[1.0.1] The box created by highlight() is not transparent

[Dmitry Nosov]

Sikuli 1.0.1
Java 1.7.25 (x32)
Windows 7, x64

In previous versions of Sikuli, it was possible to outline a Region using the highlight() method. It still works in the new version, but the newly-created box is not transparent. Instead, it contains the last image which presented in the region.

My use-case was to improve the general presentability and highlight areas with changes (loading icons, progress bars), so that it was clear to a user what the system was waiting for. Now it is not possible with highlight(), as the back image is static, and I cannot see whether animation happens or not.

[RaiMan (raimund-hocke)]

confirmed.

This is due to changes in handling transparency in Java 7.
I had to do this to get a Sikuli version that runs on Java 6 and Java 7 as well.

I will revise this again the next time and hope to bring back transparency again latest with version 1.1

Until then highlight will not be useable for such annotation usages.

Workarounds:
- put the annotation highlight in a thread and refresh it from time to time

- an ugly looking hack, but works:
reg = Region(100,100,100,100) # to be highlighted
r1 = Region(reg); r1.w = 3
r2 = Region(reg); r2.h = 3
r3 = Region(reg); r3.y = reg.y + reg.h; r3.h = 3
r4 = Region(reg); r4.x = reg.x + reg.w; r4.w = 3
annotate = (r1, r2, r3, r4)
for e in annotate: e.highlight() # switch on
wait(5)
for e in annotate: e.highlight() # switch off