While working on entering and displaying pictures, we ran into a major obstacle. It seems there is no longer any good way to create a PICT from the Clipboard under OS X.

The OS X Clipboard (aka Pasteboard) uses PDF data as its default exchange format. While the OS contains quite a bit of support for converting PICT formated objects into PDF formated objects — for example to display them on the screen — there appears to be no way to convert a PDF object (copied to the clipboard from another application) into a PICT object.

The obvious solution is move ahead and store new pasted picture data as PDF data. Under this scenario, new pictures pasted into picture fields from Helix applications running natively in OS X will be stored in the PDF format. (Pre-existing data can still be stored as PICT and viewed normally in OS X.)

One serious problem with this approach is that we must maintain compatibility with the Classic Client (and RADE) for at least one release. Getting Classic to understand the PDF formated objects is a non-trivial project that would slow us down considerably.

Therefore, our best plan is for the Classic Client to simply ignore Picture field data stored in PDF format.

If we do that, pictures pasted into Picture fields through an OS X Client or Engine will not be visible when the record is viewed in Classic Client or RADE. While we really don't like this idea, it seems to be the best choice, in that it moves us forward technologically and it gets an OS X Engine and Client into your hands faster.

This discussion only affects Picture fields. Document fields, and data pasted into rectangled on templates continue to work fine on all systems.

This survey ran Sept 26 – Oct 16, 2006.

• I've seen something like this in other programs, for example copy a picture from safari and paste into Illustrator - you get a white box that says "Quicktime and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to view this picture." So displaying a text message will at least let the user know there is some data in there even if they cant see it.
• Anything that gets the client into our grubby mitts faster, and allows us to finally ditch our legacy machines is a good thing in our book.
• Do the best you can to get to OSX client, shutting out some functions is no worse than not getting there! We can take more pain, make life easier for yourselves if you can.
• Move to the new technology, it's a new day for Helix, go forward with what's the latest and do the best you can to be compatible, but not at the risk of losing out on performance going forward.
• Getting an OS X app ASAP is the most important thing. My current problem is finding machines that can run Classic.
• Now i know why i have been having problems with PICT files in general in OS X.

• A few people confused Picture fields with Document fields. The last paragraph in the background info above (the one in red!) explicitly stated that Document fields are not affected.
• A few people confused Picture fields with pictures pasted into label rectangles on templates. The last paragraph in the background info above (the one in red!) explicitly stated that items pasted onto templates are not affected.
• Some people commented that having to convert all of their stored pictures into PDFs would be a problem. If you re-read the "known facts" below, you will see that we tried to make it clear that there is no need for any such conversion: stored PICTs are viewable under either OS.

These are the known facts:

• A Classic application can paste PICT data, but not PDF data.
  (The Classic clipboard converts the data to PICT format)
• A Classic application can display PICT data, but not PDF data.
• An OS X application can paste PDF data, but (apparently) not PICT data.
  (The OS X clipboard converts the data to PDF format)
• An OS X application can display PICT and PDF data.

Based on the survey results, the expected scenario is:

• Helix Client OS X will support OS X 10.4 and higher only. Support for OS X 10.3 may be added if it can be done with minimal delay.
• Since RADE remains a Classic application for now, pasting PICTs into label and command rectangles continues to work.
• Classic apps* continue to paste PICT data into Picture fields.
• Classic apps* continue to view PICT data in Picture fields. 
• OS X apps* paste PDF data into Picture fields.
• OS X apps* view both PICT and PDF data in Picture fields.
• Classic apps* are not able to view PDF data pasted into Picture fields by OS X apps*. A field with picture data that can not be displayed contains text indicating that this picture can not be displayed in a Classic app*.

*Note: Since it would be repetitious and distracting to say "Classic Client/RADE" and "OS X Client/Engine" over and over, those references are simply written "Classic apps" and "OS X apps" with the understanding that we are discussing those specific programs.