correction ................................................ Page 34 install, pi modules ........................................... Page 44 installation of PI modules .................................... Page 66 intensity, of shadows ......................................... Page 10 interlace, in morph work area ................................. Page 19 introduction .................................................. Page 1 ISH files, morphing ........................................... Page 21 IV24 PI Display ............................................... Page 53 JPEG PI reader ................................................ Page 46 JPEG PI Writer ................................................ Page 49 KOCH PI Process ............................................... Page 51 library, DCTV ................................................. Page 38 list requesters (ARexx) ....................................... Page 25 lists, sequence ............................................... Page 13 loadasblend (ARexx) ........................................... Page 63 loadasbrush (ARexx) ........................................... Page 63 loadassecondary (ARexx) ....................................... Page 63 loadimask (ARexx) ............................................. Page 59 loading morph point sets ...................................... Page 19 loadmask (ARexx) .............................................. Page 59 local mask .................................................... Page 9 locking images (ARexx) ........................................ Page 66 logical composition, and ...................................... Page 33 logical or, composition ....................................... Page 33 map to range .................................................. Page 28 mapping, palette .............................................. Page 39 masks ......................................................... Page 9 masks, saving ................................................. Page 33 Memory, Virtual ............................................... Page 2 merge, with render from range ................................. Page 31 Morph vectors, arcing ......................................... Page 23 Morphing ...................................................... Page 17 mouse position (ARexx) ........................................ Page 57 moving morph control points ................................... Page 18 names, ARexx port ............................................. Page 56 NASA reader ................................................... Page 48 new panels .................................................... Page 7 newasprimary (ARexx) .......................................... Page 57 newblend (ARexx) .............................................. Page 63 newbrush (ARexx) .............................................. Page 63 newbuf (ARexx) ................................................ Page 57 newbuf command (ARexx) ........................................ Page 56 noise, random ................................................. Page 27 Numeric Area Select ........................................... Page 29 octagons ...................................................... Page 3 on-disk documentation ......................................... Page 1 Onionskin, Morphing ........................................... Page 24 or, logical composition ....................................... Page 33 pad canvas .................................................... Page 2 paint settings, saving ........................................ Page 39 pal (ARexx) ................................................... Page 62 palette mapping ............................................... Page 39 panel organization ............................................ Page 7 PCX PI reader ................................................. Page 47 pentagons ..................................................... Page 3 PI code examples (C and ARexx) ................................ Page 69 PI modules (ARexx) ............................................ Page 66 pi modules, install ........................................... Page 44 plugging in (ARexx) ........................................... Page 67 PMBC PI reader ................................................ Page 46 PMBC PI Writer ................................................ Page 50 point velocity ................................................ Page 21 polyranges (fill mode) ........................................ Page 40 process, PI ................................................... Page 51 public interface (ARexx) ...................................... Page 66 Public Memory ................................................. Page 2 Publish, HotLinks ............................................. Page 48 RAW PI reader ................................................. Page 46 RAW PI Writer ................................................. Page 50 readers, PI ................................................... Page 45 recombinations, color ......................................... Page 36 relative co-ordinates ......................................... Page 26 render changes (ARexx) ........................................ Page 64 render command parameters (ARexx) ............................. Page 56 Render controls ............................................... Page 32 Rendition Alpha PI reader ..................................... Page 46 Rendition PI reader ........................................... Page 46 Rendition PI Writer ........................................... Page 50 resolution of separations ..................................... Page 34 resolution, of morph .......................................... Page 20 Resolver PI Display ........................................... Page 53 respositioning shapes ......................................... Page 3 RGB8 PI Writer ................................................ Page 51 RGB8 reader ................................................... Page 47 RGBN reader ................................................... Page 47 roll modes .................................................... Page 6 rollimage (ARexx) ............................................. Page 6 rolling ....................................................... Page 6 saveimask (ARexx) ............................................. Page 59 savemask (ARexx) .............................................. Page 59 savers, PI .................................................... Page 48 saving morph points ........................................... Page 19 scale ......................................................... Page 28 scripts, sequencer ............................................ Page 4 Secondary loading (ARexx) ..................................... Page 25 sequence lists ................................................ Page 13 sequence processor ............................................ Page 12 sequencer scripts ............................................. Page 4 set controls for morphing sequences ........................... Page 20 setpalette (ARexx) ............................................ Page 61 Shadows ....................................................... Page 10 SHAM PI reader ................................................ Page 47 shape add, morph .............................................. Page 21 shapes ........................................................ Page 3 single frame morphing ......................................... Page 20 smooth edge blending .......................................... Page 33 smooth range, in polyrange fills .............................. Page 40 soft edges, on shadows ........................................ Page 10 stars ......................................................... Page 3 stretch ....................................................... Page 28 structures, image (ARexx) ..................................... Page 68 subscribe, HotLinks ........................................... Page 45 swapping morph ordering ....................................... Page 19 Targa PI reader ............................................... Page 47 Targa PI Writer ............................................... Page 51 tech support line ............................................. Page 66 Tesselate PI Process .......................................... Page 52 transforms, user .............................................. Page 28 transparency, in genlocking ................................... Page 37 transparent brushes ........................................... Page 38 triangles ..................................................... Page 3 tween command in sequencing ................................... Page 14 UCR (Under Color Removal) ..................................... Page 34 undo in ARexx ................................................. Page 60 unlocking images .............................................. Page 67 UPB8 reader ................................................... Page 48 Update, HotLinks .............................................. Page 49 user transforms ............................................... Page 28 variable effects in sequences ................................. Page 14 Vectors, Arc .................................................. Page 23 Velocities, grouping .......................................... Page 21 velocity, morph points ........................................ Page 21 Virtual Memory ................................................ Page 2 virtual resizing of masks ..................................... Page 9 Vista Pro Binary PI Writer .................................... Page 50 wheremouse (ARexx) ............................................ Page 57 writers, PI ................................................... Page 48 x-specs ....................................................... Page 27 x-specs conversions ........................................... Page 30 zoom .......................................................... Page 8 Zoom, Morph Display ........................................... Page 22 zoomclip (ARexx) .............................................. Page 8 zooming, by scaling ........................................... Page 28