[Bf-docboard] less graphics

[Bart Veldhuizen]

On Thu, 2003-01-02 at 09:46, Stefano Selleri wrote:

> > Better yet, why not ask authors to include .blend files instead of
> > graphics? We could automate the rendering of the graphics during the
> > make process of the documentation and generate the graphics up to any
> > resolution that we like! It may take a bit of figuring out how to
> > indicate cutouts and such, but I think it is doable.
> 
> I think this is a great idea if you then make the .blend file
> available as a link within the documentation, so that
> reader can experiment, it is also usefull since it allows you
> to re-create all images at a different size/resolution if the need arises,
> but I would still ask the authors for images.

The only thing we would have to figure out is how we can tell Blender to
save a screenshot of itself, but maybe we can ask a developer to add a
feature for that. The way I see it now is as follows:

* docbook file refers to image xyz.png

* The Makefile reads image descriptors from a directory. These
descriptors should be in XML I think. It could look something like this:

<screenshot>
	<blend>xyz.blend</blend>
	<imagename>xyz.png</imagename>
	<crop>
		<startx>0%</startx>
		<starty>0%</starty>
		<endx>100%</endx>
		<endy>50%</endy>
	</crop>
</screenshot>

or

<render>
	<blend>xyz.blend</blend>
	<frame>1</frame>
	<imagename>xyz.png</imagename>
	<aspectx>4</aspectx>
	<aspecty>3</aspecty>
</render>

* Based on these descriptors, the Makefile can generate PNG files of any
desired resolution while still cropping them to the desired format.

There are probably some hidden problems here, but I *think* it can be
done. 

Bart


-- 
Bart Veldhuizen <bart@vrotvrot.com>