Collecting Information From Multiple Pixel Maps or Pictures

You can survey a number of pixel maps or pictures and accumulate

information about them in the picture information record. You can perform a

number of such surveys simultaneously; they are identified by a unique

identifier created when you call the NewPictInfo function to begin a survey.

You indicate which pixel maps or pictures to survey by making repeated calls

to the RecordPixMapInfo or RecordPictInfo function. When you want to

check the accumulated statistics, use the RetrievePictInfo function, and the

picture information record will be filled with the latest information.

When you have finished a survey, call the DisposPictInfo function to

dispose of the data structures associated with the identifier for that survey.

Note that DisposPictInfo does not dispose of the handles returned in the

picture information record.

Storing Information: The Picture Information Record

The PictInfo data type defines the record that stores pixel map and picture

information, as gathered from a single image or from surveying a number of

them. When you collect pixel map information, the first seven fields of the

picture information record are of primary interest; the count fields contain 0,

except for bitMapCount and pixMapCount, which contain the number of

bitmaps and pixel maps en countered.

When you have examined multiple pixel maps, the hRes and vRes fields of the

picture information record contain the last resolution en countered, the depth

field contains the deepest pixel depth en countered, the uniqueColors field

contains the total number of different colors en countered (up to the accuracy

of the Picture Utilities Package storage bank for colors), and the color

table or palette contains the most popular or widest range of colors across all

the pixel map records and object colors examined.

If you requested a count of the comments in your GetPictInfo function, the

picture information record contains a handle to an array of comment

specification records (CommentSpec). The uniqueComments field value

indicates the number of comment specification records listed.

If you requested that font information be collected in your GetPictInfo

function, the picture information record contains a handle to an array of font

specification records (FontSpec).

You must dispose of any handle that the picture information record gives you

(thePalette, theColorTable, commentHandle, fontHandle, and fontNamesHandle)

when you are through with it.