2006-Dec-04


Graduation Progression Map is a new addition to color graduation
progression types (linear, logarithmic, reverse-log), whereby users
can define custom progression.

This type of maps is analogous to "User Defined Line styles".

When the user brings up a "Set Attributes" where color graduation
is applicable (area, box, or b+w raster image), the graduation
progression type menu now includes a "Custom" entry.  Selecting
it will generate one of two actions:

1. If there is currently no defined map (as is the case after starting
   MECCA 2K, or after a "New Graphic"), the map designer dialog will be
   displayed.

2. Otherwise, a dialog will show maps currently known to the program,
   giving user a chance to select an existing map to use, or create a new
   map.

The Progression Map Designer dialog:

This dialog contains a large square, which represents the graduation
progression on its two sides:

   Horizontally: left edge is the physical position where the Start Color
   will be, and right edge is where the End Color will be.  From left to
   right, the axis represents the "physical travel", in percentage: 0 is
   left, 100 at the right.

   Vertically going up, the axis represents the color/density transition
   from Start Color (at the bottom), to End Color (at the top).  This axis
   also has a range of 0 to 100, representing the color difference between
   End and Start color (100 is at the top, where the difference is at
   maximum).

You can mouse click anywhere on the line to insert a point, and drag to move
or adjust its position.  Right-click (mouse button 3) over an existing point
on the line deletes that point.  However, you cannot delete the first or the
last point (that would be silly).

To the right of the square, you have:

A. Choice of either linear or spline shape.

B. Group of control buttons that let you Reset to the straight line (linear)
   simple case -- so you can start over when you want to;

   Save the existing map data into a separate file; and Load from an external
   file a previously saved map data.

C. Whether the map ends are "sticky" or not.

   With Sticky on, the two ends of your line/curve will stick to the edges.
   Sticky off, those two end points can float.

D. A set of precise controls over points on your line/curve, where the points
   are numbered from 1 and up, with point #1 being the left most point:

   1. The "map:" box lets you type in any horizontal value between 0 and 100;
   and the "to:" box lets you type in a value between 0 and 100 for the
   vertical placement corresponding to the "map:" box value.  Please use the
   Enter key in the "to:" box to instruct the dialog to act on your data.

   2. You can type in a point number into "set p#" box, followed by where you
   want it to be horizontally, in the "at:" box; press Enter key in the "at:"
   box informs the dialog to act on your input.

   When you do, you'll see the dialog sets the "map:" value to exactly what
   your "at:" value is, and waits for your "to:" value.  Simply do what is
   described in D-1 above about your "to:" value input.

   NOTES: Both "at:" and "map:" values are of the same sense: a location on
   the horizontal axis.  The "map:" and "to:" boxes also show read-outs
   as your mouse pointer moves in the Design Square; whereas "at:" is tied
   to a point's horizontal location: it changes only when:

	a. you type in your desired value; or
	b. you click on an existing point in the map.

Directly beneath this square, is a narrow band showing gray.  It is a visual
sample of your progression: white represents Start Color, and black the
End Color -- of course, this does not mean your graduation must always start
with white and end with black, the use of black and white in this dialog is
only to show how your progression may look like.

Above the square, you can assign a name label for the map.  Map name can be
up to 15 characters long.

When you Okay out of the Map Designer dialog, your map will be assigned a
number, which will be shown as something like "Cust. #N" as the Progression
typer, where N is the number.

Please note:

1. When you query/match an object that is a box, area, or b+w raster using
   a custom progression map, you will see the Progression: menu containing
   another entry: "--edit map".  Clicking it will take you to Map Designer
   with the corresponding map loaded for you to modify.

   In that case, whenever you Okay out of the Map Designer, the progression
   map is updated immediately, even though you haven't actually carried out
   "Change" to the selected object.

   This is similar to editing an existing user defined line style: once you
   Okay your edits, the line style definition is updated and all existing
   lines using that style (whether they are currently grouped or not) will
   change appearance -- when you next cause a drawing window refresh.

   Also like editing user defined line style, once you Okay the edits,
   there is no undo to "get the old map back".

2. Custom progression map numbers start from 3, and can go only up to 255.
   This is a limit imposed at all times: including the case where you combine
   other graphic/drawing files that contain their custom maps: the total at
   any given time is limited to 253 (from 3 to 255 inclusive) such maps.

3. Because of the above, every time you save/print a drawing with custom
   map(s), the numbers will be resequenced from 3.  Consider this case:

	You made 3 boxes each having its own custom background graduation
	map, and so the system has maps 3, 4 and 5.

	You then deleted the 2nd box which was using map #4.

	Now, if you make a new box/area and choose Custom from Progression
	menu, you see there are still 3 maps known: 3, 4 and 5.

	But if you don't make anything use map 4, the next time you Save or
	Print, map 4 will be deleted, and the original map 5 will become
	map 4.  Any map that is not being used will be discarded, and valid
	maps (those that are being used by something) after it will move up.

4. You will also find that, a map that's not being used by anything, will be
   replaced by your next "New" map design.

   That is, taking the example above, suppose after deleting the 2nd box
   you want to create a new area, with Custom Progression, and made a new map.
   When you Okay out of the Map Designer, you'll see your Progression type
   value as "Cust. #4", not "Cust. #6" (since map 5 is valid).

   Again, due to limited resource space for the map numbers, any unused map
   will have its slot recycled as soon as possible.  This also can happen
   when you combine in external drawing files which were saved with their
   maps: those map numbers may change after combine.

   Caution: map names are not acted upon by MECCA: when combining, MECCA does
   a "similarity check" for each of the maps in the external drawing file;
   this is based on the map type, number of points in the map, and point
   locations.  So two maps with everything the same except their names, are
   considered identical by MECCA.

Because map numbers may change frequently, we suggest you make the effort
to name your maps by giving them name labels meaningful to you.  Also, make
use of the Save function in the Map Designer dialog to save your maps into
external files which you can readily identify and use (via Load in the Map
Designer).


WARNING: Custom progression maps are only supported by MECCA 2000 software,
not by any other Amgraf product such as OneForm Designer Plus.  Be advised
if such a MECCA 2000 file is opened in other product, all custom maps will
be ignored and subsequent file-save will not contain any such maps.