Converting Auto-Pro Macros

The Automation Library introduces an object-oriented architecture which differs substantially from the procedural layout that Auto-Pro was using. Instead of chaining function calls with many parameters, macros now interact with higher level commands which combine all the characteristics of a given feature into one logical and self-contained entity. Consequently, the main task involved in converting Auto-Pro macros is to find the commands exposing the equivalent properties to those function parameters used in Auto-Pro.

Auto-Pro functions are organized by groups of related commands. The group is typically defined by an abbreviation found in the function prefix, after the leading Ip prefix. The table below shows these groups, their prefix and the new equivalent namespace or module when it exists. Namespaces are used in modern programing languages to group related features.

Whereas most Auto-Pro functions implicitly apply their operations to the active image or ROI, the new scripting language uses variables to designate the data objects affected by commands. These objects can be generic documents, images or image sets for instance and are either the command's input or output. In this model, the variables effectively drive the data flow in the macro and allow more complex constructs which are not necessarily depending on image visibility and activation to accomplish their task. In the example below docList1 and doc1 are used to control how the image data "flows" from one command to the next. Each command specifies its parameters first and then the input and output data in the Run() call.

Public Function PremierDataFlow() As SimpleScript
PremierDataFlow = New SimpleScript
Dim docList1 = New List(1), doc1

With Application.DocumentCommands.Open(PremierDataFlow)
.Filenames = New String() {ThisApplication.Path(mcPathType.mcptSampleImages) & "Filter\Sharpening\FPRINT2.TIF"}
.Run(docList1)
End With

With Application.DocumentCommands.Activate(PremierDataFlow)
.Run(docList1(0), doc1)
End With

With Process.Filter.EnhancementCommands.Sharpen(PremierDataFlow)
.Passes = 1
.KernelSize = Filters.mcKernelSize.mcks3x3
.Strength = 100
.Run(doc1, doc1)
End With

End Function