version 6.0
An expression that uses a picture operator returns a picture. The following table shows the picture operators.
Operation | Syntax | Action |
Horizontal concatenation | Pict1 + Pict2 | Add Pict2 to the right of Pict1 |
Vertical concatenation | Pict1 / Pict2 | Add Pict2 to the bottom of Pict1 |
Exclusive superimposition | Pict1 & Pict2 | Perform an XOR on Pict1 and Pict2 |
Inclusive superimposition | Pict1 | Pict2 | Perform a OR on Pict1 and Pict2 |
Horizontal move | Picture + Number | Move Picture horizontally Number pixels |
Vertical move | Picture / Number | Move Picture vertically Number pixels |
Resizing | Picture * Number | Resize Picture by Number ratio |
Horizontal scaling | Picture *+ Number | Resize Picture horizontally by Number ratio |
Vertical scaling | Picture */ Number | Resize Picture vertically by Number ratio |
The two operators & and | always return a bitmapped picture, no matter what the nature of the two source pictures. The reason is that 4th Dimension first draws the pictures into memory bitmaps, then calculates the resulting picture by performing graphical exclusive or inclusive OR on the pixels of the bitmaps.
The other picture operators return vectorial pictures if the two source pictures are vectorial. Remember, however, that pictures printed by the display format On Background are printed bitmapped.
Examples
In the following examples, all of the pictures are shown using the display format On Background.
Here is the picture circle:
Here is the picture rectangle:
In the following examples, each expression is followed by its graphical representation.
Horizontal concatenation
circle + rectangle ` Place the rectangle to the right of the circle rectangle + circle ` Place the circle to the right of the rectangle
Vertical concatenation
circle / rectangle ` Place the rectangle under the circle rectangle / circle ` Place the circle under the rectangle
Exclusive superimposition (XOR)
circle & rectangle ` Exclusive OR of the two pictures
Inclusive superimposition (OR)
circle | rectangle ` Inclusive OR of the two pictures
Horizontal move
rectangle + 50 ` Move the rectangle 50 pixels to the right rectangle - 50 ` Move the rectangle 50 pixels to the left
Vertical move
rectangle /50 ` Move the rectangle down by 50 pixels rectangle /-20 ` Move the rectangle up by 20 pixels
Resize
rectangle * 1.5 ` The rectangle becomes 50% bigger rectangle * 0.5 ` The rectangle becomes 50% smaller
Horizontal scaling
circle *+3 ` The circle becomes 3 times wider circle *+ 0.25 ` The circle's width becomes a quarter of what it was
Vertical scaling
circle */ 2 ` The circle becomes twice as tall circle */ 0.25 ` The circle's height becomes a quarter of what it was
See Also
Bitwise Operators, Comparison Operators, Date Operators, Logical Operators, Numeric Operators, Operators, String Operators, Time Operators.