# Chapter 1

## Introduction
An overview of what the CNS Image plug-in is capable of doing, and how it can help you with your image needs.

### What is CNS Image?

CNS Image can import images into container fields and export images from container fields. What the plug-in can do with images while in FileMaker is where it gets interesting.

Imagine importing a folder of digital photos into FileMaker. There are several tasks you will probably want to apply to your photos. You may want to rotate a photo from landscape to portrait. You may want to crop a photo down to capture the subject of the photo better. You may want to flip or reflect a photo horizontally, vertically, or both. You may want to apply a sepia color tint to the photo to give it that antique look. You may want to sharpen the photo up and adjust the hue or saturation of the photo to make the colors pop out better. You may want to extract a layer from a Photoshop or PDF document. All of these things, and more, can be done using CNS Image, and you do not even have to leave FileMaker to accomplish them.

You can also use CNS Image to download an image from the internet right into a container field. Such a feature can be used to download webcam images, dynamic images of the earth, road maps, and even images to update the look of your solution. Imagine creating a new backdrop, header, or logo that is automatically downloaded when your users open a solution you have created.

CNS Image also gives you the ability to apply a QuickTime filter to an image. QuickTime comes with several built in filters such as Brightness, ColorSync, HSL Balance, RGB Balance, Blur, Edge Detection, Emboss, Sharpen, Color Style, Color Tint, and more. There are also third party filters available on the internet.

What once was impossible, is now a reality, with CNS Image and FileMaker 7.

### A visual guide...

This section consists of several images that serve as visual examples of how the plug-in can be used. The first image on the left of each example is the original image used. Remember, all of these images were created without even leaving FileMaker, and the example database was used to create them.

#### Convert

The Convert function allows you to change the format of an image including the width and height as the images below demonstrate.

#### Crop

Below are three examples of using CNS Image to crop.

#### Filters

You can use CNS Image to apply a filter to an image. The following filters have been applied to the CNS Logo below: Blur, Brighten, Hue, Lightness, RGB (Full Blue), RGB (Full Green), RGB (Full Red), Saturation, Colbalt, Lens Flare, Sepia, Sharpen, Soloarize, Tint (with custom settings), and Xray. Keep in mind that these are just a few examples.

#### Reflect

Below are examples of the Reflect fucntion for horizontal, virtical, and both.

#### Rotate

Below are a few examples of rotating an image.

#### Transform

Below are several examples of using the Transform function on an image. As you can see, you can get some very interesting results.

#### URL

Below are a few examples of images downloaded via a URL. Pictured is the Alamo cam, the SOHO TRACE cam, and the Jesse cam (Jesse and son Samuel) at http://jesse.cnsplug-ins.com