On Jan 15, 2011, at 9:41 PM, Ken Ferry wrote: > > > On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 7:15 PM, Ken Thomases <k...@codeweavers.com> wrote: > On Jan 15, 2011, at 8:13 PM, John Joyce wrote: > > > Cannot seem to find this in the HIG. > > What type of image would give the inverted look of the built in media types > > (NSQuicklookTemplate for example) when in a Textured Square Button or > > Segmented control? > > > > The images appear black with a clear alpha in Interface Builder. > > > > I've tried png, tiff, pdf. > > Tried each type with clear alpha background, with black on white, vice > > versa. > > No luck. > > You need to tell the framework that the is image a template image. See > -[NSImage setTemplate:]. > > …which will happen automatically if the filename ends in Template (before the > extension). > > http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#releasenotes/Cocoa/AppKitOlderNotes.html#NSImageTemplate > : > > Text and image effects: -[NSImage isTemplate] > > So far we've mostly talked about text. Images drawing in cells also have > visual effects applied. For example, images are automatically dimmed out in > disabled cells and darkened when pressed. > > This is extended in Leopard with a new metadata property, -[NSImage > isTemplate]. An image is a 'template' if it is a black and clear mask that > should not be presented to the user directly, but always processed into a > final form. It's similar to a glyph in a font. If a cell is given a template > image, it can perform much more sophisticated effects than usual, similar to > those done with text. The image can be dark most of the time, white in a > selected table view row, and engraved or embossed the same way text is. > > The template property does not affect the way an image draws. It's metadata > that a sophisticated client can look at. The only sophisticated client in > AppKit for 10.5 is NSCell. If you need to produce an NSImage with effects > pre-rendered, draw with a cell into an image. > > A good example of template image processing occurs in the button that shows > the bookmarks collections in Safari 3.0. This is very much a stock AppKit > button. There's a single template image set on it, which is an icon of a > book. That single image appears engraved or embossed depending on whether > button is rolled over (really, on the -interiorBackgroundStyle of the cell). > > To mark an image as a template, call -[NSImage setTemplate:]. As a > convenience, in applications linked on or after 10.5, any image read off of > disk via -[NSImage imageNamed:] whose name ends in @"Template" will be marked > as a template as it is created. This makes it easy to use template images in > Interface Builder. Just make sure your image filenames end in "Template". > > One particular effect is worth calling out, because you'll see it and likely > wonder exactly what triggers it: If a template image is drawing on a raised > background and is also supposed to look on, it will draw with a blue glow. > Think of the image as a translucent gray piece of plastic cut into the > surface of the cell, with a blue backlight behind it when the cell is on. > This will happen, for example, in selected segments of an NSSegmentedControl > with NSSegmentStyleTexturedRounded and NSSegmentSwitchTrackingSelectAny > (which means that segments behave like check boxes). You cannot rely on this > glow occurring in any particular place because framework art can change, but > AppKit promises to continue to do something appropriate. > > For an NSButtonCell, a cell's -image will be processed to look 'on' if the > cell's state is NSOnState, its showsStateBy mask contains NSContentsCellMask > (which means 'use alternate image and title when on'), and it doesn't have an > alternateImage. In Interface Builder, make a 'Toggle' button and give the > button an image. This also sets up the highlightsBy mask, but it's likely to > be what you want. > > You may note that it isn't possible to both use a distinct piece of art as an > alternateImage on a button or segmented control and also get the blue glow. > This may be somewhat limiting, but should tend to make sure this effect is > only used when appropriate. This effect helps the user to distinguish between > a button that shows an action and a button that shows the state of something. > Most buttons in the OS are actions. However, it has always been hard to > distinguish those buttons that give state. The blue glow communicates state > very effectively. Look at the calendar button in the lower left corner of > iCal in 10.5. When the mini calendar pane isn't shown, the button shows an > engraved mini-calendar. The user might think of this as either an action > 'show mini-calendar' or as a state, 'mini-calendar is off'. Luckily, both > interpretations agree on the effect of clicking the button - it should show > the calendar. Once the user clicks the button, the correct interpretation > becomes very clear: The calendar icon glows blue when the pane is shown. This > is obviously showing state, and the user will realize that if he clicks again > then the button will turn off and the calendar pane will be hidden. > > > -Ken > > > The file format doesn't matter. > > Cheers, > Ken > Thanks to both Kens!! Arguably, that release note stuff is darn hard to look through. Search results generally don't seem to find it. I'll file a bug on the HIG docs or on IB docs to get that moved into a more useful location.
Thanks so much!! John _______________________________________________ Cocoa-dev mailing list (Cocoa-dev@lists.apple.com) Please do not post admin requests or moderator comments to the list. Contact the moderators at cocoa-dev-admins(at)lists.apple.com Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://lists.apple.com/mailman/options/cocoa-dev/archive%40mail-archive.com This email sent to arch...@mail-archive.com
