JPEG Saver's config dialog — Items tab
The Items tab is where you can specify which extra pieces of text and other decorations will appear on the screen saver display.
- Main tab
- Folders tab
- Position/Resize tab
- Background tab
- Styles tab
- Presets combobox
- Items list
- Add item button
- Copy item button
- Rename button
- Configure item button
- Delete items button
This tab is resizeable, along with the Folders tab, to allow more space for the list control. The Folders tab and the Items share the same width and height, which is saved to the config file.
Presets list
This drop-down box contains all the presets saved with the config file, as well as the predefined presets that JPEG Saver comes with. If the list of items matches a preset it will be displayed in the combo box.
Presets menu button
The menu button gives you these options:
- Load - loads the selected preset, replacing the current list of items;
- Append - loads the selected preset into the list after all existing items;
- Save - saves the current list of items as a preset;
- Delete - removes the selected preset from the list;
- Reset - resets the list of presets to the built-in list.
Note: loading a preset will also add any styles that the preset uses into the styles list. Removing presets and items will not remove any styles.
Items list
The items list shows all the extra items that are displayed on the screen. The list shows the item type, some information about which style it uses (or some different information for items that don't use styles) and the position column contains an arrow that shows which side of the screen or image the item is aligned with.
The background and main image are always drawn before any items. The items are drawn in the order they appear in the list, the top item being drawn first, and the bottom item drawn last. You can drag the items up and down the list to change the order they are drawn in.
Add item
Clicking on the “Add” button opens a pop-up menu where you can choose the type of item you want to add, followed by a dialog with all the item's specific options. The types of item currently supported are:
- Image Info
- All kinds of information about the current image, including its filename, folder path, dimensions, EXIF and IPTC information.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- List Info
- Some basic information about the list of images.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- Clock
- The current time. If the real-time option is set for a clock item, it will stay on the screen and update constantly. Otherwise, it will be drawn on the background with other items and only updated when the image changes.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- Logo Image
- An image file that is drawn on the screen. This does not have to be a logo - a large PNG image with an alpha channel could be used to create a frame around the edge of the screen.
- See the logo item dialog for details
- Process Info
- Some information about the JPEG Saver process.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- Version Info
- JPEG Saver's version number, and when it was built.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- Border
- Adds a border around the image. You can use layer multiple border items to achieve more pleasing effects.
- See the border item dialog for details
- Now Playing
- Displays artist and track information from some popular media player software.
- See the formatted text item dialog for details
- Text File
- Displays the contents of a text file.
- See the text file item dialog for details
- Analog clock
- Displays an analog clock on the screem.
- Plain text
- Displays simple text on the screen.
Copy item
The “Copy” button opens the item editor dialog with a copy of the selected item's details. Clicking “OK” in the dialog will add the copy to the list.
Rename item
This button allows you to rename an item in the list without having to open the item editor.
Configure item
The “Configure” button opens the item editor for the selected item. Double-clicking an item has the same effect.
Delete items
Removes all the selected items from the list.
Formatted item dialog
Most of the items use the same dialog template, shown below as the clock item dialog:
- Item position
- Offset from position
- Text format input
- Text style
- Text alignment
- Real-time update checkbox
- Allow piling checkbox
- Format tokens list
Position drop-down
This option specifies how the item is positioned:
- Inside screen
- The item is positioned relative to the edges of the screen.
- Outside image
- The item is positioned relative to the edges of the image, outside it.
- Inside image
- The item is positioned relative to the edges of the image, inside it.
- Above or below image
- The item is positioned outside the image, above or below it.
- To left or right of image
- The item is positioned outside the image, at one side or the other.
- Random placement
- The item is randomly positioned somewhere on the screen.
Offset
The offset input specifies how far away and in which direction the item is positioned. The “Preset” button pops up a menu with all the directions available.
Format
This is where the format of the item text is specified. Tokens (the things beginning with “%” are replaced by the relevant details when the screen saver is running. Any other text entered here is displayed without alteration.
Style drop-down
This input is where you choose which of your styles are used for the text.
Alignment buttons
These set whether the text is left, centre or right-aligned.
Real-time update checkbox
This checkbox is only visible when the item supports it - enabling real-time update means that the item is displayed separately from the image and is updated whenever the underlying information changes.
Allow piling checkbox
This option enables the text to be drawn as part of the “pile” when the “Pile” or “Desktop pile” background modes are in use. Real-time updating items cannot be piled, so the piling checkbox will be disabled.
Token list
This list shows all the tokens that are available for use with the current item. Double-clicking an item in the list inserts it into the format text box at the cursor position.
Logo item dialog
The logo item dialog is much simpler than the formatted text dialog.
Position
The same position options as on the formatted text item dialog.
Offset
The same offset options and pop-up menu as on the formatted text item dialog.
Piling checkbox
Logo images can always be piled.
Logo image file
The path to the image file to display. Supports all the formats that JPEG Saver's main image loader can cope with. PNG alpha channels can be used for transparent areas.
Alpha blending
The alpha slider specifies the amount of blending between the logo image and whatever is behind it. An alpha of 0 is 100% opaque (apart from any transparent areas) and an an alpha of 255 is completely transparent.
Text file item dialog
The text file item dialog is slightly simpler than the formatted text item dialog, since there is no format required.
- Item position
- Offset from position
- Text file input
- Text style
- Text alignment
- Real-time update checkbox
- Allow piling checkbox
Position
The same position options as on the formatted text item dialog.
Offset
The same offset options and pop-up menu as on the formatted text item dialog.
Text file
The path to the text file to be displayed. The file does not have to exist when configuring the item, and content will only be displayed when it does exist.
Style drop-down
Selects the font style for the text.
Alignment buttons
Sets the left, centre or right-alignment option.
Real-time update checkbox
Text file items support real-time updating. If enabled, the file is monitored for changes.
Allow piling checkbox
Allows piling of the text (when real-time is not enabled).
Border item dialog
The border item dialog is where you can configure the appearance of a border around the main image.
- Border thickness
- Distance from image
- Offset from position
- Border colour
- Edges to draw
- Border end style
There is no “Allow piling” checkbox because borders are always piled with the image.
Thickness
The thickness of the border in pixels.
Distance
The distance from the edge of the image to the start of the border. This value can be negative to draw the border inside the image.
Offset
The border can be offset in any direction by setting this option to a number of pixels in X and Y.
Colour
The colour of the border.
Edges
These four buttons allow you to choose which of the sides will be drawn. At least one edge must be selected.
Ends
These buttons allow you to choose how the ends of the border edges will be drawn. The first option cuts off at the image edge, the second overlaps by the thickness, and the third overlaps with a mitre edge. These options only have an effect when there are 1-3 edges enabled.