Image Processing Plug-ins
The Image Processing Plug-in Interface is a
standard programming interface that allow external code to perform
image processing operations on displayed images. An Image
Processing Plug-in receive image data from Mira , does something
with the data, and then returns it to Mira. The plug-in might
perform some simple or elaborate mathematical operation on the
image data, change entries in the image header, make measurements,
or list information derived from the image. Mira knows nothing
about what happens inside the plug-in code.
The Image Processing Plug-in Interface is built
into the basic Mira application. If you have a plug-in module
written to the Mira standard, then to use it, all you need do is to
copy it into the [MIRA]\Plugins\Process\ folder and run Mira.
How an Image Processing Plug-in Works
The Image Processing Plug-in is a DLL (Dynamic Link
Library) module that resides in the [MIRA]\Plugins\Process\ folder.
When MIRA starts, it searches this folder for suitable plug-ins and
loads the code from those it finds. A valid plug-in specifies the
caption for a menu item that will be used to call the plug-in. This
is all transparent to the Mira user, since the plug-in appears in
the User Interface as just another command. When the user clicks on
the plug-in menu item, Mira passes to the plug-in the
Image Set data for the active
Image Window. In addition to doing something to the
image or header data, the plug-in may open its own dialogs, use the
Windows registry, or perform other operations as needed.
The following items are passed from Mira to the
plug-in:
-
Pixel data and header data for each member of
the Image Set.
-
The center coordinates of the
Image Cursor.
-
The effective rectangle outline of the Image
Cursor.
When the plug-in has finished its work, it returns
the pixel data and the header data. Mira automatically handles
undo and re-display of the image data returned by the
plug-in.
Acquiring Image Processing Plug-ins
An Image Processing Plug-in may be obtained from
the author of the plug-in. Or, if you write software for the
Windows platform, you may wish to write one yourself. The plug-in
is a DLL module that is easily written using Microsoft Visual C++.
The programmer must develop a module known as a Regular DLL using
the shared MFC DLL model. Mirametrics offers a simple software
development kit that includes the wrapper code and a sample plug-in
to help the programmer develop a plug-in.
Mirametrics created the Image Processing Plug-in
Interface as an open standard. Mirametrics, Inc. makes no
warranties whatsoever that any given 3rd party authored plug-in
will work with Mira or that Mira will operate without interruption
when using it.
Related Topics
Processing Images
Mira Pro x64 User's Guide, Copyright Ⓒ 2023 Mirametrics, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.
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