LoView - the Easy Viewer and Thumber :)

LoView was an easy to use viewer designed to let the user choose what to do in 
fast and comfortable way.
Supports many file format (depending on DataTypes you have installed) and may 
save in JPG, PNG, IFF or BMP file format, so you can also delete/copy/move/
rename/save a rotated or flipped image for example or maybe only convert an 
image in another format you like...
With the LoViewThumb program you can also look at your nice pics
in Thumb mode :)



***** Installing LoView:

Simply drag the LoView drawer where you like :)
You can also simply copy the LoView exes where you like if you don't need Data 
dir for ToolBar configuration...WARNING: Be SURE to have the exes in the same path!!!!!
Remember to don't overwrite the Icon files if don't want to lose your own prefs!
And to add any new tooltypes that maybe added in new releases...
Remeber if you don't already do it to install Hollywood Plug-ins from:

http://www.hollywood-mal.com/download.html

To get support from all the LoView capabilities.
If you install LoView (but you have to copy togehter the main exe also the other 2 programs)
executable in a path different from system path and you want to use the DefaultTool script
remember to add the system variable "LoView/LoViewPath" with currrent LoView path.

ex:

SetEnv LoView/LoViewPath ABC:DEF/



***** Controls for LoView (DEFAULT prefs):

Use the nice ToolBar...

Use the nice ContextMenu...

Drag&Drop any icon or dir on LoView main window to load the image or scan the dir to look for images...
If no images/supported file was found simply LoView ignores they.

Mouse wheel or left, right, Space keys -> navigate pictures

+, - keys OR MidMouse press + Mouse Whell -> zoom in, out picture

ESC -> quit program


HOT-KEYS (Be carefull to capital letters!):

F1      -   Open New File
F2      -   Open New Dir
F3      -   Save Image
F5      -   Zoom To Original Size
F6      -   Zoom To Fit Image
F9      -   Go FullScreen
F10     -   Switch between Pan mode and FullDisplay drag mode...*** Only works when in SimpleView mode ***

c       -   Copy Image
C       -   Copy As Image
m       -   Move Image
M       -   Move As Image
r       -   Rename Image
S       -   Start/Stop SlideShow
Space   -   Next iamge or pause SlideShow (NOTE that only works when SlideShow was ACTIVE!)
DEL     -   Delete Image

LEFT    -   DECREASE audio volume
RIGHT   -   INCREASE audio volume



***** Using LoView from Shell:

If you like/need you can use LoView from Shell too, simply do:

LoView -file FileToOpen

Since you need to add the "-file" argument to load file I recommend you to alias it if
you often use LoView from cli...
For example:

alias LView "LoView -file"

so you can use it in one pass from cli without have to write "-file" option every time...

---OTHER CMD arguments:

-SinglePic      Activate the SinglePic prefs parameter
-NoASL          No ASL requester will be shown at LoView StartUp



***** Using LoView as DefaultTool:

AmigaOS4.x (and maybe AmigaOS3.x/MOS)

Simply select from image icon:

1 - The provided LoViewDT script as "Default Tool"
2 - Select Launch from Shell and disable "ask arguments"
3 - Enjoy! :D

IMPORTANT NOTES:

- be sure to change the path where LoView was installed if different from the System path
  as described on the "Installation" chapter of that document!

AROS:

Simply put the provided LVDTL in the DefautlTool string of the image icons.

Be sure to put the file together LoView exe



***** Using LoView as AmiDock icon:

From version 2.30 LoView can be used in AmiDock and you can drop images (only one at a time) to see them.



***** Preference settings:
To set the preferences plz change ToolTypes icon as described below:

WINDOW_WIDTH          desired window width, default to 800\ That values define the real window dimension, not the display area...
WINDOW_HEIGHT         desired window height default to 600/
WINDOW_X              desired window X default to CENTER
WINDOW_Y              desired window Y default to CENTER
FULL_SCREEN           activate/deactivate FullScreen mode(like Hot-key above) (default to FALSE)
SCALE_UP              activate/decativate Scaling to fit of images smaller than LoView display (default to FALSE)
SCALE_DOWN            activate Scaling to fit of images bigger than LoView display (default to TRUE)
MAX_ZOOM              define the max zoom allowed for the current image default to 400
ZOOM_FACTOR           defide the zoom percentage increased at every Zoom In/Out default to 15
SMOOTH                activate/deactivate Smoothing for better image scaling (default to FALSE)
ASL_AT_STARTUP        activate/deactivate ASL requester (for choosing files) at StartUp (default to TRUE)
OPEN_DIR_AT_STARTUP   if set to TRUE The first FileRequester was for select directory instead of files (default to FALSE)
DEFAULT_LOAD_PATH     desired default dir where to load images/videos...
DEFAULT_SAVE_PATH     desired default dir where to save images/videos...if none selected was the same as load dir
DEFAULT_MUSIC_PATH    desired default dir where to load musics for slideshow...
ASK_TO_LOOP           activate/deactivate the requester that ask you what to do when bo after lat image or beyond first (default to FALSE)
SIMPLEVIEW            0 = NORMAL (DEFAULT), 1 = Borderless window e no Toolbar, 2 = Borderless window only.
FILE_PATTERN          desired file pattern to filter file to show on the FileRequester default to iff|jpg|png|bmp|gif but deactivated with (), note that also if you define a pattern LoView will scan the entire dir for images also if differents to selected pattern...
EDIT_MODE             1 = enable edit buttons, 0 = hide edit buttons (dafault to TRUE)
ASK_QUIT              activate/deactivate requester when quit (default to TRUE)
SINGLE_PIC            if TRUE will be loaded only the selected image (default to FALSE)
BUBBLE_HELP           activate/deactivate the Button's BubbleHelp (default to TRUE)
BUBBLE_HELP_TIME      Set the desired time in seconds for BubbleHelp PopUp (default to 1.5 secs)
SAVE_PATHS            if TRUE the Music, Save and Load Paths will be saved on exit (default to TRUE)
EXIF_ORIENTATION      if TRUE the image will be loaded with correct orientation (default to TRUE)
EXIF_LOAD             if TRUE the Exif TAGS will be loaded and displayed in a window (default to TRUE)
EXIF_SAVE             Choose if save Exif data automatically (TRUE) never (FALS) or ask if save (ASK)
SLIDESHOW_TIME        Set the desired time in seconds for SlideShow image change or set "ASK" to be asked before starting SlideShow for time (default to 3 secs)
SLIDESHOW_FX          Set if show or no the transition effects while SlideShow was active (default to TRUE)
MID_MOUSE_ZOOM        if set to TRUE the mouse whell was used to zoom and if press MidButton to browse picture (default to FALSE)
FILTER_INFO           Choose if filter (TRUE) .info files or not (FALSE)... (default to TRUE i.e. NOT loading info)
POP_TO_FRONT          Choose if LoView will Pop To Front when LoViewThumb send him image(s) (default to FALSE)
VIDEO_SUPPORT         Choose il LoView have to look also for supported video formats while scanning dirs (default to FALSE)
AUDIO_VOLUME          Choose the default volume to be used from 0 = mute 64 = MAX (default to 64)
1_1_TO_REAL           Decide if zoom 1_1 to visualized image orientation (FALSE) or to original image orientation (default to TRUE)


°°° SPECIAL TOOLTYPE:

USEWPA                That ToolType wasn't a real LoView prefs, however if you encounter weird system crash or so try enabling it and than retry the operation that crash the program...if the problem was gone probably there was a bug in the host OS...however contact and inform me about that...



***** ToolBar configurability:

From Version 1.6 LoView let you configure your own ToolBar.
If exists the directory Data/ToolBar in LoView Home directory the default path where to load images 
was changed from AISS to that. Remember that you can't mix the two things...or "AISS" or "Data" dir!
The only limitations was the size fixed at 24x24 pixels (may change in future) and image format must be PNG with Alpha.
Look directly (maybe with LoView or LoViewThumb in the Data/ToolBar dir to look at the standard images :)



***** VIDEO Support:

WARNING : ATM video support was considered in beta stage...dont expect too much from it :)

Starting from version 2.50 LoView supports also videos (be sure to install the plugins
from the link reported in Installing notes at the beginning of that document).
The videos was simply played from start to end if no action was done.
While a video was played you can:

- seek the video pressing in the main window where you like considering that if you press
to left you will seek to beginnning of the video if you click to right you will seek to end of the video.

- increase video volume with arrow UP.

- decrease video volume with arrow DOWN.

- if you switch fullscreen you get the video in fullscreen mode (in window mode you get the video
at its real size.

- pressing the Mid Mouse Button the video will be stopped or played depending on its current state.



***** IMPORTANT LoView behaviours *****

- SlideShow: when playing music in SlideShow mode the music was played
in descending order and if last music was played LoView will restart from
first music until the SlideShow mode was canceled.

- SlideShow: while Slideshow is active no Animation or Videos will be displayed
everyone was simply skipped...

TIP - If you leave opened the Info and/or the JumpTo window their contents 
will be automatically refreshed every time you change the image :)

- The "ZoomToReal" button will always show you the original aspect of the picture,
so a vertical photo (that have the rotation Exif bit set), that you see in correct
orientation on first load will appear horizontal in his "original" 1 to 1 pixel
aspect (from version 2.50 LoView have a special ToolType prefs to choose that behaviour)...

- REMEMBER...When saving Images LoView will save the current displayed buffer (WYSIWYG)!
If you want to save the image at 1:1 scale you have to press the appropriate 
button first or use the new Effects window to save the image in the size you prefer!

- When you cut an Image the orientation bit of the Exif data will be re-setted to "1" i.e.
standard orientation since a cutted pic maybe or not maybe in the correct orientation against
the original one.



***** Scripting and ARexx port *****

LoView have an ARexx port that was mainly aimed to internal function showever it may change in future...
For the moment that gives the opportunity to make the nice ARexx script FilesToLoView.dopus that helps
multi-loading selected files from Dopus4 to LoView...
Simply open the script from the Scripts directory and read the simply instructions to use it :)



***** KNOWN issues:

- don't leave LoView exe alone from his icon it may cause problems...

- Currently under AmigaOS4.x when using Edit functions the system can be locked for a while
since the function wasn't finished, that was a standard behaviour of AmigaOS4 currently 
unfortunately...hope that next releases will fix that


***** LICENSE *****

LoView can be distributed where and how you like, but you can't ask ANY fee
for that!
LoView was free software for personal use but if you use it for professional
reasons or you will support it, also considering the huge amount of time
that I used to develop it, plz consider to donate something.
PayPal and contact e-mail was:

tux.chan@yahoo.it

If you donate at least 10 ? I will send you a personal Key.file with your name :)


***** DISCLAIMER & BUG Hunting *****

Althought LoView have passed quite a lot of Betatesting still some bug(s) may 
remain undiscovered...
So...use it at YOUR own risk! :P
I'm not responsable if your HDD collapse or your monitor will fry or something 
else while you use LoView :)
But...if you found any bug(s) plz contact me immediately and tell me what's wrong
writing the line numer of the crash and the error message...
Thank YOU!



***** GREETINGS *****

- To YOU for using LoView :D

- Philippe "AmigaPhil" Duchenne for his work and suggestions on the LoViewDT script :)

- Martin "Mason" Merz for the wonderfull icons/images!

- Paul Bloedel for him help to make AmiDock LoView function

- LukeJerry for its LVDTL (LoViewDefaultToolLauncher) to give also on AROS the ability to use LoView
    as DefaultTool on icons

- Xenic for its nice FilesToLoView.dopus ARexx script to use LoView in conjunction with DirectoryOpus4

- LoView betatesters for their patience with me :)

- If you like it... Enjoy!

Requirements:

AISS (get the latest AISS package at http://www.masonicons.info) Image system from Martin "Mason" Merz if 
    you don't want to have the "Data" directory around and you don't want to configure the ToolBar...

- AHI for sound output
- mpega.library for mp3 playback
- Picture datatypes to load any picture formats
- download Hollywood plug-in's from: http://www.hollywood-mal.com/download.html to enable support for
    videos ogg audio and more :)

History:

24.05.2012  v2.51 - Fixed some annoing and rare bugs.

15.05.2012  v2.50 - Reverted to old behaviour in save images, added some new image effects, added video support, added 
                    "Save" and "ReSize" voices in the ContextMenu, added new TooolTypes for VideoSupport and Volume default
                    value and select/remember music load dir and for decide the LoView behaviour when pressing the "ZoomToReal"
                    button, added New "ASK" parameter for SLIDESHOW_TIME ToolType,  LoViewThumb now can save the selected thumbs
                    in the image format you like, in LoViewThumb now you can select the iBatch mode for usage of the thumber with
                    iBatch, in LoViewThumb now you can batch resize selected images in a desired percentage, bug fixes as usual.

10.01.2012  v2.37 - Added a ContextMenu entry ("Open > Thumb") to open current displayed pic dir in LoViewThumb, Added a .info
                    filter option to avoid LoView/LoViewThumb to load info files, fixed some bugs, Added new prefs to Pop To Front
                    LoView or LoViewThumb when sneding thumbs/image from one to another task.

31.12.2011  v2.35 - Added Exif data save in jpeg saved pictures (the data will be saved as the original), now you can use LoView
                    as icon on AmiDock and drag a file to it to show it, Now you can select some files in LoViewThumb and send all
                    them all to LoView, a nice hand pointer was now displayd while panning images, added a tiny edit window, some bugfixes.

13.12.2010 v2.05 - Corrected a bug in the Exif loader and added a shell argument to LoViewThumb (the "-dir" parameter)
                    to load directly the path you like without have the requester popping up, fixed a bug in SlideShow
                    with only one picture loaded(much than a fix that was a quick workaround until next major release)...

07.12.2010 v2.00 - Added a key file support, removed a nasty bug that cause a crash if the SlideShow
                    was stopped a soon as was started, added Bufferd display so now you don't see anymore
                    the ugly "clear" effect when switching from a picture to another, 

15.08.2010 v1.86 - Fixed a weird bug that crash LoView if some weird Exif data was passed...

10.06.2010 v1.85 - Fixed one nasty bug that prevent the full activation of LoView if you load a file
                    from the Default Tool,Added a nice ARexx port(ATM primarly to be used, toghter
                    the LoViewThumb program, now LoView was a mini-suite that consists of 3 exe.

26.04.2010 v1.79 - Added time counter to display the time needed to load images, Added a 
                    busy pointer when the program is working, Added preliminary Exif TAGs support, 
                    Added EXIF_ORIENTATION ToolType to choose if load pics with correct orientation 
                    reading the relative Exif TAG, Added EXIF_LOAD, Added the "SinglePIC" and "NoASL"
                    arguments from CLI, added a reworked and powerfull LoViewDT script (thanks to 
                    AmigaPhil for that!), Added a SlideShow mode with nice transition effects, Added
                    Music play option in SlideShow Mode, Added SLIDESHOW_TIME, SLIDESHOW_FX and 
                    MID_MOUSE_ZOOM ToolTypes, Added a simple ContextMenu, Added an About
                    window, Added an Info window(ATM displays only the Exif infos if presents), Added
                    a window to choose the file to load from the files already scanned, Some code
                    clean-up and corrected bug(s).

17.02.2010 v1.61 - Few bugfixes, changed "D" key with "DEL" key to delete images.

16.02.2010 v 1.6 - Some bugfixes, added SIMPLEVIEW mode, added, Copy, Copy As, Move, Move As,
                    Rename and delete buttons, these buttons may be activated with the new
                    Editmode ToolType, added ASK_QUIT ToolType, added SINGLE_PIC Mode/ToolType,
                    Added BubbleHelp and related ToolType, Added BUBBLE_HELP_TIME ToolType,
                    Added AlphaChannel support for the images loaded, Now if you drag&drop a dir
                    in the LoView window the entire dir will be scanned and loaded in the same
                    way that if you load a dir from GUI, added preliminary support for GIFAnim
                    pictures, now buttons that wasnt needed for current picture state was disabled 
                    and ghosted, Now with MiddleButton press+Wheel movement you can Zoom + or -, Now,
                    if you like, you can set your own ToolBar changing the images in the optional Data 
                    directory (ATM you have to respect 24x24 dimension and PNG with Alpha format), added 
                    SAVE_PATHS ToolTypes to save current load and save paths.

11.01.2010 v1.5  - Some bugfixes, Added FullScreen, Iconify, iff save, now window was resizable
                    as you like, changed image load mode, now you have to choose only the first
                    pic you like to load than the directory was entirely scanned for available 
                    pics, Added Appwindow support (the dropped file became the first displayed
                    and then the other image files of him dir, like chosing a new file from
                    Requester...), Added Select entire dir to load without choose any file button,
                    Now is possible to set the preferences of the program by setting the
                    appropriate ToolTypes in the program icon, added cli image loading...

01.01.2010 v1.1  - Few bugfixes, added Save support (bmp, jpg, png), minor internal changes.

29.12.2009 v1.01 - Few bugfixes and workarounds and remapped zoom to "+" and "-" keys to be more comfortable...

23.12.2009 v1.0  - Initial release...
