[sw-l] SWDB - Linguistic SignWriting Database

[Stephen Slevinski]

Hi Val,

For Sign Maker, I converted all of the IMWA images to black & white.  I then
converted the white to transparent.  So the images that Sign Maker uses are
actually black and transparent.

To fix this problem, all of the IMWA symbols will need to be recreated with
three colors: black, white, and transparent.  All of the white space around
the symbols needs to be transparent.  The inside of the handshapes needs to
be white.

If you are unable to create graphics with transparent backgrounds, you can
create the images with 3 colors; such as black, white, and grey.  The white
space around the signs will need to be grey.  Any other part of the symbols
that needs to be transparent will also need to be grey, such as the inside
of faces.  I can then convert the grey color to transparent.

Then if two flat palms facing the signer are placed one on top of the other,
the symbol underneath will only be covered by the black outline and the
white fill, but not the transparent border.

If you still need graphic representation, I can create a page that will
explain with pictures.

-Stephen


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
[mailto:owner-sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu]On Behalf Of Valerie Sutton
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2004 6:11 PM
To: sw-l at majordomo.valenciacc.edu
Subject: Re: [sw-l] SWDB - Linguistic SignWriting Database


Sandy Fleming wrote:
> Looking further into this, I do have another concern about SWML,
> though. In
> the "Lessons in SignWriting 2002" manual, the example signs often
> overlap
> opaquely. However, examining the SWML DTD version 1 and the SWML-S DTD
> I
> can't see how the z-layer is handled. How is the fact that one hand is
> on
> top of another expressed?
>
> I notice that the gifs used for the Puddle dictionaries are completely
> transparent, so this couldn't be expressed in Puddle anyway. Is it
> unimportant or do we really need three-colour gifs so that one colour
> can be
> designated as transparent for use by software?

--------------------

Sandy, Dan, Antonio Carlos -
Can you show me some visual examples of this issue? I believe I know
what you are talking about...but I want to make sure. If I can see an
example of a sign from the 2002 Lessons Manual, and that same sign
produced in SignMaker...

In the old days (smile...like 2002)...I would clarify a sign by going
into Photoshop and fixing them up an little...I would get rid of a few
lines on each side of a handshape that is touching the other, or a
face, so that it is almost like a transparent outline to the handshape
that is on top, so we can see the handshape without it blending into
the other symbol beneath it...that was me fiddling with symbols to try
to solve the problem of not being able to see a symbol because it
blends with another...

So I do think that should be considered for good reading...but if
someone could give me a visual example to make sure we are on the same
wave length, then there could be ways of programming that...When a user
states to the computer program that the hand is the one on top, then
some kind of automatic tracing around the handshape would occur so it
could be seen....

I hadn't planned to bring this one up for a long time, since it seems
like an added luxury, and everyone is so busy...

If I have misunderstood, set me straight - smile -

Val ;-)