ascompose(1x)															     ascompose(1x)

NAME

       ascompose - tool to compose image(s) and display/save it based on supplied XML input file.

SYNOPSIS

	ascompose -f file|-s string [-o file] [-t type] [-V]"
	ascompose -f file|-s string [-o file] [-t type] [-V]"
	ascompose -f file|-s string [-o file] [-t type] [-V] [-n]"
	ascompose -f file|-s string [-o file] [-t type] [-V] [-r]"
	ascompose [-h]
	ascompose [-v]

DESCRIPTION

	ascompose reads supplied XML data, and manipulates image accordingly.
	It could transform images from files of any supported file format,
	draw gradients, render antialiased texturized text, perform
	superimposition of arbitrary number of images, and save images into
	files of any of supported output file formats.

	At any point, the result of any operation could be assigned a name,
	and later on referenced under this name.

	At any point during the script processing, result of any operation
	could be saved into a file of any supported file types.

	Internal image format is 32bit ARGB with 8bit per channel.

	Last image referenced, will be displayed in X window, unless -n option
	is specified. If -r option is specified, then this image will be
	displayed in root window of X display, effectively setting a background
	for a desktop. If -o option is specified, this image will also be
	saved into the file or requested type.

	ascompose can be compiled to not reference X Window System, thus
	allowing it to be used on web servers and any other place. It does not
	even require X libraries in that case.

	Supported file types for input are :
	XPM   - via internal code, or libXpm library.
	JPEG  - via libJpeg library.
	PNG   - via libPNG library.
	XCF   - via internal code. For now XCF support is not complete as it
		does not merge layers.
	PPM/PNM - via internal code.
	BMP, ICO, CUR - via internal code.
	GIF   - via libungif library.
	TIFF  - via libtiff library (including alpha channel support).
	see libAfterImage/ASImageFileTypes for more.

	Supported file types for output :
	XPM   - via internal code, or libXpm library.
	JPEG  - via libJpeg library.
	PNG   - via libPNG library.
	GIF   - via libungif library.
	TIFF  - via libtiff library (including alpha channel support).

OPTIONS

	   -h --help	      display help and exit.
	   -f --file file     an XML file to use as input.
	   -s --string string an XML string to use as input.
	   -n --no-display    don't display the last referenced image.
	   -r --root-window   draw last referenced image image on root window.
	   -o --output file   output last referenced image in to a file.
			      You should use -t to specify what file type to
			      use. Filenames are meaningless when it comes to
			      determining what file type to use.
	   -t --type type     type of file to output to.
	   -v --version       display version and exit.
	   -V --verbose       increase verbosity. To increase verbosity level
			      use several of these, like: ascompose -V -V -V.
	   -D --debug	      maximum verbosity - show everything and
			      debug messages.

PORTABILITY

	ascompose could be used both with and without X window system. It has
	been tested on most UNIX flavors on both 32 and 64 bit architecture.
	It has also been tested under CYGWIN environment on Windows 95/NT/2000

USES

	libAfterImage	      all the image manipulation routines.
	libAfterBase	      Optionally. Misc data handling such as hash
			      tables and console io. Must be used when compiled
			      without X Window support.
	libJPEG 	      JPEG image format support.
	libPNG		      PNG image format support.
	libungif	      GIF image format support.
	libTIFF 	      TIFF image format support.

AUTHOR

	 Ethan Fisher	       <allanon at crystaltokyo dot com>
	Sasha Vasko	      <sasha at aftercode dot net>
	Eric Kowalski	      <eric at beancrock dot net>

EXAMPLE

	Here is the default script that gets executed by ascompose, if no
	parameters are given :

SOURCE

	   static char* default_doc_str = "
	   <composite op=hue>
	     <composite op=add>
	       <scale width=512 height=384><img src=rose512.jpg/></scale>
	       <tile width=512 height=384><img src=back.xpm/></tile>
	     </composite>
	     <tile width=512 height=384><img src=fore.xpm/></tile>
	   </composite>
	   ";

ascompose							  Mon Feb 18 2002						     ascompose(1x)