A new version of desktop publishing application Ovation Pro has been released by David Pilling. The update to version 2.77z enables the software to work on the Titanium and IGEPv5 platforms, on which screen memory has the red and blue bits swapped (compared with earlier RISC OS systems) in screen memory.
David explains that the only problems he was aware of were when rendering pictures (in irregular or rotated frames) and in fills – presumably both of which involved either home grown or library code, rather than relying on OS facilities. Version 2.77z should fix both.
To match the changed screen memory format, the versions of RISC OS provided on and for the new platforms also introduce new – matching – format sprites, and this new version of Ovation Pro copes with those when it encounters them on other RISC OS systems, by converting them as necessary when it renders them. Users of such systems, therefore, may benefit from upgrading if they are likely to receive files containing new format sprites.
It should be noted the update only covers screen modes with 32 thousand or 16 million colours, and it’s possible that support will be added in future for 64 thousand and four thousand colour modes – though David adds an opinion that desktop publishing work these days is better done in a mode with 16 million colours rather than one with only four thousand.
As well as the latest version of Ovation Pro, the upgrade (direct link to zip file) also brings with it new versions of the Fill and Colour Supplement applets – mini applications written in Ovation’s script language to enhance the functionality of the main application. David says that inclusion of these “is a departure from previous practice” and those users who have these applets installed but turned off will “have to sort that out” – i.e. turn them off again.
David also offers thanks to Chris Johnson – who also recently updated Snapper to cope with the new screen and sprite formats – for his assistance with this version of Ovation Pro.
