Variables-Window

From within the Variables-Window time-dependent animation-parameters
are created, modified, loaded and saved.

Functions:

Add                 add a variable
Kill                kill the selected Variable
Rename              rename the selected Variable
Envelope            open the  Envelope-Window  to graphically
                    edit the current variable
Expression          specify a constant expression to be evaluated at runtime
File                filenames used for loading/saving of variables
Load                load variables from a previously saved Variables-file
Save                save all variables to disk
Clear               clear all variables


Variable-Types

A variable can have only one type: either "Envelope" or "Expression".
After entering a string into the "Expression"-gadget the
type is changed automatically. Expressions are a very powerful
feature to create scripts which are independent of the image-dimensions.

The following symbols are predefined:
 pcWidth, - image-dimensions to be set by the  GetDimensions -PlugIn
 pcHeight
 pcFrame  - current Processor-frame
 pcXMin,  - (real) bounding-box of objects created by the  DataPlot -,
 pcXMax,     LWOB -,  ParPlot - and  ZPlot -PlugIn
 pcYMin,
 pcYMax,
 pcZMin,
 pcZMax

Example: Join two images of the same (unknown) size horizontally
 1. *Add a variable "width"
    *Enter the expression "1*pcWidth"
    *Add a variable "2*width"
    *Enter the expression "2*pcWidth"
    *Add a variable "height"
    *Enter the expression "pcHeight"
 2. Load the 1st image into TEMP1 using the LoadImage-PlugIn
 3. Import the Dimensions using the GetDimensions-PlugIn
 4. Create a black background using the variables "2*width" and "height"
    using the CreateImage-PlugIn
 5. Compose the 1st image using the Compose-PlugIn
    (left=0, back=dest=STREAM, fore=TEMP1)
 6. Load the 2nd image into TEMP1
 7. Compose the 2nd image using the Compose-PlugIn
    (left=width, back=dest=STREAM, fore=TEMP1)

This may look a little bit complicated for the first time. But this
script is a very usefull macro and can be extended easily (e.g.
to compose 3x2 images).


Additional Notes

After clearing a Variable all informations about this Variable
are lost - even in the Processor-script.

An often-used ramp may be easily created using the expression
"pcFrame/frames*endValue", e.g. "pcFrame/60*360" for a rotation
from 0 to 360 degrees in 60 frames.