Image phrase

Specifies the file in which an image is stored and the dimensions of the image.

Note: Does not apply to SpeedScript programming.

Syntax


FILE `name` [ { IMAGE-SIZE \| IMAGE-SIZE-CHARS \| IMAGE-SIZE-PIXELS } `width` BY `height` ] [ FROM { X `n` Y `n` \| ROW `n` COLUMN `n` } ]


{ IMAGE-SIZE \| IMAGE-SIZE-CHARS \| IMAGE-SIZE-PIXELS } `width` BY `height` [ FROM { X `n` Y `n` \| ROW `n` COLUMN `n` } ]

FILE name

A character expression that specifies the name of an operating system file that contains an image. If you do not specify a full pathname, ABL searches your PROPATH for the file. If you do not supply a suffix, ABL searches for files with the extension .bmp, .ico, or .cur in Windows. The image contained within the file must be in a format that is appropriate for the target platform. The file is not read until the image is displayed.

[ IMAGE-SIZE | IMAGE-SIZE-CHARS ]

Specifies that the unit of measure when reading the image is characters.

IMAGE-SIZE-PIXELS

Specifies that the unit of measure when reading the image is pixels.

width

Specifies the width of the image. The value width must be an integer constant. If the image is larger than the size you specify, the AVM crops the image to the specified size.

height

Specifies the height of the image. The value height must be an integer constant. If the image is larger than the size you specify, the AVM crops the image to the specified size.

FROM { X n Y n | ROW n COL n }

Two integer constants (n) that specify the offset inside the image file where the AVM starts reading the image. If you specify X and Y, the offset is measured in pixels; if you specify ROW and COL, the offset is measured in characters.

Example

See the DEFINE IMAGE statement reference entry for an example.

Notes

Use one of the image size options in conjunction with the FILE option to make a compile-time association between the image file and the image widget; the image file does not have to exist at this point.

Use one of the image size options without the FILE option to create an image widget that is not associated with an image file at compile time. You can then make the association at run time.

Use the FILE option without one of the image size options if you do not know the size of the image and want ABL to determine the size at compile time. If you do this, ABL uses the entire image. Also note that the image file must exist or a compiler error will occur.

In Windows, you can specify a URL pathname. If you do not specify a fully-qualified URL, ABL searches in the PROPATH for the file. Valid URL protocols include HTTP and HTTPS.

Note: URL pathnames cannot contain the percent symbol (%). If an error exists in a URL specified on the PROPATH, ABL continues searching with the next PROPATH entry.

Table 42 lists the image file formats that are currently supported for use on button and image widgets.

Table 42: Supported image file types
File extension	Image file type
.bmp	Windows bitmap
.cal	Computer-aided Acquisition and Logistics Support
.clp	Microsoft Windows Clipboard
.cut	Halo CUT
.dcx	Intel FAX format
.dib	Windows device-independent bitmap
.eps	Encapsulated PostScript
.gif ¹	Graphics Interchange Format
.ica	IBM IOCA
.ico	Microsoft Icon File format
.iff	Amiga IFF
.img	GEM bitmap
.jbig	Joint Bi-level Image Experts Group
.jpg	JPEG
.lv	LaserView
.mac	Macintosh MacPaint
.msp	Microsoft Windows Paint
.pcd	Kodak Photo CD
.pct	Macintosh PICT
.pcx	PC Paintbrush
.png	GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) replacement
.psd	Adobe Photoshop
.ras	Sun Raster (1-, 8-, 24-, or 32-bit Standard, BGR, RGB, and byte encoded)
.tga	TARGA
.tif	Tag image file format
.wbmp	Windows bitmap for wireless devices
.wmf	Windows metafiles
.wpg	WordPerfect graphics
.xbm (also .bm)	X bitmap
.xpm	Pixmap
.xwd	UNIX X Window Dump File format

¹Animation in .gif files is not supported.