Overview of MECCA 2000

Welcome to Amgraf’s MECCA 2000 System

MECCA 2000 is the next generation of Amgraf’s MECCA III - the world’s premier business forms composition system. The software offers designers a comprehensive suite of tools to create multi-color, multi-part forms with graduated screens, borders and pantographs, scanned logos, barcodes, and fine typography. For label manufacturing, the software includes trapping, flexographic distortion, and a unique -and-repeat feature. To add security to any document, MECCA 2000 provides functions for superimposed hidden "Void" messages, a relief line generator, microprint composer, prismatic color mixer, and PixeLace for lacey backgrounds. With batch pagination, forms production from order-entry to plate can be entirely automated.

Finished designs are output via PostScript as flawless color-separated negatives or printing plates, or they may be transmitted to digital color printing presses for high-speed variable-imaging applications. The Colorful Graphical Interface The MECCA 2000 Screen

A colorful point-and-click graphical interface assists the forms designer. The elegant arrangement of the status readouts, menu buttons, and drawing window allows the operator to control the MECCA 2000 software with confidence.

For each drawing tool, option windows "pop-up" by clicking the right mouse button. For every step, "next action prompts" appear at the top of the screen to guide the user. An on-line help feature is also available whenever a question arises.

Pop-up menus and dialog boxes for each function are conditionally displayed as the operator clicks on a menu.

The complete features and capabilites of MECCA 2000 are documented in the MECCA 2000 On-Line User Guide. Key Differences of the MECCA 2000 System

There are several key differences between our MECCA III system and the new MECCA 2000. They are listed below:

Major Window Display Changes Prompt at top left of screen Unit of Measure at top right of screen Coordinate readout at top of screen Zoom and Window-Fit always available Light brown background instead of gray

New Look and Feel with Pop-Up Menus and Dialog Boxes

Combine Drawing Recognizes File Types During Load

Printing Changes Separations and composites are allowed for all devices Will print a layer even though it is turned off on display - looks at output specification file for all output layer control

Line Changes Four Directions Perpendicular Line Use Prorating to draw a rectangle

Box Changes Undo for Resize and Divide by Columns/Rows All Direction and Four Direction Resize

Spline Additions Keep Common Slope Move a Joint Area Functions Picking outline boundaries for Area much easier. Arcs and Splines no longer need broken when intersected.

Text Changes Spelling checker within input Can only select text styles which truly exists, pulls list from font directory

Layer Layer button controls both on/off and color setup 32 Layers

Position Assistant has Two New Options Last Dir/Dist Line End

Scaling Factors are in Percentages

New Window Display Option for Hiding 0-Weight Lines

New Grid Controls Print Position - This moves 0/0 for readout purposes and reports cursor position by grids. C/L Readout Comparison of Features Available with Amgraf’s MECCA™ Software Products:

Mecca 2000 is the next generation forms design system from Amgraf, Inc. Mecca 2000 replaces and improves the technology and functionality of the previous Mecca III system. Both generations of Mecca products contain the basic business forms composition features listed:

1. Draw/Change/Modify Line 2. Draw/Change/Modify Box 3. Draw/Change/Modify Arc/Ellipse 4. Draw/Change/Modify Bezier Spline 5. Create/Change Text 6. Scan/Import/Change Raster Image 7. Draw/Change/Modify Area Fill 8. Create/Change Barcode 9. Move/Copy Object 10. Group Select Object 11. Rotate/Scale Object 12. Enlarge/Reduce Zoom Window 13. Spot/Process/Type Color Design View 14. Multi Page/Part Display and Print 15. Measure Distance 16. Query Attributes 17. High Speed Step & Repeat 18. PS & EPS File Conversion 19. Digitizer Tablet/Mouse Support 20. PostScript Output Device Support

New Features and Enhancements to System Functionality

1. Single monitor display 2. Elimination of proprietary OmniComp graphics display card (Discontinued) 3. File Management 4. FreeBSD Unix and large collection of existing supported software applications 5. Drag & Drop file copy/move functions 6. Recovery of deleted files from “Trash Can” 7. Improved Check Spelling capabilities with “suggestion” list and “correct” feature 8. Access to “GhostScript” Viewer for visualizing PostScript files 9. Access to “Xpdf” and “Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0” for viewing PDF files 10. Access to “Xsane” image scanning interface 11. Access to “Gimp” scanned image manipulation, allows changing image color mode and retouching 12. Internet Access via “Netscape Navigator” 13. E-mail capabilities via “Netscape Navigator” 14. Easier access to storage media devices: Diskette, Zip Drive, JAZ Drive, CD-ROM 15. Graphical User Interface for “custom pantograph” creation

New Features and Enhancements to Mecca 2000 Functionality

1. Enhanced installation of PostScript Fonts 2. New - Online Mecca 2000 Documentation 3. New - Multiple Mecca 2000 sessions simultaneously 4. Enhanced Menu layout and Graphical User Interface 5. New - Import JPG 6. New - Import GIF 7. New - Display Window to Bitmap feature 8. Enhanced ‘Undo” feature 9. New - Perpendicular Line Draw tool 10. New - Four Direction Line Draw tool 11. Enhanced Eight Direction line snap 12. Enhanced Prorated Horizontal and Vertical Rule Draw 13. New - Graphical User Interface for create/edit “custom line patterns” 14. New - Change box dimensions 15. Enhanced “resize” box w/ border 16. Enhanced “divide box” columns/rows allow multiple locations 17. Enhanced repeat graduation feature available w/ odd/even bars 18. New - Border and Pantograph choice list all patterns installed 19. New - Modify Arc allows modification to ellipse 20. Enhanced draw spline tool 21. New - modify spline tools: Add to ends, turn around joint, lock slope, eight/all direction move 22. New - Convert line vector to spline chain 23. New - “Master Font List” displays all installed fonts 24. New - font/style preview of master font list 25. New - “special character” font preview from master font list 26. Enhanced font style list enables only installed font styles 27. Enhanced “reassemble text” from PS conversion feature 28. Enhanced “microtext” tool allows text direction reversal 29. Enhanced “microtext” allows “immediate” text commands 30. New - “microtext” allows multiple path objects for continuation flow of text 31. Enhanced circle text feature 32. New - Circle text allows immediate and special character commands 33. New - Raster resolution down sampling 34. Enhanced “raster relief” features for security relief printing backgrounds 35. New - Grayscale raster images display in appropriate spot color tone 36. Enhanced “Area” color fill boundary picker 37. Enhanced “Get Text Outlines” 38. New - “Wave Along/Between Path” security document guilloche pattern generator 39. New - “Spiral Along Path” security document background pattern generator 40. New - “Point Shaker” security document image disruption tool 41. Enhanced “Shearing” image distortion controls 42. New - Image Masking feature 43. New - Rotate w/ copies allows fixed spacing of copies 44. New - Rotate w/ copies allows scalable spacing of copies 45. New - Scale to size 46. New - “Mirror” allows draw custom axis 47. Enhanced “Query” Attributes allow immediate value changes to single or grouped items 48. Enhanced “Layers” setup and display options 49. New - All layers on/off 50. Enhanced display of “Parts” menu allows visual comparison of each parts separation settings 51. New - “Parts” feature allows Spot and Process separation values to coexist within single design file 52. New - “Parts” feature allows X/Y output distortion factors to be saved w/ graphic file 53. New - “Parts” feature allows each of 32 layers individual Step & Repeat values 54. New - Window allows “hiding” 0 weight rules 55. New - Window displays current drawing dimensions 56. Enhanced Window display control for Raster Intensity view 57. New - Grid feature reports current Column/Row print position of cursor 58. New - Zoom “Back” feature alternates between current and previous zoom display 59. New - Position Assistant Tools: Line End, Last Point, Last Dir/Dist, and Window Center 60. New - All attribute dialogs have “Reset to Start-Up Default” 61. New - “Floating” menus accessible via Mouse/Button click 62. New - Print allows “Parts” to control “Individual Sep per Page” or “Part per Page” output 63. New - Print w/ Parts allows individual separations from individual parts simultaneously 64. New - Print designated “Rectangular Region” only 65. New - Print to PDF Logo Panto Processing Amgraf User Group Chapter 1: Logo Panto Processing

Creating your own pantograph is very similar to creating your own font. You are doing just that, but the option allows it to be used through the draw box function. For step-and-repeat pantographs you must start with a scanned image.

Following are instructions on preparing the pantograph section.

When creating your sections all procedures must be followed in order for the font and actual displays to correctly generate. Please read through the entire procedure before attempting your first font. Creating Directories to Hold Files

Within your normal user login, create a directory Pantos to hold the pantographs. Within each directory create subdirectories which are the numbers (up to 9-digits) assigned to the patterns. All section files must reside in these subdirectories.

Always check your numbers in use, reusing a number will overwrite the existing panto font. Pantograph Fonts created by Amgraf are being assigned numbers from 001 to 699. When creating your own custom pantographs use numbers above 699. You can use up to 9-digit numbers.

Example:/usr/amgraf/Pantos/035/p035.g

Valid Filenames

Determine what section can be stepped to create the necessary pattern effect, scan and crop it. You are restricted to the following valid filenames when saving.

Pantos require a lowercase ‘‘p’’ followed by a number (up to 9-digits) representing the panto number and the extention of a ‘‘.g’’. Example: p035.g Controlling the Default Size of the Pantograph

When creating a pantograph from a scanned image it is necessary that the scan has an effective resolution of 720. This is done by enlarging or reducing the size of your section with Rotate/Scale. This means the default point size in the box menus of 10 point is also enlarging or reducing in size. If the box default of 10 point should match the standard size that will be used, then the artwork must be enlarged or reduced before scanning. The chart below shows the recommended artwork enlargement/ reduction percentage for each resolution used during scanning. Note that your scanner may not support all of the resolutions listed, check the documentation or manufacturer for verification.

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Ratio of Scanner Resolution to Artwork Enlargement/Reduction % Scanning Sections for a Pantograph

Panto Number 057 (shown in Figures A-1) has one section file. This panto was created by scanning the artwork and creating an ‘‘Area’’ for the background. As you can see Layer 3 is not needed with scanned foreground patterns.

Figure A-1: Showing the Layers of the Panto ‘‘p057.g’’ Section File

Layers:

Foreground Raster must be on Layer 1. Background Area must be on Layer 2. Layer 3 is not used. Background drawing components on Layer 4.

Page 2 February 21-22, 2002 Logo Panto Processing Amgraf User Group Checklist for Scanning the Sections 1) Scan and crop out the step and repeat section needed. The resolution can be 600 dpi if scanning a 1 inch square and 400 dpi for approximately 1 3/4 inch area. 2) Query and calculate the number of HPX/VPX bytes in your scanned image. If greater than 65,000 rescan at lower resolution. 3) Scale pattern to effectively become 720 dpi. (Divide the resolution by 720 to determine the percentage.) 4) Verify that the section is less than 100 points square after scaling. 5) Clean up pattern, if needed. Raster must be on Layer 1. 6) Draw a 0 weight invisible outline for the Background on Layer 4. 7) Create Area Fill, placing it on Layer 2. 8) Check to make sure everything is on the proper layers. 9) Group all layers and move the lower-left corner to X/Y coordinates of 0/0. 10) Save file under proper name for section.

Once the section has been created, it is ready for panto processing. This is done using the MECCA 2000 Utility, Logo Panto Processing. Checking for Dimension Limitation Problems

If you are using a scanned image, it must have an effective resolution of 720 dpi. This can be achieved by using [Transform]’s {Rotate/Scale} and scaling the scanned image using the following formula:

scanned resolution / 720

If you do not do this step, the background area and the raster image sizes will not match. Use Query to verify the ERes.

There are limitations on physical size, and the number of vector points used when drawn. Before pixel editing or cleaning up a scanned section, check for dimension limitation problems such as exceeding file size.

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Limitations to Check

No section whether scanned or drawn can exceed 100 points square in dimensions. A maximum of two rasters can be used per pattern section. One for the Foreground and one for the Background. Before calculating number of bytes, merge multiple Foreground Rasters into one as well as multiple Background Rasters. Each scanned image cannot exceed 65,000 bytes. To calculate the number of bytes in your image, crop the image and [Query] to get values for hpx and vpx. Use this formula to calculate the number of bytes: hpx X vpx / 8 = number of bytes Number of bytes must be less than 65,000. If not, to correct the problem scan the pattern using a lower resolution or by scanning a smaller pattern/section. The drawn outline area (per layer) cannot exceed 490 tokens. Determining how many tokens your outline contains is achieved by adding up the token values for each component used in the outline. Circles may be used only if approximated to bezier splines before areas are defined. Arcs, Circles, Vector Chains, and Cubic Splines CANNOT BE USED.

Only Two Components Can Be Used to Draw Outlines

The following are the two components which can be used and their respective token values.

Line = 3 tokens Bezier Spline = 7 tokens

(A rectangle can be used since it is really four individual lines that equal twelve token values. Complete circles that are Approximated to bezier splines create 4 splines equaling 28 token values.)

Layering Required for Sections

Proper layering is required for the sections to be processed correctly. Sections can be created either as a scanned raster or a drawn area and are exclusive to each other. You cannot use both a raster and area on the same patterned Foreground or Background.

Each section MUST have a Foreground (Layer 1) and a Background (Layer 2) and a Background Outline (Layer 4). If a background is not wanted, you can turn it off later by modifying the parameters file (see pages 21 through 26). When the pattern is needed to block out a screened area, you will need that background. The background can be square, rectangular or shaped around the edge of the foreground pattern. The area fill color does not matter, this will later be adjusted through the Border/Panto’s Foreground/Background controls in the box program.

Layers:

Foreground Raster must be on Layer 1. Background Shaded Area or Raster must be on Layer 2. Layer 3 is not used. Background 0 weight drawing components on Layer 4.

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Designating Baseline Alignment

Baselines of pantograph sections are determined by moving the lower left corner of the section to the X/Y coordinate of 0/0.

Pantograph Baselines

Figure A-5: Baseline Pick for Pantographs is Always the Lower Left Corner

Move the lower left corner to 0/0 by following these steps:

1) Go to [Layer]. All layers must be ON. 2) Go to [Group] and {All} this will select the entire image. 3) Go to [Move]{Move to Anywhere} and use {Position Assistant}’s {Intersection} of and pick the lower left corner. (Lines must be depth ordered in front to pick) 4) When the prompt ‘‘pick new position’’ appears, type in 0 0 [Enter].

This will physically move that intersection pick to X=0, Y=0. This can be verified by picking the lower left corner and looking at the coordinates. Logo Panto Processing

Process the step-and-repeat panto automatically through the Start, MECCA 2000 Utilities, Logo Panto Processing option.

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This will bring up a dialog box as shown:

Enter the panto number you wish to process and browse for the ‘‘g’’ section.

You can check staggered if you need the effect. Staggering will create a stair-stepped pattern, non-staggering will create rows and columns.

If you selected your pattern to be staggered, the second row is offset left and right by one-half of the horizontal spacing. Additional spacing between the logos can be added.

Selecting [Okay] will start the font processing. When it is finished you will be able to use the new panto from the box function the next time you start MECCA 2000.

Note: If you have MECCA 2000 running while you are processing the panto, it will not appear in the panto list. The panto list is updated everytime MECCA 2000 starts by reading the file /usr/bin/amgraf/PostScript/laser.sub.

Page 6 February 21-22, 2002 Scanning with Xsane Amgraf User Group

Scanning with Xsane

Your scanner can be accessed through Xsane.

Xsane is a graphical user-interface for SANE. It allows previewing and scanning individual images and can be invoked either directly from the XTERM command-line or through The GIMP image manipulation program. In the former case, xsane acts as a stand-alone program that saves acquired images in a suitable PNM format (PBM for black-and-white images, PGM for grayscale images, and PPM for color images) or converts the image to JPEG, PNG, PS or TIFF. In the latter case, the images are directly passed to The GIMP for further processing.

The GIMP image manipulation program has a full range of capabilities for editing raster data. GIMP also allows you to save the final raster image as either a TIFF or BMP file to be loaded into MECCA 2000.

MECCA 2000 startup has a shortcut to the GIMP image manipulation program. Here you can access the scanner directly, crop and pixel edit the scanned image, and save into the needed TIFF or BMP.

The Xsane option is accessed through the Xtns Menu in GIMP.

Xsane accesses scanners through the SANE () interface. The list of available devices depends on installed hardware and configuration.

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Select the [Preview Window] button to see your image. After acquiring a preview, xsane normally saves the preview image in a device-specific file. Thus, next time the program is started up, the program can present the old preview image. (This feature can be turned off through the "Preferences->Preview Options..." dialog.)

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Typically with flatbed scanners, you will insert your original face down, top to the right, bottom to the left. Be careful that the page is aligned at this stage. If your image is scanned crooked, you will have to straighten it later by {Rotating}, and this doesn’t always give you the desired results.

Select the area you want scanned in the preview window and then [Start] the scanning from the Xsane dialog window. This will create an untitled image file window showing the scan. Clicking your right mouse button while in this window will pop-up the options for saving the file. MECCA 2000 can load TIF and BMP images through its {Combine} option.

You will want to do your clean-up of the image before bringing into MECCA 2000. The [Raster] functions has options for using the raster, but minimal clean-up tools. Remember, you may also scale, rotate, mirror, and copy a raster just as any other graphic element. General Information Concerning Scanning

All scanners use similar technology to scan and capture the image with the ability to scan line art, halftones, and color. Major differences are in the scanning resolutions and whether they recognize color.

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A flatbed scanner resembles small photocopiers with a removable cover and glass platen. The user places the artwork or photograph on the platen, and the photosensitive sensors move across the scanning area. The scanning functions are controlled through menus which include resolution, brightness, contrast, scanning area, and type of scan (whether black and white, halftone, or color).

The default settings will usually be a good start, but sometimes you will need to make adjustments. Brightness and contrast functions work much like the same controls on a monitor. Brightness adjusts the lightness or darkness, where contrast adjusts the amount of difference between the two. You may be able to bring out greater detail by increasing these levels.

The scanning area is the actual glass platen. Since scans take up a lot of disk space, you will only want to scan the image you want to capture. This is controlled by adjusting the window to the location of your image. Interactively, using Preview is probably the best solution. Here you will get a low-resolution test scan to assist you in seeing your image before using it. You can adjust the window, if needed, before proceeding to scan at full resolution.

Once the scan has taken place you have created a scan file. This file is a collection of bits (either black and white, gray-levels, or color) which are gathered in columns and rows. We call this component a Raster Image. Hints on Using Xsane with MECCA 2000

There are three types of scan modes:

Binary - Black-and-White Lineart or Halftones

Gray - (Does Not Work)

Color - Color Photographs

When scanning black-and-white lineart, you will need to go to Xsane’s Preferences and Show Standard Options. Make sure that the Halftone selection is NONE, otherwise you will be dithering the pixels. Also, to make the white pixels transparent for loading into MECCA, you must change the file to a 1-bit palette in GIMP. Right-click on image, choose IMAGE from menu, choose INDEXED from menu, check USE BLACK/WHITE (1-BIT) PALETTE, Click OK. This must be done before saving. The file must then be saved as a .bmp file. Right-click on image, choose SAVEAS, save as BMP. The BMP file type will recognize white as transparent, this is not the case for TIFF files. Common Scanning Terminology

The terminology below is used throughout this chapter when we discuss scanning. It is not specific to any particular scanner.

Brightness: It is used to darken a faint image or lighten a dark image. Increasing and decreasing brightness

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values allows you to control the reflecting image to allow for different paper or ink colors when you need to scan from printed material. Usually, it is better to spend the time obtaining the best results by scanning with different brightness controls, than it is to clean up a poor scan.

Color Scans: Scanners which recognize color can create color scan files. We can convert three types of color scan files: TIFF, DCS, and PCX.

Contrast: Adjusts the amount of difference between light and dark areas.

Cropping the Raster: An essential step of trimming down the edges leaving only the image needed. Cropping reduces the file size because pixels being trimmed-off are actually taken out of the file.

DCS File: These files are Desktop Color Separations (DCS) which will convert as an exact color match. The files convert as CYMK separations. They are usually one-third larger than TIFF or PCX, and take much longer to convert. If you are concerned about color accuracy use DCS files. Adobe PhotoShop creates both DCS and TIFF file types. DCS files are DOS binary data.

Dithering: This is a technique used by low-resolution scanners to scan halftones.

Gray Levels: Each scanner can see a maximum number of gray colors when scanning halftones. For example, many scanners can produce 256 different grays. The gray levels chosen when scanned determines how smooth the contrast is between highlighted and shadowed areas. When there are too few levels used, a phenomenon called "posterization" occurs. This is a sharp contrast between highlighted and shadowed areas instead of a smooth continuous flow between shades.

Halftone: A black and white photograph. This is the process used to convert a continuous tone photograph into a pattern of tiny halftone cells which may be easily printed. These multiple spots within one halftone cell allows different levels of gray to be achieved. A cell with less spots being imaged is going to be lighter than a cell that is full. See Figures 15-2 and Figures 15-3.

Line Art: Only two color values are seen: black or white.

PCX File: These color scanned images (Windows Raster Images) are usually generated by Paintbrush programs, desktop clipart, and screen dump images. MECCA supports 24-bit, 16-color PCX files. After the file is loaded you will need to assign each color to a separate layer for separation, or use CYMK separations. PCX files are DOS binary data.

Pixel: One bit of a raster image. This bit is either black or white. Sometimes referred to as a "seed".

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Preview: Interactively looking at a low-resolution of the scan for window positioning before doing the actual scan. It will give you a general idea of what the scan will look like, and where it is located in the window so you can adjust the window boundaries. It is always faster to only scan what is needed.

Raster Image: A file that originated from a scan. This scanned image is a collection of bits (patterns of lit and unlit squares) which give the illusion of being lines, areas, text, etc.

Resolution: Scanning resolution is how many pixels are seen in one square inch (dpi=dots per inch). A resolution of 100 instructs the scanner to pickup 100 columns and rows per square inch when scanning the image. Naturally, if the resolution is higher, perhaps 800 dpi, then the squares are eight times smaller since the image has 800 columns and rows in one square inch.

Scanner Resolution can usually be thought of in two ways: For black and white output the higher the resolution the finer the output, since the squares are smaller. This is normally the case for black and white line art that has no screens. But when scanning with halftones, the screen lineage is a sufficient resolution, since the image is screened when output. See halftones.

Resolution also plays an important part during production of a piece of artwork. If the image is going to be reduced, you would lower the original scanned resolution because "effective resolution" is going to play a part. Effective resolution is the scaled resolution. For example, if an image is scaled by fifty percent, the pixels become smaller and so it takes twice as many to fill a square inch. In this case the original resolution may be 200 dpi, but the effective resolution is 400 dpi. See Figure 15-1.

It would not be wise to scale an image where you would end up with an effective resolution of 3000 dpi. The amount of data the scan image is transferring is tremendous. The same effect can be created by rescanning closer to the size needed with a more normal resolution, possibly 400 dpi to 800 dpi. Remember scanning at 800 dpi and then scaling by half will result in an effective resolution of 1600 dpi.

TIFF File: Tag Image File Format (TIFF) is a format for storage and exchange of digital images made up of pixels. The pixels can be black and white, or RGB color (which we will convert to CYMK). MECCA’s {Combine} option can load a TIFF file and convert it to a MECCA Raster component.

Page 6 February 21-22, 2002 Using The GIMP Image Manipulation Program Amgraf User Group

Using The GIMP Image Manipulation Program

Gimp (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is recommended for scanning and pixel editing. Select Gimp from your start menu to load it.

GIMP is an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software suitable for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and pixel editing.

Features and Capabilities

* Full suite of painting tools including Brush, Pencil, Airbrush, Clone, etc.

* Multiple Undo/Redo (limited only by diskspace)

* Transformation tools including rotate, scale, shear and flip

* File formats supported include gif, jpg, png, xpm, tiff, tga, mpeg, ps, pdf, pcx, bmp, and many others.

* Load, display, convert, save to many file formats.

See the GIMP User Manual for complete details on pixel editing use.

Hints

When using Xsane the Binary Scan will create Halftones. The Color option allows color scanning. The Gray option does not work.

When scanning black-and-white lineart, scan as Binary, you will need to go to Xsane’s Preferences and Show Standard Options. Make sure that the Halftone selection is NONE, otherwise you will be dithering the pixels.

Also, to make the white pixels transparent for loading into MECCA, you must change the file to a 1-bit palette in GIMP. Right-click on image, choose IMAGE from menu, choose INDEXED from menu, check USE BLACK/WHITE (1-BIT) PALETTE, Click OK. This must be done before saving. The file

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must then be saved as a .bmp file. Right-click on image, choose SAVEAS, save as BMP. The BMP file type will recognize white as transparent, this is not the case for TIFF files.

Loading Images into MECCA 2000

The .bmp or .tiff file must be loaded into MECCA 2000 through the {Combine} option. This load option always brings in items grouped which appear solid white, so ungrouping will be necessary.

Saving the data at this point saves the data as graphic data and is loaded through the normal Project {Open}.

MECCA’s [Raster] may be used to crop, trim, and "rectangular shape" edit the raster. You may also scale, rotate, mirror, and copy a raster just as any other graphic element.

Scanning Plugin

Xsane is a scanning program similar to which allows you to acquire your scanner and scan line art and color images.

Interactive scanning gives you the flexibility to Preview and crop the image using Scanner Window before actually scanning.

The Xsane option can be accessed through the Xtns Menu in GIMP.

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