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Spicer

Spicer Corporation is a global leader in developing software technology for the visual access, collaboration, and distribution of data. Since 1983 Spicer has focused on client-side electronic document view, markup, and edit software.

BatchCon Release 2.2 for Windows 95/98/NT 

Utility for Automating Batch Conversion with Imagenation

Contents
  1. Introduction
  2. Specifications
  3. Installation Procedures
  4. Running BatchCon
  5. Configuring BatchCon
  6. Log File
  7. Raster Conversion
  8. Vector Conversion
  9. Sample BATCHCON.INI

1. Introduction [ top ]

BatchCon is an automated, configurable 32-bit conversion utility which converts groups of files from one format to another. As an add-on application to Imagenation, it runs in the background, monitoring an in-queue directory and watching for files to convert. Vector files can be converted to either a raster or another vector format. Raster files can be converted to either a single page raster file or a multipage raster file.

2. Specifications [ top ]
  • BatchCon is a 32-bit application
  • Works with Spicer Imagenation VME r4.5 (and above)
  • Runs on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0

3. Installation Procedures [ top ]

BatchCon consists of four files zipped into the batchv22.zip:
  • BatchCon.exe, the executable file
  • msvbm50.dll, the run-time DLL
  • batchcon.ini, the configuration file
  • readme.txt, late-breaking BatchCon information

To install BatchCon:

1. Create a new BatchCon folder in the location you want to install the files. For example, C:\BATCHCON.

2. Insert the BatchCon floppy disk into your floppy disk drive and open the batchv22.zip.

3. Using your zip utility, unzip the batchv22.zip file into the folder you just created. If you do not have a zip utility, you can download an evaluation version from http://www.winzip.com/.

 

4. Running BatchCon [ top ]
  1. Make sure Imagenation is running.
  2. Run BATCHCON.EXE either from MS-DOS Command Prompt or by double-clicking its icon in Windows.

5. Configuring BatchCon [ top ]

To configure BatchCon, simply edit the BATCHCON.INI file. This section of the documentation describes what each of the settings does. A sample BATCHCON.INI file can be found at the end of this page.

WORK PATH = C:\BATCHCON

"WORK PATH" defines where the input and output files would go. By default, "WORK PATH=C:\BATCHCON". BatchCon will create the directory defined in WORK PATH, as well as, creating the sub-directories IN_Q, OUT_Q and FAILED inside this directory.

The user should run BatchCon at least once, if the WORK PATH is modified, so that these directories will be created.

Once the directories have been created, any file copied into C:\BATCHCON\IN_Q are converted to the format indicated in the BATCHCON.INI, and saved to C:\BATCHCON\OUT_Q. The files in IN_Q are removed at the end of the conversion. If BatchCon cannot convert the given file, the file will be copied to the C:\BATCHCON\FAILED directory.

DDE_TIMEOUT = 3000

By default, the "DDE_TIMEOUT" is set to 3000 (3000 x .1 Second) to allow for very large file sizes. This number can be adjusted by changing the value to a lower or higher number depending on your needs.

EXTRACT_TEXT = 0 | 1

This setting controls whether to extract text objects from the source file and place each of them in a separate text file. If "EXTRACT_TEXT=1" then text is extracted from the document. If "EXTRACT_TEXT=0" then text is not extracted. The default is "EXTRACT_TEXT=0".

SAVE_AS_MULTIPAGE = 0 | 1

If the output format (see FILE_TYPE2) is a raster, then this setting can be used to determine whether to output all files as a multipage TIFF, or as separate raster files. If "SAVE_AS_MULTIPAGE=1" then the resulting output file will be a multipage TIFF. If "SAVE_AS_MULTIPAGE=0" then separate raster output files will be created.

FILE_TYPE2 = 11

This setting controls what file format the output files would have. See the "Raster Conversion" and "Vector Conversion" sections for details.

RENAME FILES = 0 | 1

If "RENAME FILES=1" then the resulting files will have the proper file extension of the converted format. If "RENAME FILES=0" then the resulting files will have the same names as the original files, even though the formats might be different.

ROTATION = 0 | 1 | 2 | 3

0 corresponds to 0 degree rotation.
1 corresponds to 90 degree rotation.
2 corresponds to 180 degree rotation.
3 corresponds to 270 degree rotation.

DESPECKLE SIZE = 0

Defines the despeckle size. Despeckling will remove unwanted black dots or “noise” from scanned or redlined images This is for the raster conversion.

AUTO DESKEW = 0 | 1

Defines whether crooked images are automatically straightened. This is for the raster conversion.

AUTO CROP = 0 | 1

Defines whether a new raster image is created that is the smallest possible standard size without loss of significant data. This is for the raster conversion.

MIRROR = 0 | 1

Defines whether a raster file is mirrored on conversion. This is for the raster conversion.

DITHERED MERGE = 0 | 1

Defines whether a file is dithered. Dithering involves simulating gray or color in a bilevel image with a particular pixel pattern. This is for the raster conversion.

COLOR MERGE = 0 | 1

Note: If "Color Merge=1" then it will override the dithered merge setting. If the version of Imagenation does not support Color and dithered merges then set both INI file lines to Zero (or remove them) and BatchCon will merge to a bilevel raster.

Below is a list of formats which can be defined in the "FILE_TYPE2=" setting. Color files can be saved to if a Color Merge is specified.  

Note: A color file will fail to save if a non-color format is specified.

TIFF LSB - RAW 32
TIFF LSB - STRIPPED RAW 39
TIFF LSB - TILED RAW 36
TIFF LSB - PACKBITS 20
TIFF LSB - STRIP PBIT 34
TIFF MSB - RAW 33
TIFF MSB - STRIPPED RAW 39
TIFF MSB - TILED RAW 37
TIFF MSB - PACKBITS 21
TIFF MSB - STRIP PBIT 35
PCX 6
BMP - MS Windows Bitmap 7
JFIF - Baseline JPEG 50
Sun Microsystems RAW 57

ROTATE DATA = 0 | 1

"ROTATE DATA=0" puts the rotation in the Header of the file (if the format supports it).
"ROTATE DATA=1" rotates the image's data.

PRESERVE DPI = 0 | 1

"Preserve DPI=0" any raster operations will be performed at 300 DPI.
"Preserve DPI=1" any resulting raster will be that of the merge DPI.

Setting the DPI of the Resulting Raster

In order to increase the DPI of the resulting raster the user must make changes to both the Image.ini file and the BATCHCON.INI.

In the IMAGE.INI file, change the "Merge DPI=" line to the desired DPI and set "Merge to raster DPI=0" in the [System] section.

In the BATCHCON.INI file, set "Preserve DPI=1" if a change raster operation is involved.

By default, a document is merged at the DPI specified in Imagenation and any raster operations are performed at 300 dpi in both the x and y directions.

POLLRATE = 0

This is the rate at which BatchCon polls a directory. The value is the number of seconds BatchCon waits between polls. The default is zero which means BatchCon will poll the directory as fast as possible.

6. Log File [ top ]

A log file (Batch.log) is created, in the BatchCon directory, and appended to each time a file is processed. It tells you if the file was successfully converted or not, the File name, size, date, time as well as the time and date the file was processed. If BatchCon.exe encounters a multipage document the filename is shown followed by the indented pages which were saved to the new format. The Batch.log file continues to grow indefinitely as each conversion process takes place. It is safe to delete or edit the Batch.log, as desired, to keep its file size small.

7. Raster Conversion [ top ]

If the Line "SAVE_AS_MULTIPAGE = 1" then the FILE_TYPE2 setting will be disregarded.

The "FILE_TYPE2=" setting specifies the type of raster format BatchCon converts the files to. It can take on any one of the following raster format ID's.

BMP - MS Windows Bitmap 7
Cals Type 1 MIL 1
Cals Mil-STD-1840b 49
Cals Type2 8
AIIM Cals Type II 26
FileNET Group 4 2
Hitachi raster Format 43
MicroStation G4 31
MicroStation RAW 40
MicroStation RLE 41
TIFF LSB - RAW 32
TIFF LSB - STRIPPED RAW 39
TIFF LSB - TILED RAW 36
TIFF LSB - CCITT G4 3
TIFF LSB - STRIP G4 24
TIFF LSB - TILE G4 22
TIFF LSB - CCITT G3 11
TIFF LSB - G3 12
TIFF LSB - PACKBITS 20
TIFF LSB - STRIP PBIT 34
TIFF MSB - RAW 33
TIFF MSB - STRIPPED RAW 39
TIFF MSB - TILED RAW 37
TIFF MSB - CCITT G4 13
TIFF MSB - STRIP G4 25
TIFF MSB - TILE G4 23
TIFF MSB - CCITT G3 14
TIFF MSB - G3 15
TIFF MSB - PACKBITS 21
TIFF MSB - STRIP PBIT 35
SPICER CMP 4
S6 42
PCX 6
GEM IMG 17
RLC 19
RLC2 46
RLCX 47
VIDAR Version 1 RLE 18
VIDAR Original RLE 28
VIDAR Extended RLE 29
VIDAR Version 1 RAW 45
VIDAR Extended RAW 44
BrookTrout Fax 48
JFIF - Baseline JPEG 50
Sun Microsystems RAW 57
Portable Network Graphics 65

8. Vector Conversion [ top ]

In order to convert a file to vector format, the original file must also be a vector. Otherwise, the operation is invalid and the original file will be copied to the FAILED directory.

The "FILE_TYPE2=" setting specifies the type of vector format BatchCon converts the files to. It can take on any one of the following vector format ID's.

Spicer EDT 500
DXF ASCII 502
MicroStation RDL 508
Windows Metafile Format 512
Cimage vector format 530

The formats indicated in this documentation may not be the complete list. Please refer to the Imagenation manual for the complete list of file formats that we support.

9. Sample BATCHCON.INI [ top ]

This is the sample BATCHCON.INI with default values.

WORK PATH = C:\BATCHCON
DDE_TIMEOUT = 3000
EXTRACT_TEXT = 0
SAVE_AS_MULTIPAGE = 0
FILE_TYPE2 = 11
ROTATION = 0
DESPECKLE SIZE = 0
AUTO DESKEW = 0
AUTO CROP = 0
MIRROR = 0
RENAME FILES = 0
DITHERED MERGE = 0
COLOR MERGE = 0
ROTATE DATA = 0
PRESERVE DPI = 0
POLLRATE = 0

 

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