Picture Plug-in Scripting Reference

Overview

The picture plugin is for highly compressed photographic full color images.

This is different from the draw plugin's bitmaps, which are very high speed but use fewer colors.

The sprite plugin should be used for masked images, the picture plugin can't do masking.

You can import and export a variety of image file formats as needed.

Messages: nodemove, nodechange

Nodemove is sent when the position of the picture changes.

Nodechange is sent when the picture's data changes.

Commands and Functions

binaryget, binaryset

binary data $ = binaryget(node name $)
binaryset(node name $, binary data $)

Get or set binary data for any picture.

This routine is useful for serialization into xml and trading data between pictures.

boundsget, boundsset

rectangle $ = boundsget(node name $)
boundsset(node name $, rectangle $)

Get or set the boundary rectangle of the object. Pictures are losslessly scaled to the new bounds.

clip

clip(node name $, rectangle $)

Clips a picture to the new bounds expressed in local coordinates for the picture.

If the new bounds are inside the current picture, the picture is clipped to the smaller size.

If the new bounds are outside the current picture, the exposed area is filled with black.
See: thumbnail, scale

copy, paste

copy(node name $)
paste(node name $, quality #)

Move the picture on or off the system clipboard as graphics.

deletedata

deletedata(node name $)

Delete the data associated with this picture, if any.
See: isloaded

export, import

export(node name $, file name $)
import(node name $, file name $, quality #)

Import data into a picture. The quality parameter will control final data size at the expense of picture quality.

Quality ranges from lowest 1 to maximum 100, a quality of 75 gives good visual results with good compression.

fullget, fullset, infoget, infoset

full $ = fullget(node name $)
fullset(node name $, full $)
info $ = infoget(node name $)
infoset(node name $, info $)

Get or set XML data that describes all the settings for this node.

The fullget and fullset routines have a header element with appropriate namespaces, infoget and infoset are an XML snippet for access as a property. Example:

mynode.info.title = "new title"

handlesget, handlesset

handles TF = handlesget(node name $)
handlesset(node name $, handles TF)

Turn on or off dragable handles for reshaping the node.

This routine is used by the system tool palettes for manual positioning.
See: markersget, markersset, partget, partset

hiliteget, hiliteset

hilite TF = hiliteget(node name $)
hiliteset(node name $, hilite TF)

Get or set the hilite of the picture. If hilited, the picture is inverted.

This is useful to show mouse control of the picture.

hittest

hit TF = hittest(node name $, hor #, ver #)

Returns true if the point is in the picture.

isloaded

is loaded TF = isloaded(node name $)

Returns true if the picture has imported data. A newly created picture object is not loaded.

lockedget, lockedset

is locked TF = lockedget(node name $)
lockedset(node name $, locked TF)

Set the locked attribute to fix a picture in memory during a drag or rotation.

Don't leave pictures locked because they can take up RAM.

markersget, markersset

markers TF = markersget(node name $)
markersset(node name $, markers TF)

Turn on or off the node outline to show selection.

This routine is used by the system tool palettes to show that a node is selected.
See: handlesset, handlesget, partget, partset

partget, partset

part # = partget(node name $, hor #, ver #)
partset(node name $, hor #, ver #, part #)

Get or set the points for an individual handle.
See: markersget, markersset, handlesset, handlesget

reset

reset(node name $)

Reset restors a picture to the original imported aspect ratio.

rotateget, rotateset

degree # = rotateget(node name $)
rotateset(node name $, degree #)

Set rotation angle for pictures.

scale

scale(node name $, new hor #, new ver #)

Scales a picture to the given new width and height.

This command permanently re-scales the picture data, while setting the bounds which just stretches the picture.
See: thumbnail, clip

thumbnail

thumbnail(node name $, new hor #, new ver #)

Converts a picture into a thumbnail.

The aspect ratio of the picture is matched to the desired thumb size, clipping as necessary.
See: scale, clip