Ide/Resource Editor/Graphics Editor

Graphics Editor Window

When the Graphics Editor is started to edit an image, the Graphics Editor window will appear on the screen:

Graphics Editor Window

The Graphics Editor window is divided into several areas. Each area is responsible for a definite function or combines a number of tools, which are associated by purpose.

Areas of the Graphics Editor Window

Graphics Editor Title Bar

The title bar of the Graphics Editor window serves to display information about the type of the image (icon, cursor or bitmap), the image size in pixels, the number of colors which are available for use, and the name of the file which is opened for the current image.

For example, the title bar ProjectIcon.ico Size 32*32 Colors:16 says that:

the type of current image is an icon;
the size of the current image is 32*32 pixels;
16 colors may be used in the image;
the name of the file, which is opened for current image, is ProjectIcon.ico.

Graphic Field

The Graphic Field is situated in the middle of the Graphics Editor window.

Typical contents of the Graphic Field

The Graphic Field lets you see and edit the current image in expanded mode. The Graphic Field consists of small cells, where each cell corresponds to one pixel on the actual size image. The number of cells in each horizontal row and the number of cells in each vertical column give the image size, which is displayed in the title bar of the Graphics Editor window. It is possible to turn on and off a grid in the Graphic field.

Image Screen

To the right of the Graphic Field in the Graphics Editor window you can see the Image Screen, painted in background color. In the middle of Image Screen you can see the current image in actual size on the selected background color. By changing the background color you can see how your current image will look in various surroundings.

Icon

Under the Graphic Field, you can see the Icon drop-down list:

You can choose, which of the icon images in the current file to load into the editor.

Move Toolbar

(Moving, Rotating and Flipping an Image) To the right of the Graphic Field, under the Image Screen, you can see the Image Move toolbar:

Image Move toolbar

By clicking the appropriate button you can move, rotate or flip the current image.

Button	Button Name	Description
	Shift Left	Moves the image one column to the left. The left edge column crosses the left borderline of the Graphic Field and returns to the Graphic Field as the right edge column
	Shift Right	Moves the image one pixel column to the right. The right edge column crosses the right borderline of the Graphic Field and returns to the Graphic Field as the left edge column
	Shift Up	Moves the image one pixel row up. The top row crosses the upper borderline of the Graphic Field and returns to the Graphic Field as the bottom row
	Shift Down	Moves the image one pixel row down. The bottom row crosses the bottom borderline of the Graphic Field and returns to the Graphic Field as the top row
	Rotate Left	Rotates the image 90 degrees counter-clockwise around its center
	Rotate Right	Rotates the image 90 degrees clockwise around its center
	Flip Horizontal	Flips the image around the vertical axis
	Flip Vertical	Flips the image around the horizontal axis

Notice that the Resource | Move menu contains the same commands as the Image Move toolbar.

Color Palette

At the top of the Graphics Editor window you can see the Color Palette.

The Color Palette

The Color Palette lets you choose colors for the drawing operations:

Color Modes Toolbar

Under the Image Screen you can see the Color Modes tool box:

The Color Modes toolbar

The Color Modes tool box is used to set:

Draw and Edit Toolbar

(Using Draw and Edit Tools) To the left of the Graphic Field of the Graphics Editor window you can see the Draw and Edit Toolbar. It contains the main tools for drawing and editing:

The Draw and Edit toolbar

The Graphics Editor provides a number of tools to make creating your image easy. The tools can be activated either from the Resource | Tools menu or from the Draw and Edit toolbar.

Draw and Edit Tools

By clicking any of the buttons in the Draw and Edit toolbar you can select the required draw or edit tool. Here are short descriptions of them:

Button	Button Name	Description
	Pen	The Pen tool can be used to color an individual pixel on the Graphic Field or to make a free-hand drawing.
	Brush	The Brush tool works the same as Pen tool, except that the Brush tool leaves a larger mark than the Pen. The style of the Brush can be changed by selecting among the Small, Big, and Star in the Brush Style list button (in the right bottom corner of the Graphics Editor window).
	Eraser	To erase a fragment of the image (the same as painting it with the Screen Color), you can use the Eraser Tool in the toolbar. The size of the Eraser can be changed by selecting among the Small and Big in the Eraser Style list button (in the right bottom corner of the Graphics Editor window)
	Color Eraser	The Erase Color tool will erase cells of the selected color without changing other colors.
	Fill Contour	The fastest way to color an area, which has an enclosed boundary, is to use the Fill Contour tool. Move the cursor into the area to be colored and click the mouse button. The interior of the bounded region will be colored.
	Mirror	To create symmetrical images use the Mirror tool. The Mirror tool sets the points that are the reflections of the cursor trail point relative to the different axes of symmetry. To choose the appropriate axes of symmetry for the Mirror tool select the Resource \| Set Mirror Style menu command in the Task window menu.
	Line	Selecting this button enables you to draw a line between any two points in the image.
	Draw Rectangle	Click this button if you need a rectangle. Size the Rectangle by drawing it out with the left button held down, then release.
	Draw Ellipse	Choose this tool if you need to draw a circle or an ellipse. Size the circle or ellipse by drawing it out with the left button held down, then release.
	Enter Text	Click this button to insert some text in your image. Move the cursor to the position on the Graphic Field where you want to start the text and click the mouse button. You will see a text cursor, which shows you the height of the letters and digits, and the starting point for the current line of text. When you type some text, it will be drawn in the currently selected color, with the currently selected font. To select the desired font settings press Ctrl+F. While the text is still selected, it is possible to move the starting point clicking in the new position.
	Mark Area	To mark a rectangular fragment of the image on the Graphic Field to be cut, copied or moved, click the Mark Area tool. Then move the cursor to the Graphic Field cell, which you want to be one corner of a marked rectangular area, and press and hold the mouse button. Release the mouse when the rectangle is of the appropriate size and you will see a sub-region of the image marked accordingly. You can move the marked region to another part of the Graphic Field by means of "drag and drop". Move the cursor into the marked region and press and hold the mouse button. Then, keeping the mouse button depressed, drag the marked fragment to the place of your choice and release the mouse button. Now the marked region is fixed in its new place. If you want to copy the marked region to another place, do as described under move, but hold down the Ctrl key, while pressing the mouse button in the marked region. When a region is marked: Edit\|Cut or Edit\|Copy (from the main menu, or the main IDE toolbar Cut and Copy buttons, or the standard accelerator keys Ctrl+X and Ctrl+C)can be used to place it to the clipboard; Edit\|Paste (or the Paste toolbar button or accelerator Ctrl+V)can be used to scale a image from the clipboard into the region. The Paste&Scale tool can be used. Note When you use Edit\|Paste , the image fragment will appear in the left top corner of Graphic Field. The region may be moved to another place by the mouse.
	Paste & Scale in Rectangle	When an image has been copied to the clipboard, this image can be pasted back into another marked area by pressing this button. This button will stay disabled until there are both an image on the clipboard, and a region has been selected.
	Clear Graphic Field	To clear the Graphic Field, click the Clear button. The white color is used for bitmaps and transparent color is used for icons and cursors.
	Change a Selected Color	With this button you can change all pixels that have a given color into another color. The two colors should first be set for the Color and Alt-Color selections. Note Any pixels, which were colored in background color or in "inverse" color by Inverse tool, will keep their original colors.
	Inverse Colors	This button can be used to invert all colors on the image. In this case, any pixels, which were colored in background color or in inverse to background color, will retain their existing colors.
	Grid	This button can be used to turn on and off a grid in the Graphic Field

Mirror Style Dialog

The Mirror Style dialog is activated by the Resource | Set Mirror Style menu command in the Task window menu:

The Mirror Style dialog

The Mirror Style dialog is used to choose the appropriate axes of symmetry for the Mirror tool.

The Mirror tool sets the points that are the reflections of the cursor trail point relative to the different axes of symmetry.

When you place the mouse cursor onto some point inside an edited image and click the left mouse button, then we say that you set the cursor trail point.

Using the Mirror tool, you can (by one click) set up to 8 reflections of the specified cursor trail point. A reflection point will be painted to each checked ON type of reflections. They are:

Main -> Trial

When checked ON, then paints the clicked cursor trail point.

Main -> Reverse

When checked ON, then paints the point opposite to the clicked cursor trail point.

Reflect -> Horizontal

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is the horizontal reflection of the clicked cursor trail point.

Reflect -> Vertical

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is the vertical reflection of the clicked cursor trail point.

Orthogonal -> Left

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is 90 degrees left rotation of the clicked cursor trail point.

Orthogonal -> Right

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is 90 degrees right rotation of the clicked cursor trail point.

Reflect Diagonal -> Left

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is the reflection of the clicked cursor trail point relative to the diagonal line drawn from the left upper corner to the right lower corner of the image.

Reflect Diagonal -> Right

When checked ON, then paints the point, which is the reflection of the clicked cursor trail point relative to the diagonal line drawn from the right upper corner to the left lower corner of the image.

Using Tools and Colors

Setting Colors

Setting the Draw and Edit Colors

To choose colors for the drawing and editing tools you can select one of the following four switches.

The Color Modes toolbar with selected "color" mode

The color of selection will be used for the drawing. It is possible to choose a new color for the active selection by a click in the Color Palette.

The color and the alt-color can be used in all drawing operations, the screen (or transparent) and inverse selections have different purposes depending on the image type.

Note. There are 16 color fields on the Color Palette, and all of them are available for drawing and editing in the Graphic Field.

Setting the Background Color

To see how your image looks on the different background colors or to color the image fragments in "transparent" (to let the background color show through) use the screen color selection.

The "screen" mode should be used for Background color

To change the background color, be sure that the screen switch is selected, then you can choose the background color by clicking in the Color Palette. The background color on the Image Screen, any details of the image, which were colored in (transparent) background color, and the screen indicator of Color Modes toolbar, all will change to the new color.

Usage of the "screen" Colors for Bitmaps, Cursors and Icons

Image	Screen Colors
Bitmaps	Used to set the color of the surrounding area
Cursors and Icons	Used to specify transparent pixels and to set the color of the surrounding area

Setting the Inverse (to Background) Color

Using the inverse color is a convenient way to mark the boundary of the image or to color the details, which should be always be in contrast to any background color.

The "inverse" mode should be used for Inverse color

Usage of the Inverse color for Bitmaps, Cursors and Icons

Image	Inverse Color
Bitmaps	Cannot be used
Cursors and Icons	Used to specify pixels that should get a color inverse of the actual background

Understanding Colors

Colors for Bitmaps

The Visual Prolog Graphics Editor can create bitmaps with either 2 or 16 colors. A pixel in a bitmap can not have the inverse and screen colors.

Colors for Cursors

Any pixel in a cursor can have one of four color control values:

Cursor	Color Effect
Black	Pixels will be black
White	Pixels will be white
Inverse	Pixels will be converted to the inverse of the original color
Screen	Pixels will be transparent, they will just keep their old color

To understand how this works, you should create a little cursor having four areas, with these four color control values. Then select the Resources | Tools | Test Cursor, and study how the cursor looks.

In this test cursor the left upper quoter of the cursor is painted with the "color" and the left bottom quarter is painted with the "inverse"

Place the cursor over the Grid and you will see effects of "inverse" color.

Colors for Icons

Icons can either have 2 or 16 colors, and in addition to those, the pixels can also use the screen and colors.

Cursor Handling Tools

Setting Cursor Hot Spots

When working with a cursor, the menu command Resource | Set Cursor Hotspot activates a dialog box:

Defining the Hotspot for a cursor

As long as this dialog is open you can point to the pixel, which is to be the cursor Hotspot. This pixel in the cursor will determine the screen pixel which will be acted upon and which will be reported during a mouse action.

Testing a Cursor

When working with a cursor, the Resource | Tools | Test Cursor menu item allows you to see what your newly designed cursor will look like.

Undo / Redo Buffer

The Graphics Editor supports Edit|Undo and Edit|Redo operations, just as the other editors do.