MetaDraw

Object Oriented Image Component in ActiveX & .Net Winform Editions

MetaDraw - the professional developer's choice for reliable windows and web applications: * Label Design, * Annotation, * Diagramming, * MultiMedia, * Floorplans & Maps * POS ( Point of Sale ), * Image Display with Zoom and Scroll, * Image Creation, Drawing, CAD, * Drag and Drop Editing / Layout, * HyperGraphics - Images with Hotspots, * Touch Screen Interactive Interfaces, * Merge Vector & Raster images, * Image Format Conversions, * Signature capture, and more. . . . You want graphics but you don't want megabytes of storage. Your users want to create and move shapes and images, link objects by diagram lines, draw out floorplans. You need to recognize shapes. Identify drawn elements, dynamically manipulate the image layout, recognize clicks and drags on specific graphic elements, link data to individual hotspots.... For all this you need MetaDraw. It's like putting Microsoft Visiotm right into your own application, or even into a web page, without any licensing requirements on your end-users. Works great in Visual Studio ( VB, C++, C# ), on Web pages, in FoxPro, Access, Delphi, APL, PowerBuilder, and more.

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MetaDraw Features

ActiveX and .NET Support MetaDraw is available in both ActiveX and .NET editions. MetaDraw 3 OCX is our most recent ActiveX edtion. Designed for support under Visual Studio ( Visual Basic / VC++ ) editions 4 thru 6, as well as Delphi, C++, FoxPro, Access, Internet Explorer ( used on Web pages) , and other environments providing ActiveX support. MetaDraw .Net WinForms 4 is a true, native .Net component - easy to use, with familiar syntax for existing users of MetaDraw OCX editions. Get Both One familiar interface you can use in both worlds. Users purchasing the Subscription Maintenance option with MetaDraw 3 OCX automatically receive a FREE license for MetaDraw .Net WinForms 2 as well as any other MetaDraw components that may be released over the coming year. Image Display - supports Scroll and Zoom, Raster Formats: BMP, DIB, JPG, PNG , GIF       ( also TIFF with .NET edition ) Vector Formats: WMF, EMF, MDP,       ( also DXF with DXF Lic option) Vector Formats even allow selective display of individual elements Image File Conversion - convert images beween file formats ICO, BMP, JPG, PNG, WMF, EMF, MDP, GIF also DXF if DXF License Option is purchased Create, edit, display and save pictures built from a full set of graphic objects: Text, Lines, Shapes, Merged images, and Complex Grouped objects Merge Multiple Images - Support Drag and Drop positioning - Allow layering & transparency - Merge Vector and Raster images in one layout - one file Database Support Save to, and Load from database fields Dynamically Change Shape Attributes - Colors, Line Style, Line Thickness, Fill Pattern OLE Drag & Drop Object type conversion Convert Text or Fixed Shapes to Polygon or PolyLines Full Programmatic Control as well as support for end user editing via the mouse Flexible Printing to any printer or window DC - High Quality output at full printer resolution - Built in Printer Selection Dialog - Print Full image, Cropped image, or Selected Shapes - Full control over print size and margins Arrow Head / EndPoint Symbols - Add EndPoints Symbols to one or both ends   of Dimension Lines, Lines, Arcs, Polylines - Control the Arrow Head Shape, Color, and Size Zoom EditMode ( allows user to zoom to selected rectangular area with mouse ) Embedded controls - Use MetaDraw like an enhanced Frame, Include child controls within image layout. Scroll and zoom child controls along with the image layout. ** Embedded Controls not supported for .NET edition Animated GIF support Present multiple animated GIFs in a single layout     ** Subscription License Required for Animated GIF support     ** Animated GIF not supported for .NET edition Name Objects and Assign Data Each element of a drawing may have multiple assigned data tags - Name the objects, - Create Object Categories - Assign database record pointers, - Assign hidden strings for retrieval and display during Mouse movement Find Object Function - Locate image elements by tag value Center MetaDraw on a particular portion of the image, or even blink an image element to draw the end-users's attention Link, Line and Dimension Line Labels - Using the LinkLabel property, a Text object may be displayed as a label on a Link, Line or DimensionLine object Object Shadows - Setting the ObjShadow property specifies a shadow for an object in MetaDraw. Transparent, Gradient or Bitmap Background ** Transparent background not supported for .NET edition Transparent Images - automatic recognition of GIF transparency - support to set any color as transparent     for each embedded BMP, JPG, or PNG image - layer one transparent image over or behind another Mouse Wheel Support / Scroll & Zoom - Supported under Win NT/Win9x, the user may zoom or scroll the image in MetaDraw by rotating the wheel on a wheel mouse NOTE: There is no standard support for MouseWheel messages under Win95

Drawing / Editing / Image Annotation - full support for Object Oriented Editing: Draw Fixed or Freehand Shapes Insert Shapes or Merge in Existing Images Add and edit Text Add and edit Arrows Move Objects Resize Objects Rotate at any angle Snap to Grid UnDo and ReDo Group shapes together - manipulate groups as a single element Diagramming Links Diagram lines between linked elements are automatically maintained as the connected objects are repositioned Create diagram links by code or allow end-user to create and move links with mouse Properties to set arrow head existence, style and size Properties to set connecting line color, thickness and style Properties for text labels along the line Supports segmented links, center markers and more . . . Automatic Diagram Layout -       ** Diagram Arrange License Option           required for Automated Layout support Hypergraphic HotSpots Define Shaped Hotspot regions Assign named tags, Internet URLs, DB Record ID's, or Descriptive Strings Respond to Hotspot events on Click, DoubleClick and MouseMove Saves all hotspot details within a single image file HS Editor Utility provided with MetaDraw 3 OCX allows simple Hotspot creation without any programming Layout / Arrangements / Mapping Merge Multiple Images / Shapes into a Single Layout Place elements over Background Image or Map Drag Elements to desired positions Align to Grid Internet Support Use MetaDraw in a Web page ( HTML or ASP ) - Dynamically create Drawings and Diagrams - Allow users to Draw, and Drag shapes and images within a Web page Link Hotspots to URL's, even from standard EXE Upload or Download Save or Load your Images, Drawings, Diagrams using either FTP or HTTP protocol with optional Password verification       ** Subscription License Option Required           for Upload support Generate HTML Client Side Image Maps       ** Subscription License Option Required           for Client Side Image Map support HotKey Keyboard processing Toggle automated handling of keyboard for Delete, Cut, Copy, Paste, UnDo, ReDo, Group, UnGroup       ** Subscription License Option Required Text Annotations In Place Text Editing Text at any angle Multi-line word wrapped text objects Boxed Text Style Unicode support ( .NET Winforms edition ) 16-bit character set support ( OCX) ( display only - 16-bit characters can not be edited in place )

MetaDraw License Options

Maintenance Support / Subscription Updates Option The Maintenance Support / Subscription License Option for MetaDraw provides: FREE MetaDraw .NET Winforms license when Subscription is purchased with New MetaDraw 3 OCX license FREE upgrades to major new MetaDraw editons introduced within 12 months of purchase Acces to Special Features Reserved for Maintenance Support Users Features reserved for Maintenance Support / Subscription Users: Generate HTML Client Side Image Maps Animated GIF support ( for OCX only ) Click here to View Animated Gifs in your browser ! Internet Upload support ( HTTP or FTP ) HotKey Keyboard processing ( for OCX only ) Toggle automated handling of keyboard for Delete, Cut, Copy, Paste, UnDo, ReDo, Group, UnGroup Repeating Line Symbols ( for OCX only ) Supports display of symbols at user specified interval, color and sizes along path of a line, polyline, closed shape, or curve DPI Resolution Control ( for OCX only ) Specify DPI when saving to BMP, JPG or PNG formats DXF Filter Support Option     Bennet-Tec's optional DXF Import and Export license options add support for working with CAD industry standard DXF files. With this support applications and web pages created with MetaDraw can support reading, writing, creating, modifying of DXF images for display, annotation and optional conversion to other vector and raster image formats. Vectorization DLL Option     The BT Vectorization DLL supports conversion of raster based images to Vector format where each solid colored area is represented by a polygon object. Support is also provided for Noise reduction and Color reduction. Vectorization option is only available for the OCX edition and is not supported under .NET

Diagram Object Arrange Option     The Object Arrange library function intelligently rearranges objects within the overall image in such a way as to minimize overlapping links and to lay out a diagram in an "organized" fashion. Objects which are not linked may also be layed out in a rectangular grid fashion using this function. Note - The Diagram Arrange library algorithm is proprietary to Bennet-Tec. The arrange functionality may be tested within HSEditor - if it seems reasonable to your applications, then you may wish to purchase this license option - be aware however that each image may result in different arrangements, that such arrangements are the result of proprietary calculations and are not subject to negotiation or standards of what might be better or worse. Bennet-Tec does not guarentee that our "optimized" layouts will fit with your application's definition of an optimized layout. If you are interested in modified arrangements Bennet-Tec can take on sponsored (paid) development projects to tune the layout to your needs. Complementary Products ImageMan for Scanning, Added Image Formats, and Raster Image Processing Manipulation             Enhance your graphic application today with the ImageMan control by Data-Techniques. ImageMan's vbPicture property is compatible with MetaDraw's Picture property so you use ImageMan to load and save a very wide range of image formats. ImageMan also adds support for Scanning, and general raster image manipulation - brightness and contrast enhancement, over 50 transitional effects, and Adobe PhotoShop Plugins Get full details on ImageMan direct from Data Techniques For one stop shopping convenience you can order both MetaDraw and ImageMan through either Bennet-Tec or Data Techniques Bar Code ActiveX & DLL's Creating Labels with MetaDraw? Add Bar codes with ease. Ask us about Bar Coding Tools to work with MetaDraw

Reliability Counts
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MetaDraw On-Line Demos

Try MetaDraw in your Browser now! (NOTE: Requires Microsoft Internet Explorer)

Customer Screenshots

See some examples of real-world applications built with MetaDraw

Tips - Getting Started With MetaDraw

Notes on a few Application Areas This is a new area - more details coming soon

            How to Create and Work with Diagrams

            Using MetaDraw in directed acyclic graph diagrams ,

            How to Create HyperGraphic Applications - Images with Hotspots

            How to Convert between Image Formats

            How to Capture a Signature

            Using MetaDraw in POS ( Point of Sale ) Applications

            Using MetaDraw for Label Design,

Purchasing / Registering a License

New in MetaDraw 3 and MetaDraw .NET

MetaDraw Downloads