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# ASImage Encoding/decoding

encoding/decoding ASImage data from/to usable data structures

libAfterImage/imencdec.h

- NAME

  imencdec

  defines main structures and function for image storing, extraction and conversion to/from usable formats.

- DESCRIPTION

      this header defines structures and functions to be used by outside
      applications for reading and writing into ASImages. ASImage pixel
      data maybe stored in sevral different formats, and should not be
      accessed directly, but only through encoder/decoder facility.

- SEE ALSO

      Structures :
               ASImageBevel
               ASImageDecoder
               ASImageOutput

      Functions :
        Encoding :
               asimage_add_line(),    asimage_add_line_mono(),
               asimage_print_line(), get_asimage_chanmask(),
               move_asimage_channel(), copy_asimage_channel(),
               copy_asimage_lines()

        Decoding
               start_image_decoding(), stop_image_decoding(),
               asimage_decode_line (), set_decoder_shift(),
               set_decoder_back_color()

        Output :
               start_image_output(), set_image_output_back_color(),
               toggle_image_output_direction(), stop_image_output()

      Other libAfterImage modules :
               ascmap.h asfont.h asimage.h asvisual.h blender.h export.h
               import.h transform.h ximage.h

- AUTHOR

      Sasha Vasko <sasha at aftercode dot net>

libAfterImage/ASImageBevel

- NAME

  ASImageBevel

  describes bevel to be drawn around the image.

- DESCRIPTION

      Bevel is used to create 3D effect while drawing buttons, or any other
      image that needs to be framed. Bevel is drawn using 2 primary colors:
      one for top and left sides - hi color, and another for bottom and
      right sides - low color. There are additionally 3 auxiliary colors:
      hihi is used for the edge of top-left corner, hilo is used for the
      edge of top-right and bottom-left corners, and lolo is used for the
      edge of bottom-right corner. Colors are specified as ARGB and contain
      alpha component, thus allowing for semitransparent bevels.

      Bevel consists of outline and inline. Outline is drawn outside of the
      image boundaries and its size adds to image size as the result. Alpha
      component of the outline is constant. Inline is drawn on top of the
      image and its alpha component is fading towards the center of the
      image, thus creating illusion of smooth disappearing edge.

- SOURCE

      typedef struct ASImageBevel
      {
      #define BEVEL_SOLID_INLINE  (0x01<<0)
          ASFlagType type ;                /* reserved for future use */

          /* primary bevel colors */
          ARGB32  hi_color ;      /* top and left side color */
          ARGB32  lo_color ;      /* bottom and right side color */

          /* these will be placed in the corners */
          ARGB32  hihi_color ;    /* color of the top-left corner */
          ARGB32  hilo_color ;    /* color of the top-right and
                                   * bottom-left corners */
          ARGB32  lolo_color ;    /* color of the bottom-right corner */

          /* outlines define size of the line drawn around the image */
          unsigned short left_outline ;
          unsigned short top_outline ;
          unsigned short right_outline ;
          unsigned short bottom_outline ;
          /* inlines define size of the semitransparent line drawn
           * inside the image */
          unsigned short left_inline ;
          unsigned short top_inline ;
          unsigned short right_inline ;
          unsigned short bottom_inline ;
      }ASImageBevel;

libAfterImage/ASImageDecoder

- NAME

  ASImageDecoder

  describes the status of reading any particular ASImage, as well as providing detail on how it should be done.

- DESCRIPTION

      ASImageDecoder works as an abstraction layer and as the way to
      automate several operations. Most of the transformations in
      libAfterImage are performed as operations on ASScanline data
      structure, that holds all or some of the channels of single image
      scanline. In order to automate data extraction from ASImage into
      ASScanline ASImageDecoder has been designed.

      It has following features :
      1) All missing scanlines, or channels of scanlines will be filled with
      supplied back_color
      2) It is possible to leave out some channels of the image, extracting
      only subset of channels. It is done by setting only needed flags in
      filter member.
      3) It is possible to extract sub-image of the image by setting offset_x
      and offset_y to top-left corner of sub-image, out_width - to width of
      the sub-image and calling decode_image_scanline method as many times
      as height of the sub-image.
      4) It is possible to apply bevel to extracted sub-image, by setting
      bevel member to specific ASImageBevel structure.

      Extracted Scanlines will be stored in buffer and it will be updated
      after each call to decode_image_scanline().

- SOURCE

      /* low level driver (what data to use - native, XImage or ARGB): */
      typedef void (*decode_asscanline_func)( struct ASImageDecoder *imdec,
                                              unsigned int skip, int y );
      /* high level driver (bevel or not bevel): */
      typedef void (*decode_image_scanline_func)
                      (struct ASImageDecoder *imdec);

      typedef struct ASImageDecoder
      {
          ASVisual       *asv;
          ASImage        *im ;
          ASFlagType      filter;      /* flags that mask set of
                                        * channels to be extracted
                                        * from the image */

          ARGB32          back_color;  /* we fill missing scanlines
                                        * with this default - black*/
          unsigned int    offset_x,    /* left margin on source image
                                        * before which we skip everything */
                          out_width;   /* actual length of the output
                                        * scanline */
          unsigned int    offset_y,    /* top margin */
                          out_height;
          ASImageBevel    *bevel;      /* bevel to wrap everything
                                        * around with */

          /* offsets of the drawn bevel baseline on resulting image : */
          int            bevel_left, bevel_top,
                          bevel_right, bevel_bottom ;

          /* scanline buffer containing current scanline */
          ASScanline      buffer; /* matches the out_width */

          /* internal data : */
          unsigned short   bevel_h_addon, bevel_v_addon ;
          int             next_line ;

          ASScanline   *xim_buffer; /* matches the size of the
                                     * original XImage */

          decode_asscanline_func     decode_asscanline ;
          decode_image_scanline_func decode_image_scanline ;
      }ASImageDecoder;

libAfterImage/asimage/quality

- FUNCTION

      Defines level of output quality/speed ratio

- NAME

  ASIMAGE_QUALITY_POOR

  there will be no dithering and interpolation used while transforming

  ASIMAGE_QUALITY_FAST

  there will be no dithering and used while transforming but interpolation will be used.

  ASIMAGE_QUALITY_GOOD

  simplified dithering is performed in addition to interpolation.

  ASIMAGE_QUALITY_TOP

  full dithering and interpolation.

  ASIMAGE_QUALITY_DEFAULT

  requests current default setting - typically same as ASIMAGE_QUALITY_GOOD.

  MAX_GRADIENT_DITHER_LINES

  defines number of lines to use for dithering, while rendering gradients, in order to create smooth effect. Higher number will slow things down, but will create better gradients.

- SOURCE

      #define ASIMAGE_QUALITY_POOR    0
      #define ASIMAGE_QUALITY_FAST    1
      #define ASIMAGE_QUALITY_GOOD    2
      #define ASIMAGE_QUALITY_TOP     3
      #define ASIMAGE_QUALITY_DEFAULT -1

      #define MAX_GRADIENT_DITHER_LINES   ASIMAGE_QUALITY_TOP+1

libAfterImage/asimage/ASImageOutput

- NAME

  ASImageOutput

  describes the output state of the transformation result. It is used to transparently write results into ASImage or XImage with different levels of quality.

- DESCRIPTION

      libAfterImage allows for transformation result to be stored in both
      ASImage ( useful for long term storage and subsequent processing )
      and XImage ( useful for transfer of the result onto the X Server).
      At the same time there are 4 different quality levels of output
      implemented. They differ in the way special technics, like error
      diffusion and interpolation are applyed, and allow for fine grained
      selection of quality/speed ratio. ASIMAGE_QUALITY_GOOD should be good
      enough for most applications.
      The following additional output features are implemented :
      1) Filling of the missing channels with supplied values.
      2) Error diffusion to improve quality while converting from internal
            24.8 format to 8 bit format.
      3) Tiling of the output. If tiling_step is greater then 0, then each
            scanlines will be copied into lines found tiling_step one from
            another, upto the edge of the image.
      4) Reverse order of output. Output image will be mirrored along y
            axis if bottom_to_top is set to True.

- NOTES

      The output_image_scanline method should be called for each scanline
      to be stored. Convenience functions listed below should be used to
      safely alter state of the output instead of direct manipulation of
      the data members. (makes you pity you don't write in C++ doesn't it ?)

      Also There is a trick in the way how output_image_scanline handles
      empty scanlines while writing ASImage. If back_color of empty scanline
      matches back_color of ASImageOutput - then particular line is erased!
      If back_colors are same - then particular line of ASImage gets filled
      with the back_color of ASScanline. First approach is usefull when
      resulting image will be used in subsequent call to merge_layers - in
      such case knowing back_color of image is good enough and we don't need
      to store lines with the same color. In case where ASImage will be
      converted into Pixmap/XImage - second approach is preferable, since
      that conversion does not take into consideration image's back color -
      we may want to change it in the future.

- SEE ALSO

      start_image_output()
      set_image_output_back_color()
      toggle_image_output_direction()
      stop_image_output()

- SOURCE

      typedef void (*encode_image_scanline_func)( struct ASImageOutput *imout,
                                                  ASScanline *to_store );
      typedef void (*output_image_scanline_func)( struct ASImageOutput *,
                                                  ASScanline *, int );

      typedef struct ASImageOutput
      {
          ASVisual        *asv;
          ASImage         *im ;
          ASAltImFormats   out_format ;
          CARD32           chan_fill[4];
          int              buffer_shift;  /* -1 means - buffer is empty,
                                           * 0 - no shift,
                                           * 8 - use 8 bit precision */
          int              next_line ;    /* next scanline to be written */
          unsigned int     tiling_step;   /* each line written will be
                                           * repeated with this step until
                                           * we exceed image size */
          unsigned int     tiling_range;  /* Limits region in which we need
                                           * to tile. If set to 0 then image
                                           * height is used */
          int              bottom_to_top; /* -1 if we should output in
                                           * bottom to top order,
                                           * +1 otherwise*/

          int              quality ;      /* see above */

          output_image_scanline_func
              output_image_scanline ;  /* high level interface - division,
                                        * error diffusion as well
                                        * as encoding */
          encode_image_scanline_func
              encode_image_scanline ;  /* low level interface -
                                        * encoding only */

          /* internal data members : */
          ASScanline       buffer[2], *used, *available;
      }ASImageOutput;

libAfterImage/asimage/start_image_decoding()

- NAME

  start_image_decoding()

  - allocates and initializes decoder structure.

- SYNOPSIS

      ASImageDecoder *start_image_decoding( ASVisual *asv,ASImage *im,
                                            ASFlagType filter,
                                            int offset_x, int offset_y,
                                            unsigned int out_width,
                                            unsigned int out_height,
                                            ASImageBevel *bevel );

- INPUTS

  asv
    - pointer to valid ASVisual structure ( needed mostly to see if we are in BGR mode or not );
  im
    - ASImage we are going to decode;
  filter
    - bitmask where set bits mark channels that has to be decoded.
  offset_x
    - left margin inside im, from which we should start reading pixel data, effectively clipping source image.
  offset_y
    - top margin inside im, from which we should start reading scanlines, effectively clipping source image. Note that when edge of the image is reached, subsequent requests for scanlines will wrap around to the top of the image, and not offset_y.
  out_width-
    width of the scanline needed. If it is larger then source image - then image data will be tiled in it. If it is smaller - then image data will be clipped.
  out_height
    - height of the output drawable. -1 means that same as image height. if out_height is greater then image height, then image will be tiled.
  bevel
    - NULL or pointer to valid ASImageBevel structure if decoded data should be overlayed with bevel at the time of decoding.

- RETURN VALUE

      start_image_decoding() returns pointer to newly allocated
      ASImageDecoder structure on success, NULL on failure.

- DESCRIPTION

      Normal process of reading image data from ASImage consists of
      3 steps :
      1) start decoding by calling start_image_decoding.
      2) call decode_image_scanline() method of returned structure, for
      each scanline upto desired height of the target image. Decoded data
      will be returned in buffer member of the ASImageDecoder structure.
      3) finish decoding and deallocated all the used memory by calling
      stop_image_decoding()

libAfterImage/asimage/set_decoder_bevel_geom()

- NAME

  set_decoder_bevel_geom()

  - changes default placement of the bevel on decoded image.

- SYNOPSIS

      void set_decoder_bevel_geom( ASImageDecoder *imdec, int x, int y,
                                   unsigned int width, unsigned int height );

- INPUTS

  imdec
    - pointer to pointer to structure, previously created by start_image_decoding.
  x,y
    - left top position of the inner border of the Bevel outline as related to the origin of subimage being decoded.
  width,
  height
    - widtha and height of the inner border of the bevel outline.

- DESCRIPTION

      For example if you only need to render small part of the button, that
      is being rendered from transparency image.
      NOTE
      This call modifies bevel_h_addon and bevel_v_addon of
      ASImageDecoder structure.

libAfterImage/asimage/set_decoder_shift()

- NAME

  set_decoder_shift()

  - changes the shift value of decoder - 8 or 0.

- SYNOPSIS

      void set_decoder_shift( ASImageDecoder *imdec, int shift );

- INPUTS

  imdec
    - pointer to pointer to structure, previously created by start_image_decoding.
  shift
    - new value to be used as the shift while decoding image. valid values are 8 and 0.

- DESCRIPTION

      This function should be used instead of directly modifyeing value of
      shift memebr of ASImageDecoder structure.

libAfterImage/asimage/set_decoder_back_color()

- NAME

  set_decoder_back_color()

  - changes the back color to be used while decoding the image.

- SYNOPSIS

      void set_decoder_back_color( ASImageDecoder *imdec, ARGB32 back_color );

- INPUTS

  imdec
    - pointer to pointer to structure, previously created by start_image_decoding.
  back_color
    - ARGB32 color value to be used as the background color to fill empty spaces in decoded ASImage.

- DESCRIPTION

      This function should be used instead of directly modifyeing value of
      back_color memebr of ASImageDecoder structure.

libAfterImage/asimage/stop_image_decoding()

- NAME

  stop_image_decoding()

  - finishes decoding, frees all allocated memory.

- SYNOPSIS

      void stop_image_decoding( ASImageDecoder **pimdec );

- INPUTS

  pimdec
    - pointer to pointer to structure, previously created by start_image_decoding.

- RETURN VALUE

      pimdec  - pointer to ASImageDecoder will be reset to NULL.

- SEE ALSO

      start_image_decoding()

libAfterImage/asimage/start_image_output()

- NAME

  start_image_output()

  - initializes output structure

- SYNOPSIS

      ASImageOutput *start_image_output ( struct ASVisual *asv,
                                          ASImage *im,
                                          ASAltImFormats format,
                                          int shift, int quality );

- INPUTS

  asv
    - pointer to valid ASVisual structure
  im
    - destination ASImage
  format
    - indicates that output should be written into alternative format, such as supplied XImage, ARGB32 array etc.
  shift
    - precision of scanline data. Supported values are 0 - no precision, and 8 - 24.8 precision. Value of that argument defines by how much scanline data is shifted rightwards.
  quality
    - what algorithms should be used while writing data out, i.e. full error diffusion, fast error diffusion, no error diffusion.

- DESCRIPTION

      start_image_output() creates and initializes new ASImageOutput
      structure based on supplied parameters. Created structure can be
      subsequently used to write scanlines into destination image.
      It is effectively hiding differences of XImage and ASImage and other
      available output formats.
      outpt_image_scanline() method of the structure can be used to write
      out single scanline. Each written scanlines moves internal pointer to
      the next image line, and possibly writes several scanlines at once if
      tiling_step member is not 0.

libAfterImage/asimage/set_image_output_back_color()

- NAME

  set_image_output_back_color()

  - changes background color of output

- SYNOPSIS

      void set_image_output_back_color ( ASImageOutput *imout,
                                         ARGB32 back_color );

- INPUTS

  imout
    - ASImageOutput structure, previously created with start_image_output();
  back_color
    - new background color value in ARGB format. This color will be used to fill empty parts of outgoing scanlines.

libAfterImage/asimage/toggle_image_output_direction()

- NAME

  toggle_image_output_direction()

  - reverses vertical direction of output

- SYNOPSIS

      void toggle_image_output_direction( ASImageOutput *imout );

- INPUTS

  imout
    - ASImageOutput structure, previously created with start_image_output();

- DESCRIPTION

      reverses vertical direction output. If previously scanlines has
      been written from top to bottom, for example, after this function is
      called they will be written in opposite direction. Current line does
      not change, unless it points to the very first or the very last
      image line. In this last case it will be moved to the opposing end of
      the image.

libAfterImage/asimage/stop_image_output()

- NAME

  stop_image_output()

  - finishes output, frees all the allocated memory.

- SYNOPSIS

      void stop_image_output( ASImageOutput **pimout );

- INPUTS

  pimout
    - pointer to pointer to ASImageOutput structure, previously created with call to start_image_output().

- RETURN VALUE

      pimout      - pointer to ASImageOutput will be reset to NULL.

- DESCRIPTION

      Completes image output process. Flushes all the internal buffers.
      Deallocates all the allocated memory. Resets pointer to NULL to
      avoid dereferencing invalid pointers.

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