Code Crunching

Today, while preparing a new layout for business cards, the print shop (I am using Print24.de since a few years) hinted that the data should be prepared using the ICC profile "ISO coated V2.0 ECI". However, they do not offer the ICE profile for download to adjust the color space within Photoshop/Illustrator.

Well, after using Google, I have found the homepage of the European Color Initiative (ECI). In their download section, they offer the download of the profiles for free. On your Window machine, simply unpack the ZIP file, right-click on the ICC files in the Windows Explorer and choose install. Next time you restart Photoshop/Illustrator, you can choose the new, desired printing profiles.

In Europe, if you do not have any other information, use this profile (ISO coated V2.0, also known as Fogra 39L) for your print data. It is the current, common standard used by the print shops.

You should always know your limitations. Today I wanted to save a panorama image I've taken, but Photoshop decided that I had reached the 4GB limit of TIFF files...

The Delphi-Tage (Delphi Days) event in Günzburg, Germany were a success. Finally I had a few minutes to scan through my image stack and select a few for presentation online. Many happy faces - well with the offers available there, no wonder at all...

Next weekend, on June 14th there are the German Delphi Days (www.delphi-tage.de). On this event speakers from Italy (Marco Cantù), CodeGear US (DavidI), CodeGear Germany and Embarcadero are coming, as well as many speakers from the German community.

Let's talk Delphi! Delphi! and Delphi!

And now, just coming in, they allow to sell older releases at prices never seen from CodeGear! BDS 2006 Architect SmallTeam Pack is being sold at 1.309 Euro (instead of 6.652 Euro), Single License for only 714 Euro (instead of 4.152 Euro). And many more products. Many other products like JBuilder 2007, the Turbo line, C++Builder 2006 and Books are for sale. Over 20 different products in over 150 combinations!

Those prices are valid on June 14th only!!! So do not miss them and come and visit the German Delphi Days, it is a once-in-a-life-time saver offer, as long as the products last!!! First come, first serve!

This weekend I went the the 8th Munich Open and took pictures, loads of them!!! In total I had over 3800 JPEG, taking over 16 GB of disk space. While I could run around on Saturday (fights) and zoom in and out, I had to assume the role of a judge on Sunday (kata & forms). Therefore, from Sunday, most pictures where taken from a tripod and an assistant simply pushed the release button every once in a while.

Around 600 of the images are online now, at Flickr. Here a nice slide show ;-)

A great source for interesting light setups

• http://uk.fotopunto.com/articulo-explained-lighting-schemes_60

Lange hat es gedauert, aber wie ein altes Sprichwort so schön sagt: "Gut Ding will Weile haben.". Nach langen Verhandlungen ist es uns endlich gelungen eine eigene Bleibe für unsere Karategruppe zu finden. Als Karate Dôjô Suganuma gehen wir als Abteilung des TSV Maccabi München e.V., dem jüdischen Verein Münchens. Ziel von Maccabi ist es Kinder, Jugendliche und Erwachsene verschiedener Herkünfte einander näher zu bringen und Brücken zwischen den jüdischen Mitgliedern der Gemeinde und nicht-jüdischen Mitgliedern zu schaffen.

Die Karateabteilung fängt mit wenigen Mitgliedern an und wird hoffentlich schnell wachsen, so dass wir uns selbst finanziell gut tragen können.

Hello folks,

finally we will bring a new product on the market, completely developed in Delphi 2007 for Windows. The software will allow you to render HDR images from one or multiple single images.

If you do not know much about HDR imaging, I recommen the wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging

Whom are we looking for? People with real interest in HDR imaging, who have some time to take images with their digital camera (DSLR recommended) and try to compose final HDR images using our software. If you have experience with other HDR software (like Photomatix, Artizen, FDRTools, ...) you probably can help us too ;-)

So, if you are interested in joining the beta, a few spots are still available. Write a short email to beta (at) fasthdr.com, put your name into the email and a short reason why you are interested. If you have samples of previously made HDRs online (like Flickr), include a link, but please, do not put them into the email.

Anyway, another thought. We use a few TMS components in this project. Many people ranted about my TMS posts and how I was making all of it bad - they should have read more properly. I only talked about one specific component, and I know there are many more, and quiet a few of them, I do like too ;-)

FastHDR uses following great TMS Components (among others): TAdvOfficePager, TAdvOfficeCheckBox, TSpinEdit, TAdvRangeSlider, TAdvTrackBar
Also, we use: ImageEn from HiComponents, TNT Components, DC RAW and ImageMagick

If you are interested in (digital) photographie, you might want to check out those sites:

• http://www.photozone.de/ (English, lens reviews, general information about technology)
• http://strobist.blogspot.com/ (English, all about flashes)

There are more, but those two just stand out. I'll add more over time, I'm sure ;)

Barcelona - 004, ursprünglich hochgeladen von dwischnewski

This week one of our customers needed me in Barcelone for a meeting. Having some spare time, I took my trusted camera around Barcelona and made quiet a few photos (about 5 GB in data). This is one of my favourite images of the day, the colours just turned out great. I used my Blue-Gold-Polarizer to accomplish it. I think I have to get the Singh-Ray version of the polarizer, it will look even better as far as I know ;-)

I hope you like it as well.

Jetzt ist das zweite Delphi CodeCamp sehr erfolgreich abgeschlossen und wieder habe ich über die Entwicklung mit Delphi für Windows Vista referiert. Dieses Mal hat das Delphi CodeCamp in Wiesbaden gastiert. Den Tag zuvor habe ich genutzt, um ein paar Fotos zu machen. Dreie dieser sind in meinem Flickralbum Wiesbaden zu sehen.

Unabghängig davon möchte ich das nächste Mal wahrscheinlich ein neues Thema anbieten und würde mich über Anregungen sehr freuen. Also, wenn Sie einen Wunsch haben, dann her damit.   

Yesterday I sent an e-mail to Bruno of TMS Software naming a few of the problems I've found with their AdvToolBar component. Today he wrote back to me stating, that most are fixed already. I'll wait for the next update on their website and let you know of the changes then. Further, I'll add a special page about the TMS components to my blog (coming with the next update of their components), where I keep track of the progress of their components.

I know, I have used harsh words, however, TMS Software - while being shocked - takes them seriously and works to improve their solution. I am excited to see what will come in the feature for use. I am sure, they will improve the form rendering on Vista too, this needs more work.

I am looking forward to see what comes :-)

Well, if you remember the old web site of TMS Software, you will be glad to learn, that they have relaunched their web site. It looks so much better, you must go and visit their site, it is well worth your time.

Go visit them now: http://www.tmssoftware.com/

@Bruno: sorry I did not answer your e-mail yet, but I will this weekend. I know I promised an faster response, but time did not permit at the moment.

My last post about the VCL Ribbon Controls got me some heated feedback, mostly per e-mail, some as comments (not yet published, but I will, rest assured) and pointed out some more facts. About all those I will write here in the comming days some more.

Some wrote about the "waste of money" and asked me whether I had to write it in such strong words. Did I have to? Probably not. Will I change it? No, the word is out now. Am I sorry, just a little. I should have worded it differently, however, it is out now, and I will stand by it.

Will I do some more reviews about both controls. Yes, probably. It was pointed out to me, that the DevExpress controls violate the license as well. However not where, so I guess I have to do some more comparisons to the style guide. Bruno of TMS Software asked me about theirs, and I will answer him today. He, btw was the first to response to me (besides some Skype chats) and he was really friendly about it, though he would have preferred some up-front "warning" or talking about. I admit he has a point there and I'll think about such things in the feature.

The TMS solution has more optional features, that the DevExpress solution has not. I will talk about those as well. I'll also talk about some of the things written before, where TMS has solutions, but forces you as programmer to always watch out for those. It has advantages as well as disadvantages, but for my productivity I rate those disadvantages higher. If this post has some overall effect on the Ribbon Control of TMS, I will be happy to test it for them and I will be happy to blog about that as well.

Further, rest assured that I did not have an easy time writing that last post, but on the other hand I do not understand why so many get so worked up when someone does say what they think, even if it is not a positive mood. I am rather honest than shy. Sorry for hurt hearts.