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       InstaCropper 2.1 README file

       Copyright(c) 2000 UtahSoft

       info@utah3d.com
       www.utah3d.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
=================

1. Description

2. Usages and Instruction
     2.1 General Interface
     2.2 Single Image Cropping
     2.3 Multiple Image Cropping
     2.4 Manual Mode Image Cropping
     2.5 Shortcut Key List

3. Options
     3.1 Crop Options
     3.2 Image Output Options

4. New features in version 2.0

5. Installation

6. Status of the program 
  
7. Distribution

8. Registration

9. Contacts


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1. Description

	- InstaCropper is an image processing utility that crops unneeded parts 
          of images, automatically. Its main function is to automatically crop 
          white backgrounds.  This automatic cropping is available either 
          by the batch process or by the interactive method.
	  In the batch processing following order of the images are 
          processed: the images are chosen from the source directory, 
          the non-image areas are cropped, and finally the only true image areas 
          are saved into the files at the destination directory. (see section 
          2.3 below) In interactive mode you can selecte an image to be 
          cropped and previewed on a window, save the cropped image into a file, 
          use the noise filtering which means that the non-image areas with 
          small dots are automatically cropped, and filter the image via the 
          adjusting the filter size control button and the threshold 
          control button. (see section 2.2 below)

	- Manual cropping allows users to rotate and crop an individual image 
          simply and easily by the manual method.

	- InstaCropper supports JPG, BMP, TGA image file formats for input and 
          output.

        - InstaCropper is freeware.


2. Usages and Instruction

     2.1 General Interface

         Main window of InstaCropper consists of four parts: 

	 - Left part of the window -- is the harddisk drive and folder's 
           tree box where scanned image can be chosen for the crop. 
         - Upper right part of the window -- is the file list box for the 
           selected directory. It will display both the files and folders 
           at the selected directory level.
         - Middle right part of the window -- is the cropping control box.
         - Lower right part of the window -- is the two image views window box 
           that show side by side the original and preview of the cropped 
           image instantly as you adjust the controls in the control box.

     2.2 Single Image Cropping
         
	The single image cropping is started once you select from the folder's 
        tree box an image to work with. The original image and preview image 
        will be shown at the two image views window box(i.e., Lower right part of 
        the window).
      
	You can use cropping control box to adjust the parameters for 
        the cropping. Once you are done with the cropping you can save 
        the cropped image into an image file.  

     2.3 Multiple Image Cropping
       
	You can crop multiple images by the batch process.
	In the batch process dialog box, you can choose Source Image Directory 
        and Output Image Directory. The Source Image Directory is a directory 
        original images are, while the Output Image Directory is where cropped 
        images will be saved.
        
	When image file's prefix or postfix is selected and specified, either 
        the specified prefix or the postfix is added to the original file name 
        when the output files are created in the output folder.
         
	When the subfolder option is checked, files in sub-folders are cropped 
        and Output directory will have the same sub-folders as the source 
        directory.

     2.4 Manual Mode Image Cropping

	In manual crop mode the original image is displayed can be rotated or 
        cropped. You can rotated the image by entering rotation angle or turning 
        a dial using the mouse. You can crop the image by selecting an area 
        with mouse, and then you can move or resize the area.
        
        After rotation and cropping, you can save the image.
         
     2.5 Shortcut key List
	
	In list box:
         CTRL+1 - Large icon view
         CTRL+2 - Small icon view
         CTRL+3 - Report view

	General:
         CTRL+S - Save Preview Image
         CTRL+B - Call Batch Process Dialog
         CTRL+M - Call Manual Cropping Dialog


3. Cropping Options

     3.1 Cropping Options

         - Gray level threshold:

           Distinguishes backgrounds from image area. The value ranges 
           between 1 and 255.
   
	   For example, if the gray level value is 200 then the pixels 
           with values over 200 are considered as background pixels 
           while the pixels smaller than or equal to 200 are considered 
           to be the true image pixels. Thus, the smaller gray value will 
           make darker pixels considered as background pixels. 
 
         - Noise filtering: 
      
           Filters the noises out of an image.

         - Filter size: 
    
	   This is the dimension of the filter matrix. 
           For example, the value 7 means 7 x 7 filter that will be 
           applied to the image.  Usually the larger the dimension will 
           provide better filtering of an image. The size can be only 
           an odd number.

         - Threshold:   
      
           This is the number of pixels in the filter matrix that determines 
           whether the center pixel is considered noise or true image pixel. 
           For example, if the threshold is 4 while the filter size is 3, 
           then the center pixel is considered true image pixel.  

           Image pixel means a pixel that was considered as part of an image 
           by the Gray level threshold.

     3.2 Image Output Options

         InstaCropper supports JPEG file (JPG), Windows Bitmap (BMP), 
         Targa (TGA) image formats.

         You can select an output image format so that all the images are 
         saved into that format or let the output image format the same 
         as source image format.


4. New features in version 2.1

   - Auto rotation
   - Widnow resizing
   - Loading previous or next imaga in the current folder in manual cropping 
   - Outward and inward direction selection in crop edge control
   - Default file name when saved (Thanks to the advice from Craig Morrison)
   - Image dimension display on the status bar
   - Current file name display
   - Saving an image in square dimension (This is supposed to be useful to
     make a lot of thumbnail images for web page creation. 
     By request of Jin Yang)
   - Selecting background fill color for square dimensiong saving and
     outward direction edge crop.
   - Several cosmetic change
   - Allow filter size of 1


5. Installation
     
     The program is for Windows 95, Windows NT and Window 98.
     Run "icrop210.exe" and follow the on-screen instructions to install
     InstaCropper version 2.1.


6. Status of the program 

     This program is freeware. 


7. Distribution
  
     This program can be distributed freely. 
     Dropping an e-mail will be appreciated if you going to include 
     this program on a CD compilation, but you don't have to.


8. Registration

     The program is free.

     THIS SOFTWARE, AND ALL ACCOMPANYING FILES, DATA AND MATERIALS,
     ARE DISTRIBUTED "AS IS" AND WITH NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND,
     WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. Good data processing procedure dictates
     that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data
     before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of
     using the program.  


9. Contacts

     Any comments on the program are very welcomed. Your valuable advice will 
     help improving InstaCropper.

     info@utah3d.com
     www.utah3d.com
