Apple PhotoFlash software quickly and easily catalogs and enhances digital photos, then places them into documents for high-impact results. The package consists of three key components:
catalog windows that simplify organization and selection of images;
unique photo-preparation tools that enhance images;
and direct links that make it easy for users to place images into popular page-layout, presentation, and word processing applications.
It also features scripting capabilities, enabling you to save time by automating routine imaging tasks.
The catalog window in PhotoFlash makes it easy to organize and find photosas well as to place them quicklyby examining or searching on thumbnails (small previews) of images that have been saved in industry-standard file formats. Catalog windows also provide a direct link to other applications, so you can simply "drag and drop" or select a script to place one or more images into page-layout or other applications.
PhotoFlash includes optimized tools to enhance images immediately, with advanced options available for finer control. You can adjust the color or brightness and contrast of photos; remove scratches and dust from pictures; straighten scans; and quickly sharpen, blur, resize, rotate, and crop images.
Because it supports AppleScript, PhotoFlash allows you to record scripts to automate tasks, as well as to link PhotoFlash to other software applications for streamlined work-flow. Using single-button scripts that are included with the product, you can automatically place photos into documents created with applications such as Aldus PageMaker, QuarkXPress, Aldus Persuasion, Microsoft Word, and Claris FileMaker Pro. In addition, the integrated script recorder makes automating repetitive tasks a snap, even for people with no scripting experience.
If you use your computer to work with photographic images whether you're a professional publisher or just beginning to work with pictures PhotoFlash can make your life a easier.
Features
Ease of use
- Lets you add color or black-and-white photos to documents quickly and easily
- Enables you to organize and browse through thumbnails of photos stored on your computer
- Includes integrated scripts that automatically place photos in documents with just a click of the mouse
- Offers unique photo-enhancement tools for removing scratches and dust, adjusting the exposure, and more
Efficient design
- Uses memory efficiently, so you can run PhotoFlash simultaneously with your page-layout, presentation, and word processing applications
- Comes with integrated image-compression capabilities, so your files take up less space on your hard disk, and your data-trans-mission costs are lower when you send files
- Provides highest performance possible in a single application that is
- PowerPC native and optimized for 68kCompatibility
- Works with images created using a digital camera or a scanner
- Is optimized for use with the Apple QuickTake 100 camera
- Is well-suited for use with images from Kodak Photo CDs and clip-art volumes
- Supports a number of industry-standard formats, including PICT, TIFF,
- JPEG, Kodak Photo CD, EPS, DCS, and Adobe Photoshop
- Supports Adobe Photoshop plug-in modules for acquisition from supporting scanners, opening and saving additional file formats, and special effects
Allows automatic placement of photos into the following applications:
QuarkXPress 3.2
Aldus PageMaker 5.0
Aldus Persuasion 3.0
Microsoft Word 6.0
Claris FileMaker Pro 2.1
Applications that support Macintosh Drag and Drop
Scriptability
Features full scriptability, allowing you to automate repetitive tasks and to link PhotoFlash with other applications
Technical Specifications
PhotoFlash catalog
View images by thumbnails in catalog window
Display filenames
Enter caption text
Create and open as many catalogs as needed
Create catalogs for individual projects or for any folder, volume CD, or remote server
Save disk space through JPEG compression of thumbnails for smaller catalog files
Search on caption text and filenames
Find photos similar to the current selection, using Search For Similar Images
Find photos similar to a sketch, using Search By Sketch
Put search results into a new catalog
Drag to rearrange thumbnails within a catalog
Drag and drop thumbnails between catalogs and other applications
Batch-process photos by selecting multiple thumbnails in a catalog
Work with PICT, TIFF, EPS, DCS, JPEG, Photoshop, and Photo CD file formats
PhotoFlash photo-enhancement tools
Automatic DeDust and DeScratch tools quickly remove dust and scratches from images
Sharpen and Blur tools increase or decrease the focus of the photo
Crop tool quickly removes the area of the photo that will not be used
Rotate/Straighten tools correct crooked scans and adjust the angle of photos
Resize function allows adjustment from 1% to 4,000%
Flip function flips photo horizontally or vertically
Zoom function allows scaling from 1.6% to 6,400% for detail work and easier viewing of large images
Balance Exposure feature corrects poorly exposed originals
Brightness/Contrast feature corrects the overall tone of a photo for best results on display or paper
Adjust Colors corrects the color balance of photos
Number of Colors feature adjusts photos from 2 to 256 grays or up to 16 million colors
A variety of selection tools allow precise selection within the photo for enhancement or correction
Full preview capability lets you view the enhancement before applying it
Integrated JPEG compression saves valuable disk space when saving your images
Photoshop plug-in support for scanner control, file formats, and filters
Direct links to page-layout and other programs
Place in QuarkXPress script automatically places the current photo(s) onto a QuarkXPress page; PhotoFlash sizes the photo to fit inside the selected frame on the page
QuarkXPress Xtension enables PhotoFlash to be launched and any selected photo(s) to be opened for editing
Place in PageMaker script automatically places the current photo(s) onto a PageMaker page at 100% of current size
PageMaker Addition enables PhotoFlash to be launched and any selected photo(s) to be opened for editing
Place in Persuasion script automatically places the current photo(s) onto the current presentation slide at 100% of size
Place in Word 6 script automatically places the current photo(s) onto a
Word document; PhotoFlash sizes the photo to fit inside the selected frame in the document
Place in FileMaker Pro script automatically places the current photo(s) into the current database record; PhotoFlash sizes the photo to fit inside the first image field in the record
Additional links can be created to other scriptable applications by writing a simple script
You can also drag and drop photos from PhotoFlash into documents created in applications that support Macintosh Drag and Drop
Automation and scripting support
Supports AppleScript, Frontier, and QuicKeys scripting systems
Features an integrated script recorder that can record any action and save it as a single-button script (recorded scripts can be added to a hierarchical menu or a floating scripts palette for easy access)
Includes the Automatic Folder a configurable folder you can use for automatic unattended batch processing of images by simply dropping the images into the folder
Includes the QuickTime and AppleScript system extensions, along with the AppleScript editor for script customization
Provides exclusive control of the Apple QuickTake 100 digital camera with automation of common tasks such as taking a picture and downloading all photos from the camera to a hard disk drive
System requirements
Any Apple Macintosh, Macintosh Performa, Power Macintosh, or PowerBook computer with a 68020 microprocessor or later
At least 8MB of RAM (3.5MB of available RAM)
Macintosh system software version 7.0 or later
Ordering Information
PhotoFlash 2.0
Order No. M2739LL/C (in the United States)
Order No. M2739Z/C (outside the United States)
PhotoFlash software on 1.4MB floppy disks
Automated scripts for use with QuarkXPress, Aldus PageMaker, Aldus Persuasion, Microsoft Word, and Claris FileMaker Pro, as well as scripts for automating PhotoFlash functions
Automated scripts for controlling the Apple QuickTake 100 digital camera
Photo CD sampler of royalty-free stock photos
AppleScript and QuickTime system extensions
User's guide and tutorial
Optional accessories
PhotoFlash can be accelerated by PhotoFlash-compatible accelerator cards, including the ThunderStorm and Thunder ll series from SuperMac
Technology and Charger series from DayStar Digital.
The information provided in this article was current as of October 13, 1994. The software described here may no longer be available for purchase.