Banner Image
When a Banner Image parameter is selected in the parameters list, the following user interface is displayed:
The Graphic (normal) popup menu lets you select one of the picture files that are currently embedded in the FxPack. The picture will be displayed inside the parameter inspector UI of all supported hosts, and as such it is recommended that it is no wider than 150 pixels. It is recommended that you supply a graphic that is exclusively black, and enable the Invert over dark background option below to tell FxFactory that it should dynamically alter the appearance of the graphic based on context.
The Graphic (clicked) popup lets you select a secondary image that will be displayed when the user click on your banner. If a secondary image is not specified, the default behavior is to darken the primary graphic in response to a user click. For best results, the secondary image should have the same size as the primary image.
The Alignment popup menu lets you control how the graphic will be aligned inside the parameter inspector when the user resizes it.
The Invert over dark background option tells FxFactory that the primary and secondary images should be inverted if the banner image is to be displayed over a dark background in the host UI. After Effects allows the brightness of its UI to be chosen by the user. By selecting this option you can ensure that your graphics are always legible when drawn inside the host UI, even if the user has chosen a dark background.
The When banner is clicked option lets you decide what action is taken when the user clicks the banner. Choose:
- Do nothing if you would like the banner not to respond to user-clicks.
- Go to product info URL if you would like to point the user to the product URL web page. A single product URL is specified for the entire FxPack. The URL entered below is the same as the one in the FxPack’s Compatibility options.
- Go to custom URL to enter a specific URL that will be opened when the user clicks the banner.
- Open help book page to specify a Help Book title and Anchor that will be opened using the Help Viewer application when the banner is clicked.
- Open embedded help file to select one of the files embedded in the FxPack, so that the file will be opened when the banner image is clicked. This option is especially useful for providing easy access to a plug-in's user manual directly from the parameter inspector. The popup menu is populated with the names of all suitable files imported in the FxPack by clicking the “+” button (next to the popup menu) or by using the Assets window.
- Open application if you would like a separate executable to be launched in response to the click. Applications can be defined by their name, full path or simply by their bundle identifier. The recommended method is to use the bundle identifier, e.g. “com.apple.Mail” to launch Apple’s mail program.
The Add button to perform same action is new in FxFactory 7.0.4, and it causes a second button to be added to the right of the graphic. The title of the button is “Help” by default. It is customizable by entering a new title in the Button name text field below. The space give to this button in the UI is not dynamically adjusted, so it is recommended that you choose a title that fits within the limited space (e.g. “Info” or “Visit”).