Subject: [ANN] Picture Play 1.6, major update
From: Chris Carruthers (chris@crescendosw.com)

Hello,

Crescendo Software is pleased to announce the release of Picture Play 1.6,
our new update to the premier shareware image composition tool for OS X.

Picture Play lets you combine digital photos, scanned images, or any other
graphics to create rich and diverse compositions with editable text
content, backgrounds, and stylish effects including translucency,
transparency, rotation and more. Its powerful multi-layered engine allows
you to rearrange and edit individual objects freely until your original
artwork is how you want it. You can then print, or export to one of many
standard file formats, to share with family and friends, on paper or the
web.

You can check out the new update by visiting our website at
http://www.crescendosw.com, or download Picture Play directly from
http://www.crescendosw.com/files/pictureplay.sit.bin (972 kB download).

This is a free upgrade for all currently registered users. For others, it
will run in a fully-functional mode for 30 days. After this time, a
US$14.95 shareware registration fee must be paid to continue use.

New In This Version :

- Brand new file format with resource fork for better transportability and
redesigned to eliminate many nagging bugs. NOTE : Any previously created
Picture Play documents will not work with this version.

- 100 levels of translucency for image objects from totally opaque to invisible

- Transparency of any colour, not just white, for image objects. Also with
tolerance for including 'close' colours

- New tab panel on Objects Palette with Effects tab for translucency and
transparency that changes to Edit Text... button when a text object is
selected

- Unlimited undo/redo for all document changes

- Changes to the mousing system allowing for speed improvements with no
performance drop off with more complex documents when dragging/resizing or
moving the mouse with rulers on

- Enhanced clipboard copies more information for use within Picture Play,
and displays Objects better

- Removed unnecessary 'outline' dragging mode made defunct by performance
optimizations

- 'Preserve Transparency' option added to Tint Object tool allowing any
transparent areas at that time, to not be tinted

- Eliminated unnecessary contextual menu items and added
cut/copy/paste/delete functions

- Trimming rectangle is now translucent as per iPhoto, a more OS X
compliant look

- Added help tags in OS X for a more helpful interface when intuition fails

- New document icon for a more OS X-like look

- About box streamlined to take up less screen space and comply more
closely with OS X HIG Guidelines

- Trim window resizes itself to fit image size, but won't expand past
screen edges

- Objects palette now shows both 'actual' and 'display' values for object
dimensions (actual fields not changeable of course)

- Arrows between dimensions fields now reset original dimensions of image,
and as such the previous tool menu item has been removed

- Tool windows now remember their last used settings, so repetitive tasks
will be quicker

- Many more nips and tucks

Bug Fixes :

- Problems with windowing code that would cause OutOfBounds exceptions have
been fixed, as well as some refreshing bugs with inactive windows

- Collapse/Uncollapse menu item is now aware of state of window

- Saved files now print correctly at full size
- Rulers display double precision figures for inches, mm, and cm

- Background name now saves with document

- Non-standard text sizes now don't cause problems when editing text objects

- Background colour shows correctly with 'normal' background pictures

- Miscellaneous bug fixes and cosmetic enhancements

If you would like any further information about Picture Play, or have any
questions you would like answered, please feel free to email us at
chris@crescendosw.com.

Regards,
Chris Carruthers
Crescendo Software.

http://www.crescendosw.com