Image - Overlay

Declaration

<AMIMAGE ACTIVITY="overlay" MATCHCASE="YES/NO" SUBFOLDERS="YES/NO" KEEPFOLDERSTRUCT="YES/NO" ARCHIVETURNOFF="YES/NO" OVERWRITE="YES/NO" ISNEWER="YES/NO" ONLYIFEXIST="YES/NO" OVERWRITEREADONLY="YES/NO" OVERWRITEHIDDEN="YES/NO" EXCLUDE="text" RE="YES/NO" ISNEWERTHAN="%DateSerial+TimeSerial%" ISOLDERTHAN="%DateSerial+TimeSerial%" ATTRFILTER="+r+a+s+h+c+e" SOURCEIMAGE="text" INSERTTYPE="text (options)" OVERLAYSTRING="text" OVERLAYIMAGE="text" FONT="text (options)" COLOR="text (options)" SIZE="number" FONTSTYLE="text (options)" OVERLAYPOSITION="text (options)" TOP="number" LEFT="number" DATASET="text" DESTINATIONIMAGE="text" />

Related Topics

Description

Superimposes one or more graphic or text elements over an image. The resulting copy contains both the overlay elements and the original image.

Practical usage

Commonly be used to overlay an image for different situations, such as to display captions, convey information, or to blend two images to produce visual attractiveness or appeal.   

Parameters

General

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Source Text Yes (Empty) SOURCEIMAGE="c:\temp\sourceImage.jpg" The path and file name of the source image to overlay. Supported image formats are JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIF, TIFF, and GIF. This can be a fully qualified path and file name (preferred) or a single file (requires use of the File System - Change folder activity). You can use wildcard characters (for example, * or ?) to specify all files matching a certain mask. You can specify multiple files and file masks by separating each entry with a pipe character (|) (for example, c:\temp\*.txt|c:\backup\*.bak). See File Masks & Wildcards for more details.
Destination Text Yes Empty DESTINATIONIMAGE="c:\temp\DestImage.jpg" The path and file name of the destination image. This allows you to save your file under a new path, name and/or type to avoid overwriting the source (original) file. To overwrite the source file, enter its original path and file name.
NOTE: If performing an overwrite, make sure to set the Overwrite if exists parameter to YES (enabled) in the File Options properties. This will allow matching files found in the destination folder to be overwritten.
Type Text (options) Yes Image
  • INSERTTYPE="image"
  • INSERTTYPE="text"  
 The type of overlay to apply. The available options are:
  • Image (default) - An image overlay will be applied.
  • Text - A text overlay will be applied.
Alignment Text (options) No Bottom right
  • OVERLAYPOSITION="top_left"
  • OVERLAYPOSITION="top_right"
  • OVERLAYPOSITION="center"
  • OVERLAYPOSITION="bottom_left"
  • OVERLAYPOSITION="custom"
 The position of the target image to apply the overlay. The available options are:
  • Top left - The overlay is applied to the top left portion of the image.
  • Top right - The overlay is applied to the top right portion of the image.
  • Center - The overlay is applied to the center of the image.
  • Bottom left - The overlay is applied to the bottom left portion of the image.
  • Bottom right (default) - The overlay is applied to the bottom right portion of the image.
  • Custom - The overlay is applied to the pixel position set in the Position parameter.
Overlay image Text Yes, if the Type parameter is set to Image (Empty) OVERLAYIMAGE="c:\temp\OverlayImageFile.jpg" The path and file name of the overlay image. Supported image formats are JPG, JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIF, TIFF, and GIF. This parameter is active only if the Type parameter is set to Image.
Position (pixel) Number Yes, if the Alignment parameter is set to Custom 0,0
  • TOP="60"
  • LEFT="100"
 The custom pixel position of the target image or text string to apply the overlay. This parameter becomes active and is required if the Alignment parameter is set to Custom.
Overlay text Text Yes, if the Type parameter is set to Text (Empty) OVERLAYTEXT="textOverlay" The text string to overlay. This parameter is active only if the Type parameter is set to Text.
Font Text (options) Yes, if the Type parameter is set to Text Segoe UI FONT="Times New Roman" The font typeface to overlay. The available list box allows selection from a predefined list of fonts. The default value is Segoe UI. This parameter is active only if the Type parameter is set to Text.
Size Number Yes, if the Type parameter is set to Text 11 SIZE="10" The size of the font to overlay. The default value is 11. This parameter is active only if the Type parameter is set to Text.
Color type Text (options) Yes, if the Type parameter is set to Text Black COLOR="Blue" The color of the text to overlay. The default value is Black. The available list box allows selection from a predefined list of colors. This parameter is active only if the Type parameter is set to Text.
Font style Text (options) Yes, if the Type parameter set to Text Regular
  • FONTSTYLE="regular"
  • FONTSTYLE="bold"
  • FONTSTYLE="italic"
  • FONTSTYLE="underline"
  • FONTSTYLE="strike_out"
 The font style or effect to apply. The available options are:
  • Regular (default) - No style will be applied.
  • Bold - The text overlay will be bold.
  • Italic - The text overlay will be italicized.
  • Underline - The text overlay will be underlined.
  • Strike out - The text overlay will include a horizontal line through it.

Advanced

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Create and populate dataset Text No (Empty) DATASET="datasetName" The name of a dataset to create and populate with information about this activity's results. For more details, see Datasets below.

File Options

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Exclude mask Text No (Empty)
  • EXCLUDE="*.txt"
  • EXCLUDE="*.txt|*.bak
  • EXCLUDE="c:\foldename"
 Causes this action to omit files matching the masks specified. File names or wildcard masks may be used. Multiple entries may be specified by separating them with a pipe (|) symbol (for example, *.txt|*.bak).
Regular expression Yes/No No No RE="YES" Specifies whether the Exclude mask parameter is a regular expression. If disabled (default), the Exclude mask parameter contains literal text.
Only if newer than Date No (Empty) ISNEWERTHAN="%DateSerial(2001,10,12) + TimeSerial(00,00,00)%" If enabled, causes this action to only act on files that are newer than the date/time specified. If this parameter is left blank or disabled (default), file 'newer than' dates are ignored. Click the Custom button to select from a list of pre-defined date parameters. Enable the Expression option to allow entry of a date/time expression.
Only if older than Date No (Empty) ISOLDERTHAN="%DateSerial(2001,10,12) + TimeSerial(00,00,00)%" If enabled, causes this action to only act on files that are older than the date/time specified. If this parameter is left blank or disabled (default), file 'older than' dates are ignored. Click the Custom button to select from a list of pre-defined date parameters. Enable the Expression option to allow entry of a date/time expression.
Overwrite if exists Yes/No No No OVERWRITE="YES" If selected, indicates that, if files with matching names already exists in the destination, they will be overwritten. If disabled (default), files with matching names will not be overwritten, however, an error will occur during runtime stating a file with the same name already exists.
Only if newer Yes/No No No ISNEWER="YES" If selected, indicates that, if files with matching names already exists in the destination, only source files that are newer will overwrite existing files. If disabled (default), all matching files found in the destination folder will be overwritten regardless of their date properties. This parameter is active only if the Overwrite if Exists parameter is selected.
Only if exists in destination Yes/No No No ONLYIFEXIST="YES" If selected, only files that already exist in the destination will be copied from the source. All other files, regardless of whether they match the mask or other parameter settings will be bypassed. This parameter is disabled by default and becomes active only if the Overwrite if Exist parameter is selected.
Overwrite read-only files Yes/No No No OVERWRITEREADONLY="YES" If selected, matching files found in the destination folder will be overwritten even if they are marked with the read-only attribute. If disabled (default), read-only files are not overwritten. This parameter is active only if the Overwrite if Exist parameter is selected.
Overwrite hidden files Yes/No No No OVERWRITEHIDDEN="YES" If selected, matching files found in the destination folder will be overwritten even if they are marked with the hidden attribute. If disabled (default), hidden files are not overwritten. This parameter is active only if the Overwrite if Exist parameter is selected.
Include subfolders Yes/No No No SUBFOLDERS="YES" If selected, denotes that, if present, subfolders should be searched for files matching the mask specified in the Source parameter. If disabled (default), subfolders are ignored. Only files that exist in the root of the source folder will be searched.
Preserve folder structure Yes/No No No KEEPFOLDERSTRUCT="NO" If selected, subfolders found in the source folder will be created in the destination folder and source files will be copied into their respective folders. If disabled (default), subfolders will not be created in the destination. Instead, source files that exist in these subfolders will be copied into the root of the destination folder. This parameter is active only if the Include subfolders parameter is selected.
Turn archive attribute off Yes/No No No ARCHIVETURNOFF="YES" If selected, specifies that the archive attribute of the source files should be switched OFF. The Windows archive attribute is generally used to track whether a file has been backed-up. Turning the source file's archive attribute off indicates to many backup programs that the file has already been backed-up. This parameter is disabled by default.
Match case Yes/No No No MATCHCASE="YES" If selected (default), the activity becomes case sensitive. If disabled, the activity becomes case insensitive, whereas, it does not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase characters.

File Attributes

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Attributes Text (Options) No (Empty)
  • ATTRFILTER="+R+A-H" (read-only & archive files will be affected but not hidden files)
  • ATTRFILTER="-S+H+E" (hidden and encrypted files will be affected but not system files)
 Instructs the activity to filter which files it should act on based on whether the file's original attribute settings match the attribute settings specified in this parameter. For example, if the Read-only attribute is set to Off (in visual mode) or "-R" (in AML mode) , only source files with the Read-only attribute turned off will be affected. Source files with Read-only turned on will be ignored. In visual mode, a group of controls are provided to assist in the selection of attribute settings. In AML mode, a single text item must be entered that contains the original attribute mask of the files you wish to affect. Available Options are:
  • R—Read-only - Specifying On or "+R" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-R" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

  • A—Archive - Specifying On or "+A" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-A" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

  • S—System - Specifying On or "+S" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-S" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

  • H—Hidden - Specifying On or "+H" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-H" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

  • C—Compression - Specifying On or "+C" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-C" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

  • E-Encrypted - Specifying On or "+E" causes files with this attribute turned on to be included. Specifying Off or "-E" causes files with this attribute turned off to be included. Specifying Doesn't matter or excluding the letter (default) causes this attribute to be ignored.

Description

Error Causes

On Error

Additional notes

Datasets

A dataset is a multiple column, multiple row container object. This activity creates and populates a dataset with the following fields (rows):

Name Type Return Value
theDataset.Destination Text The path and file name of the output file.
theDataset.Message Number If theDataset.Result returns 1, this field returns a description of the error that occurred. If theDataset.Result returns 0, this field is left blank.
theDataset.Result Number The runtime result of this activity. If 0 is returned, this activity ran successfully. If 1 is returned, this activity failed with an error.
theDataset.Source Text The path and file name of the source (original) file.

Example

NOTE:
  • Copy and paste the sample AML code below directly into the Task Builder Steps Panel.
  • To successfully run the sample code, update parameters containing user credentials, files, file paths, or other information specific to the task to match your environment.

Description

This sample task overlays an image on another image and then saves the file.

Copy 
<AMIMAGE ACTIVITY="overlay" MATCHCASE="YES" OVERWRITE="YES" ISNEWER="YES" SOURCEIMAGE="C:\temp2\am_128.bmp" OVERLAYIMAGE="C:\temp2\am_127.bmp" DATASET="theDataset" DESTINATIONIMAGE="C:\temp2\am_128.bmp" />