CompuServe Messages

Breanna, > Looks like WinImages does not "like" the Targa format output by Animation > Master – my main animation tool. Ok, here's how we solve this: First, make a couple of representative Targa files from animation master and email them to me, zipped, with the adress of the company that makes the product (and phone and fax numbers). Include your address, CIS number and phone, please. If that's not convenient, put same on a disk and send them to: Black Belt Systems Technical Support Building #2 398 Johnson Road Glasgow, MT 59230 Remember to include (1) the files, (2) the address and phone # and fax # if possible of the "Animation Master" people (3) a short note saying "These are Targa files from Animation Master that crash WinImages. Again, include your address, CIS # and phone. We'll take it from there: Once we have the files, we'll see what's going on. If the Targa's aren't legal, we'll see if we can modify the loader to load them anyway, _as long as that doesn't compromise legal files_. If it DOES compromise legal files, we'll contact the Animation Master people and see what we can get done for you that way. On the other hand, if they are legal and the load software (ours) is having a problem, (which is most likely, I suppose) we'll fix that. Should take only a few days, no matter what the issue turns out to be. > I was hoping to use WinImages to do post processing on my A:M work. We'll get you going – one way or another. > Assuming that I can get my files converted into a more compatible format (It seems to like > my Fractal Designer TGAs just fine), I could not find the trick for loading a series of frames > into the system (TimeLine or FilmStrip?) to processes them as a group. Timeline – and it's easy. Double click on a timeline box. You'll get a dialog. Select "Action Image", then tell it you want to use files. You'll get a regular file dialog now. Select multiple files in the dialog using shift-click and/or control-click in the standard Windows manner. When you close the dialogs, you'll get all the files you selected,up to about 300 or so, which is the limit for the Windows Dialog. You can do this multiple times, if need be (if you have more than 300 files to process). > Frankly the paradigm has me a bit baffled. What is the conceptual work flow model for this > product, particularly regarding batch processing sequences of frames produced by another > system? I'll keep browsing and playing. Your pointers are anticipated however. Multiple file (batch) processing: (1) Open the TimeLine if it's not already open (2) Pick a bunch of files to process as I described above. (3) Set an output format in the TIMELINE menu under SEQUENCE CONTROLS. Make sure you turn "Save Results" on also… otherwise, no output… we do that so you can generate to the filmstrip to see if you're getting what you want before you commit to output files. (4) Drag in an operation (like contrast) on top of the first frame. You'll see an arrow stretch to the end of the timeline… unless you drag in another op, that op will be applied to all files. (5) Drag in an area selection (entire image is common for contrast adjustments and so on) on top of the operation. IF the area selection is something like an ellipse, you then have to take the extra step of double-clicking on the ellipse, and then "make the area selection now" so it knows where to PUT the ellipse… this doesn't apply with the Entire Image tool, though. Again, you'll see an arrow stretch to the end of the timeline… unless you drag in another area selection, that selection will be used for all files. (4) Start the timeline running. From there, you should get what you want. > More tutorials are needed, I think. I'm supportive of the on-line documentation approach. > I know how much easier and more timely it is for you I assure you. Content is always the > point though. In general, the docs look good. Thanks for the positive approach. We know there can never be enough tutorials, so tell us specifically what you want to know, and we'll put those in the top of the heap. In the meantime, lets see how you feel when we've got your files loading correctly and you've got batching down… I think you're going to like this a lot… sure hope so! We work on the docs _constantly_ and any suggestions you may have for us will be taken quite seriously, I assure you. Comments by fax, email or snail mail are just about pinned to the doc guy's forehead. 🙂 Ben Williams for Black Belt Systems