Where are the latest Patran 2017 PCL programming manuals and where are the detailed instructions for the gm_write_image function?

Hi Sanjay,

Thanks very much for the quick reply. That information is just what I was looking for. I have many PCL scripts that I have been using successfully with Patran v2014 for post processing. I generate many plot files using PNG format which gives best results. However, I just noticed that when I use Patran v2017 with these same script files I now get PNG image files that are much larger and worst of all they all have yellow background instead of white. When I investigage further I find that Patran v2014 saved them as 8 bit images (256 colors) but the new v2017 Patran instead saves them as 32 bit color. So I need to find which option to change on the gm_write_image command to get back the old behavior. I do not want and do not need 32 bit color saved to the PNG file. Can you please tell me which function argument to change in order to get back to 8 bit color? I do not see that option available. The manual does not say anything about what the “quality” argument does or what integer values should be. I just want to specify color depth for the image which is VERY important for controlling the file size and background color.

Also, I was hoping to find pdf PCL manuals on my PC for Patran v2017. But instead I see that it looks like I have to use internet to see the manuals with F1 keyboard command. This is very very slow for me. It literally takes 20 to 30 seconds for your help website to show up in my browser which is IE v11. So it sounds like if your customers want help then they must be connected to internet and use your website. If I have no internet access or slow internet access, then how do I get to the Patran PCL help? I did finally find all the available PCL manuals for my v2017 patran in pdf format. But nowhere is gm_write_image mentioned in any of those manuals. Instead from your website help search I see that this function is only described in the PCL manual for something called “Acumen”. What is Acumen? I have no idea. Can I get the pdf manuals for Acumen so I can have PCL detailed function descripitons without internet access?

Thanks,
Toby Norris

Toby Norris
Huntsville Design Center
The Boeing Company
256-721-3459 office
602-315-3421 mobile

Hi Sanjay,

Thanks very much for the quick reply. That information is just what I was looking for. I have many PCL scripts that I have been using successfully with Patran v2014 for post processing. I generate many plot files using PNG format which gives best results. However, I just noticed that when I use Patran v2017 with these same script files I now get PNG image files that are much larger and worst of all they all have yellow background instead of white. When I investigage further I find that Patran v2014 saved them as 8 bit images (256 colors) but the new v2017 Patran instead saves them as 32 bit color. So I need to find which option to change on the gm_write_image command to get back the old behavior. I do not want and do not need 32 bit color saved to the PNG file. Can you please tell me which function argument to change in order to get back to 8 bit color? I do not see that option available. The manual does not say anything about what the “quality” argument does or what integer values should be. I just want to specify color depth for the image which is VERY important for controlling the file size and background color.

Also, I was hoping to find pdf PCL manuals on my PC for Patran v2017. But instead I see that it looks like I have to use internet to see the manuals with F1 keyboard command. This is very very slow for me. It literally takes 20 to 30 seconds for your help website to show up in my browser which is IE v11. So it sounds like if your customers want help then they must be connected to internet and use your website. If I have no internet access or slow internet access, then how do I get to the Patran PCL help? I did finally find all the available PCL manuals for my v2017 patran in pdf format. But nowhere is gm_write_image mentioned in any of those manuals. Instead from your website help search I see that this function is only described in the PCL manual for something called “Acumen”. What is Acumen? I have no idea. Can I get the pdf manuals for Acumen so I can have PCL detailed function descripitons without internet access?

Thanks,
Toby Norris

Toby Norris
Huntsville Design Center
The Boeing Company
256-721-3459 office
602-315-3421 mobile