Re: [artworks] AWRender 2 with Crystal support

[Martin Wuerthner <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In message <dc243e1b4e.philpem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
          Philip Pemberton <philpem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> In message <75b6e7164e.martin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>           Martin Wuerthner <lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> So, finally, with AWRender 2, third-party applications with AWRender
>> support, e.g., OvationPro and EasiWriter/TechWriter, will be able to
>> render ALL ArtWorks files exactly like ArtWorks itself, including
>> transparency!
> 
> Does this require support from the application, or will transparency work
> even in applications that were created before transparency was added to
> AWRender?

AWRender 2 does not require any extra application support to just 
display ArtWorks files with transparency. Unfortunately, a tiny bit of 
extra information is required in order to print with transparency. If 
the application does not supply this extra information, the file is 
printed without transparency.

> I'm guessing that transparency on the page background would require
> application support (assuming that's what you've implemented).

Unfortunately, rendering transparency on graphical items drawn by the 
client application (e.g., an ArtWorks file in a transparent OvationPro 
or Impression frame on top of another frame) would require massive 
support by the client application, so it is not supported.

Basically, what you get in the third-party application is the same as 
what you see in the ArtWorks window, i.e., full transparency within 
the ArtWorks file, but with an imaginary opaque sheet of paper between 
the ArtWorks graphic and its background wherever there are ArtWorks 
objects. So, you can have an ArtWorks file in a transparent 
OvationPro/Impression graphics frame and see the background where 
there are no ArtWorks objects, but the ArtWorks objects themselves 
cannot interact with the background. Have a look at
  http://www.mw-software.com/files/screen.png
to see what I mean.

Allowing transparent ArtWorks objects to interact with the application 
background would be a major effort both in AWRender *and* in the 
client application. Unfortunately, I cannot see this happening in any 
of the major clients, so it is not going to happen.

> I suppose a better way to ask this would be, if I set up AWRender 2, will it
> give Impression Publisher the ability to render transparent AW drawings?

Yes. With AWRender 2 loaded, you can just drop an ArtWorks file with 
transparency into Publisher and it is displayed with transparency. As 
long as Publisher is not updated it prints without transparency 
though.

OvationPro and EasiWriter/TechWriter have been upgraded to support 
AWRender 2. Most other applications using AWRender do not use it for 
printing (e.g., PhotoFiler, Thumb, PhotoDesk, Composition, OHP2), so 
Impression is probably the only application that cannot make full use 
of AWRender 2 at the moment.

> I'm not trying to ask you to reveal all your trade secrets.. If you want to
> keep this hush-hush until the Wakefield show, that's fine by me.

There is no reason why it should be secret.

Martin
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Martin Wuerthner           MW Software          lists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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• References:
  • Re: [artworks] AWRender 2 with Crystal support
    • From: Philip Pemberton

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