MetaDraw

MetaDraw is a professional tool bringing the maximum in flexibility and power to developers looking for a reliable Image component for

• Image Display with Zoom and Scroll,
• Image Creation, Editing / Drawing,
• Labelling
• Annotation,
• Diagramming
• MultiMedia,
• Signature capture,
• HyperGraphics - Images with Hotspots,
• Touch Screen Interactive Interfaces, and more. . . .
   

You want graphics but you don't want megabytes of storage. Your users want to create and move shapes and images, link objects by diagram lines, draw out floor plans. You need to recognize shapes. Identify drawn elements, dynamically manipulate the image layout, recognize clicks and drags on specific graphic elements, link data to individual hotspots.... For all this you need MetaDraw.

MetaDraw Features

• ActiveX and .NET Support
  MetaDraw is available in both ActiveX and .NET editions.

  MetaDraw 3 OCX is our most recent ActiveX edition.
  Designed for support under Visual Studio editions 4 thru 6, as well as Delphi, C++, FoxPro, Access, Internet Explorer ( used on Web pages) , and other environments providing ActiveX support.

  MetaDraw .Net for WinForms is the first version of MetaDraw that is a true Visual Studio .NET component.
  A true, native .Net component - easy to use, with familiar syntax for existing users of MetaDraw OCX editions.

  Get Both
  One familiar interface you can use in both worlds.
  Users purchasing the Subscription License option with MetaDraw 3 OCX automatically receive a FREE license for MetaDraw .Net WinForms as well as any other MetaDraw components that may be released over the coming year.

   

• Image Display - supports Scroll and Zoom,
  Raster Formats: BMP, DIB, JPG, PNG
  Vector Formats: WMF, EMF, MDP, ( DXF with DXF Lic option)
  For Vector images even supports selective display of individual elements
• Image File Conversion - convert images beween file formats
  ICO, BMP, JPG, PNG, WMF, EMF, MDP,
  also DXF if DXF License Option is purchased
• Create, edit, display and save pictures built from a full set of graphic objects: Lines, Shapes, text, merged images
• Database Support Save to, and Load from database fields
• Dynamically Change Shape Attributes
  - Colours, Line Style, Line Thickness, Fill Pattern
• OLE Drag & Drop
• Object type conversion
  Convert Text or Fixed Shapes to Polygon or PolyLines
• Full Programmatic Control as well as support for end user editing via the mouse
• Flexible Printing to any printer or window DC
  - High Quality output at full printer resolution
  - Built in Printer Selection Dialog
  - Print Full image, Cropped image, or Selected Shapes
  - Full control over print size and margins
• Arrow Head / EndPoint Symbols
  - Add EndPoints Symbols to one or both ends
    of Dimension Lines, Lines, Arcs, Polylines
  - Control the Arrow Head Shape, Colour, and Size
• New object types: stars, regular polygons, etc
• Zoom EditMode ( allows user to zoom to selected rectangular area with mouse )
• Embedded controls - Use MetaDraw like an enhanced Frame, Include child controls within image layout. Scroll and zoom child controls along with the image layout.
  ** Embedded Controls not supported for .NET edition
• Animated GIF support
  Present multiple animated GIFs in a single layout
      ** Subscription License Required for Animated GIF support
      ** Animated GIF not supported for .NET edition
• Name Objects and Assign Data
  Each element of a drawing may have multiple assigned data tags
  - Name the objects,
  - Create Object Categories
  - Assign database record pointers,
  - Assign hidden strings for retrieval and display during Mouse movement
• Find Object Function - Locate image elements by tag value
  Center MetaDraw on a particular portion of the image, or even blink an image element to draw the end-users attention
• Link, Line and Dimension Line Labels - Using the LinkLabel property, a Text object may be displayed as a label on a Link, Line or DimensionLine object
• Object Shadows - Setting the ObjShadow property specifies a shadow for an object in MetaDraw.
• Transparent, Gradient or Bitmap Background
  ** Transparent background not supported for .NET edition
• Transparent Images
  - automatic recognition of GIF transparency
  - support to set any colour as transparent
      for each embedded BMP, JPG, or PNG image
  - layer one transparent image over or behind another
• Mouse Wheel Support / Scroll & Zoom - Supported under Win NT/Win9x, the user may zoom or scroll the image in MetaDraw by rotating the wheel on a wheel mouse
  NOTE: There is no standard support for MouseWheel messages under Win95

• Drawing / Editing / Image Annotation - full support for Object Oriented Editing:
  ( for bitmapped oriented editing, see our VBX Artist control )
  • Draw Fixed or Freehand Shapes
  • Insert Shapes or Merge in Existing Images
  • Add and edit Text
  • Add and edit Arrows
  • Move Objects
  • Resize Objects
  • Rotate at any angle
  • Snap to Grid
  • UnDo and ReDo
  • Group shapes together - manipulate groups as a single element
• Diagramming Links
  • Diagram lines between linked elements are automatically maintained as the connected objects are repositioned
  • Create diagram links by code or allow end-user to create and move links with mouse
  • Properties to set arrow head existence, style and size
  • Properties to set connecting line colour, thickness and style
  • Properties for text labels along the line
  • Supports segmented links, centre markers and more.
  • Automatic Diagram Layout -
          ** Diagram Arrange License Option
              required for Automated Layout support
• Hypergraphic HotSpots
  • Define Shaped Hotspot regions
  • Assign named tags, Internet URLs, DB Record ID's, or Descriptive Strings
  • Respond to Hotspot events on Click, DoubleClick and MouseMove
  • Saves all hotspot details within a single image file
  • HS Editor Utility provided with MetaDraw allows simple Hotspot creation without any programming
• Layout / Arrangements / Mapping
  • Merge Multiple Images / Shapes into a Single Layout
  • Place elements over Background Image or Map
  • Drag Elements to desired positions
  • Align to Grid
• Internet Support
  • Use MetaDraw in a Web page ( HTML or ASP )
    - Dynamically create Drawings and Diagrams
    - Allow users to Draw, and Drag shapes and images within a Web page
  • Link Hotspots to URL's, even from standard EXE
  • Upload or Download
    Save or Load your Images, Drawings, Diagrams using either FTP or HTTP protocol with optional Password verification
          ** Subscription License Option Required
              for Upload support
  • Generate HTML Client Side Image Maps
          ** Subscription License Option Required
              for Client Side Image Map support
• Text Annotations
  • In Place Text Editing
  • Text at any angle
  • Multi-line word wrapped text objects
  • Boxed Text Style
  • Unicode support ( .NET Winforms edition )
  • 16-bit character set support ( OCX)
    ( display only - 16-bit characters can not be edited in place )

MetaDraw License Options

• Subscription Updates Option

  The subscription License Option for MetaDraw provides:

  • FREE Update Support for life to new features introduced in the current edition of MetaDraw
  • FREE MetaDraw .NET Winforms license when Subscription is purchased with New MetaDraw 3 OCX license
  • FREE upgrades to major new MetaDraw editions introduced within 12 months of purchase

  Current Subscription License Features:

  • Animated GIF support ( for OCX only )
     
  • Generate HTML Client Side Image Maps
  • Internet Upload support ( HTTP or FTP )

  Some additional planned features include:

  • Compression of embedded Raster Images when saving in MetaDraw Vector Format
  • Enhancements to Embedded Controls:
    - Printing embedded controls with MetaDraw image
    - Ability to Drag and Resize embedded controls with mouse
    - Ability to create Links between Embedded controls and graphic elements
  • Enhanced In-Place Editing:
    - Support for Clipboard actions, and Selection when editing text within MetaDraw image
  • Fixed Size property for Text objects to maintain size of text while zooming overall image

   

• DXF Filter Support Option

  Bennet-Tec's optional DXF Import and Export Filters are designed to work in conjunction with the MetaDraw. The DXF Filters add support for the reading and writing of CAD industry standard DXF files into MetaDraw for display, annotation and conversion to WMF or BMP format.

• Diagram Object Arrange Option

  The Object Arrange library function intelligently rearranges objects within the overall image in such a way as to minimize overlapping links and to lay out a diagram in an "organized" fashion. Objects which are not linked may also be laid out in a rectangular grid fashion using this function.

  Note - The Diagram Arrange library algorithm is proprietary to Bennet-Tec. The arrange functionality may be tested within HSEditor - if it seems reasonable to your applications, then you may wish to purchase this license option - be aware however that each image may result in different arrangements, that such arrangements are the result of proprietary calculations and are not subject to negotiation or standards of what might be better or worse. Bennet-Tec does not guarantee that our "optimized" layouts will fit with your application's definition of an optimized layout. If you are interested in modified arrangements Bennet-Tec can take on sponsored (paid) development projects to tune the layout to your needs.

• Complementary Products

  ImageMan for Scanning, Added Image Formats, and Raster Image Processing Manipulation

  Enhance your graphic application today with the ImageMan control by Data-Techniques. ImageMan's vbPicture property is compatible with MetaDraw's Picture property so you use ImageMan to load and save a very wide range of image formats. ImageMan also adds support for Scanning, and general raster image manipulation - brightness and contrast enhancement, over 50 transitional effects, and Adobe PhotoShop Plugins

  For one stop shopping convenience you can order both MetaDraw and ImageMan through either Bennet-Tec or Data Techniques

  Bar Code ActiveX & DLL's

  Creating Labels with MetaDraw?
  Add Bar codes with ease.

  Ask us about Bar Coding Tools to work with MetaDraw