Migrating to the Character Generator filter

The main idea of Character Generator filter is to create the universal overlay filter that will provide a generic interface to deal with Test Graphic and Flash items. So all objects can be added by one simple algorythm:

1. Add new item with m_objCarGen.AddNewItem() method.
2. Update it's properties by m_objCarGen.SetItemBaseProps() method.

To change the properties you can use MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS stucture that contains universal properties for each overlay item (such as alpha, back color, position etc.).

So the migration from separate filters to complex Character Generator is very simple task too:

Graphic items creation.

• Replace the previous PICTUREMIXERLib.CoPictureMixerClass with MLCHARGENLib.CoMLCharGenClass.
• Replace the previous m_objTnGOverlay.AddImage2 method with new m_objCarGen.AddNewItem() method.
• If you need to change basic properties , you can create additional MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS structure and set this properties to your graphic item by m_objCarGen.SetItemBaseProps() method.

Flash items creation.

• Replace the previous MLFLASHOVERLAYLib.CoFlashOverlayClass with MLCHARGENLib.CoMLCharGenClass.
• Replace the previous m_pFlashOverlay.AddNewItem method with new m_objCarGen.AddNewItem() method.
• If you need to change basic properties, you can create additional MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS structure and set this properties to your flash item by m_objCarGen.SetItemBaseProps() method.

Text items creation:

• Replace the previous PICTUREMIXERLib.CoPictureMixerClass with MLCHARGENLib.CoMLCharGenClass.
• Replace the previous PICTUREMIXERLib.OVERLAY_PROPS structure. To simplify the CG usage, single properties structure is replaced with 2 new structures - MLCHARGENLib.CG_TEXT_PROPS and MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS.

MLCHARGENLib.CG_TEXT_PROPS contains text-specific properties (such as font type, font sixe, text style etc.) that does not included into MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS structure.

• Replace the previous m_objTnGOverlay.AddOutlinedText method with new m_objCarGen.AddNewTextItem call. Please note that it takes a MLCHARGENLib.CG_TEXT_PROPS stucture.

If you need to change basic properties too, you can create additional MLCHARGENLib.CG_ITEM_PROPS structure and set this properties to your text item by m_objCarGen.SetItemBaseProps() method.

Please note that in Character Generator every item has it's own string identifier and can be accessed through it. It is strongly recommended to give intelligent identifiers to items, like variables naming (for example "LogoPic", "ScrollingMsg", etc.). It will help you to access the items easily in advanced Chararacter Generator features usage.