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B1013 - How do I change which external file will be shown through a variable?

by - Joseph Ganci

I'd like to display pictures which will only be specified at run time by, say, reading their file names from a data file.  I realize this can be done using QuickTime by changing the filename property of the display icon. But this appears to be similar to cracking a nut with a sledge hammer. Since I'm only referring to jpg graphics and not to movies, isn't there a simpler  alternative that would not require the user to have QuickTime on his system?

I found that I could simply import a graphic, say p1.jpg, into a standard display icon and check the "linked" box.  Then, if I want to display mygraphic.jpg at runtime, I can copy it or rename it to p1.jpg.  This works fine if the dimensions of mygraphic.jpg are approximately the same as those of p1.jpg.  But if the width-to-height ratio is different, then this scheme  would cause mygraphic.jpg to be scaled to fit into the size of p1.jpg causing the graphic to be deformed. Would anyone know of an alternative?

You're on the right track. Here's the crucial fact you may have missed. After you've imported the linked graphic (whichever one you've done first), double-click the display icon, then double-click the graphic itself. Choose the Layout tab, then choose "As Is" in the Display field. That will keep the graphics their correct size. Be sure to set the Update Displayed Variables option in the Display icon's properties as well (but I suspect you already have).

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