The Configuration command provides you with a tabbed dialog box for easy modification important configurable options of SuperEdit. The Configuration command causes the changes to have an immediate effect for all commands in the current SuperEdit session. The same options are set in the supered.ini file and may be changed manually there, but that way requires restarting of SuperEdit .
The Open tab allows you to configure options that control opening SuperEdit files:
Select single file documents
If this option is checked, SuperEdit automatically selects a single image file, or a TCD file with only one subdocument, immediately after the open operation. This option prepares the image to be ready for editing, not only viewing. This option corresponds to the AutoSelectSingleFile parameter in the [TSLRVC Library Settings] section in the supered.ini file.
Parameters file options...
The Parameters file options... button invokes External Parameters File dialog. Use it to control what kind of an attribute file (i.e. parameter file that accompanies raster file) is used.
Click a name of kind of attribute file and check the way you want to use it (read while opening, write while saving, create if not exist). Use Move Up and Move Down buttons to establish priority rules. They determine what kind of attribute file is to be read if there is more then one on a disk.
Prototype drawing
A prototype drawing is the ordinary TVD vector drawing that can be used as a pattern while creating a new vector drawing (in Document - Add New Vector command).
You can use a browse button to find the wanted file (the chosen file name and location appears in an edit box).
It is possible to choose with a check-box whether or not to use the prototype drawing in Add new vector command. The prototype is used only if the check-box is set and the prototype-path is not empty.
The Edit tab allows you to define the following options:
Command autorepeat enabled
You may easily call most recently used command of any type, using the Repeat option from DWM menu .
Defining simple vector entities, e.g. points, segments, ..., may be performed in automatically repeatable fashion; this feature may be switched off if not needed. With command autorepeat enabled, use OTM Break option (instead of OTM Cancel ) to stop defining entities.
Zoom while editing enabled
You may use click-and-drag technique to start defining zoom window not only in idle SuperEdit state, but during most editing actions as well. This feature may be switched off if not needed .
Undo level for raster drawing
Option defines how many undo steps are allowed for raster editing operations.
Raster editor settings
The Raster editor settings button invokes Raster editor settings dialog.
The available settings are grouped in three boxes:
Filter type Choice of filter type influences the way of calculating color of each pixel in transformed image during resizing, rotating and calibrating. The Linear and Cubic filters interpolate color value taking two or four adjacent pixels according to linear and cubic interpolation formulae, appropriately. The Lanczos, Hamming and Blackman filters take into account color values from six neighboring pixels. The default setting is Linear filter, which is the fastest one and precise enough for simple applications, like technical drawings and maps.
Use filters for files Although precise choice of filter type may be individual for each type of image, the general decision when to use filter and when to not filter at all may be taken basing on image color format. Option In any color format enables filtering always when transforming color and gray-scaled images. Option Above 16 colors enables filtering for color and gray-scaled 256-palette images as well as for true-color images. Option In true-color only limits filtering only to true-color images. Option Do not use disables filtering at all. The default setting is Above 16 colors .
Round bits number to When the palette image is to be transformed using filtering, it requires converting to true-color format for processing and converting result back while storing. Rounding 8 bits per each basic color to some lower value, e.g. 7, 6, 5 or 4 bits may shorten converting and processing time, with slight degradation of color precision. Successive options named 4 bits per color, 5 bits per color, 6 bits per color and 7 bits per color declare which rounding is to be used. The default setting is rounding to 6 bits per each basic color.
All settings chosen during editing session are stored in INI file. See http://tessel.com/for more details of the settings.
Default units
SuperEdit can display several raster and vector drawings at the same time. To place them in the common world system coordinates, the coordinates and distances related data have to be interpreted in a context of units they have been defined. Default file units support lets you set and store (in TAF files) default units for any opened drawing file that does not contain such information inside it. The units can be choosen from Default units combo-boxes in the Options - Configuration - Edit dialog. You can set units for:
a) background raster files,
b) backgroud vector files (vector drawings in DWG, DXF and HPGL format that SuperEdit with TSLETF option installed can display but not edit),
c) TCD (Tessel Composite Document) files,
d) DXF files, that can be imported/exported to/from current foreground TVD drawing).
Directory for temporary files
Path name to the disk directory where SuperEdit ’s temporary files will be created.
The Save tab allows you to defining the following options:
Copy subdocs while Saving As... TCD file
If this option is checked, SuperEdit saves not only TCD file with links to raster images or vector drawings, but also copy all subdocuments to new files. See the Save As... command description for more details. This option corresponds to the TCDSaveMode parameter in the [TSLRVC Library Settings] section in the supered.ini file.
Convert to one file
If this option is selected, SuperEdit creates the multi-page destination file while converting multiple input files.
Preferred file extension
Some raster formats may be saved under different file extensions. These include Vidar, CALS Bitmap and TIFF. You can define preferred extension for each format.
The Magnifying Glass tab allows you to configure the Magnifying Glass tool. Checking Magnifying Glass active box activates the function. The Magnifying Glass window displays a zoomed area around the position of the mouse pointer when the Magnifying Glass is activated. Using a hot key, you can activate Magnifying Glass even in the course of a command defining process, especially when the next point is expected. If raster snap was active and successful, its result will be indicated by a cross symbol. If the snap result is not satisfactory, you may pick a new point precisely. The Keep on display option controls the method of closing the Magnifying Glass window. If option is not selected the Magnifying Glass window is closed automatically if you move the mouse cursor outside the window or you pick a new point inside the window. Otherwise, the Magnifying Glass window disappears after pressing the Esc key or right mouse click. The Esc key cancels the point in the Magnifying Glass window. The right mouse click accepts the point and passes its coordinates to SuperEdit command.
There are several methods of using the Magnifying Glass :
Popup on hot key pressed
Magnifying Glass window will be displayed after pressing the configured hot key
Popup on snap failure
Magnifying Glass window will be displayed if you tried to snap to raster and no snap point was found. This option is very useful with bad quality raster images that have jagged lines, many gaps, etc., that cause frequent raster snap failures
Verify every snap trial
Magnifying Glass window will be displayed after every raster snap trial, both unsuccessful and successful, to verify and/or correct its result
Keep on display
Magnifying Glass window will be closed after pressing the Esc key, which cancels the point, or right mouse click, which accepts the point.
Other parameters on the Magnifying Glass tab allow the user to customize the Magnifying Glass window size in pixels and the magnification scale of raster. Current hot key may be changed simply by deleting its description from its box and pressing a new key (or combination).
The Raster Snap tab allows you to configure the Raster snap feature.
If the Snap to raster active option is checked, SuperEdit is put into continuous snap mode. Every click in the drawing window is passed to SuperEdit that searches for the best possible raster point that matches specified snap modes. You may snap to the center of circular raster shape, to intersection of raster lines, to the end of raster line, corner of raster line, to the nearest point on the centerline or to the edge of raster area. Raster Snap modes may be selected (and combined, if necessary) by checking their boxes in the dialog.
When multiple Snap modes are selected, SuperEdit attempts to detect the relevant features of raster images according to the following hierarchy that corresponds to the order of the snap mode options shown in the dialog:
Snap to center of circular raster shape;
Snap to intersection;
Snap to line end;
Snap to line corner;
Snap to centerline;
Snap to edge of raster area.
If, for example, both raster line corner and intersection are detected within the snap pickbox area, the point of intersection, that is higher in the hierarchy, will be returned.
SuperEdit activates a pickbox to show the area where to look for a snap point. Depending on raster image contents and zoom level the user should chose a convenient pickbox size.
Snap modes that you choose with Snap tab set the modes for single click; snaps that are activated from the Options and tools Menu ( OTM ), either.
You can use the Raster Snap toolbar as the other way to choose and set preferred permanent and single click raster snaps. The state of Snap tab options is stored in supered.ini file and defines the initial state of them.
The Vector Snap tab allows you to configure the Vector snap feature.
If the Snap to vector active option is checked, SuperEdit is put into continuous snap mode. Every click in the drawing window is passed to SuperEdit that searches for the best possible raster point that matches specified snap modes. You may snap to the center of circular raster shape, to intersection of raster lines, to the end of raster line, corner of raster line, to the nearest point on the centerline or to the edge of raster area. Raster Snap modes may be selected (and combined, if necessary) by checking their boxes in the dialog.
When multiple Snap modes are selected, SuperEdit attempts to detect the relevant features of raster images according to the following hierarchy that corresponds to the order of the snap mode options shown in the dialog:
Snap to cross of vector elements;
Snap to intersection point;
Snap to geometrical center;
Snap to midpoint;
Snap to endpoint;
Snap to nearest point.
If, for example, both intersection and endpoint are detected within the vector snap pickbox area, the point of intersection, that is higher in the hierarchy, will be returned.
After activating vector snap, a blue pickbox is displayed together with drawing cursor (the pickbox concerned with raster snap is red). After successful vector snap, a small blue circle is displayed in the snapped position (after successful raster snap, the snapped position is marked as small red cross) . Depending on raster image contents and zoom level the user should chose a convenient pickbox size.
Snap modes that you choose with Snap tab set the modes for single click; snaps that are activated from the Options and tools Menu ( OTM ), either.
You can use the Vector Snap toolbar as the other way to choose and set preferred permanent and single click vector snaps. The state of Vector Snap tab options is stored in supered.ini file and defines the initial state of them.
The View tab allows you to define view options:
Use dithered colors
If this option is checked, SuperEdit uses dithering to improve image colors mapping. The option is especially useful when displaying images with many colors on display devices with only 16 or 256 physical colors. This option corresponds to the DitherMode parameter in the [TSLRVC Library Settings] section in the supered.ini file.
Draw soft raster images
During diplaying process, a new proprietary technology called ClearView has been introduced. It gives maximal readability of raster images being displayed, specially when they are presented in screen resolution lower than original image resolution, e.g. during zoom-out.
In case of monochromatic images, this technology additionally applies adaptive shaping of gray-scaling curve, thus giving optimal readability independently from image contents and viewing scale.
In case of color images, readability of image details and clarity of image colors have been greatly enhanced. In case of palette drawings, ClearView eliminates false artifacts observed so far. You may want to switch the ClearView feature off to speed-up redisplaying process.
Drawing crosshair visible
Use the option to display crosshair that can help you defining commands and vector entities.
Enable image transparency
If this option is checked, SuperEdit uses dithering to improve image colors mapping. The option is especially useful when displaying images with many colors on display devices with only 16 or 256 physical colors. This option corresponds to the DitherMode parameter in the [TSLRVC Library Settings] section in the supered.ini file.
View cache options
The View cache options button invoke configuration dialogs of SuperEdit ’s integrated view and print cache. All modified parameters are stored in the supered.ini file. More information about modified property is specified in appendix.
World-size cursor options
SuperEdit supports displaying cursor which size is constant in world coordinates. Use the option to invoke World-size cursor settings dialog and define cursor size and switch it on or off. World-size cursor is not available in the Print Preview state.
Grid options
It is possible now to display grid in the Drawing window. The grid size may be set independently in x and y directions, defined in user-preferred units, and the grid itself may be activated from separate dialog after pushing Grid options button from View page on the Configuration dialog. Grid nodes are displayed as dots, with major grid lines enhanced. If the grid is too dense to display, some of its nodes are omitted. You may easily switch the grid on and off using the Grid button on main toolbar, placed together with Crosshair and World-size cursor buttons.
You may activate snap to grid in drawing operations, using new Grid snap button placed on the Input bar , or hit F9 key. Similarly, you may activate orthogonal snap, using Ortho snap button placed on the Input bar , or hit F8 key. Both F8 and F9 keys are used as toggles.
The Tracer tab allows you to define the following options:
Use raster line widths
If checked, a traced polyline will have a width that matches the raster line width. If the option is not checked, the traced polyline width will be set to value declared in the Line width edit box. This option corresponds to the UseTraceWidths parameter in the [Raster Snap Options] section in the supered.ini file.
Curve param
Available values are 1...32. The option says how precise to estimate raster line curvature. Smaller values give better precision. This option corresponds to the CurvePar parameter in the [Raster Snap Options] section in the supered.ini file.
Segment param
Available values are 1...32. The option defines minimal segment length in pixels. Smaller values allow shorter minimal segments to be used for tracing. This option corresponds to the SegmentPar parameter in the [Raster Snap Options] section in the supered.ini file.
Line width
Defines the uniform width of traced lines. This option corresponds to the TraceWidth parameter in the [Raster Snap Options] section in the supered.ini file.
The Print tab allows you to define the following options:
Use image colors when printing
If this option is checked, SuperEdit uses the original image colors while printing. If the option is not checked, the images are printed as if they were black. This option corresponds to the PrintColors parameter in the [TSLPPL Library Settings] section in the supered.ini file.
Print cache options...
The Print cache options... button invokes configuration dialogs of SuperEdit ’s integrated print cache. All modified parameters are stored in the supered.ini file. More information about modified property is specified in appendix.
Publish HTML options...
The Publish HTML options... button invokes Publish HTML Setup dialog. Use it to define HTML preview template file. Define Print resolution and Preview resolution (in dpi) according to your requirements (see paragraph Printing (publishing) in HTML format for details).
Printing template
A printing template is the vector drawing that defines document localization on the paper sheet and may contain a standard border definition. SuperEdit package contains a separate utility called Template Editor for preparing printing template drawings. The Template Editor is described in appendix. Template Editor allows you to define a standard frame for printing documents in Portrait and Landscape orientations. If you don’t define default print template, SuperEdit fits the document to the paper sheet on the current system printer.
Browse
Use the option to select TVD drawing with a print template that is previously defined by Template Editor. The Select printing template file dialog is displayed (it is the standard Open dialog with TVD as predefined file type). The template selected is used for subsequent Print Preview and Print options.
Reset
If you want to print a document without the previously selected print template, use the Reset option. Then SuperEdit fits the document to the paper sheet on the current system printer.
While editing color image there is a need to specify which color should be used to fill the cleared raster areas. The intuitive white is not necessarily a good choice for most color images. Using this command, you can pick the best fill color in the image.
First, you pick a point on raster image where the color sample will be taken from. You may use the Snap tab of the Configuration dialog to change the pickbox size, if you wish. After clicking a point, the Fill Color dialog will appear on the screen.
The Colors sample window on the left side displays the chosen raster sample. The Filled image example window on the right shows a view of the raster image around the pick point, with a collar in selected color drawn on it. The collar is to help you to match raster image background with selected fill color.
You can modify Fill Color value (that consists of discrete color’s RGB values) by entering RGB or HSL parameters.
In Clear Rectangles / Polygons operations, the fill color fills the area defined for clearing. Similar “clearing to fill color” is done during Cut Rectangle / Polygon operations.
In Crop Rectangle / Polygon operations, the fill color is used to paint redefined parts of raster image. Similar “completing by fill color” is done during Cut / Copy Rectangle / Polygon , regarding exported part of image.
In Rotate / Calibrate Drawing operations, the fill color is used to paint undefined parts of raster image, that complete transformed shape of original image to the extent of new image.
In Paste Drawing operation, the fill color similarly completes redefined image extent if the pasted drawing exceeds it. However, the most important use of fill color during pasting is its interpretation in image being pasted. All parts of this image that have the same color as the fill color are treated as if they were transparent. It enables to handle properly such situations as pasting complicated raster shapes obtained in Cut / Copy Polygon operation, even after resizing and rotating pasted drawing.
The default fill color is white. You may have to redefine it to some other color that is not involved in Cut / Copy / Paste operations, to obtain proper results.
While snapping to selected features of color raster images SuperEdit uses color filtering tool, called Color Range Mask , to pre-define the set of colors that belong to the objects being snapped to.
First, you pick a point on raster image where the color sample will be taken from. You may use the Snap tab of the Configuration dialog to change the pickbox size, if you wish. After clicking a point, the Snap Colors Filter dialog will appear on the screen.
The Colors sample window on the left side displays the chosen raster sample, while the Filtered image example window on the right shows a filtered view of the raster image around the pick point.
You define Color Range Mask (that consists of discrete color’s RGB values) by clicking pixels in the Colors sample window. When you pick a new color, it is added to the mask and all its pixels are marked. When you pick a previously selected color (marked pixel) it is removed from the mask. You may also use the Undo / Redo and Select / Unselect all buttons to control this process. The number of colors currently in the mask is shown at the bottom of the dialog.
The Filtered image example window shows only those parts of the raster image that will be ‘seen’ by the SuperEdit’s snapping utility. You may click inside the window to display the corresponding B&W raster image instead of its color original.
The process of image filtering is additionally controlled by two parameters:
filter sensitivity
the range of this parameter is 0...255, default is preset to 2;
filter threshold
the range of this parameter is -128...+128, default is preset to 0.
You may try different values to check their influence on the image filtering results.
Color filter definitions may be saved and loaded from named files using the appropriate buttons.
The raster editing library enhances use of fill color and image transparency concepts, used in advanced image processing applications.
The set of transparent colors defined from the Transparent Color Filter dialog enables to define and modify selective transparent areas using Transparent Clear Rectangles / Polygons and Transparent Mask – Invert / Remove operations.
Transparent masks introduced in color drawing are now transformed properly in Resize / Rotate / Calibrate operations and preserved in Cut / Copy / Paste operations.
In Paste Drawing operation, interpretation of image transparency in drawing being pasted depends on the setting of Enable image transparency option from the View tab on Configuration dialog. Those areas of pasted drawing that have been defined as transparent ones, are not pasted to current drawing if the Enable image transparency option is on. Otherwise, the whole drawing (excluding areas of color equal to fill color – see previous section) is pasted, ignoring transparent mask.
The Scan parameters... command launches a dialog box for setting technical parameters of the scanning process. This dialog box depends on the current scanner type and is displayed and managed by its driver. The parameters are specific for the particular type of the scanner that is currently used. After setting parameter values, one must initialize the scanning process.
NOTE: Saving the parameter values is done during scanning. That is why, in order to save parameters, one must perform “dummy” scanning - it is not enough just to set the parameters up.
For users wanting customize SuperEdit to face their own purposes there is a possibility to write and execute macros.
More information about SuperEdit's programming interface and macros usage you can find in "SuperEdit Customization Manual". This document and sample macro files you can find in the Macros subdirectory of SuperEdit directory.
The same Geographical Mapping entry with its sub-menu is appended to the OTM and DWM pop-ups as well. The OTM Geographical Mapping sub-menu is checked when some geographical mapping is active. The sub-menu of the Geographical Mapping option consists of the items described below.
0 None - If the 0 None option is set, SuperEdit does not use geographical mapping at all. The check mark placed at the None option indicates that no mapping is active. The coordinate system and units used in this case are determined by settings of the coordinate system and presentation units combo boxes on the Input bar;
1, 2, 3, 4 Recent - Use Recent option to select one of the geographical mapping systems recently used. Names of these mappings are listed on subsequent items of sub-menu. The check mark placed at the mapping name indicates that this mapping is active. SuperEdit remembers up to four mappings. They are numbered from one up to four (zero is reserved to None mapping option item). The order of mapping system sequence on the sub-menu matches the selection history. The absence of Recent items suggests that geographical mapping has not been used in the configuration taken from the supered.ini file. The check mark placed at the mapping name indicates that this mapping is active. The names and the order of mappings are saved in the supered.ini configuration file and set automatically after starting the application again;
Select... - Use Select ...option to set the current geographical mapping system. After entering the option, the Geographical Mapping dialog is displayed. The chosen mapping becomes the current one. It means that all entered, displayed and edited coordinates are interpreted using the current mapping. Its name is displayed on sub-menu as Recent mapping item and checked.
The Geographical Mapping dialog consists of the listbox with names of geographical mapping systems supported by TSLGEO32.DLL (see Geographical Mapping Systems appendix). The name and description of selected mapping are displayed in Mapping Name and Mapping Description boxes.
Activate Parameters... button to set parameters of selected mapping by means of additional dialog box. A content of the dialog depends on the mapping. The button is disabled if the chosen system is not configurable (it has no changeable parameters).
Use OK button to accept the selected mapping and close the dialog. Use Cancel button to withdraw changes made (if any) and close the dialog.
Information about geographical mapping to be used while viewing raster drawing, can be stored in and retrieved from Tessel Attribute File (*.TAF file).
You may examine contents of "Options - Geographical Mapping - Load" option to check geocoding info associated with raster drawing, and activate this option to force the mapping to be active. Alternatively, you may select some mapping and choose "Options - Geographical Mapping - Save" option to associate it with the drawing.
Both options are enabled only if there is only one raster drawing opened, or (in case of composite documents containing several raster drawings) only one raster drawing selected.
The same geocoding information, together with georeferencing data, are stored and retrieved in GeoTIFF format in TIFF drawing files and in MapInfo (MIF) format in *.TAB files (if selected after activating "Options - Configuration - Open tab - Parameters file options" button).
Possibility of retrieving geocoding information stored in GeoTIFF or MapInfo format is limited to geographical mappings implemented in TSLGEO dynamic link library.