User defined image galleries are stored under “My Documents” in the “Axium Keypad
Manager” folder. Predefined image galleries are stored in the common application data folder,
which on Windows XP is typically C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.
Current Images
This gallery is a kind of scratchpad and shows all image components used in the current
configuration. Compound image objects such as buttons are not shown as such, instead their
discrete image components are listed separately. This is useful in case another object such as
a new button is to be designed using some of the same images that are already used
elsewhere.
Images can be imported from disk into the configuration either by dragging them from the
Windows Explorer and dropping them onto the list or by selecting “Add new image…” from
the context menu.
Another use of Current Images is to get a quick overview of all the images that a
configuration uses. If duplicate images appear in the list then memory is being wasted
unnecessarily. In this case the user should try to delete one of the duplicates and correct the
pages that were using the deleted image to use the undeleted one.
Background Images
Background images can easily be formatted for use on a touch panel without using an
external graphics program. The only requirement is that the original image is larger than the
final size. This is done by adding a large image such as a photo into an image gallery and
then selecting “Format background…” in the context menu. (Note that the menu option will
only be enabled for large images.) A window will be displayed where the zoom factor and
orientation can be adjusted and where the image can be dragged into the desired position
using the mouse. Clicking “OK” will save the formatted image into the gallery, overwriting the
original one.
Since alpha blending is unnecessary overhead for background images, any alpha blending
information in the original image will be removed. Transparent and semi-opaque areas will be
blended with the image’s transparent colour, which can be set using the
Image Properties
window.
Selecting a zoom factor below 100% results in a smoothly scaled image. However since this
can be a CPU intensive process, a rough preview is temporarily displayed while the final
image is prepared in the background. Clicking “OK” or “Cancel” while the background process
is still executing will result in a short delay.
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