NAME

gus_annotate_graphics.pl

SYNOPSIS

perl gus_annotate_graphics.pl

DESCRIPTION

Perl/Tk GUI utility to simplify annotating graphics, particulary sample photos in fatigue and durability testing.

README

Run this script. A setup window appears. Guestimate how many graphic files you wish to annotate (you may change your mind later). Browse the file(s) to annotate. Select colors (stroke & fill) and the position of annotation (gravity). Enter the annotation itself (may include Perl newline chars). Click the button. Same annotation will be made to all files browsed. Any empty windows will be ignored. Annotated output is written to *_new.jpg where * is path of original.

PREREQUISITES

ImageMagic
ImageMagick is the core of this Perl/Tk utility. I'd recommend having the full ImageMagic installation. It is free, after all. But corporate IT rules may interfere with that. In such case one can make do with just the minimal ImageMagick *.dll files. Copy them into the C:\Perl\bin directory. Which ones are minimal? Start by obtaining ImageMagick's CORE_RL_*_.dll and *magick.dll files. Then to know which (if any) yet remain, try this at a DOS prompt: perl -e 'use Image::Magick';. Perl will complain of the first file which it needs but can't find. Fetch that file, then ask Perl the same thing again. When Perl stops complaining, you've got them all. It worked for me at any rate.

Win32 OS
I wrote this script and tested it under Win2K because that's where I needed it at the time. For another OS you'll have to tweak the font path, surely. I'll port it to NetBSD at some point. So do keep watch.

SEE ALSO

Stand-alone *.exe version
If you absolutely, positively can't get Perl on your PC, then drop me a email. I'll run it through PAR on Win2K and reply with the *.exe attached. The script is free but burning stand-alone *.exe's for Win32 is a service. My own time I value quite the same as you. Thus will I expect a half-hour's pay (at your own rate, whatever it be) to appear in my mailbox a week or so later.

Others will follow...
This is fun! I intend to write further Perl/Tk GUI scripts for various chores in and around fatigue and durability labs. If you have a related need, feel free to write. Maybe I'll find it interesting.

AUTHOR

Gan Uesli Starling <gan@starling.us>

COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2004, Gan Uesli Starling. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

SCRIPT CATEGORIES

Misc