Image Manipulator
The Image Manipulator is a viewer that can be used to transform an image based on the value of a signal. It allows you to either move, rotate, scale and/or transparentize an image using so called manipulations. By combining images, signals and manipulations a user is able to create new viewers to be used in a layout.
Contents
Manipulations
Move Manipulation
A move manipulation can be used to change an images X and Y position using pixels.
A static image of a cylinder overlayed by an Image Manipulator with a move manipulation manipulating an image of a piston in the Y direction.
Rotate Manipulation
A rotate manipulation can be used to change the angle of an image using degrees.
A static image of a compass overlayed by an Image Manipulator with a rotate manipulation manipulating an image of a pointer.
Scale Manipulation
A scale manipulation can be used to change the width and height of an image using pixels.
A scale manipulation manipulating the width and height of a square.
Transparentize Manipulation
A transparentize manipulation can be used to change the opacity of an image using percentages.
A static image of an LED that is off overlayed by an Image Manipulator with a transparentize manipulation manipulating the opacity of an image of LED that is on.
Using the Image Manipulator
Adding a new Image Manipulator to your layout
To add a new Image Manipulator to your layout either right click the layout or drag a signal from the sidepanel and the following menu will appear.
Adding a Signal
After adding the Image Manipulator to your layout it will appear empty. First a signal needs to be added which can be done by clicking the 'Add Signal' button seen in the image below or by dragging a signal from the sidepanel to the Image Manipulator.
Note: If the Image Manipulator was added to the layout by dragging a signal from the sidepanel, the 'Add Signal' button will not appear. To add more signals you can either drag them from the sidepanel or right click the Image Manipulator and add a signal through the context menu.
Adding an Image
In addition to a signal, the Image Manipulator also needs an image to manipulate. An image can be added by clicking the 'Add Image' button as seen in the image below.
When both a signal and an image have been added the Image Manipulator will appear showing only the image.
For this step an image of a cylinder is used.
Placing the Image Manipulator
Sometimes you want to combine images so that they appear as one manipulation. You might for example want to overlay several images. Press 'Ctrl+R' to enter 'Resize and Move Mode'. All your windows will now appear with a dashed line around them, which indicates they can be moved or resized. You can use the arrow keys to to move the Image Manipulator around one pixel at a time allowing you to precisely overlay several images.
For this step an Image Manipulator with a picture a piston is used.
When overlaying pictures it can be that the image you want to have on top of another is actually underneath it. To change this you can either move the Image Manipulator to another layer, or move to the front in its current layer. This can be done by right clicking the Image Manipulator and navigating the context menu as can be seen in the image below.
Managing Manipulations
Manage Manipulations
When both a signal and image are added to the Image Manipulator you can start adding new manipulations. Right click the Image Manipulator, choose 'Manage Manipulations' and the following dialog will appear.
By default a new Image Manipulator already has one manipulation which is set to 'Move'.
Edit a Manipulation
To edit a manipulation press the 'Edit' button next to manipulation you want to edit. In the case of a 'Move Manipulation' the following dialog will appear.
Order of Manipulations
The order of your manipulions matter. Have a look at the following examples.
If a square is first rotated and then scaled, the end result will be a diamond.
If a square is first scaled and then rotated, the end result will be a rotated rectangle.
