I've been asked for a tutorial on advanced task creation. I hope this isn't too dry for you as it is mostly instructional. Recording a task: 1. Start with an idea for an effect. This is by far the hardest part. However, you can convert many tutorials into tasks that will create quite nice images. When selecting a tutorial or effect to convert into a task, here are a few things to remember: If you are creating a task from someone else's tutorial DO NOT share this task with others unless first getting the permission of the tutorial author. Select effects or tutorials that are mostly made up of commands that are accessible from the menu bar. A tutorial for clip art created mostly of path shapes for instance, would not be a good candidate for a task. ;-) Remember that pi does not record property settings such as merges, so if you want to include different merges in your task, you will have to add a break before with instructions on what merges and other settings to apply. Likewise remember to include breaks for paint or stamp tool settings if you will be using the paint on edges command in your task. Attribute bar settings are not recorded. Tasks do not record settings for outside filters. Remember to include a break giving the settings for the filter even if you are only making the task for yourself. You may want to do the task months later. Unless you have a better memory than I do, take a little more time to include a break. Do not use the easy palette to apply effects. Rather, set them up through the commands available in the menu at the top. Anything you do through the easy palette will not be recorded. If absolutely necessary, you can use settings in the easy palette, but you will have to include a break to tell yourself or the user what to do at that point. One easy way to side step this is have a spare image on which you can apply the effect. Use the preset from the easy palette, and then apply it to your actual image through the menu commands. Any pi filter will retain its settings even if you first applied them through the easy palette.

2. Once you have decided on the effect, and you are reasonably sure it will work for a task, click the create new task button. If you are using versions 5, 6, or 7 click the task manager button instead, (second image to the left) and then new task. A little box will pop up asking you for a name. If you are unsure of what you will be creating, you can name it anything. In task manager, you canrename it later. You can get in the habit of recording a task whenever you decide to play in PhotoImpact. Later you can go back to edit the task to add breaks etc. if the effect is good enough.

Once you have named your task, Click the record button. (The red circle) Go ahead and do the steps in your chosen tutorial or effect. Keep a record of any settings for any third party filters you use while recording your task. Here are some things to keep in mind while recording. Sometimes you may apply an effect you don't want there. You may have applied it mistakenly. In pi 8, you can right click on that step in the task and click delete. This is while you are still recording the task You can also uncheck use preset properties while recording a task. Sometimes you want a step such as the fill command to be customizable. The user will want to use their own colors if the task creates a frame for instance. Just uncheck it after applying the step to the image. .

When you get done with all the steps needed to create your effect, click the black square to stop recording.

Editing the task: 1. Add a break. Now the edit task button is active. (The paper with the pencil) Lower versions will again access this command through task manager. Now you can add the breaks to your tasks as needed. Click edit task, and find the line in the task directly before the place where the break needs to come. Click on that line to highlight it, and then click the break button located in the middle of the box.

Edit the properties of the break. On the lower right of the edit task box is the item information section. The alias is only available when a break is selected. This is what will show when you are doing the task. You can, if you like, rename it to something that gives a clue to what the user should do at this point. To change what the break says, click the properties button under alias. This opens a new box with these words: Break in a task. Click the Play button on the Quick Command Panel toolbar to continue or the Stop button to abort. Highlight the words Break in a task and type your instructions over them. When done, Click ok. Add a break for each step that needs further instructions on settings etc.

Note: You can also do a lot of things right through the edit task box. Any steps that got missed while recording can be added in when you get done. All of the menu commands are available here. You can switch from one section to another by utilizing the drop down arrow by file. When you have activated the correct section, you can browse through all the commands for that section in the box underneath. When you have found the command you want to add, highlight it, and the line above where you want it to go, and press add. If it doesn't get placed in the right place, you can use the up or down buttons in the middle of the box. You can also add to a task through the record section after you are finished recording. Simply press record again, and apply the command you missed, and then press stop.. you can drag the command to the proper place in the task. (I think this is pi 8 only.)

You can modify the properties of a command by highlighting the command in the list on the top right. Click the properties button and edit the settings. You will not be able to edit the properties if the command would be grayed out for the active image. (For instance, you will not be able to modify the border settings if you do not have an open image with a selection preset. Border is only active if you have a selection. Lower versions can edit the settings for a command by clicking the command in the task, outside of the edit task box, and change the settings there. This made it easier to modify settings, but it also could ruin a task so that it needed to be imported again. If it was a task that came with the program, it would require a reinstall to set the properties back to the factory defaults! Therefore, if you are using a lower version do not do this unless it is your own task or you have a back up.

Testing the task: Once done editing the task, it is time to test it. Apply the task to different images to make sure it works as you wanted it to. Make sure that Use preset properties is unchecked for commands that store properties that you want the user to be able to modify. When you are done testing the task yourself, it may be a good idea to get a few other people to test the task for you also, just to make sure you didn't miss anything.

©Deb DeHaven