Working With the Resource Manager
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PDesign4 Touch Panel Design Program
However, at times it can be difficult to get the needed information with respect to the protocol/
syntax of a particular camera/server. One way to work around this is connecting to your networked
camera or video server using an Internet browser that captures the location or path to the stream. An
example of such browser is Mozilla FireFox. Using the browser you can go to your network
device's IP address, left click on the streaming image and Copy Image Location.
You can download a free version of FireFox at www.mozilla.org.
Bitmaps vs. Icons
TPDesign4 uses two concepts of image files: Bitmaps and Icons. There are important differences in
the way each type is treated:
 The term Bitmap is a generic term that describes any pixel-based image file. In TPD4, a
Bitmap can be any supported image type (not limited to .BMP files). For example, JPGs,
PNGs, PSD's and BMPs (among others) are supported Bitmap file types.
 The term Icon refers to any image file that has been imported into the Project and
assigned to a Slot position in the Resource Manager.
 Bitmaps that have been imported into the Project are listed in the Images tab of the
Resource Manager.
Working With Icons
Use icons as button graphics that can be placed "on top" of a color fill, bitmap or video fill
background. Any supported image file can be made to be an icon, simply by assigning it to a slot
position. Icons allow for complex graphics and animations. For example, you could place a static
icon over an animated bitmap or color transition effect. Icons can also be put into motion via the
Slot Position tweener (accessible via the Tweeners sub-menu).
Icons are different than Bitmaps in several ways:
 All imported images are considered to be Bitmaps, but an image cannot also be
referenced as an Icon until it is assigned to a slot in the Resource Manager. Having an
image assigned to a slot allows you to reference the same image as either a Bitmap or an
Icon. When an image's slot position assignment is deleted from the Project, the image is
still available as a Bitmap (and remains in any other slot it is assigned to), however, when
a Bitmap (in the Images tab of the Resource Manager) is deleted, that image is removed
from the entire project, including all slots to which it was assigned.
 Icons occupy slots in the Resource Manager; Bitmaps cannot.
 In TPDesign4, icons exist before bitmaps in the Z-order, so they are always drawn on top
of a bitmap image. Think of bitmaps as the background button graphic, and icons as the
foreground graphic image (see the State Draw Order (Z-Order) section on page 59 for
details).
Like with any other type of equipment AMX controls, manufacturer's documentation
and customer support are the most reliable ways of obtaining information on the
device's communication protocol/syntax. This can also help you fully utilize optional
features available on that specific device.
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