Saving a Region

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Regions can be saved inside TIFF files. Whenever you save a bitmap containing a region as a TIFF file format, the region is also saved.

When you save a bitmap with a region as a CUR or ICO file, the pixels inside the region are considered to belong to the icon/cursor data. The pixels outside the region are considered transparent. If you save a bitmap without a region as a CUR or ICO file, the whole bitmap will be considered icon/cursor data. In this case, you will get a square icon or cursor.

NOTE: To save a region inside a TIFF file, you must have an unlocked Vector, Document, or Medical Imaging license.

If you save a bitmap with a region as any other file format, the region will be lost. If you want to preserve the region, you can:

Save it to a 1-bit mask using the L_CreateMaskFromBitmapRgn function and save the mask as a separate file. When you load the bitmap, you should load the mask bitmap and set the region using the L_SetBitmapRgnFromMask function.
Save it to the alpha information in a 16/32-bit image. You would convert the region to a 1-bit mask using the L_CreateMaskFromBitmapRgn function, after which you would set the mask to the alpha channel using the L_SetBitmapAlpha function. During load, you would get the alpha bitmap with the L_GetBitmapAlpha function, convert it to 1-bit if necessary and then set the region with the L_SetBitmapRgnFromMask function. To determine whether the bitmap has meaningful alpha channel data, call L_BitmapHasMeaningfulAlpha.

Regions are not supported on Windows CE.