Core Image Processing

[Kent Searight]

When I run SuperContainer Server locally, it says "Enabling OS X core image processing" in the log, but when I run it on a file server it says "Core image processing is not enabled".

What's the difference, and should it be running on the file server as well since both machines are Intel Macs running Leopard?

Thanks in advance!

[Ocean West]

i have seen this too!?

[Jesse Barnum]

The Core Image processing feature only works on OS X, and only when running in 'standalone' mode - this means it has to run as an application by double-clicking the SuperContainerServer.jar file. Running it with Tomcat (either the one that comes with FileMaker Server or a separate installation) disables this feature, because then it's running as a 'headless' app that cannot use the OS X graphics features.

[Kent Searight]

Thanks for the reply, Jesse.

I am running SuperContainer Server in standalone mode on the file server, not with TomCat. I'm getting the same result in my 3-machine test environment (workstation/FMServer/FileServer) as my client's nearly identical environment. We're all running OS X 10.5 on every machine. Is there something I can do to get it to run on the file server? Does it matter?

Thanks!

[Jesse Barnum]

Did you set up the properties file to enable Core Image processing? You must have already done this on your client machine if it's working there, so I assumed that you already did this on your server as well, but if not, here's the instructions:

http://wo.360works.com/cgi-bin/support/productsupport.cgi/SuperContainer#SuperContainer9

"Enabling OS X Core Image resizing"

[Kent Searight]

That seems to have done the trick.

What I don't understand though is what's the difference between having the core processing enabled or not. Even without it being enabled, thumbnails were being created for jpg, gif, tif, etc.

Thanks!

[Jesse Barnum]

Right - GIFs, and most RGB JPEG and TIFF files will work fine without Core Image processing.

But with Core Image Processing, SuperContainer do just about every image format known to man: PDF, EPS, PostScript, CMYK TIFFs and JPGs, SciTex, BMP, Photoshop, Targa, SGI, TGA, and more...

[Kent Searight]

Very cool. My client loves it!

Now if I can only get the "Delete File" issue addressed that I posted the other day I'll be able to button up this project.

Thanks!

[Jerremy]

Hi all,

First, SC is great. I having a lot of fun adding it to my system - and my users are also really happy with it.

On this topic - I have Core Image Processing on.

When this is on, is it creating the thumbnails saved in the main directory?

If so, is there a way to change the preview to save as a JPG instead of a PNG?

In my install, some of the PNGs generated look very odd when viewed in IWP.

I tried the trick to change the default screen shot from PNG to JPG, but that did not work.

Thanks for any ideas...

Jerremy

[Jesse Barnum]

Jerremy, I'm not aware of any way to get SuperContainer to generate JPEG previews - I believe we have it set to always create PNG files.

If this is causing a problem, send me some example files to test with and give me instructions for reproducing the problem. If it helps to create JPEGs instead, we'll add that as a configurable option.

[Jerremy]

Hi Jesse,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Looks like the PNGs are bad for Explorer on the PC as well?

Using Explorer on Windows on the IWP site, the images do not load - they show up as the broken image link (seems to work OK in Safari).

I have attached the PNG that is created as the thumbnail - and then the same image when viewed in IWP. It changes somehow.

I would be GREAT to toggle the thumbnails to go to JPG. Especially if the PNGs won't load for Windows users on an IWP page.

Thanks for your help Jesse.

Jerremy

Edit: To clarify - this is using the plug-in to display thumbnails in a Portal on an IWP site. Images look fine in FM, but change (orange image) in IWP.

If easy to add a toggle to JPG that would be great - as the thumbs are useless if they will not load in IE for Windows.

Thanks again.

Edited April 1, 2008 by Guest

[Jerremy]

Hi Jesse,

Just another followup - with some testing this morning.

To clarify - in IE on Windows - some images DO load. When testing last evening, I was just focusing on the 'bad' thumbnails. I thought they were just not loading because they were PNGs.

It appears that the bad thumbnails load differently in IE and Safari.

The same thumbnails that load as the orange example shown above in Safari, load as broken links in IE on Windows.

Also, some thumbnails load as just black boxes. So - there are 2 different types of 'bad' thumbnails, the orange fills and the black boxes.

Again, these appear properly in FM, but some, when viewed on an IWP page, turn orange or black.

Thanks for any help,

Jerremy

[Jerremy]

Ok... One more followup.

It appears that in IWP, the thumbnails are converted from PNGs to JPGs to display on the web page. If you drag the thumb from the page to save to the desktop, the thumb is a JPG. Sp it appears that something is converting it before it's displayed.

Also, I've noticed a few things when opening the original PDF in Photoshop....

When opening the PDF in Photoshop, and the background is transparent, the orange and black thumb will result - although the thumb is OK in FM. So there is something in the combination of the PDF with a transparent background - to PNG thumb - to converted to JPG for IWP that creates the issue.

So, I guess, it would be great if SC saved the thumbs as JPGs so they do not have to convert for the web. I'm guessing that would save on page load time as well - if all the PNGs needed to load the page all have to be converted to JPGs.

Hoping to hear your thoughts Jesse - and thanks for you time.

Jerremy

[Jerremy]

Hi again Jesse,

Any thoughts? This issue is holding me back from rolling out SuperContainer in our system.

Please let me know if you need any more info from me.

Thank you very much for your help.

Jerremy

[Jerremy]

Hi Jesse,

Is there any potential solution to this thumbnail issue?

Thanks,

Jerremy

[shmert]

Hi Jeremy, can you post the original image along with the thumbnail that is generated by supercontainer?

Please send them via email also, to sam@ (our domain)

Thanks!

[Jerremy]

Hi Sam,

Attached Files:

• 5209.pdf - PDF created with InDesign (could also be Quark, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.)

• 5209_pdf.png - thumbnail generated by SuperContainer / Core Image

• data.jpg - the thumbnail displayed on IWP page (Safari)

It seems that the problem is that IWP converts the SuperContainer PNG thumb into a JPG to display on the web. For whatever reason, the white area around the yellow circle in the image is seen as transparent. You can see that when viewed in IWP the transparent area turns orange and the image blows out to black.

I am using the SC plug-in to display the image in a portal in IWP.

(looks like I can only attach 2 files per post, will attach data.jpg in the following post.)

Please let me know if you need any additional info.

Thanks,

Jerremy

5209.pdf

[Jerremy]

• data.jpg attached.

[Jesse Barnum]

Hey Jerremy - I've posted a new build (haven't incremented the version # yet because I'd like for you to test it first) that saves all thumbnails as JPEGs instead of PNGs.

I was able to reproduce your issue on my system, and this fixes it, so I'm optimistic that the problem is solved, but please let me know and then I'll do an 'official' release.

[Jerremy]

Hi Jesse,

THANK YOU!

This works. It is also noticeably faster when loading the images.

Our design department will be VERY happy.

Thanks for fixing this - SC is going to be a very useful tool in our FM system.

Have a great holiday weekend.

Jerremy

[Rafa.el]

Dear Jesse,

I followed your hint and tried to enable Core Image as detailed - however I created the file with the command line - but don't see any effect. Still thumbnails for pdf files are not created. Any hint what this could be?

Thanx for your help!

[Jesse Barnum]

Rafael, please post your SuperContainer log file from /Users/Shared/SuperContainer/SuperContainer.log