Digital Domain Releases Qimage v2004.100
By
Mike Pasini, The Imaging Resource
(Friday, November 21, 2003 - 19:26 EST)
A new cropping tool, new batch filter window, higher-res thumbnails and a print size "suggestor" highlight the new version.
Digital Domain Inc. has announced the release of Qimage v2004.100 for Windows. The new version, based largely on user feedback and suggestions, includes a new print cropping tool, a new easier-to-use batch filter window, improved thumbnail resolution, faster processing of thumbnails and screen redraws, print size "suggestor" that automatically highlights the most compatible print size(s) for selected images, new quick access keys and audio feedback to indicate completion of processing.
The 2004 edition also sports a slight price increase to $44.95 but includes free lifetime upgrades, author Mike Chaney noted.
New Features:
Print cropping: v2004.100 offers the ability to crop each individual print without the need to crop images, a major shift in the way Qimage handles cropping. You are no longer required to crop the image when crop adjustments are required for different print sizes. In addition, print cropping allows you to print several different crops from the same image without using filters or resaving images. The new cropping tool, located on the page editor window, allows you to drag the cropped area within a crop window, zoom in, rotate the crop window to get portrait/landscape crops, apply your crop to other copies of the same image automatically, and more.
Batch filter auto-crop: Since print cropping is now done via the page editor, opening an image in the queue with the batch filter will no longer result in a crop being placed on the image simply because you have selected a print that has the auto-crop turned on. This eliminates the possibility of crops being inadvertently added to images because the crop button is depressed.
Aspect ratio helper: Qimage now highlights the most compatible print size(s) when thumbnails are selected so you know which standard sizes most closely match the proportions of the selected image(s). Simply select thumbnail(s) and the most compatible print size button(s) (based on image proportions/aspect ratio) are highlighted.
Higher quality thumbnails: Thumbnails are now stored at more than three times the resolution, resulting in better page previews and more control when using the page editor.
Batch filter window upgrade: The batch filter window has been reformatted and resized to make filter controls much easier to use and giving much more control when using filters like levels and curves.
Speedier operations: Improved the speed of operations like thumbnail loading and redraw speed on preview pages.
Info stamp: Improved the info stamp display so the info stamp shows inside the crop area when using the batch filter.
Slide show: Improved the full screen slide show with the ability to move forward/backward using Page Up/Page Down keys and also improved the slide show display so that the previous image is always displayed until the next image is ready, eliminating screen "blank outs" between photos.
Folder history: Improved the folder history dropdown so that the most recently visited folders are always at the top, ensuring that important folders do not "roll off" the list.
Sound: Added the Windows "Asterisk" sound to operations that can potentially take more time to run such as printing, converting from the queue, copying files, etc. so that a sound is heard when the operation is complete.
Page editor quick access: Added the ability to double click on empty space on the preview page (or the space just outside the page area) to enter the page editor. Now you can double click on images on the preview page to enter the batch filter to edit those images or double click on "white space" on the page to edit the page layout itself.
Batch filter quick access from page editor: When using the full page editor, you may now double click on any image on the page to edit that image using the batch filter (same as double clicking the image on the small preview page).
Margins: Qimage now offers the ability to enter either absolute or relative page margins, making selection of margins much simpler.
Original size: Improved the "original size" option so that embedded DPI is recognized for more file types.
New help examples: Added examples to the Learn by Example section of the help to assist with common workflows such as borderless printing.
Fixes:
Show file-types bug
Thumbnail grid
Templates/dragging
Image info and text annotation bug: Fixed a problem that was causing prints to be distorted under some conditions when using the "Img. Info" or "Text Annotation" features.
Batch filter: Fixed some issues that were causing the batch filter to prompt you to save a filter when no filter was in place or after deleting an image from the batch filter window.
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