"Demo 1" Thanks to Jose Ignacio Pertegaz (Artwork developed on Tracer 1)
"Demo 2" Simple filled Shape and bitmap shape demo
"Demo 3" Quicktime Player
B. Download and expand the example movies from the Tracer web site (address below) and view them using the Apple Quicktime Movie Player.
C. Now try this worked example: "Triangle to Square"
1. Draw a triangle with the Line/Arc Pen tool (Menu Draw/Line Arc Pen) using double click or the SPACE bar to lift the pen between contours).
2. Move to frame 2 (using View Menu/Next Frame)
3. Draw a square with the pen tool (or any other shape you like)
4. Return back to frame 1 (using View Menu/Previous Frame)
5. Select the Morph option in the Morph menu, press "OK"
6. Watch Triangle morph to Square
Try the following: change one of the frame's colours; make both "Filled Shapes"; re-size, reposition, rotate, copy frames by drag and drop (select the Frame/Frame Overview menu option); insert curved lines (arcs); insert a nine-sided regular polygon; insert text shapes; save the morph results to file (by the Morph/Output-to-file command).
Read the "Tracer Help" under the HELP menu for a description of the controls.
Email etchelon@kagi.com for further support.
For printed help, a Simple Text version of the HELP is available at etchelon@kagi.com.
System Requirements
Etchelon Tracer requires a colour Macintosh. It will run on both 68nnn and PowerPC systems. Earlier version of Tracer have been developed on MacOS 7.5.5 through to MacOS 8.6. Tracer 3 has been tested on MacOS 7.6.1 and MacOS 8.6 and should run on earlier systems. It requires at least 1.5Mb of RAM but it has its memory set to 8Mb. If limitations within the software are stopping you, let me know and I'll see what I can do!
Bug reports are welcome. Please send them to etchelon@kagi.com
Bugs and Version History
New Features in Version 3.7 May 2000
Changes to sequence commands
- @tSF/NNN:@mSF/DF still supported by when dragging and dropping sequences
the code formt is @miNNN/SF/DF where
NNN is number of steps in the transition
SF is the source frame
DF is the destination frame.
This is not only more tidy but also is faster to process.
- New command @k soundfilename will output a sound file
- New command @qt moviefile will display movie (in separate window) see Demo 3
Images, Movies and Sound files are expected either in the application folder or
a sub-folder called "Data"
Correction of bug which stopped ungrouping of groups with sub-groups
Version 3.6.3-3.6.5 April 2000
Change in file format to stop possible "corruption errors"
Old file formatted converted and loaded if OPTION selected during OPEN
New file formats have slightly different icon
Change in Trace Image file naming
Change in behaviour when morphing between vector and filled shapes
View Menu "Display Filled Shapes", "Display Bitmap Shapes" and "Outline Shapes" changed
to provide expected views - these functions are useful for a number of reasons,
for example, to allow selection of small vectors within a filled shape.
Tiled output examples removed.
Minor changes to help files.
Corretion of bugs introduced by 3.6.3
Version 3.6.2 February 2000
Facility to support Etchelon Macdoodle
- Tracer vector graphics can be saved as a set of outline shapes for Macdoodle
Other improvements:
- Improved vector line selection
- Bug removed that sometimes corrupted data when frame was >90% full
- Bug removed on image pasting
- Minor changes to help files.
Version 3.6.1 January 2000
Tiled output option bugs corrected:
Example PICT files demonstrate tiled output:
- 18 frames of a train starting and steaming along
- 18 frames of a car driving along and getting bumped.
Shape's "selection frame" displayed when shapes extend beyond frame boundaries.
- this helps editting large shapes.
Defaults in frame size dialog changed. Frame size size cannot be larger than maximum main window size.
- previously defaults changed to current window size and was confusing.
Point Edit bug where too many points were selected has been corrected.
- Point edit can now only occur on selected shape or group shape.
- Co-located points in the same shape (only) are "locked" together.
- Selecting OPTION will select only one point.
Correction of display refresh bug when moving objects with arrow keys.
Change to Output restrictions for non-registered users:
- Unregistered Users can now output bitmap images to file (but with an "unregistered" banner)
- Tiled output to Trace Image only available to registered users
Version 3.6 December 1999
New Output option: small tiled pictures - useful for sprite/game development
- selected from new menu option
- morphing occurs offscreen and displayed in the "capture frame" (default no 35)
- Introduction demo modified
Background File Sequence now has new option: "Loop". Allows background sequence to be looped.
Bug when an Open command is cancelled, removed.
Bug messing display after a copy, cut and paste corrected.
Bug which created a limitation on the width of Trace Images removed.
Movie-to-PICTs program no longer supplied. QuickTime Player Pro has better functionality.
Version 3.5.1 November 1999
Flicker-free and faster updates during drawing and shape editting for both full screen and zoom mode.
Bitmap holes are displayed as a transparent shape. (This does not change function of bitmap holes during a Morph).
Version 3.5
Icons added to major Menus.
Trace Image Bugs corrections:
- Bitmap Shapes can be moved (with Trace Image) with arrow keys but, in keeping with other Trace Image/Bitmap
controls, NOT when SHIFT key depressed.
- Trace Image cannot be altered by bitmap shapes when in zoom mode.
Version 3.4
New Colour/Fill Window
- Easy access, and direct selection of, dotted line and smooth shapes.
- Graphical buttons for Bitmap and Bitmap Hole Shapes.
- Information messages displayed when cursor over window buttons.
Smoother animation when using file/file sequence as background.
Version 3.3
Shapes and Vectors can now be grouped to form Objects.
- Group candidates selected by dragged boxes while pressing SHIFT or selected/deselected by SHIFT click.
- One or more selected shapes and vectors can be changed by colour/fill/line type.
- Objects can be included within objects.
- Objects can be resized, repositioned, rotated and deleted like a normal shape or vector.
- Objects cannot have colour/fill changes but still subject to point-edit.
Shape/Object ordering: new send back/send forward commands.
Freedom Pen resolution selectable from SHIFT Control Panel.
Cut/Copy shape or object including bitmap shapes and paste as image onto Trace Images.
- facility accessable after a SHIFT DELETE key or SHIFT Edit Menu/Clear.
- Repositioning of pasted image allowed before being dropped on top of existing Trace Image.
- Tracer objects and shapes can be copied and pasted to other Mac applications via Clipboard.
SHIFT arrow keys for fast object repositioning.
Version 3, 3.0.1,3.1, 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3,3.2
Bitmap shapes "lasso" the underlying Trace Images
- Bitmap shapes (and underlying bitmap) can be repositioned, rotated and re-sized
- SHIFT during resize, rotate or reposition action stops the Trace Image being changed.
Predefined shapes can be drawn as Bitmap Shapes by selecting SHIFT when selecting control palette.
New facility: Morph Replay
- Morph capture at any point, replaces previous morph capture facilitiy
- After a morph, press the new morph replay icon to enter morph replay mode.
- replay mode also entered if numbers 1-9 pressed, representing 10-90% morph
- step forward or backward using +/- keys or icons.
- Use PASTE to save vector data to capture frame (default: frame no. 35)
OPTION-click allows the selection of objects underlying other objects.
Trace images saved in "Images" folder (if already created)
Lower case font added.
Option click on HELP window closes all HELP windows.
Licensing
Etchelon Tracer is licensed for use for 30 days after which time you should be expected to pay the registration fee. The registration fee is inexpensive and easily paid through the Kagi payment system which includes on-line payment. Registration information can be found in the file "Tracer Registration" in the "Other Programs" folder.
Etchelon Tracer can be freely distributed providing that this file and all programs are not changed and also included in the distribution. The correct operation of this program cannot be guaranteed.
New versions can be found at:
http://website.lineone.net/~andy.pritchard
Etchelon Tracer for Macintosh (c)1998 Andy Pritchard
