Read Me for Image 1.58 VDM
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****************************Special Note****************************
Note that, before the first time you run Image 1.58 VDM, you will want to discard the "VD Image Prefs" file from your System Folder (if it exists).  Image 1.58 VDM uses a different format for the "VD Image Prefs" file than older versions of Image VDM, such that, if an old version of the file exists, Image 1.58 VDM will behave erratically.  Also, be sure to install the new PixelTools Driver ("PT50Init") and adjust the memory allocation for the application as described below.  After launching Image 1.58 VDM, be sure to adjust the size of the Cut & Undo buffers.  Note also that this version of Image VDM has an added feature:  It will not only load the Image Macros file when the application is launched, it will also execute the first macro in that file.  If you don't need a macro to run at startup, just create a dummy macro like the one in the accompanying version of the Image Macros file.
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This software distribution contains an enhanced version of the public domain NIH-Image image processing program with Video Digitizer Manager (VDM) extensions by Perceptics.  This version contains all of the standard Image functions and files, with VDM extensions to support a variety of video digitizer boards.  Specifically, this version of Image VDM supports the Perceptics PixelGrabber, PixelBuffer, and PixelPipeline boards (PTx421 and PTx425), the Perceptics MegaGrabber board for the Kodak MegaPlus 1.4 camera and the MegaGrabber board for the Cohu 4110 digital camera, and the PTDCI board used with the Kodak MegaPlus 1.4, 1.4i, 4.2, and 1.6 cameras or other similar cameras.  In addition, this version of Image VDM supports acquisition of movies into the Perceptics PixelStore board

This release is built to run on either a Power Macintosh or a 68K-based Macintosh, i.e., it is a "fat binary" application.  It is "native" Power Macintosh-capable, and runs on a Power Macintosh in native PowerPC mode.  Alternatively, this version of Image VDM will also run on earlier (68K-based) Macintoshes.

You should note that this version of Image VDM does NOT include the FFT extensions which were included in earlier versions of Image VDM.  This is because the FFT functions are written in assembly language and include floating point instructions for the 6888x coprocessor.  In order for the FFT functions to run on the Power Macintosh, they will have to be re-written (which is beyond the scope of this release).  At last report, several people were considering porting the FFT routines to C or Pascal and incorporating them into a version of Image.

The accompanying "About Image" document describes the basic Image package.  It is the same document that is distributed with "standard" NIH-Image.  The "About Image VDM" document describes the VDM extensions to Image.  ***Be sure to consult this document to understand the differences from standard Image.***

The software is provided in StuffItª format.  Double-click on the StuffIt archive file and select a folder on your hard disk for the software to un-stuff into.

Image 1.58 VDM requires the PixelTools 5.0 driver which is installed at startup by the new PT50Init file.  ***You must copy the PT50Init file into your System Folder and restart your Mac to install the PT50 driver***.  Each time the Mac is started, the PT50Init file will run automatically and install the PixelTools 5.0 driver.

Note:  If you have an older version of the PT50Init file, replace it with the new version in this release to avoid problems.  This new version of Image VDM requires the new version of the PixelTools 5.0 driver contained in the new PT50Init file.

Also before launching NIH Image 1.58 VDM, adjust the memory allocation for the NIH Image 1.58 VDM application appropriately for your operating environment.  The shipped version has a memory partition of 5000K.  This should be adequate if you have a single PixelGrabber, PixelBuffer, or PixelPipeline.  If, however, you have a MegaGrabber, a PTDCI, or a PixelStore, you will want to use a larger partition, as well as larger Cut & Undo buffers (for a MegaGrabber).  See the documentation for more information about setting the partition size.

Also, if you have a PixelGrabber, PixelBuffer, or a PixelPipeline board and a display card and want to use the DMA display capability of these boards, the first time you run NIH Image 1.58 VDM, be sure to activate the Video Control window using the Video Control... function from the Special menu.  Then click on the Configure button.  If the dialog box that appears indicates that your monitor is recognized, you can proceed.  If, however, the dialog message indicates that your monitor has not been recognized by the software, you should follow the procedure in the About Image VDM document to configure for proper use of your display monitor.  If you do not have a PixelGrabber, PixelBuffer, or PixelPipeline board, the monitor configuration is irrelevant.

If you have problems or want to report bugs, contact:

	Paul Whalen
	Perceptics Corp
	725 Pellissippi Parkway
	Knoxville, TN   37932
  AppleLink:  PERCEPTICS
	InterNet:  "PERCEPTICS@applelink.apple.com"
	(615)966-9200 or (615)966-9330 (FAX)