If anyone is interested in testing these components goto
http://www.vibrantinnovations.com/vi...ayouttools.asp
The Vibrant Layout Tools ActiveX component is a suite of tools that allow
developers to create WYSWIG Layouts in a snap. The toolset allows developers
to easily impliment object oriented rich visual layouts that can be saved in
a structured developer defined (extension wise) file format that is similiar
to MS Word and can also be exported to HTML (with a little VML) or PDF. The
library also supports the saving and loading of file formats such as Web
Formats (HTML,ASP,JSP as image of rendered page),
..doc,.xls,.txt,.rtf,.gif,.psd,.png,.jpg,.tif,.tga ,.pcx..etc. It also
developer to render print previews, preview pdfs, and html exports with very
little code. Built into the designer and canvas objects is the automatic
dragging and dropping of layers and printing of layouts in a variety of page
setups.
Vibrant Innovations PDF Painter allows you to easily create robust document
layouts that print directly to the PDF file format without requiring Adobe
Distiller or other 3rd Party PostScript products be installed on your
system. PDF Painter also lets you export the same layout to an HTML document
(and saves your images as gif/png/jpeg). At the core of the PDF Painter
application is our set of imaging and layout components that support
scaling, shadowing, effects, opacity levels, transparency and allow you to
use a myriad image formats such as Photoshop PSD files, GIF, JPEG, and PNG
(many more not listed). Innovative features such as the Thumbnail Grabber
and Web Import wizard allow you to load and render Web resources as
thumbnail contact sheets, full page rendererings, or allow you to crop
specific material from a web page.
What can I do with the tool as a developer?
Well, first of all, we are not really sure! We have only tested this control
suite in VB6 as a member of a project group/test group. Recently we have
broken the component out of the test group to build some test a GUIs with it
and we have noticed a few interaction problems when working in the IDE (they
are non existent when the app is compiled though). So if you are a
developer, we'd like to hear your experiences about the component.
Originally, we created it to alleviate a few shortcomings of vb for creating
applications:
a.. The ability to create documents that are savable (not linked but
embedded)
a.. The ability to create print previews for reporting and design easily.
a.. The ability to add fast image effects to an application
a.. The ability to add PDF Printing to VB without requiring a post script
printer or adobe product.
Developers may find that these tools are the easiest way around to create
fully interactive WYSIWYG layout applications with very little code.
Designed to be used separately or in conjunction with each other, the
components make it easy to add document interfaces, image editing, and
whatever else you can think of! The PDF Painter application is actually just
the front end that we developed when attempting to write the underlying
component structure, and should give you the indication that great looking,
robust apps are a snap with very little code! We would be interested in
hearing how you intend to use it, whether it be for a databound mailing
label creator, or as a CD-ROM jewel case designer. Really, your only limited
by your imagination.
