Studio's Universal Filter V1.31 Introduction The 'Universal' filter allows reading many image formats with PageStream V3.x/V4.x wich are not originaly supported by PageStream. It also allows formats like IFF ILBM and others to be loaded much faster (300%). The 'Universal' filter is based on the development for the CanonStudio shareware printing program and the commercial Studio printer software. It is totaly free to owners of this software. It is shipped with the CanonStudio CDROM and is also available online for all older CanonStudio V2.x and Studio V2.1x users. For those who don't know Studio or CanonStudio: this is software containing various printer software and application not only for use with PageStream. But it also includes a PageStream V3.x/V4.x driver that really can dramaticly improve your PageStream prints and add additional features. Requirements - PageStream V3.1, V3.2, V3.3, V3.4, V4.0 or newer - You must be owner of CanonStudio or Studio to install this software. However, it is not required to have the CanonStudio or Studio software installed. Features The Universal filter basicly does support all the image formats that are also available in CanonStudio or Studio in PageStream. But it does not only add support for many new graphic formats to PageStream. Often the Universal filter is MUCH faster and can load far more types of images. For instance, the Universal Filter supports nearly all type of TIFF images available. Seeing a speed increase of 300% on loading IFF ILBM images is nothing unusual.... Supported formats are: BMP: 1, 4, 8, 16 and 24 Bit, Windows V3 and OS/2 format, RLE4, 8, 24 compression DataTypes: OS 3.0 DataTypes DCX: only the first image is printed GIF: supports 87a and 89 format IFF ILBM: including HAM, HAM8, EHB,... IFF DEEP: 24 Bit RGB and RGBA, supports compression JPEG: 8 Bit and 24 Bit JFIF, progressive JPEG PCX: 1,2,4,8 and 24 Bit images PGM: 8-bit PNG: incl. interlaced PPM: 24-bit Targa: supports all known RGB, RGBA types incl. compression TIFF: 1-64 Bit, RGB, RGBA, CMYK, YCbCr with None, PackBits, RLE, JPEG, G3, G4, LZW and Next compression, Strips or Tiles, Packed or separate color As you can see, it does support several additional image formats and does replace some filters shipped with PageStream. Don't worry about compatibility. You can still use the limited PageStream filters if wanted. Installation Simple... run in the install program from the Workbench and it will do the trick. Next time you load an image in PageStream, you might get the "Studio's Universal Filter" offered when loading images. Choose it to make use of it. Tech Info Some more info about the Universal loader: - Why this filter? Simply because it didn't cost me much work and I made it free to CanonStudio and Studio owners in hope that someone finaly finds the time to forward images to me that don't get loaded by the Universal loader. So it's a way I hope to advance my image reading routines and make them work on nearly all images. You already will find that it really works with MANY images where similar other software on the Amiga fails. So, please, if you do have problems loading an image, let me know of it and just don't switch to a different format to work with PageStream. I want the Universal loader to work with all images with formats supported. - PageStream currently does only use the filter when importing the image. Once loaded, it the image is saved with the PageStream document file without further need for the filter unless you left the image external in PageStream. In this case, the filter will be used when loading the images in the document again. In case the filter is not available, PageStream currently automaticly prompts the filerequester with the file to be loaded again using a different filter. So, basicly, it's safe to usethe universal filter. I will keep it updated in case Softlogik changes the filter interface. And in case you run into trouble in the future, you shouldn't have any problems switching to a different filter. So using the Universal filter is save for the future of your documents. If you want to share document files with PageStream users without the Universal filter, simply make sure the images in your document. Or better: ask the user to get the Universal loader ;-) - The filter does load all images as 8 Bit/24 Bit images in PageStream. I don't see much of a problem here as processing is done in this format by PageStream internaly anyway. It's just noted here because the image information shown in PageStream on request might lead you to wrong thinking... - Memory requirement. I know some PageStream users are running out of memory. So here is some info that might be usefull. PageStream does load all graphics filters during it's start. This means, a XYZ format filter does require memory on your machine even if you never will use the XYZ format. So if you are low on memory, you might think about removing filters from the PageStream3:Softlogik/filters drawer to a backup drawer on your harddisk. This way you might gain 100-300KBytes of precious memory. Sure, buying more memory should be the first choice.... - The image reading routines used by the Universal filter do allow reading images line by line from disk without need for memory. But PageStream doesn't make any use of it. So I'm afraid you still need lot's of memory to load the image in PageStream. The is even a catch: if you are very low on free memory, the Universal filter might automaticly switch to a slower 'low memory consumption'. This means, it will need less memory to load the image, but than, the filter might get much slower. This is only the case in some formats (some TIFF and interlaced TARGA images are effected). So when doing benchmarks with the Universal load under low memory conditions, please have this in mind when loading these rare images affected. Known Bugs?? There are no known bugs. If you do have an image in a supported format that is not loaded by the Universal filter, please report to: Wolf Faust Am Dorfgarten 10 60435 Frankfurt Germany email: 100116.1070@compuserve.com Fax: ++44-69-95409598 (NO REPLY IS GIVEN VIA FAX!) Please note in your report: 1. What application was used to write the image you have trouble with? What type of image is it (size, colors,...) ? 2. What PageStream and Universal Filter version are you using? 3. If possible, enclose a sample image (DO NOT SEND IMAGES AS EMAIL WITHOUT GETTING ASKED FROM ME) 4. How do you exactly load the image in PageStream? Via Menu? Via ARexx??? COPYRIGHT/DISCLAIMER ==================== Copyright ©1997-98 Wolf Faust. All rights reserved. All distribution- and marketing rights to the software are vested in Wolf Faust. The software and documentation has been provided to you strictly 'as is', without warranty of any kind. In no event shall Mr. Faust be held liable for any loss or damages arising out of any action, from whatever source, concerning the use or inability to use the product. You may not use, copy, or transfer the product, or any copy or portion, without prior consent in writing from or Wolf Faust. Installer and Installer project icon (c) Copyright 1991-93 Commodore-Amiga, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and distributed under license from Commodore. More (c) Copyright 1986-93 Commodore-Amiga, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduced and distributed under license from Commodore. INSTALLER SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED. THE More PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE; NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE. ALL USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED. THANKS At last a big thanks to the people (Deron, Gary...) at SoftLogik providing info, software and help to make this filter possible. History 16.09.97 V1.1 - First public version based on Studio V2.15 for test purpose. 18.09.97 V1.2 - BME's filerequester tried to loadcheck drawers causing an error requester by Universal as no drawer can be read... - If loading a picture object with Datatype fails, no error requester is displayed - An error requester is displayed if the SL_SystemInit() call to SL code fails (bad PageStream version?) during the start of PageStream. 24.09.97 V1.3 - Non-Standard IFF ILBM B/W 1 Bit without colormap files saved by BME/PageStream are now loaded. 02.11.98 V1.31 - Now also checks/installs for PageStream V4 assign (Continue by pressing 'Q')