PRESS RELEASE 7th June 1995 Positive Image - Professional Image Processing for the ST/e, TT and Falcon Floppyshop are proud to announce the forthcoming release of Positive Image, a high end image processing tool developed primarily for the Atari TT and Falcon 030. Positive Image has come about as a result of extensive research into professional photographic image retouching packages on non-Atari machines. The result is an image processing studio, such as has never before been seen running on Atari computers! Positive Image is primarily aimed at TT and Falcon owners as it makes full use of the extra hardware capabilities built into these machines, especially the DSP on the Falcon. The blitter (if present) is also used to maximum effect. There are two versions of Positive Image, one for 68000 based ST/e's the other for 68030 machines (including PAK 68/3 accelerated ST/e's and Apple Macintoshes running MagiC Mac). The basic 68000 version contains all the features of its big brother, being limited only by the slower processor speed and lower resolution displays. If your ST/e, TT or Falcon has a processor accelerator or graphic card fitted, this too will be used to its fullest capabilities. Positive Image is the ONLY GEM based image processing program to allow the editing of 24-bit True Colour graphics on an ordinary ST in any resolution (including low res!). A high spec system is not necessary in order to run Positive Image, but the program will take full advantage of the increased processing power if it is there! The following is a list of the program's main features:- System Compatibility * Minimum requirements: 1 Meg of RAM only, but we recommended 4 Meg of RAM (or more) and a hard drive for serious use. * Supports all screen resolutions (including ST low res) on the ST/e, TT and Falcon including overscan, all virtual screen drivers and the various resolution boosters such as Autoswitch Overscan on the ST and all known hardware and software resolution boosters on the Falcon 030. * Compatible with all official releases of TOS (1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.62, 2.05, 2.06, 3.05, 3.06, 4.01, 4.02, 4.04) and the developer version of 4.92. * Fully compatible with GDOS 1.1, AMC GDOS, FontGDOS, FSM GDOS, SpeedoGDOS v4, SpeedoGDOS v5 and NVDI 3 with regard to both font and printer support. * Compliant with all 100% GEM compatible graphics cards. * Fully compatible with MagiC Mac. * Supplied in two versions for the different models in the Atari range. The basic program runs on any Atari and the 68030 version runs on any 68030 system but takes advantage of the DSP in the Falcon. Multi-Tasking Features * Fully compatible with Multi-TOS, Geneva and MagiC. * Supports the extended AES messages from Multi-TOS, WinX, Geneva and MagiC 3. * Supports the Xacc protocol for sending messages between programs. * Support for Multi-TOS and MagiC 3's drag and drop protocol whereby a group of images are dragged onto an open window and all loaded in a single operation. General Features * Extensive file support allows the following graphic formats to be imported: AIM, Degas, Windows and OS/2 Bitmap, EZ-Art Pro, GIF, IFF (including Deluxe Paint ST, standard HAM, high res HAM, HAM6, HAM8, HAM12 and 24-bit HAM), IMG (including HyperPaint X-IMG and conventional X-IMG), InShape, JPEG, MTV Raytrace, NeoChrome, PC Paintbrush, Photochrome, Prism Paint, True Paint, Spectrum 512 (both 50hz and 60hz pictures), TrueVision Targa, TIFF v6 (including CCITT fax and JPEG support) and Tiny. * Saves out in most popular formats including GIF, TIFF, BMP, TGA, XIMG, EZA, P?1 and NEO amongst others. * Comprehensive file information (filename, format, compression method, dimensions, memory required, memory free) given when loading images. * Handles conversions between monochrome, 16 colour, 256 colour, Greyscale and True Colour, performing colour quantisation or palette boosting as necessary. * Colour selection compliant with both RGB and CYM standards. * Supports separate editing of the red, green and blue channels with colour images. This feature is also of use to owners of monochrome inkjet printers as they can swap over cartridges and print a colour picture in three passes! * All images are stored internally in 24-bit format and all operations are carried out on the 24-bit representation held in memory. This ensures that the same quality results are obtained whether pictures are edited in monochrome or True Colour. * Uses tiling to redraw only the parts of an image that have been changed. This is in addition to the fact the Positive Image's full screen redraws are faster than any other Atari image processing package. * Images can be intelligently rescaled and anti-aliased to suit the size of your paper (or the dimensions of your choice provided they do not exceed that of your paper!). Realistically you can print out an image at up to 400% of its original size at 300dpi without any noticeable loss of quality. * Optionally uses windowed dialogues which may be moved to a more convenient location when work is being obscured. Access to the menu bar or other GEM applications is also supported when running under Multi-TOS with this feature enabled. * Multiple dialogues can be open at the same time and you can move between them freely, even under single-tasking TOS. In fact different tools can be active for different images and Positive Image always remembers the currently selected tool for the appropriate image! * Includes its own virtual memory feature which runs on any Atari with a hard drive. Positive Image is also fully compatible with TT Fast RAM and virtual memory drivers on the TT and Falcon such as Outside. * Supports multiple loading of up to five images at once from the Selectric file selector and inserts the filemasks for supported formats into Selectric's list of masks. These features are also available to users of the Freedom file selector. * Makes use of the GEM Clipboard for cutting and pasting of blocks. * Fast loading and saving of files, especially GIF, TIFF and JPEG formats. * Loading of JPEG images as either TrueColour, Greyscale, 256 or 16 colour. * Includes built-in context-sensitive Help * Keyboard shortcuts available for all menu options. * Iconification of images to maximise desk space. * Floating toolbar with short tool descriptions being displayed as you hover over their icons. * GDOS fonts may be unloaded when not in use, in order to save memory. * Includes two built-in vector fonts for those who do not wish to use GDOS. * Powerful block handling features include the choice of 11 different overlay methods with user definable transparency feature. Falcon Specific Features * 3D graphic interface. * Compatible with 32Mhz accelerators, probably 40Mhz too! * Fast DSP code handles most processor intensive operations such as re- scaling, rotating, filtering, dithering and such like. * Works on both VGA and RGB monitors as well as ordinary TV sets. * Fully compatible with ScreenBlaster BlowUp030 and other resolution enhancers. Printer Support * Fully supports printing from any version of GDOS or SpeedoGDOS. * Also includes its own printer drivers as an alternative to those available with the various GDOS versions. * Non-GDOS based printer support includes all 9-pin and 24-pin Epson and IBM models (colour and mono), Canon BJ10, HP DeskJet (colour and mono), HP LaserJet (colour and mono), IBM ProPrinter, Epson Stylus and Postscript printers (colour and mono). * Supports half-toning, random dithering and Floyd-Steinberg dithering as options to use when printing out. * Uses data compression when printing to HP DeskJets to reduce printing time. * Images can be printed to disk if memory is low. These files can then be double-clicked from the GEM Desktop and sent directly to the printer. * Can export images in PostScript format. * Our printer configuration editor allows you to create your own drivers to allow for new models coming onto the market. Image Processing Features * All the usual tools such as Brightness/Contrast, Contrast Stretch, Negate, Threshold, Histogram and Equalise are present as well as many revolutionary new ones. * Images can be rotated to any angle in either a clockwise or anti- clockwise direction to an accuracy of one degree. Uses DSP on the Falcon. * Real-time mirroring of images. * Comes supplied with six commonly used image processing filters (including smooth, sharpen and remove noise) built-in. * Allows the user to create his/her own external filters for use with Positive Image. The package includes about a dozen useful pre-defined external filters including Blur, Emboss, Erode and Vibrate. * Supports 256 level (8-bit) masking. Includes a configurable gradient tool to aid mask creation. * Allows processing of user defined rectangular, circular, elliptical and bezier area definitions within Greyscale and True Colour images without affecting other areas of the image. * Pixel precise area selection of any shape supported by use of Alpha Channel handling. Image Retouching Features As well as having a powerful compliment of image processing tools, Positive Image includes a number of localised retouching tools with user definable brush size and shape. These are for the main part, similar in concept to those found in any standard graphics package, but further enhanced to fully exploit the image processing capabilities of Positive Image. The retouching tools are as follows:- * Sharpen/Blur - A dual purpose tool which applies a local high pass sharpen (or blur) filter to the pixel beneath the mouse. The area affected is directly related to your chosen brush size. * Dodge/Burn - A dual purpose tool which lightens or darkens each pixel in the area beneath the mouse, when used on Greyscale or True Colour images. * Eraser - Erases any given area using a 15x15 pixel block. * Fill - A standard fill tool as found in most graphics packages but with user control over opacity, fade and strength. * Spraycan - A traditional airbrush tool with the added advantage that you can set opacity, fade and strength to suit. * Paint - A standard painting tool which applies you chosen colour to the image relative to the size and shape of your selected brush. Like Fill, you control the opacity, fade and strength of this tool. * Pencil - Identical to paint except that it always works at single pixel level, regardless of the size of the brush. * Rubber Stamp - A multi-purpose cloning tool. All retouching tools may be used in Positive Image's variable zoom mode to ensure pixel precise accuracy, Price and Availability Despite incorporating a wealth of professional features such as never before seen on Atari computers, Positive Image will NOT be over-priced and placed outside the reach of the hobbyist user, as is the case with most software of this calibre. The final cost has yet to be set but will definitely be under 80. The program is nearing completion and is currently going through rigorous beta testing. The manual is at an advanced stage. No release date has yet been set but it is expected to be late summer 1995. Contact:- Floppyshop, PO Box 273, Aberdeen AB9 8SJ. Tel:\Fax: (01224) 586208 __ ============================================================================== | Steve Delaney | Floppyshop and | | sdelaney@steil.wintermute.co.uk | Atari World Magazine | ==============================================================================