1. The Initialization File
    1.1 Automatic Attributes
    1.2 Platform Attributes
    1.3 Advanced Attributes

2. BDI and CDI Parameters

3. Using the Special Features of GIF Images

4. Texture Files

5. Audio Files

6. Event Logging
 

Intended Audience
This document is intended for use by licensed customers of Alpha Software Express' ExpressDesigner. It contains more in-depth information on specific functions and features for the more advanced user. This document also assumes the reader is familiar with the general concepts of Express Designer (aka ExpressDesigner) and has read the Basic User's Guide and, depending on the edition in use, may also be familiar with the concepts in the Guide to Complex Objects, Guide to Security and the Enterprise Administration.

© 2002, 2003 Alpha Software Express, LLC  -  San Rafael, CA  USA
Send any questions or comments to: aex@alphase.com

Conventions Used

ExpressDesigner refers to this product
BDI  refers to the Basic Designer Interface
CDI  refers to the Complex Designer Interface
Text in This Type refers to on screen buttons
Text in This Type refers to top level menu items
Text in This Type refers to specific menu selections, or input field labels
Text in This Type refers to file names and parameters
Text in This Type refers to data entered into the user's CLI

This file is automatically created the first time you select Save Settings from the File menu. Whenever you select Save Settings thereafter, the file is updated. The file can also be updated by any text editor. When you load the file into a text editing session, you will see about 90 lines. Each line represents a single attribute/value pair, or comment line. Attribute/value pairs are indicated by an equal sign ( = ) separating the attribute from the value. A comment line is indicated by the # character in the first byte. The first 2 lines are comments. You can also enter your own comments in this way anywhere in the file, so long as the # character is in the first byte.

The attribute/value pairs are further categorized into 3 distinct types: Those that are set/reset from the BDI, or CDI, whenever you select Save Settings from the File menu, constitute the Automatic type. Those that are ExpressDesigner specific and can only be set by a text editing session comprise the Advanced type. Finally, those that are platform specific and must not be altered by you are the Platform type.

1.1 Automatic Attributes
There are currently 43 Automatic attributes. More may be added in the future. They are shown in table 1-1. Although these can be changed manually, through the use of a text editor, it is not recommended. Many values can only be true/false. Others, like DrawingHeight represent an integer in pixels. A few, like PixelMetric, represent an index into a table. The color values are shown as decimal values, but need to be translated into hexadecimal numbers for analysis. When represented in hexadecimal, the first 2 digits must be FF, the second 2 digits represent the red value, the next 2 digits determine the green value and the rightmost 2 digits indicate the blue value. For example, the default value for BackgroundColor is -3618616, which translates to the hex number FFC8C8C8 - a gray color where each of the red, green and blue values are identified by the value C8. If you alter this value, you must then convert the altered value back to decimal. For example to convert the above to a light blue, you might set it to hex number FF00C0F5, - i.e. remove the red, slightly reduce the green and increase the blue. You would then need to convert this hex number back to decimal, or -16727819.
It is because of these complications that it is not recommended to alter these values manually.

1.2 Platform Attributes
The number of Platform type entries is dependent on the platform you're running on. The following table (table 1-2) describes a typical subset of these. Do not alter any of these. They are included here as an example only.

1.3 Advanced Attributes
The Advanced attributes must be set manually, via a text editor, if they are to be changed from their default values. Once changed, they will remain in effect until they are changed again. They are described here and shown in table 1-3 with their default values.
 

• The MaxObjects attribute is a number which represents the maximum number of data slots a single drawing can contain. In any drawing, each simple object requires 1 data slot. Each unique, Complex Object requires as many slots as it has simple component, plus one. Copies of a given complex object, only require one slot. If you need more than the default value, just alter it. There is no maximum value imposed, but increasing the number of slots also greatly increases the memory needed. So, you should be careful in your selection. For this reason it is recommended you gradually increase this value in increments of 1024 or less.

• The MaxWidth and MaxHeight attributes are all defined in pixels. They represent the largest drawing size available. As with MaxObjects you are encouraged to use caution when increasing this attribute, due to the increased memory requirements it implies. In fact even a drawing of 6400 by 6400 is considered very large and can be problematic. It all depends on your platform's available memory and speed of your processor.

• LocalLineageFile defines the explicit name and location of the local lineage file. If it is not defined with a complete path, it assumes the file is in your current working directory. It has no meaning when used with the Basic Edition of the product, since that edition does not support complex objects.

• GlobalLineageFile defines the explicit name and location of the global lineage file. If it is not defined with a complete path, it assumes the file is in your current working directory. It only has meaning when used with the Enterprise Edition of the product, since that's the only edition of the product that supports global complex objects.

• L2AdminFile has no default value and is only used by the Enterprise Edition. If defined, it should be done by the domain administrator and should specify the full file path name of the domain's administration file; not the corresponding name file.

2. BDI and CDI Parameters
When the BDI or CDI is started from a command line window, it can also include some additional parameters (aka arguments). These arguments can appear in any order after the java class name of the interface being started. Both BDI and CDI support the same arguments.
 

java com.alphase.aex.bdi [arguments...]

The possible arguments are :

• filename specifies a drawing file, which will be automatically loaded during initialization. Be sure to include the entire path name if the file is not in your current working directory. If there are spaces within the file specification, enclose it in quotes ( "path/ file name" ).

Example: java com.alphase.aex.bdi "/Current Drawings/blueprints/myHouse.aex"
 
• An alternate initialization file is specified by including the argument name, -Init followed by at least one space and the filename of another initialization file. When included in this way, the file does not have to be named aex.ini, as in the normal startup case. As with the filename argument, if there are spaces within the file specification, enclose it in quotes ( "path/ file name" ).

Example: java com.alphase.aex.bdi -Init specialView.ini
 
• The trace argument is normally used only by Alpha Software Express engineers to help determine problems, or bugs. It can, however, be used by knowledgeable uses to view file information as it is read or written. To start tracing you include a -trace followed by at least one space and a number that represents the tracing value. Users should only use 1 as a tracing value. Other values will generate copious amounts of arcane data.

Example: java com.alphase.aex.bdi -Trace 1

3. Using the Special Features of GIF Images
There are two interesting features implemented in the GIF file format and usable in ExpressDesigner drawings. The first is transparency the second is animation.

When a GIF image is created you can specify that one of its colors be transparent - that is, invisible. This is an especially exciting feature for ExpressDesigner since a transparent GIF image can in many ways appear like a virtual Complex Object, without the attributes. To do this just don't select the include background color when specifying Export Drawing Options. If its not selected, the background color of the drawing becomes the transparent color. For example, a group of simple objects can be combined to create a more comprehensive depiction, then using the Export... function, you can group those objects together into a transparent GIF using Crop-to-Minimum or Dynamic Crop. Thereafter, whenever the exported image is loaded back into a drawing it takes on the look of an actual Complex Object, without the attributes. Using this method, and capturing other transparent GIF files from around the world wide web, you can create a library of images that can be used as components for all your drawings.

Another feature a GIF image file is that it can implement an animated image by grouping a set of still GIF images. This feature also allows the timing between image views to be specified as well as the number of times the images should loop through the set. This is known as an Animated GIF and, while this cannot be created from this version of ExpressDesigner, such images can be read in as normal images and they will animate properly. However, there is no mechanism in the current version to stop the animation. So if they were created to loop forever, they could become annoying. Use with care.
Note: This is entirely different from the animation methods provided under the SpecialFX menu in ExpressDesigner, which is far more flexible.

4. Texture Files
All the files used to produce the texture palette are contained in the Textures sub directory in your ExpressDesigner Root Directory. If you don't know where your Root Directory is, see the About function in your Help menu. For example if your Root Directory is C:\jdk1.3-1_07\jre\aex\, then all your texture files are in C:\jdk1.3-1_07\jre\aex\Textures. There you will find your current list of GIF and JPEG files - each defining one texture. All the files in this directory are read into ExpressDesigner during startup to create the Texture List. Therefore, all files in this directory  must be either GIF or JPEG formatted files. It doesn't matter what you name them, as long as they are real GIF or JPEG images. To add files, and therefore textures, just find new, small texture files (less than 5k bytes) on the Web, or create your own with ExpressDesigner. Any small GIF or JPEG will work. Then the next time you start up you should see them in your Texture List Box.

When creating your own there are really only 2 rules:

1. Make your image at least 60 x 60 pixels in size. You can make them a little larger, but if you make them smaller, you'll see borders around the textures as they are tiled over your drawing shapes.
2. Do not export them as transparent GIF files. This just creates black boxes. So, if you want to export them as GIF files, just be sure to select the include background color option.

5. Audio Files
Like Texture files, all the audio files are in a sub directory under your ExpressDesigner Root Directory. That sub directory name is, not surprisingly, Audio. There are 22 .wav files which are named Track1.wav through Track22.wav. Each file relates to a different action, or set of actions, as shown in Table 5-1. You can replace any, or all of these, with your own .wav files. They are not sacred. The only thing to consider is their play length. The play length on most of the 22 files provided with is less than 2 seconds. We recommend very short play length files.

Table 5-1
Audio File Usage

File Name	Play Action / Usage
Track1.wav	Plays at startup, or when EnableAudio is selected.
Track2.wav	When exiting ExpressDesigner
Track3.wav	When the first (default) choice is selected from a dialog box (e.g. OK).
Track4.wav	When the choice selected from a dialog box is not the first one (e.g. Cancel).
Track5.wav	Plays on Mouse Released (unless Select or Move).
Track6.wav	Plays on Mouse Released when Move completed.
Track7.wav	Plays when the Draw Type or Line Width  is changed. Plays on Mouse Released when successful Select Object.
Track8.wav	Plays when the File Selection Box appears.
Track9.wav	Plays when an option is selected from any of the selection/control boxes i.e.: Drawing Size, Easy Scale, Edit Tokens, Export, Font, Pixel Scale, Print, Security, Spin Control, Track Assign, Track Control and Trim
Track10.wav	Plays when a Palette button is selected from the bottom toolbar; when the Preview button is pressed in the Rotator Box; when the Browse button is pressed in Security Box; when any button is pressed on Spin Control Box, Track Control Box & Track Assign Box
Track11.wav	When Save Settings is chosen from the File menu. Plays when a file is saved.
Track12.wav	Plays on Mouse Pressed.
Track13.wav	When Select All is chosen from the Edit menu. Plays when the ACTIVE option is selected from the Group area on the bottom toolbar.
Track14.wav	Plays when a selected object, or Group, is re-oriented (e.g. Turn).  Plays when the "special attribute" is enabled from the Edit menu.
Track15.wav	Plays whenever any of the View menu choices are selected.
Track16.wav	Plays whenever any of the Grid menu choices are selected.
Track17.wav	Plays when any of the Hard Doc Privileges is changed from the Security menu.
Track18.wav	Plays when either the Zoom or Scroll Bars entries is selected from the Size&Scale menu.
Track19.wav	Plays when the Tape Measure is selected from the  Size&Scale menu.
Track20.wav	Plays whenever a Palette is selected on the bottom toolbar.
Track21.wav	Plays when the Move or Alternate option is selected from the bottom toolbar.
Track22.wav	Plays whenever any of the Options menu choices are selected.

 

6. Event Logging
You can track your activity using event logging, by enabling Log Activities from the Options menu. The file created is a text file that can be view by any text editor. Each line (record) in the file represents a single action. Each line is formatted according to the action and includes appropriate text. Table 6-1 describes the usage of these formatting characters.

Table 6-1
Formatting

Format Character(s)	Meaning
( )	A choice selection
< >	Value selected
[ ]	Button pressed
| | (x,y)	Mouse Action at location
=	Menu selection

The following is an annotated example (annotations are in yellow).
(<Circle>) Select Circle from the Drawing Type choice widget
[<Fill Object>]false Set Fill indicator on bottom toolbar to false
[Color1]  Select Color/Texture Palette button #1
[<Fill Object>]true Set Fill indicator on bottom toolbar to true
|click|(276,178) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (276,178)
|release|(386,309) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (386,309)
[Move]   Press the Move button on the top toolbar
|click|(344,269) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (344,269)
|release|(401,227) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (386,309)
[ Copy ]  Copy button pressed
[Insert]  Insert button pressed
=Edit =Coloration... Coloration selected from Edit menu
[Move]   Press the Move button on the top toolbar
|click|(457,312) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (457,312)
|release|(279,246) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (279,246)
[Select]  Press the Move button on the top toolbar
|click|(426,213) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (426,213)
|release|(427,213) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (427,213)
[Move]   Press the Move button on the top toolbar
|click|(440,202) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (440,202)
|release|(354,322) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (354,322)
[Select]  Press the Select button on the top toolbar
|click|(312,147) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (312,147)
|release|(312,147) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (312,147)
[Remove]  Press the Remove button on the top toolbar
(<Rectangle>) Select Rectangle from the Drawing Type choice widget
[<Fill Object>]true Set Fill indicator on bottom toolbar to true
[Color2]  Select Color/Texture Palette button #2
|click|(452,122) Press mouse at (X,Y) position (452,122)
|release|(536,232) Release mouse at (X,Y) position (536,232)
[Remove]  Press the Remove button on the top toolbar
[<1>]false Select Line Width to 2
[<2>]true  Select Line Width to 2