AWRender 2 - transparency outside ArtWorks!

Thanks to AWViewer and AWRender, ArtWorks files can be viewed by everyone without having to buy a full copy of ArtWorks. Even better, ArtWorks files can be embedded in documents created in other applications, e.g., OvationPro or Impression. This makes the ArtWorks format the best way of sharing high-quality graphics illustrations with other RISC OS users.

Upgrading to AWRender 2 enables all third-party applications with ArtWorks file format support (e.g., Impression, OvationPro, Easi/TechWriter, PhotoDesk, Composition, OHP2, PhotoFiler, the Select Filer) to render ArtWorks files with transparency.

Printing with transparency requires some additional support from the client application or from the OS. So far, client support is only available from Easi/TechWriter 8.6 and OvationPro, so these are the only third-party applications that can print transparent ArtWorks files on all supported versions of RISC OS. RISC OS 6 provides the required support itself, so using AWRender 2.09 or higher on RISC OS 6 all applications can print ArtWorks files with transparency.

Please note that transparency support in AWRender 2 is limited to transparency within the ArtWorks file, it cannot render transparently on top of other graphics drawn by the client application, e.g., in an OvationPro frame with a transparent background on top of other graphics. AWRender 2 can blend transparent objects into the frame background colour if the client application supports it (currently Easi/TechWriter 8.60 and OvationPro 2.77 only). Otherwise, AWRender 2 blends into the page colour as stored in the ArtWorks file.