32bit Insignia released for free | Drobe.co.uk archives

32bit Insignia released for free

Published: 9th Jan 2007, 22:36:54 | Permalink | Printable

Graphics package now freeware [Updated]

Much fun to be had with Insignia

Graphics app Insignia is now compatible with 32bit ARM processors and available for free online. The previously commercial package was re-released as freeware by RISC OS dealer a4com with the blessing of developer John Whitington. The application was originally published by Cerilica.

The software allows users to produce graphics out of text: fonts can be selected and warped appropriately, drop shadows and textures added, lens flares placed, and many other effects can be applied - although the trick is not to over do it. Version 1.50 includes support for manipulating drawfiles as well as text, new 'after effects', GIF export, and a German translation by a4com.

Iyonix users are warned that the software may crash on RISC OS 5, and a work-around in the program's !Help is offered. Buys and problems should be reported to Detlef at A4.

Update at 22:35 10/01/07
We've learnt that the download was removed by a4com within hours of this story going live in order to allow the German dealer to resolve one or two legal issues. The software is expected to return online by the end of the week. One source told us: "I would put money on Insignia being renamed back to its original name of TextFX, as first thought up by John before he took the software to Cerilica."

Update at 20:46 13/01/07
The software is now back online albeit under a new name, TextEffX, as predicted.

Links

Download page including Insignia Some example images from Insignia

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Discussion

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It is getting late - but I couldn't resist downloading. No problems with download, install, running it. Thanks!

JohnR on 9/1/07 11:39PM
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It's working fine for me. What a lovely program. I can see that I'm going to have great fun with it. Many thanks a4com and John Whitington.

martin on 10/1/07 7:17AM
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Thanks to a4 computer (aka a4com) for their good work, especially for all the translations and the good support of us poor German users so far off UK.

Good news that this worthwhile app is not simply ditched but re-published in 26/32 bit and it being free is even better.

hzn on 10/1/07 9:03AM
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Excellent stuff.

moss on 10/1/07 10:52AM
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Marvellous news. Insignia was one of my favourite programs when the RiscPC was my main computer, and I've never found it to work anywhere near as well under Aemulor.

I'd given up hope of seeing a 32 bit version following the demise of Cerilica, so this is very welcome news.

cables on 10/1/07 12:04PM
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Unless I'm blind, it is not longer there

I'm pretty sure I saw it listed yesterday on their pd/freeware download list. Can anyone confirm that?

arawnsley on 10/1/07 3:34PM
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arawnsley:No, I can't find it either.

Does anyone know of any screenshots/examples of what you can do with Insignia?

adamr on 10/1/07 4:12PM
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arawnsley: I also can't see it on the download list linked to

andypoole on 10/1/07 4:56PM
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Yeah - I agree, seems to be missing from download page

mrmac on 10/1/07 5:29PM
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You're right - gone before I had a chance to download it.

cables on 10/1/07 7:32PM
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Can't see it.

AW on 10/1/07 7:33PM
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Chaps - as someone who grabbed it at around 6am this morning I can confirm that you are right : it was on the download page with a red flash next to it saying "new" and now it is not.

martin on 10/1/07 9:42PM
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me an all!

DaveW on 10/1/07 10:52PM
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I went to buy this program from Cerilica at a show several years ago but then decided to wait for the 32-bit version. Imagine my pleasurable surprise then when it appeared as not only 26/32-bit neutral but free as well.

Imagine my frustration that I didn't get there in time; I do hope it reappears!

TonyStill on 10/1/07 10:55PM
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I managed to download at 0630. There was also a comment about a manual for Insignia 'coming soon' but that has now gone as well :-(

jlavallin on 10/1/07 11:17PM
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hmm - copyright issues?

epistaxsis on 11/1/07 12:11AM
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And it's back up - look for "TextEffX 32 Bit - Graphical Text Manipulation" near the bottom of the downloads page.

barti on 12/1/07 3:29PM
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test

pv on 12/1/07 6:04PM
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If anyone is interested, I've fixed the font problem so that it now works correctly on the Iyonix and lets you change fonts ok from the menu. There doesn't appear to be any contact info in the !Help file though, otherwise I'd report back.

pv on 12/1/07 6:06PM
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I'm interested in the fix. That's fast work Paul - well done!

JohnB on 12/1/07 9:28PM
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Paul, I found a Font_DecodeMenu which had no parameters, and when commented out it seemed to work! Was that what you found? I reported it to the email address on the contacts page for a4com. Also the Iyonix scripts did not work for me unless I changed the first line to TextEffX (note the case!)

MartinA on 12/1/07 10:09PM
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I don't seem to be able to find the manual on the download page. Can anyone help?

charles on 12/1/07 10:46PM
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pv

upload please & a link?

epistaxsis on 13/1/07 4:26AM
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So when will Vantage be open sourced? that program (with the right people) could be amazing ;-)

A big thankyou to a4com for the free release of TextEffX... It's good to see a usefull program making the rounds again

leeshep on 13/1/07 3:37PM
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leeshep:

Do we need new versions of Vantage when we have an actively developed ArtWorks? It's a genuine question. Although I have a copy of Vantage, I've never really played with it enough to realize what it can do that ArtWorks can't (if any thing). If Vantage was open sourced, would it see much development and if it did, how would that impact on commercial ArtWorks development?

fylfot on 13/1/07 4:15PM
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In reply to all those not finding Insignia: Please see the "Updated" part in this article - due to legal reasons Detlef had to take the download back but it will re-appear. I had a chat with him about the legal issue and it is one which can be solved.

In reply to drobe/Chris: For such an update perhaps it might help to add a comment mentioning the update since more often than not you read an article once only, but do look into the comments a bit more often.

hzn on 13/1/07 5:04PM
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