Image Plugin - Simple drawing pane

Questions about NeoBook PlugIns

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Image Plugin - Simple drawing pane

Post by Guest »

Just released hpwImage 1.0:

http://www.hpwsoft.de/anmeldung/html1/n ... book5.html

Action: hpwImageCreate to create a Image-Bitmap.
Action: hpwImageDelete to remove a Image-Bitmap.
Action: hpwImageFillRect to draw a filled rectangle.
Action: hpwImageDrawLine to draw a line.
Supported mouse clicks: Left,Middle,Right
Last edited by Guest on Tue Mar 08, 2005 2:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Link to download is fixed.

(Edited by HPW at 7:08 am on Oct. 15, 2002)
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.01:

Action: hpwImageRectangle to draw a filled rectangle with outline.
Action: hpwImageFrameRect to draw a hollow rectangle.
Variable: Rectanglename_MaxX + Rectanglename_MaxY for max.dimensions of the image
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.02:

Action: hpwImagePixels  to draw a pixel.
Action: hpwImageSaveToFile to save a bitmap to a file.
Action: hpwImageLoadFromFile to load a bitmap from a file.
djold1

Image Plugin

Post by djold1 »

This looks very nice.  

Because I am buried right now in other work I am going to wait till you come to the end of your additions on this plug before I load it and evaluate it.

Keep up the good work..
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.03:

Bugfix: hpwImageLoadFromFile had influenced the speed of the other drawing commands.

Pete: Since I am not working with a release plan as the professionals like Dave, I add function when I need them or when I get a new idea when watching borland's delphi documentation (and of course I had the time).
djold1

Image Plugin

Post by djold1 »

I realize that and am watching your progress with a lot of interest. Your progress seems to be pretty constant.
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.04:

Changed action: hpwImageSaveToFile now has coordinates to save a rectangle from the image.
Changed action: hpwImageLoadFromFile now has coordinates to load the bitmap to a coordinate.
New action: hpwImageCopyToClip has coordinates to copy a rectangle from the image to clipboard.
New action: hpwImageCopyFromClip has coordinates to copy a bitmap to a coordinate from the clipboard.
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.05:

Action: hpwImageTextOut has coordinates, fontname, size, colors to draw a textstring to the image.
Variables: [Rectanglename_PenPosX]+[Rectanglename_PenPosY] to store the last PenPos coordinate.
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Just released hpwImage 1.06:

Action: hpwImageTextOutAngle has coordinates, fontname, size, colors;angle to draw a textstring to the image.
Variables: [hpwImageTransparent] to store the Transparent flag for text.
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

Question to potential users:

I am thinking of adding PNG-capability to hpwImage. But this will definatly add file size.

I want to use this open source lib:
http://pngdelphi.sourceforge.net/

Then you have to accept their license terms.

Any Votes?
dirtbag

Image Plugin

Post by dirtbag »

What are their license terms.. am i blind?? i am on their website i dont see any license terms..

Are you or anybody else familiar with .PNG.. Say when i use Macromedia Fireworks i can save the image i create as a .PNG which i can use say in neobook.. but i can reopen it back im Fireworks and i am able to edit it with all the layers.. etc..

But say i save a .PNG in Photoshop it becomes raster image.

just wondering whats the difference.

Dirt

I think .PNG format would be good.


(Edited by dirtbag at 3:28 pm on Oct. 23, 2002)
Ronnie

Image Plugin

Post by Ronnie »

PNG is free from any licenses unlike GIF. However, the PNG component that is used to allow Delphi developers to support PNG in their projects is not. In some cases, there are some clauses attached to it. It can be free..but your project has to be free too.

PNG (Portable Network Graphics) is an alternative to GIF. It supports more than 256 colors (unlike GIF), and also has an alpha-transparency (just like GIF) although many programs don't support it.   Use PNG in your projects especially if your Neobook pub uses lots of graphic images for interface, etc. PNG file size are much much smaller than BMP.  PNG is a raster file..



Fireworks, Director, PhotoShop and many other applications uses their own algorithm or uses commercial libraries to support PNG and the various graphic file formats.   If they wish to use freely-available components as mentiond by HPW.. then they have to conform to the clauses stipulated.   Most commercial applications would not be bothered by unnecessary constraints.. thus they would prefer to purchase and use commercial 3rd-party libraries that supports many formats.

ZIP is proprietory format, thus many ZIp components are not free.. and those that are free requires you to conform to certain rulings/licensing.. which is why there isn't many ZIP plugins here. There are of course commercial plugins which allows unlimited uses.. but these add to the cost of the development.

GIF is a patented format.. that is technically any program that reads and saves a GIF formatted file has to apply licencing.  NeoBook has licensed the GIF.. (check the ABOUT option). In any case, the patent licensing will expiry next year which means anyone can freely support GIF w/o licensing constraint.  Web sites are exempted from such licensing.

JPEG is yet another format that has been filed for patent by a company who bought over anopther company that creates the initial format. However, the JPEG industries are against such licensing and the decision whether JPEG has to be licensed or not are still inpending.. in the court's hands..

Thus technically, if your NeoBook-compiled project can saves to a GIF format... you need to apply for licensing. Reading of GIF files is OK..


Lastly, if you want to support any graphic formats that is not included in Delphi, additional file size is necessary. This should not pose any problem to anyone who seriously wants to use the plugin for specific reasons.
dirtbag

Image Plugin

Post by dirtbag »

thanks for the sharing the information ronnie it was quite helpful..

dirt
HPW

Image Plugin

Post by HPW »

I will check the license term before using it.

To PNG: As ronnie state it is raster format, but important it is lossless raster format. And the compression ratios are excellent.

For the supported features. Since hpwImage is a simple flat bitmap it will not support layered raster files. The PNG format does support this, but it is part of the app to write this feature.

So please do not compare with a full-blown macromedia fireworks. When you do it then you also have to compare the price-range ;-)
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