MacHouse

   Last updated: August 05, 2011

1. Installing and uninstalling Color2Code

Please read the README file that comes with the application.  Or click here to download one.  Click here to download a sample package for Pixel Scan that contains 144 swatch color files.

2. Introduction

What is Color2Code?  Originally, we were going to develop a simple application that would give us immediate access to the hexadecimal code and RGB value of the color the user has selected.

For example, if you use Adobe Fireworks just to get the hexadecimal code of a color you select, you would first create a new document.  Then you could pick a color.  (See Screenshot 2-1.)  So getting the hexadecimal code of a color could take at least two steps.  It would take one or two more steps to get the RGB reprensentation of the selected color.

If you use Color2Code, you will get immediate access to the hexadecimal code, RGB and HSV values of a color you select.  It'll just take one step.  Furthermore, if you have a solid-color image file where you want to check its color, you can just drag and drop a file onto a drop box.  (See Screenshot 2-2.)

Do you have multiple image files to scan for the colors at specific coordinates?  It doesn't matter whether you have 10 or 100 or 1,000 images to scan.  Switch to Pixel Pixel, and you can just drag and drop them all onto the listbox and then click on the Scan button.

3. Preferences

When you first launch any new application, it's always a good idea for you to open Preferences.  Okay, why not?  In order to open Preferences, choose Preferences under Color2Code.  You can also click on a toolbar button that is labeled Preferences.  (See Screenshot 3-1.)  Wait...  If you have already selected a color swatch, the Colors window must be open.  If it is, you probably want to close it by clicking on the Hide button at the bottom of the window (See Screenshot 3-2.) before working on application preferences.  You can also close the Colors window by choosing Hide Colors under Colors.

The first tab is Settings.  And you don't have many settings to work on.  (See Screenshot 3-3.)  Enable Require restart if you want the application to automatically restart itself when you close Preferences window.  By so doing, you can make sure your application is updated with the latest changes you've made in Preferences.

There are several more checkboxes under this tab.  The following list concisely describe them.

• Round out HSV values: By default, Color2Code will return hue, saturation, value (or bright) percentages as precise as possible.  So these percentages may contain a decimal point.  Or enable this checkbox, and Color2Code will round out these values.  Click here to see a possible issue when you round HSV percentages.
  
  
• Don't add # to hex values: By default, Color2Code will reutn the hexadecimal code of a color preceded with the pound sign (#).  Or enable this checkbox, and Color2Code will not add the sign.
  
  
• Change flashing rate: When you choose a color, the selected swatch will flash so that you will know which color has been selected.  By default, it will blink every 0.75 second.  In order to change the flashing rate, enable this checkbox, and the drop-down menu right below will become accessible.  And choose any of the numbers.  (See Screenshot 3-4.)
  
  
• Don't flash swatch pointer: When you choose a swatch, by default, Color2Code will flash the selected color.  Or you can enable the Stop flashing swatch pointer (on the main window) checkbox.  If you enable the Don't flash swatch pointer checkbox, Color2Code will simply enable the former for you when the application first starts up.
  
  
• Don't open Colors: When you choose a color, Color2Code will automatically open Colors (window) if it's not open.  Enable this checkbox if necessary, and Color2Code will not open Colors.  You can let Color2Code open the Colors window by choosing Show Colors under Color.
  
  
• Colors to follow: With this checkbox enabled, Colors will follow the main application window whenever you relocate the latter.

Furthermore, under Settings, find a box that is labeled Default open folder.  Set a default folder by clicking on the Select button if you want.  (See Screenshot 3-5.)  When you choose File > Import to select a file to scan for the color at specific coordinates, Color2Code will point to the folder or volume you set here.  By default, it will point to Desktop the application folder (Users > user > Library > Application Support > Color2Code).  It's a location that is not easily accessible.  But that's one of the regulation that Mac App Store rigorously enforces.  And we don't have a choice.  So if necessary, you may want to set it to Desktop or any other folder that is more easily accessible.  And it will automatically revert to Desktop the application folder.  if Color2Code does not locate the selected default destination when it starts up.

What are Pixel coordinates?  We will explain in detail in a few minutes, but they are the coordinates on a picture where Color2Code will pick a color to return its hexadecimal code, RGB and HSV values.

Next, let's switch to the Export tab.  (See Screenshot 3-6.)  Color2Code allows you to export the color list that you develop.  You can also generate color swatches as image files.  The settings you see under this tab are used to export the color list on Colors and swatch files.  As you will see soon, Colors has four columns: Colors, Hex, RGB, HSV.  By enabling/disabling the top three checkboxes, you can tell Color2Code which column to include in a color list you export.  Note that Color2Code will simply export a blank list if you leave all these three checkboxes disabled. 

As mentioned earlier, Color2Code lets you export color swatches as image files.  Color2Code chooses PNG as its default export format.  Or explore the drop-down menu under the label that says Export format to choose a different graphic format.  (See Screenshot 3-7.)  Note that you may want to avoid selecting SGI here as it's not suitable for solid-color images though you are given as a choice.

By default, swatch dimensions are set to 76 x 36 pixels.  You can change the color swatch size under Export dimensions box.  And you can tell Color2Code where to export the color list and swatch files by selecting a default export folder under Default export folder box.  Again, the default export folder will automatically revert to Desktop the application folder when the application does not locate its path when it first starts up.

The last tab to cover is Pixel Scan.  Pixel Picker Pixel Scan is a feature allowing the user to scan colors at specific coordinates on multiple image files.  And the settings you see under Pixel Scan is devoted to that feature.

Pixel Scan grabs the color at the coordinates you specify under the Pixel coordinate box.  (See Screenshot 3-8.)  By default, x and y coordinates are (0,0), which point to the top-left corner of the image file.  If you have an image file that contains more than 1 color - an image file without a solid color, Pixel Scan may not pick up a precise color at the target coordinates just because the pixel square may not even have a uniform color in the first place.

Furthermore, you can tell Color2Code which column to include when you export the color list with Pixel Scan as well.  The color list will automatically include each file name.  So you will not end up having a blank file even when you leave all three checkboxes under the Export options box disabled.  If necessary, click on the Select button to set your default export destination just for Pixel Scan.  Finally, if you want, enable No duplicates allowed in order to prevent Color2Code from allowing you to import the same files.