PageStream - Documents:Concepts

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Concepts

Composite path

When you join objects into a composite path, the original objects are converted into paths if they are not already paths, and then merged into one path. Overlapping portions of the paths will be unfilled, making holes through which objects covered by the path can be seen.

Do not confuse compound objects (which are created with the ''Join Objects'' command in the ''Object'' menu) with composite paths (which are created with the ''Merge Paths'' command). They achieve similar results, but they have different effects on the objects.

Compound object

When you join objects into a compound object, the original objects are unchanged. Overlapping portions of the objects will be unfilled, making holes through which can see objects behind them.

Do not confuse compound objects (which are created with the ''Join Objects'' command in the ''Object'' menu) with composite paths (which are created with the ''Merge Paths'' command). They achieve similar results, but they have different effects on the objects.

Drawings

PageStream can combine objects into drawings to simplify manipulating them. A drawing can be selected, moved, scaled and edited as one object. The appearance of individual objects is unchanged when they are combined into a drawing. The differences between drawings and normal groups are:
Drawings can be cropped and scaled in a frame.
Drawings can be left or made external.
Drawings can be named and given a description.
The line weights of drawings are scaled with the drawing when printed to a PostScript printer. (They are not scaled on screen or to other printers.)
The display of drawings can be toggled off with the ''Show Drawings'' option in the ''Preferences'' dialog box.

EPS illustration

EPS illustrations are designed for use with PostScript printers. They are not editable in PageStream because they are composed of PostScript language commands which describe the illustration to the interpreter in a PostScript printer.

External graphics

Graphics can be stored in the document file, or left external to keep the document file smaller. Internal graphics are never updated. External graphics update whenever the original graphic changes, but you cannot delete the original graphic without losing the graphic in a document.

Graphics may be left external when imported by selecting ''Leave External'' in the ''Place Graphic'' dialog box, or by choosing ''Information'' from the ''Edit'' menu and selecting ''Leave External'' from the ''Object Information'' dialog box.

External pictures will be shown at low resolution on screen to save memory and increase display speed. Internal pictures will be shown at full resolution.

Graphics

There are three types of graphic objects in PageStream:
bitmapped pictures
structured drawings
EPS illustrations
PageStream allows you to draw shapes and paths. These can be organized into a drawing. Drawings can be dissolved into shapes and paths so that they can be edited.

Group

PageStream can combine objects into groups to freeze their relative positions and to simplify manipulating them. A group of objects can be selected, moved, scaled and edited as one object. The appearance of the individual objects is unchanged when they are grouped; groups exist only to make editing easier.

Groups can be many levels deep. For example, you could group a number of groups together as one group, or group objects with another group.

Do not confuse groups with drawings.

Importing drawings

Drawings are made up of objects defined as series of points, lines and curves. You can scale a drawing without it becoming jaggy. Drawings are non-editable when imported into PageStream, but you can dissolve them into their subobjects which can be edited. You can also create a drawing out of shapes and paths drawing in PageStream.

Examples of other programs which can create structured drawings are Adobe Illustrator® and MacroMedia Freehand®.

Importing graphics

You can import graphics created with other programs if PageStream has a matching filter. The included filters are: TIFF, PICT, IFF ILBM, JPEG, GIF, MacPaint, PCX, BMP, IFF ILUS, IFF DR2D, ProDraw Clip, EPS, Adobe Illustrator® EPS, Art Expression® EPS.

Pasteboard

The pasteboard is the area surrounding each page. Consider it a blotter on which you can temporarily store objects.

If you move an object onto the pasteboard, the object will no longer be considered part of that page and will be visible on all pages in the chapter. Use the pasteboard as a convenient way to move objects between pages, and to store them for later use.

Path

Paths are series of any number of line and curve segments. They are called paths because an imaginary pen follows a path to draw the lines and curves. Paths can be drawn with PageStream's ''Pen'' and ''Reshape'' tools.

Picture

Bitmapped pictures are made up of a grid of dots. If you scale a picture larger, it will become jaggier. Pictures are generally created with scanners or paint and image processing software.

While you can apply effects to pictures with PageStream, you must use another program to paint in a picture. BME, Adobe Photoshop® and MacPaint® can be used to create pictures.

Shape

Shapes are geometric objects such as lines, boxes, ellipses and polygons. They can be drawn with PageStream's ''Line'', ''Box'', ''Rounded Box'', ''Ellipse'', ''Arc'' and ''Polygon'' tools.

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