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iMage ReadMe File

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Greetings Dear World,

                 Please follow these instructions for proper iMage component installation.

                 This readme file contains the following sections:

                                  i) Contents of .rar file

                                  ii) Locations in which to put the various contents

                                  iii) iMage 1.0 Features

                                  iv) iMage 1.0 Known Issues

 

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i. Contents:

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                 1) "iMage_1.0.mel"

                 2) images from the "Icons" directory

                 3) "iMageDroplets" Directory

                 4) iMageInstall___ReadMe.txt

                 5) "userSetup.mel"

 

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ii. Locations:

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                 1) The "iMage_1.0.mel" file goes here:

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\scripts

                                  Copy the proc name, “iMage;” and put it in a shelf button in a Maya shelf.

                 2) The various icons from the "Icons" directory go here:

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\prefs\icons

                 3) The "iMageDroplets" directory goes here:

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\scripts

                    a. Therefore the items inside the "iMageDroplets" directory go here:

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\scripts\iMageDroplets

                 4) The iMageInstall___ReadMe.txt

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\scripts\iMageDroplets

                 5) The "userSetup.mel" goes here (or if you already have one.. then combine the contents of the two files)

                                  C:\Documents and Settings\userName\My Documents\maya\6.?\scripts

 

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iii. Features:

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--1.-- File Texture Manipulation via Photoshop Droplets

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--2.-- File Texture Refreshing for Selected Textures:

     a. Automatic "AEfileTextureReloadCmd" Generation

     b. Automatic .mayaSwatch Deletion for Constant Icon Refresh

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--3.-- File Texture Back-Up:

     a. Keep - Duplicates the texture file where it sits and names the new texture "filename_iMageORIG.ext." iMage still operates on "filename.ext."

     b. Flush - removes "filename_iMageORIG.ext" without copying it to "filename.ext."

     c. Restore 377 replaces "filename.ext" with "filename_iMageORIG.ext" and then removes "filename_iMageORIG.ext."

     d. Each protected file texture node has the following, locked attribute: "I Mage Keep Original" whose value is 1.

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--4.-- Top iMage Button:

     a. Freezes Window Size and Removes Title Bar 377 Toggle

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--5.-- Bottom iMage Button:

     a. Randomized Web Surfing for specific points of interest

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--6.-- "No Texture Node Selected" Warnings:

     a. But only if the 1st selected isn377t a texture node

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--7.-- Works on Multiple Selected Texture Nodes at Once:

     a. Very buggy when image processing more than 2 at once.

     b. Texture refresh is very competent with many file texture nodes selected.

 

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iv. Known Issues:

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--1.-- May Freeze Photoshop if Processing 3 or more Textures at Once when textures are JPG

     a. Using JPG textures slows down Photoshop and may cause a system stall requiring a force quite of Photoshop.

     b. You will have to terminate the various Droplet processes and Photoshop process from the "Task Manager"

     c. If using JPG format, I recommend processing no more than 2 at a time.

     d. The current pause time in between Photoshop Droplets is 2 seconds. This is to protect against stalling Photoshop. You can change this in the code.

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--2.-- Untested with Unix and Mac OS X

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--3.-- Requires use of DOS CMD Prompt and BATCH Processes

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--4.-- Black window may appear at button pressing.

     a. This is the DOS Command Prompt and is expected.

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5. It helps to have all images emptied out of Photoshop and already have it open when processing multiple files.

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6. One global variable is used: $iMageKeepOrigVar

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7. "iMageUIAnnotations Procedure" error appears when first using "iMage" after sourcing.

     a. It is not present when calling "iMage" again without sourcing.

     b. The errors do not impede workflow and I don't understand them yet.

iMage ReadMe Notes

Notes for: Installation, Contents, Features, and Known Issues

iMage Installation...

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