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Tools Tab

BackdropMaker Tool

(Registered users only.)

This tool lets you create a SoliLuxe backdrop using any .png or .jpg image file on your computer. BackdropMaker lets you select which portion of the original image to use, and then scales and splits this area into both table and menu backdrop graphics. The menu backdrop will be fitted with black backgrounds for the buttons, just like the factory ones.

For best results, use a source picture that is already 1680 pixels wide or possibly wider. Otherwise, the source image will have to be scaled up, leading to a blurry backdrop image. (Or for some interesting artistic results, do the opposite and use a really small image to see what happens!)

This is how to create a new backdrop in a few seconds:

1. Click the "Select the image directory for browsing..." button. Select a folder containing image files and click the "Open" button.

2. The first image file in the selected folder is now shown in the preview area. Beneath it, the file name is shown along with information about the current picture number and the total number of pictures in the folder.
   The preview area also contains a red crop rectangle. You can drag this rectangle with the mouse to select which portion of the picture should be used for the backdrop. (Remember that the menu area buttons will cover much of the picture on the right hand side, so you might want to have some "uninteresting space" there when cropping the picture!)

3. Below the preview image you'll find a number of buttons to help you select a suitable image and customize it to your liking.
   • Transport buttons:
     • ">" button (Alt+right arrow key): Loads the next image in the current folder.
     • ">>" button (Alt+down arrow key): Skips forwards 10 images in the current folder.
     • "<" button (Alt+left arrow key): Loads the previous image in the current folder.
     • "<<" button (Alt+up arrow key): Skips backwards 10 images in the current folder.

   • HQ checkbox: Check this to get better image quality in previews (slower).

   • Zoom buttons:
     • "Zoom in" button (Alt+Z): Makes the crop rectangle smaller, i.e. zooms into the picture to use a smaller part for the backdrop.
     • "Zoom out" button (Alt+A): Makes the crop rectangle larger, i.e. zooms out to use a larger part of the source image for the backdrop.

   • Rotation buttons:
     • "Rot <" button (Alt+X): Rotates the image 90 degrees left for each click.
     • "Rot >" button (Alt+C): Rotates the image 90 degrees right for each click.

   • Brightness buttons:
     • "Bright -" button (Alt+V): Decreases the brightness.
     • "Bright +" button (Alt+B): Increases the brightness.

   • Contrast buttons:
     • "Contr -" button (Alt+N): Decreases the contrast.
     • "Contr +" button (Alt+M): Increases the contrast.

   • Preview reset:
     • "Reset" button (Alt+R): Resets any alterations you've made to the preview image. (Note that the source image is never affected by what you do in the tool: The preview only shows what your copy will look like!)

4. Enter a backdrop name in the "Backdrop name" text field and click the "Create table and menu backdrops" button (or press Alt+M.)

5. If all goes well, a message will pop up informing you that the new graphics files have been created. Newly created backdrops will show up at the bottom in their respective preview lists on the Table and Menu backdrops.

Note: Newly created backdrops will show up at the bottom of the Table and Menu tab preview lists. When you restart SoliLuxe, the backdrops will be sorted in alphabetical order in the normal way.