Print

This is the latest enhancing module implemented in Shuffler.

It allows users to fully manage the Square Grid system with amazing and completely configuring lines.


Default
At the first use of the Square Grid the system suggests a default style with solid black lines and 1" in size.

Level
Square Grid lines are placed on an independent layer. This layer can then be moved over or below all the other layers that host images or FX. There are two buttons to accomplish that and a display to let you know what level currently is the Grid. A third button moves the Grid on top of all the others.

Grid Size
The Gris size is the lenght of the square drawn by the lines. The user can change the size of the grid selecting a new value in one of the three units: pixel, mm, inch.
1" = 25.4 mm = 300 pixels

Offset
As default the Grid is drawn starting from the upper left corner, origin of the canvas. Users can move this origin traslating it along the X axis, the Y axis or both. Values are expressed in pixels.
 
 
Grids are made up of Lines and Crosses. There are two tabs to manage independently the two categories.

Crosses

An image can be placed on each cross of the Grid, chosen from the internal library or from the User Images folder (LineStyle).

The image can have the color changed and picked up from the palette or directly inserted as hexadecimal value. The Original Color button resets the color of the image.

User can also change the Rotation of the Cross image, inserting a value between 0 and 360.

Then even the Sixe X and Size Y can be changed independently or chained. The chained modification can be activated by joining the two rings button. The O.R. (Original Ratio) button let the image have again the original ratio. The system keeps the smallest lenght X or Y and adapt the other lenght to the Ratio.

Crosses can be set on or off. When off, Crosses are not computed or visible and Lines are drawn strightly along the squares. When on, Crosses are considered when calculating the space between Lines and Crosses.

Crosses can then overlay the Lines (Inclusion off) or be placed inside the Lines (Inclusion on) that are not drawn when near the Crosses.


Even when on and with Inclusion on, Crosses can be invisible by setting Opacity = 0. Opacity has a range between 0 and 100.
 
 
Lines
Lines are made up of images taken from the internal library or from the User images folder. The chosen image can be different from the Cross image.

Lines image can be modified as already explained in Crosses section. There are anyway a couple of new features.

In drawing Lines Image Rotation X and Rotation Y can be set independently.

Each image represents a dot of the Line. Users can set the number of the dots in each square Line changing the Frequency value.
 
 
FX
The Effects are the latest enhancing feature for the Square Grid System.
All FX can be applied independently and create a special effect on the images. Lines and Crosses can have a different combination of effects.

Available effects are:

Outline
This effect draws a black outline of the image.

Blur
This effect makes the image become blurred.

Fill In
This effect deletes internal details of the image, replacing them with a flat color.

Bump
This effect creates a 3d version of the image.

Crate
This effect is the opposite of the Bump effect, creating a crate of the image. The Crate switches off the Bump.

Overlay
This effect melts the image over the lower texture.

Drop Shadow
This effect produces a shadow below the image.

Glow
This effect generates a glowing light around the image, with the same picked up color.

Cut Out
This effect cut out the whole image and cast a shadow below the textures. Background color is the same picked up color.

Emboss
This effect makes the image be crispy and embossy.
 
 
Reset
The Reset button wipes out all Grid customizations and draws again the Default Grid.
 
 
TIPS
For a better result when changing the color and applying FX, User Images original color should be 0x7F7F7F (Hexadecimal).

 
Combining the FX: Crate + Overlay on a 0x7F7F7F colored line you obtain the great effect of scoring the underlying texture (load the Preset-Dotted-Line-00.smp to see an example).

When Loading a saved smp map if the Square Grid is switched On the current Grid Style is kept and only textures are loaded. If it is switched Off both textures and Grid Style are loaded.