Club Amiga de Montreal - CAM/CAM_CD_1.iso/files/286.lha/ImageLab_v2.2/ImageLab/ImageLab.help

Text File | 1989-08-09 | 16KB | 496 lines

. Credits
    \uImageLab V2.2\u

    (C) Copyright 1989
    by  Gary Milliorn

    This program is copyrighted, but
is freely redistributable excluding
commercial concerns.

    Send suggestions, bugs, complaints,
to:

    mail: 5915 Shanghai Pierce Rd.
          Austin, Texas 78749-1927
    bix:  gmill

Last revision: August 5, 1989
. Overview
    \uImageLab V2.2\u

    \uImageLab\u is a program that
performs functions on image files.  It
is principally oriented towards greyscaled
images, though there are some color
functions provided.

    \uImageLab\u only works on IFF files.

    All operations can be limited to
areas by drag-selecting an area on the file
opened: just click at one corner and drag
to the opposite; only the selected area
will be affected.
.Convolution
    \iConvolution\i (the graphical or
spatial form) is a general purpose image
procesing transform that can be used to
extract or enhance features of the image,
under control of a matrix called the
\ikernel\i.

    \uImageLab\u V2.2 is limited to a
3 x 3 kernel, but there are many operations
which can be performed with this small
kernel, such as smoothing, edge detection,
etc.
.Area
    Operations may be applied to the
whole screen or to a sub-area.

    To select an area, click the mouse
on the picture and drag to outline the
desired area.
.Clipboard
    The clipboard functions can be used
to import or export graphical data, or to
temporarily hold data to move between screens
you open.
.Project
    The \iProject\i menu contains general
information selections: About and Information.

    Note: if the `checkmark' option is set
and the special font is available, then
\uImageLab\u will convert the Project menu into
an Amiga-style checkmark.
.File
    The \iFile\i menu contains all File I/O
operations, as well as the Quit option.
.Edit
    The \iEdit\i menu contains the clipboard
functions, plus general purpose editing
facilities (such as Paint, Flip, Erase, etc.)
.Transform Menu
    The \iTransform\i menu contains various
picture/area modification functions, including
the FFT menus, the Convolution and Averaging
menus, and the Filters menus.
.Picture Menu
    The \iPicture\i menu contains various
global picture operations, including color
table manipulations and screen parameter
editing (change size, etc.)
.Other Menu
    The \iOther\i menu contains miscellaneous
functions, including:

    Position       - screen positioning
    Save Mode      - compression type and
               FFT inclusion.
    Restrict Palette  - limit color range.
    Bell               - controls bell usage.
    Icons              - controls icon creation.
.About
    \iAbout\i displays information about
\uImageLab\u, including the copyright information,
current memory availability (\uImageLab\u can use
quite a bit) and provides access to \iHelp\i.

    Note: help is also available using the
`Help' key.
.Picture Info
    \iPicture Info\i shows information about
the current open picture, including:

    Filename.
    File size.
    Display modes.
    Select size and area.
    FFT memory usage.
.Open
    \iOpen\i opens an \bIFF\b picture file.
If a screen is currently open already, it will
be closed first (if it has been modified, a
warning will be issued).

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while \iOpen\i
is selected, when the IFF file is opened, the
most-significant bit plane will be stripped away.
This is useful in processing DigiView files, which
create extra bitplanes that can adversely affect
\uImageLab\u's operation.  See also: \iRestrict Palette\i
and \iEdit Parameters\i.
.Revert
    \iRevert\i re-opens the previously opened
IFF picture file, undoing any changes that have
been made.

    This option is disabled if you have not
made any changes to your file.
.Close
    \iClose\i closes the current picture screen.
If the picture has been modified, you will be warned.
.Save
    \iSave\i saves the current picture back to
the filename used when the picture was loaded.

    The `Save' option is disabled when the
picture's screen modes have been altered (by the
\iEdit Parameters\i command).
.Save As
    \iSave As\i saves the current picture to
a filename specified using a file requester.
.Delete
    \iDelete\i brings up a file requester
allowing you to specify files to be deleted.
.Quit
    \iQuit\i leaves \uImageLab\u.  If the
current picture has been altered but not saved,
you will be warned first.
.Undo
    \iUndo\i undoes most operations, even if
it has to re-load the picture from disk.
.Cut
    \iCut\i copies the selected area to the
clipboard, then erases the area to the background
color (color #0).

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held down, the
area is cleared to the last color that was
selected by the palette.
.Copy
    \iCopy\i copies the selected area to the
clipboard as an IFF picture.  Selected areas can
be exported to other programs by the clipboard.
.Paste
    \iPaste\i pastes the IFF graphics area
to the current picture.  If the clipboard contains
an IFF compatible picture, the picture screen will
be brought up and a select box will be active.

    Position the box to the desired location
and press the left mouse button.

    To abort a \ipaste\i in-progress, press
the \bESC\b key.
.Clear
    \iClear\i erases the selected area (or
the entire screen) by setting it to the
background color (color #0).

    If \bSHIFT\b is held while Clear is
selected, the area is cleared to the last color
that was selected with the palette.
.Unselect
    \iUnselect\i removes the selected area
from the picture.  Alternately, just click once
on the picture without moving the mouse.
.Move
    \iMove\i allows you to reposition a
selected area.  To use, select an area, then the
\iMove\i option.  The screen is brought up, with
the selected area shown.

    To move that area, click the left mouse
button to drag the area to the new location, and
release the button when the area is positioned
properly.

    To abort a move in-progress, press the \bESC\b
key before releasing the button.
.Resize
    The \iResize\i option allows to you to change
the size of a selected area.  The first two options,
\iCopy\i and \iInterpolate\i control whether pixels
which must be created are simply copied or are
produced by a two-dimensional averaging technique.

    To use those methods, you select them and
then select a new area.  \iResize\i will expand
and/or contract your image as needed to fit the
available area.

    The second two options, \iHalve\i and \iDouble\i,
do not require you to specify the target area.  \bNote:\b
\iDouble\i always interpolates, so it is a little
slower.
.Flip
    The \iFlip\i option produces mirror images
of selected areas.  The suboptions allow you to
flip around an imaginary center vertical axis
(making horizontal flips) or around an imaginary
center horizontal axis (making vertical flips).
.Paint
    The \iPaint\i option invokes a small, touch-
up painter.  You can draw colors on the screen using
the mouse, when the left mouse button is pressed.  The
'toolbox' on the screen allows the following modes:

    Draw   - draw using last palette color.
    Xor    - exclusive-or (invert) pixels.
    Random - draw with random pixels.
    Trace  - draw, but connect between dots.

    To select a different color, currently you
must leave edit mode, use the palette to pick a color,
and return to paint mode.  Sorry.

    To select the modes, you can use 'd', 'x', 'r',
and 't' to select the Draw, Xor, Random, and Trace modes,
respectively.
.Position
    The submenus of the \iPosition\i menu
allow control over the position of the open
picture screen, which has no drag bar.

    The \iHigh\i, \iMiddle\i, and \iLittle\i
selections put the screen at the top, halfway
down, or near the bottom.

    Since menu selections are made from the
WorkBench screen, the last two allow easy access
to the ImageLab window.

    The command key mnemonics were chosen for
convienent access using the right Amiga, not for
some bizarre meaning.
key.
.Save Type
    The \iSave Type\i menu allows you to
set the the checked item indicates the file
compression method used.  \iNo Compression\i
and \iCompress Runs\i are the standard IFF
compressions.

    The \iChoose\i performs a save to a
RAM-type disk using each format, and then
displays the resulting size - you then pick
which one to keep.

    The default menu selection is the
compression mode of the currently open picture,
if any.
.Bell
    The \ibell\i option, causes a bell to
be sounded when an operation is complete.  This
is handy with some of the lengthy functions, such
as FFT's.
.Icons
    The \iIcons\i menu allows controlling
whether icons are generated with saved picture
files.  The default is OFF if \uImageLab\u was
started from the CLI, or ON if it was started
from WorkBench.
.FFT
    The \iFFT\i menu contains the main FFT
transform function, \iTransform\i, \iInverse\i
and \iDisplay\i.
.Color to B&W
    The \iColor to B&W\i menu converts the color
palette to a greyscale.  It does this using the
EIA weighting factors.  This is one step in
converting a color picture for \uImageLab\u use.

    Note: if the palette is not in order after
using this command, use \iLinearize\i.
.Linearize
    The \iLinearize\i menu sorts the palette,
and rewrites all pixel values on the screen so
that no change in appearance occurs.
\uImageLab\u requires a linearly increasing
palette for most operations to perform as
expected.
.Negative
    The \iNegative\i menu inverts the order of
the palette.  If you have a standard greyscale,
this will produce a negative image.  If not,
unpredictable results will occur.
.Saturate
    The \iSaturate\i menu saturates all colors
in the palette.  If the \bSHIFT\b key is held,
then the intensity levels are forced to maximum
values also; this produces a palette of primary
colors.
.Pseudo Color
    The \iPseudo Color\i menu converts a grey-
scaled palette to a "thermographic" palette,
where blue represents coldest (darkest) and
red represents hottest (whitest).  Values in-
between are scaled accordingly.

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while selecting
\iPseudo Color\i, the palette is given random
colors.  This serves no useful purpose, except
for hours of enjoyment.
.Delete Color
    The \iDelete Color\i menu brings up a window
containing selection gadgets, one per color.
Selecting the gadgets changes them to an 'X', and
when "OK" is selected, all marked colors are
deleted from the palette and their pixels are
deleted from the picture.

    Unchanged colors and pixels are moved down,
freeing up space in the palette/picture.
.Map Color
    The \iMap Color\i menu brings up a window
containing selection gadgets, one per color.
Selecting the gadgets changes them to an 'X', and
when "OK" is selected, the two (and only two)
marked colors are exchanged in the palette and
their pixels are exchanged in the picture.
.Sobel
    The \iSobel\i transform is a specialized,
highly effective edge detecting transform.  Areas
processed by the \iSobel\i transform will be replaced
with bright pixels in area of greatest change,
and dark where there is little change.
.Roberts
    The \iRoberts\i transform is a specialized,
effective edge detecting transform.  Areas
processed by the \iRoberts\i transform will be replaced
with bright pixels in area of greatest change,
and dark where there is little change.
.Binary
    The \iBinary\i function converts the selected
area to white or black, depending upon whether
the pixel are greater than or less than a supplied
value.
.Threshold
    The \iThreshold\i function limits the selected
area.  Pixels outside a specified pair of limits are
forced to be within that range.
.Pixelize
    The \iPixelize\i function converts a group of
<n> pixels into their average value.  This produces
blocky images (i.e., "computerized").
.Transform
    The \iTransform\i function begins an FFT transform.
The selected area must be a power of two in size
(2, 32, 128, etc.); if not, a modification requester
is brought up.

    When ready, the FFT operation begins.  A bar chart
monitors its progress.  When done, the data is ready
and is attached to the picture.  Select the \iDisplay\i
function to view the results.
.Inverse
    The \iInverse\i function begins an inverse FFT
transform.  This converts the data back to an image.
When done, the data can be displayed via \iDisplay\i.
Theoretically, if no changes have occured to the
raw FFT data, you should get your picture back.

    The \iPaint\i option also modifies any FFT data.
.Display
    The \iDisplay\i function display a screen image
using the FFT data.  The options \iLog Display\i and
\iNo Display\i control whether a logarithmic
enhancement is applied to the data.  Usually, this
\bmust\b be done to \iTransform\ied images.
.Intensity
    The \iIntensity\i function alters the apparent
brightness of an area up or down in steps.  The
\iBrighten\i and \iDarken\i area additive operations,
while the \iScale\i operations are multiplicative.
.Merge
    The \iMerge\i function merges two pictures.  The
options are:

    Overlay  - copy new picture to current, wherever
           the current pixel is black.
    Add     - add the pixel values together.
    Subtract - subtract the pixel values together.
    And     - logically AND the pixel values together.
    Or     - logically OR the pixel values together.
    XOR     - logically XOR the pixel values together.
    Other... - do a custom blitter operation.
.Average
    The \iAverage\i function smooths a selected area
by replacing each pixel by the weighted average of its
neighboring pixels.  Different suboptions select which
neighbors to use.

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while selecting
\iAverage\i, you can edit the control matrix.
.Convolve
    The \iConvolve\i function alters a pixel based
upon factors weighted by selected neighboring pixels.
By varying the kernel used, smoothing, enhancing, or
edge detection can be performed.

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while selecting
\iConvolve\i, you can edit the control matrix.
.Histogram
    The \iHistogram\i function counts pixels in
a selected area, and shows a graph from that data.
The \iInclude Black\i, \iExclude Black\i, \iBar Graph\i,
and \iLine Graph\i options control its display.
.Equalize
    The \iEqualize\i function adjusts the values
in the palette so normalize the greyscale to a
Gaussian distribution, producing a more normal
appearance.

    \bNote\b: a \iHistogram\i function \bmust\b have
been invoked first.
.HAM Conversion
    The \iHAM Conversion\i function is enabled only
when a HAM picture has been loaded.  It converts the
picture or selected area to a 16-color greyscaled image.

    \bNote\b: this function \bdoes\b work correctly for
selected areas which do not start at the left edge.
.Halftone
    The \iHalftone\i function converts the selected
area or picture to a halftoned image.  A halftone cell
size of 2 or 3 can be selected.
.Restrict Palette
    The \iRestrict Palette\i function prevents
\uImageLab\u from using the upper half of a palette.
This is needed to process DigiView pictures properly.
.Greyscale
    The \iGreyscale\i function converts the palette
to a linearly increasing greyscale.
.Median
    The \iMedian\i filter replaces each pixel in
an area with the median value of its eight surrounding
pixels.
.Minimum
    The \iMinimum\i filter replaces each pixel in
an area with the minimum value of its eight surrounding
pixels.
.Maximum
    The \iMaximum\i filter replaces each pixel in
an area with the maximum value of its eight surrounding
pixels.
.Distort
    The \iDistort\i function randomly distorts an
area.  A probability of 0% to 100% can be set.
.Noise
    The \iNoise\i function randomly produces
impulse noise in an area.  A probability of 0% to
100% can be set.

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while selecting
\iNoise\i, the noise generated is 0, instead of 1.
.Palette
    The \iPalette\i function places a color
palette on the screen.  You can select each color,
and alter its RGB components using the provided
sliders.  Select "OK" to make the changes permanent,
or "CANCEL" to restore the old values.
.Edit Parameters
    The \iEdit Parameters\i function changes the
size and modes of the screen, producing a new screen.
A window allows you to edit the screen width, depth,
and height.  You can select HAM, Interlace, and
Extra-Half-Bright modes as well.

    If the \bSHIFT\b key is held while selecting
\iEdit Parameters\i, it will ignore any selected
area and will set the default width and height to
the pictures true size.