Opacity 1.4 Released

Like Thought has announced Opacity 1.4, a major update to their screen graphics editor. This update adds layer snapshots, support for exporting an image as source code, and several other new features that makes Opacity even better for designers and developers. Opacity Express 1.4 is also available with the core features of Opacity 1.4 at a more affordable price.

Layer Snapshots help make it easy to create different versions of an image. Designers can add layers to an image and use snapshots to store the visibility states of those layers. This allows layers to be shared between snapshots or unique to certain snapshots. A snapshot can then be specified in a factory so that snapshot's layer states will always be used when exporting that factory. Additionally, a factory can be set to export all of the snapshots in the image to create all the different versions at once.

Opacity also now supports exporting an image as source code. This allows developers to build an image and immediately get the code to draw that image dynamically. Quartz, Cocoa, Cocoa Touch, and JavaScript Canvas are supported for creating drawing code for Mac, iPhone, and Web applications. Variables in an image will be automatically translated into variables in the source code as well, making it easy to create powerful and flexible drawing code.


Opacity 1.4 includes many other minor improvements. Text can now be rendered with subpixel antialiasing to improve its appearance at small sizes. In Snow Leopard, Opacity is now available as a 64 bit application. New templates are also available to make it easier to create images. Opacity's full screen mode has been improved with more available functionality. Additionally, Fetch is now supported as an option for automatic image export uploading.

Opacity streamlines the image creation workflow by combining a great vector editor with native support for all the formats needed for screen graphics. Vectors make it easy to draw great looking graphics and easily make images ready for resolution independence. Opacity has traditional graphical features like layers, filters and transforms along with exclusive features including variables, templates, factories and much more. By leveraging the power of Core Animation and Quartz, Opacity combines all of the tools artists need to create beautiful images for icons, applications and the web.

Pricing and Availability:
Opacity and Opacity Express require Mac OS X 10.5.7 or higher and work great with Snow Leopard (10.6). Free trial versions are available for download. A license for Opacity Express costs $39.99 (USD), and a license for Opacity costs $89.99 USD (an Opacity Express license can be upgraded to an Opacity license for $50.00 USD). The 1.4 update is available for free for all existing Opacity and Opacity Express users.




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