Alchemy

BETA 008

ABOUT --------------------------------
Alchemy is an open drawing project aimed at exploring how we can sketch,
draw, and create on computers in new ways. Alchemy isn't software for
creating finished artwork, but rather a sketching environment that focuses
on the absolute initial stage of the creation process. Experimental in nature,
Alchemy lets you brainstorm visually to explore an expanded range of ideas
and possibilities in a serendipitous way.
INSTALLATION -------------------------
Simply copy the Alchemy folder to wherever you keep your applications.
Windows users please make sure the path to Alchemy does not contain any non-stan
dard
characters such as the exclamation mark (!), this has been known to cause proble
ms
launching the application. If your user name has non-standard characters,
try putting Alchemy directly into the root directory.
The 'modules' (and the 'lib' folder on Windows) folder must remain together
with the application. Individual modules can be removed if not required,
however be sure to not mix older modules with newer versions or vice versa.
CREDITS/LICENSE ----------------------
Alchemy was initiated by Karl D.D. Willis & Jacob Hina.
The source code is released under the GNU General Public License and
Copyright © 2007-2010 Karl D.D. Willis.
Please see the 'COPYING' file for the full license.
WEB ----------------------------------
Alchemy website: http://al.chemy.org/
Download Alchemy: http://al.chemy.org/download/
Alchemy Forum: http://al.chemy.org/forum/

VERSION HISTORY
--------------------------------------
BETA 008
01.07.2010
FEATURES
+ SVG Export & Switching support added using the Batik Library - Big thanks to S
teren!
+ Support for scaling image size when exporting as a JPEG or PNG file
+ Flip canvas, horizontally or vertically - Thanks to Count_Zero!
+ Smooth module added to smooth up sharp edges and hard angles
+ Ribbon Shapes module added, based on code by James Alliban & Eric Natzke - Tha
nks Guys!
+ Limit module added, to limit the number of shapes on the canvas - Thanks to he
llocatfood!
+ Splatter Shapes module added, based on code by Stamen Design - Thanks!
CHANGES
+ Transparency of the background color can now be set
+ Persian Localisation added - Thanks to Omid Saadat!
+ Shapes Module: Added option to render just the outline of the shape until the
pen is lifted
+ Alchemy now remembers the Export file directory between sessions
BUG FIXES
+ Fixed inconsistant coloring bug with Mirror & Color Switcher
+ Color Palette now pops up in the middle of the screen (not outside it)
+ Updated JPen tablet library, with support for Java 1.6 on mac and other improv
ements
+ Fixed bug causing fullscreen transparent mode to draw the background with some
affect modules
+ Fixed Color Switcher bug where bg/fg colors were switching
+ Line Width UI element now updates correctly when using shortcuts
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 007.2
06.05.2009
BUG FIXES
+ Gradient Module Colour fixes
+ Fixed bug where PDF files containing transparency had their colours converted
to CMYK and back again, resulting in incorrect colours
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 007.1
27.04.2009
CHANGES
+ JPen Tablet library updated - now with support for 64bit Windows machines
BUG FIXES
+ Corrupt PDF files when using the Gradient module fixed
+ Plugin Comparator error handling added to fix errors on launch
+ Mirror Vista UI fixes
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 007
09.04.2009
FEATURES
+ Pressure Shapes module for drawing shapes using pressure from a tablet
+ Gradient module for adding colour gradients to shapes
+ Load a background image from the view menu to draw on top of
CHANGES
+ Colour button has been streamlined and combined with the background/foreground
button
+ Line Weight spinner has been redesigned
+ Sliders and number spinners can now be controlled with the mouse scroll wheel
+ The max/min values of sliders and number spinners can be set by CTRL/COMMAND c
licking them and inputing the values in the popup
+ Warning added when using File > New with shapes on the canvas
+ Localisations added for Simplified Chinese/Traditional Chinese/Spanish/Dutch/F
rench/German
Thanks to Chen Luo/Zafio/Dean/Ika/Seppel Schorsch for those!
+ Pullshapes Size slider added to better control shape size
+ Displace module now behaves better with spine-based (variable line width) shap
es
+ Trace Shapes images are now scaled correctly and local images can also be load
ed
BUG FIXES
+ Fixed several issues caused by custom cursors stopping Alchemy from launching
+ Fixed a bug causing the tool bar to disappear completely when being reattached
+ Colour selector will now appear in the correct window on dual monitor systems

--------------------------------------
ALPHA 006
11.12.2008
FEATURES
+ Jpeg export functionality added
+ Session file names can now be set in the options/preferences
+ Transparent Fullscreen mode added
+ Colour eye dropper added
+ Pull Shapes module added
CHANGES
+ Colour Switcher module 'Constant' button added, it can now change colours cons
tantly when the pen is dragged
+ Options/Preferences interface redesigned
+ Fullscreen mode now hides the mac menubar
+ Changing the canvas size during a session now changes the canvas size of the s
ession PDF
+ JPen library added (but not yet used), to allow pen pressure/tilt access
+ Camera colour module has been removed because of numerous bugs, it may be read
ded if we find a good java video library
+ Colour Picker popup and secondary window redesigned and standard across all pl
atforms now
+ Shapes folder added to store PDF shapes used by PullShapes
+ iText PDF library update
+ Eye dropper can now be started with the I shortcut key
BUG FIXES
+ Mirror module transparency bug fix
+ Switch menus opening properly in the specified application, not the default ap
plication
+ PDF colour accuracy fix, PDF colour format set to DEVICERGB
+ Shortcuts interface bug fixed
+ Language bundle loading fix
+ Dialogs added for when the modules folder is missing

--------------------------------------
ALPHA 005
26.06.2008
FEATURES
+ Draw over/under existing shapes mode
+ Colour Switcher Module
+ Simple interface mode introduced, aimed at kidz!
CHANGES
+ Preferences/Options window added to change inteface mode
+ Modules can now be turned on and off in the preferences/options window
+ A default list of modules can be created in modules/modules.txt
BUG FIXES
+ Session timer now saves correctly only when the canvas has changed
+ Minor interface fixes (especially for Linux)
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 004
03.05.2008
FEATURES
+ Load PDF session
+ Camera Colour affect module
+ Detach Shapes create module
+ Scrawl Shapes create module
CHANGES
+ Module selection shortcuts added
+ Sub Toolbar slider changed to a custom UI element
+ Alchemy now requires Java Version 5+
+ Export transparent PNG files
BUG FIXES
+ Mirror module fixed to work with Camera Colour module
+ Warning dialog added when overwriting files
+ Japanese localisation fixes
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 003.1
26.03.2008
FEATURES
+ Hide cursor function
BUG FIXES
+ Keyboard shortcuts (fullscreen, recording) fixed
+ Displace module now working with straight shapes
+ Record indicator is no longer showing off screen on windows
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 003
24.03.2008
FEATURES
+ Colour added - new colour picker in the tool bar
+ Foreground / Background button in the tool bar lets you draw with the backgrou
nd colour
+ Keyboard Shortcuts can now be assigned by the user
+ Displace affect module added
CHANGES
+ Performance has been greatly improved when drawing with many shapes on the can
vas
+ Line smoothing can be turned on and off in the settings menu
+ Help system has been changed to the FLOSS manual Alchemy.pdf file in the Alche
my folder
+ Export menu can now create a PNG file as well as a PDF
BUG FIXES
+ Mirror module bug when using median shapes fixed
+ Warning dialog when closing Alchemy now functions properly
+ Trace Shapes now shows a warning dialog when a network connection fails
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 002
02.03.2008
FEATURES
+ The toolbar is now detachable into a seperate palette window
+ Trace Shapes / Speed Shapes / X Shapes modules added
+ Copy function to copy the canvas to the clipboard as a bitmap
+ Alchemy Help added
+ Japanese Localisation
+ Canvas smoothing option added
+ Background colour is now changeable
CHANGES
+ PDF saving functionality improved. PDF files are now viewable throughout
+ Interface improvements, icon changes
+ Random module now has a distortion slider
+ Type Shapes module can now create shapes using the mouse and keyboard
+ More robust microphone detection and more accurate sound levels
BUG FIXES
+ Toolbar hiding functionality improved
+ Toolbar repainting when drawing 'blind' fixed
+ Shortcut key mappings fixed
+ Fullscreen mode on a mac is now stable
--------------------------------------
ALPHA 001
30.01.2008
Initial Release