MetaDraw is a special purpose picturebox/image editing tool. MetaDraw looks like a standard picturebox on your form, but offers unique support for the creation, editing and display of MetaFiles - an ideal graphical format for applications requiring the drawing and/or moving of graphical objects. MetaDraw is also specially designed to allow you to tag individual graphic objects for HyperGraphic/HotSpot applications.
If you need to create and save a graphic object in Visual Basic or C, Display a MetaFile, or create an Interactive Graphical Interface - MetaDraw is the tool for you.
What is a MetaFile:
A MetaFile is a special graphic format for Vector Based images. MetaFile images take up very little memory compared to Bitmaps. They are resolution- and device-independent. Most importantly, MetaFiles are made up of individual objects which can be in
Unique Features:
╖ As a MetaFile viewer, supports Scroll and Zoom, even
Selective display of individual elements;
╖ Create, Edit, Display and Save pictures built from a
set of graphic objects: line, rectangle, text, bitmap,
pie, arc, etc. (All Windows graphical primitives are
supported);
╖ Supports Merging of images from multiple sources;
╖ Full support for object Oriented Editing: Moving objects,
Sizing, Change Colors and other attributes;
╖ The whole picture or any part can be exported as MetaFile,
bitmap or icon. Supports conversion from WMF or DIB to
WMF, DIB, BMP or ICO;
╖ Group and ungroup elements, manipulate groups as a
single element;
╖ HotSpot/HyperGraphics support through click events
on individual objects;
╖ Full Programmatic Control as well as support for end-user
editing via the mouse;
╖ Visual Basic and C++ compatibility.
Potential MetaDraw Applications:
1. Interactive Graphic Interfaces:
MetaDraw can be used as the engine for an interactive graphic interface - populate, or allow end-users to populate, the control with graphic objects which can then be moved around on the screen (either by dragging or programmatic manipulation), resized
2. Viewers:
MetaDraw can be used a simple MetaFile viewer or as a full featured Graphic Editor. The control looks just like a picturebox on your screen. As a viewer, MetaDraw not only quickly displays the entire image and supports scroll and zoom, but also uniqu
WhatÆs great about MetaFiles and MetaDraw in particular is you can choose to view or hide individual elements or groups of elements.
3. Graphic Editing:
You can use internal features of the MetaDraw control to create and edit pictures. MetaDraw includes all the standard edit modes of a stand-alone draw package. New images can be easily created or an existing image can be loaded picture and manipulated
You can easily change the color of a rectangle, text or other object, that was drawn a lot of time ago and partially hidden by another elements. You can move objects in back or in front of other objects, or even drag them around on screen.
4. HyperGraphics:
MetaDraw is a wonderful tool for creating HyperGraphic applications. Any object (MetaFile record or group of records) can be declared as HotSpot. MetaDraw will automatically change the mouse cursor when over a tagged HotSpot and will generate a speci
We even include our own HotSpot editor application (a stand-alone EXE) with MetaDraw. Picture with HotSpot objects can be saved in a file and then loaded and displayed. All hotshots will be saved with objects.
