Overview
The two main features in this usability release are user-configurable key bindings and channel filters.
Channel Filters
I recently found myself needing to save a jpg (no alpha channel) of a png file that had an alpha/opacity channel -- but wanted white as the background colour instead of black. The channel filters popup allows you to both view the channels you want as well as combine a chosen background colour and burn it in.
You can view the RGBA channels in any combination, or you can choose to view individual channels as intensity maps. The background colour may be set in the channel filters window or in the preferences.
Pressing Blend Background does what you'd expect: combines the image pixel, interpreting alpha as opacity, proportionally with the background colour. The result is written to the RGB channels and alpha is set to full. Undo/Redo (Ctrl-Z / Ctrl-Y) is fully supported.
Key Bindings
Don't like the keys that are bound to the different operations? Want to use the numeric keypad for some shortcuts? This is now possible thanks to the Key Bindings window.
Any operation may be assigned to any key along with optional ctrl-alt-shift modifiers. The bindings are stored per-profile so you can have different shortcut keys in the two supported profiles (basic and main).
Multiple keys may be bound to the same operation. For example, by default the space bar and right arrow keys both map to the Next Image operation. Multiple operations may not be assigned to the same key at this time, although the possibility of a macro system is worth considering as it would be handy for batch operations.
The default keys to access these features are ~ for the channel filters (as well as a toolbar button), and TAB for the keybindings window.
Ctrl-Shift-TAB is not re-assignable. This prevents you getting into trouble if you turn off the menu bar and unassign the TAB key -- you can always get back to the bindings window.
The full list of improvements:
- Ability to set the background to a custom user-specified colour. You can still choose the predefined colours in the preferences window.
- View any combination of RGBA channels.
- View individual RGBA channels as intensity maps.
- Changed the background colour of thumbnail images to be more subtle and in-line with the rest of the viewer.
- Allow resizing of the cheat-sheet. Note that the cheat-sheet (F1) is now auto-generated based on what key bindings are configured.
- Keybinding map stored and serialized per profile. Currently 2 profiles: Main and Basic.
- Shortcut keys displayed in menu-bar taken from key binding assignments.
- Simplification and cleanup of menu-bar items along with separators where it made sense. Reorganization of what operations are available in the File, Edit, and View menus.