photograph field

[W. Horton]

I have in one of my fields where I call in a photo. What would really help is if in a following field I could display the full path and filename of the photgraph. It doesn't seem like it should be a difficult thing to do, but I seem to be missing something.

[John Doherty]

RE: photograph field

Hello W. Horton, I am looking for some advise with a similar photo problem. I am trying to write an application where A5 will generate photo ID cards. The data portion is no problem, but this applicatiion is for use in a jail where it must be fairly easy for a variety of people to use. I have a video camera and frame grabber to capture the image, but I'm having a problem brining it into A5. Sure I could save the image as a BMP and then bring it in, but that's somewhat cumbersome. Have you ever been able to bring the image directly in from the clipboard ??????

Please Advise.

John Doherty
Barnstable County Sheriff's Office
Barnstable, Massachusetts
[email protected]

[W. Horton]

RE: photograph field

Sir,

In this version of A5 either you import as bitmap or as and OLE object. Unfortunately, when capturing an image there are two ways to do so, reasonably. With your digital camera or Polaroid then scan. For your purposes and IF you keep a jacket of an imate at your facility then would you not require a photo? If that was the case I would almost do a Polaroid then scan. That way you would satify two functions. A photo for the jacket and a scanable photo in which you MUST save as a BMP image in 256 color (ONLY) or B/W. Do not use 24 bit or higher color. You would aslo be able to do your pic of the inmate and get him into lockup and do the scanning later. I was not able to import directly from the clipboard, but it is a step that is unnecessary anyways since you should keep a digital image stored. Also, I take it you are keeping the same size ratio of the image and the image on the form so as not to distort the image? I hope this helps.

I don't plan on being in the Mass area for a while or else I would enjoy visiting. If the coroner's bureau needs or is looking into coroner management software then perhaps I can convince the higher ups to send me there for a few days to demonstrate some affordable software.

If there is anything else I can help with, please don't hesitate to write.

Warren Horton

[csda1]

RE: photograph field

John & Warren,

It is fairly easy to read a file's name and path and store it into a field. I would normally have a default path set up in a variable, and perhaps use that for searching for new images (for the blank case) and not store the path when it exactly matches this path. This would make it easier to find the images should you have to change directories.

You could also store the images as blobs in a memo field. If you do this, I recommend that you place the memo field in a separate table that just links to the main dbf and back up regularly (due to occasional problems with memo fields that some seem to have). I think it's better to just leave the files in one directory and reference the file names myself.

The file format does not matter unless you want to display them using Alpha's Native capability. Currently that means only BMP. In the next version, JPG is possible. GIF will not be done (licensing issues) as far as I know, and TIF may or may not be supported (hopefully it will be) but probably in a very limited way if it is (TIF literally can have 1000's of permutations of storage formats - I'm just hoping for FAX compression for B&W images that is a great compression advantage)

As to the number of colors and resolution, with disk space being cheap, I suggest a higher resolution Full color image. A JPG image can easily be under 100k with very high resolution. That's >10000 photos per gigabyte. I'm sure Barstable doesn't have that many bookings (I'm located in Waltham). I also suggest a low resolution version thumbnail for quick display (and moving from record to record) on the form (less than 5k) and a high resolution for a button to display as needed. In fact the button could invoke any standard graphics viewer program with the image's path.

In a similar fashion, it would be rather easy for A5 to invoke a scanner program on pressing a button and potentially return the scan to A5 as needed. It depends on the program though.

There are many graphic programs that can also convert formats as needed in batches, so the final format should be unimportant.

Finally, A5 can handle clipboard operations, so you should be able to move data to/from the clipboard if that is desired. You could searcyh for "Clipboard" on this message board to find references to methodology.

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]

[Sandy Garrett]

RE: photograph field

Speaking of JPG and the next version, might anyone be running the beta on a 265 color system? I'm trying to plan ahead, and about the only thing that would convince us to upgrade would be proper display of colored graphic fields on a 256 color system. So far they display black and white BMPs properly but colors are a mess.

[csda1]

RE: photograph field

Sandy,

I don't know of anyone running the beta on a 265 color system! :?)

But tell me why anyone would still be running Windows 95/98 on a 256 color mode? The cost of a full color 2D/3D video card can be $30. The speed increase because windows does not have to dither the image is immense for many operations. Is there another reason?

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]

[W. Horton]

RE: photograph field

Hi Sandy...

I'm not sure if there is some confusion. In version 1.02 if you want to display a graphic image, it requires the import of a bitmap image but the image itself needs to be saved as a 256 color image or B&W. Your system monitor does not need to be changed to 256. I think you had incorrectly typed 265 instead of 256. It's Okay, my fingers become dislexic from time to time.

It's almost a shame that AlphaSoftware can't just make a few repairs and fixes to the 1.02 and put it out as the classic version like Coca Cola did.

Warren

[Sandy Garrett]

RE: photograph field

This is a Girl Scout Archives database, and you guys don't buy enough cookies for us to have more than 256 colors .

Okay, so actually you do, but it goes for more worthwhile stuff - like the girls. Our committee owns a donated system that would need a new monitor to go with a new card and a laptop that we bought used. They were both completely adequate to the work until the chairman got a color scanner at home.

[Sandy Garrett]

RE: photograph field

Oops, sorry about that 265. This is indeed A5v4, and the problem is with the 256 color BMPS - but only on the 256 color systems. There is a more complete discussion and example if you search for "Brownie" and look at the thread Elliott Lester replied to.

BTW, I don't think A5 does black and white either. It appears to display them properly, but export one and you get a 256 color graphic with two colors used.

[csda1]

RE: photograph field

Sandy,

A better video card would not demand a better monitor (unless you are using an EGA, CGA or Monochrome monitor -- Those having no clue what I'm talking about are probably still in high school :?) ) if you are using a standard VGA or better monitor.

As for crying poverty, I think it would take about 10 seconds to find a girl scout's parents that had an old video card to donate and even a small (5 Gigabyte or so) drive to add sweetner to the cookies. The laptop is a different story.

Nevertheless, I'm sure your girl scout commandos could coerce....I mean gently persuade...someone to give an old (but newer) system, laptops etc for a worthwhile cause.

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]

P.S.
I can't wait till my son is old enough and in various groups and clubs so I can start hitting up all those that made my family buy their stuff....