VPIC ver 6.1 REFERENCE CARD

© Copyright 1990 - 1993 by Bob Montgomery, All Rights Reserved. [CIS 73357,3140]

VPIC is a fast, easy to use file viewer/converter for EGA, VGA and SuperVGA display adapters. It supports most SuperVGA chips, including 8514A, Acumos, Ahead (A & B chip), ATI, Chips & Technology, Cirrus, Everex, Genoa, Headland (Video 7), NCR, Oak, Paradise, Primus, QVision, Realtek, S3, Trident (8800 BR & CS and 8900), Tseng (ET3000 & ET4000 chip), Western Digital, and Zymos in all VGA, EGA, and hi-color graphics modes. If your board supports the VESA standard, it is autodetected and used. It is configurable for your display card using a plain text configuration file and the accompanying CONFIG and CVPIC configuration programs. It includes a comprehensive DOC file. VPIC now does color reduction for 15 thru 32 bits/pixel files to 16 or 256 colors, and will optionally resize the picture to the screen; supports most hi-color modes (15 - 24 bits/pixel) too.

File Formats Supported: VPIC will display ,and convert to, the following graphics file formats:

BIF Binary Image Format B&W Image Capture board files (display only).

BMP Microsoft Windows/OS2 1 - 24 bits/pixel, uncompressed and compressed (change RLE to BMP extension). Save is W.

GIF (GIF87a and GIF89a) viewing, normal and interlaced (Fractint FRA viewing too).

GIF (GIF87a) saves in normal (G), interlaced (I), inverted (U), mirrored (M), rotated CW (>) or CCW (<) 90o.

LBM Deluxe Paint VGA format, regular and enhanced (IFF Electronic Arts files too). Save command is D.

MAC file (display only).	HRZ Amatuer Radio Slow Scan TV files (display only).

PIC Pictor/PC Paint and ViewPoint (ViewSonic) files. Save command is P.

PCX ZSoft 1 - 24 bits/pixel. Save command is Z.

CUT Dr Halo machine independent format with a palette file. Save command is C.

SCx file formats for Colorix and EGA Paint. Save command is R.

TGA Targa 8 -32 bits/pixel normal and compressed file formats. Save is T.

TIF Aldus/Microsoft 1 - 24 bits/pixel files except FAX and multi-plane formats. Save is S.

Modes: VPIC has 3 modes of operation from the DOS command line; Menu: vpic [path\][filespec] [options], Single File:

vpic [path\]filename[.ext] [options], and Slideshow: vpic /@[path\]slidefile. The entries inside [ ] are optional, and:

path specifies a drive/directory for the Menu, Single File, or Slideshow.

filename[.ext] specifies a Single File to show (GIF ext assumed). filespec is a DOS filespec such as c*.pcx for the Menu.

slidefile is an ASCII command file for the Slideshow. The pictures are shown in the order listed, and you can spec a delay, resolution, and animation for each picture. Spacebar pauses the Slideshow, and ESC ends it.

Options: The following options apply to Menu and Single File mode except where noted, and need a space between multiple options.

/a specifies auto resolution select.	/b specifies beep after decoding each file.	/? shows command line help.

/d saves files to default directory.	/e specifies 16 color (EGA) mode.	/g turns on auto resizing to fit the screen.

/h lists hidden files in the Menu; great for files you don't want to come up in menu normally such as R or X rated.

/l specifies to not change the video mode for a Single File; great for multi image screens called from an application with /r.

/mN specifies locking mode N for Menu or Single File; mode is defined in the config file.

/o tells VPIC not to check for EGA/VGA; use configuration info.	/p Doesn't swap background colors for GIFs.

/r specifies return to the calling application after showing a Single File without changing the screen.

/w specifies to wait for a keypress between images (in a multi-image GIF file only).

/xN & /yN specify a left & top margin (in pixels) for the picture.	/v tells VPIC to ignore VESA info teh video card returns.

/z inhibits printing the picture filename when it is displayed for Menu or Single File.

Fast, easy menu system with mouse support and the following features: (Left click mouse on commands or resolutions)

Handles up to 2000 files using mouse or keyboard. Menu updated automatically. Picture decoding aborted with ESC.

Cursor moved with arrow keys, PgUp/PgDn keys, or starting letter/number of filenames.

Files are Marked/Unmarked for viewing with the Spacebar or right mouse button.

Enter shows marked files in the order they were marked, or file at cursor.	Alt_Enter shows previous marked file.

F1 displays built in help/menu.	F2 does a slideshow of marked files in the order they were marked.

F3 shows size and colors of picture at cursor.	F4 selects between 256 and 16 color modes.

F5/F6 decrease/increase default resolution.	Alt F6 list all the 16, 256, and hi-color modes VPIC thinks you have.

F7 selects Normal/Lock/Auto resolution.	Alt F7 prompts for the hi-color mode to use.

F8 waits for a keypress between images in multi-image GIF's.

F9 prompts for new path and filespec.	Alt F9 presents a directory tree.	F10 shows current directory.

Alt C copies marked file(s).	Alt M moves marked file(s).	Alt X deletes marked file(s) (with users permission) ESC aborts.

Alt D prompts for new slide delay in seconds.	Alt T marks (tags) and Alt_U unmarks all files in menu.

Alt L prompts for new x & y pic margins.	Alt Z toggles filename display on/off.	Alt G toggles auto resizing on/off.

Alt R renames the file at the cursor; uses the old extension if one is not given.	Alt S makes slidefile of marked files.

Commands while viewing a picture: (mouse buttons: left=Enter, right=ESC while decoding)

A Animates the picture by rotating the palette; Up/Dn & PgUp/PgDn increase/decrease rate. Spacebar pauses, Enter holds.

B converts screen image to gray shades.	E expands a compressed Targa file to disk.

F prompts for another file, and the x,y offset; allows you to make composite pictures. Works best with /m, /x, and /y.

F1-F10 are adjustments for red, green, blue, brightness, and contrast for VGA viewing. Alt F10 restores original palette.

Up/Down arrows and PgUp/PgDn scroll picture vertically if bigger than screen (with enough display memory). VPIC does not	scroll	sideways; see VPIC.DOC section on `How VPIC Works'.	Tab auto resizes the picture to fit the screen.

Alt_F momentarily displays filename while viewing.	/ or ? displays built in help/menu.

Alt_X deletes the current file (with users permission; ESC or N aborts).	V inverts video.

For marked files: Enter views next, Alt_Enter view previous, ESC quits to menu, Alt_U unmarks all files in menu.

C, D, G, I, M, P, R, S, T, U, W, Z, <, > are file conversion/manipulation commands; see VPIC.DOC.

Configuring VPIC: Unless your video board t supports VESA 1.2 correctly, you will have to configure VPIC. To configure VPIC from a menu simply enter CONFIG from DOS with CONFIG, VPIC, CVPIC and all the configuration files (.cfg extension) in the current directory. Then select the desired config file using the arrow keys and press Enter; ESC aborts CONFIG. VPIC can be configured manually by entering cvpic configfile from DOS. The WHICHVGA program tries to identify your VGA chip; see CONFIG.DOC.

VPIC is continually being improved, and new features are added all the time. Check it out. Single user registration for VPIC is only $30 ($35 foreign), and a 10 computer site license is $130 ($135 foreign), which includes an update to the latest version, a 10 page manual, and about 1M of very good GIF pictures. VPIC 5.x (or below) registered users may upgrade for $15 ($20 foreign). VPIC 6.x registered user, can get updates from me for $5 ($10 foreign) to cover shipping and handling. Please specify disk type; 1.2M 5.25" or 1.44M 3.5" (we don't ship low density), and EGA, VGA, or SuperVGA (640x480x256, etc) pictures. For foreign orders, please pay by International, American Express, or US Postal Money Order, check drawn on a US Bank, credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express), or cash, since the banks charge up to $60 total collection fees for foreign checks and $8 for direct wire transfers. For credit card orders, we need the card number, expiration date, and an authorizing signature.

VPIC Inc. (Bob Montgomery)

P.O. Box 162857

Altamonte Springs, FL 32716-2857

(407) 869-5233 (407) 869-8622

VPIC 6.1

Dear VPIC User,

This note is to let you know that VPIC is alive and well, and to announce the new VPIC 6.1, which is a major revision that adds lots of nifty new features to you favorite viewer program. On the other side of this letter is a reprint of the VPIC 6.1 quick reference sheet, with the new features double underlined so you can identify them easier. Among the new features which were added since VPIC 5.1e (the last of the old VPIC) are:

1.	Directory Tree, which makes changing directories a snap; you press Alt F9, or click the mouse on DIR, and VPIC presents a 4 column folded alphabetically sorted directory tree on the menu screen with indented subdirectory levels. Then you simply cursor over to (or click the mouse on) the directory you want, and the viewable files instantly appear in the menu. To make this even faster, the first time you run VPIC and request a directory tree, VPIC scans the current drive and saves the data to a file. The next time you request a directory tree, VPIC simply reads the file and the directory tree appears almost instantly. The file ($$drivex where x is the drive letter) is saved in the same directory where VPIC is located, so VPIC can be run from anywhere (if it is in your path) and the drive files can be found. The other drives are listed on line 2 of the directory tree, and you can press the drive letter, or click with the mouse, to get a directory tree of that drive. You also have the option to rescan the drive if you have changed your directory structure.

2.	Color Reduction, which allows you to view hi color BMP, PCX, TGA, and TIF files in 256 colors with good color rendition, and to color reduce hi color or 256 color picture to 16 colors.

3.	VESA 1.2 support, so all modes (including hi-color) are automatically detected if your display board supports the VESA 1.2 standard correctly. To accomodate boards that don't return correct VESA info (older Orchid Fahrenheit 1280 and Diamond Stealth), a generic VESA.CFG config file is supplied for you to configure with, and then you do vpic /v to make VPIC ignore the incorrect BIOS VESA info.

4.	File management capabilities.

a.	Rename the file at the cursor

b.	Block copy, move, and delete of tagged files.

5	Two new file formats (for VPIC)

a.	Aldus/Microsoft TIFF (including LZW) support for all but FAX and multiplanes formats.

b.	Amatuer Radio Slow Scan TV HRZ (16 bit) file support.

6.	Hi color viewing/conversion and menu support for hi color files (BMP, PCX, TGA, and TIF). If your video card will do hi color, VPIC will show the file in hi color, and if it won't, VPIC will color reduce and show the picture in 16 or 256 colors (your choice); also color reduces 256 color files for showing in 16 color modes. For the hi color files saves, VPIC prompts if you want a hi color file.

7.	Hi color options:

a.	Means of reporting what video modes VPIC thinks you have (Alt F6).

b.	Means of telling VPIC which hi-color mode (32K, 64K, or 16.7M) to use for hi color files (Alt F7).

8.	Means of inhibiting the shareware message (for registered users only) when VPIC ends.

9.	Optional resizing of the picture to fit the screen (/g from DOS command line, Alt G from menu, Tab while viewing a picture). This means you can now view those 3000x3000 pixel files used for desktop publishing, and convert them to a "screen sized" file.

Other features in the works are:

Extended and Expanded memory support.

Cutting a portion of the screen to a new file.

JPEG support.

Since you are a registered user of VPIC 5.1e or lower, you are elligible to upgrade to VPIC 6.1 for the difference in registration fee of $15 ($20 foreign), which includes the latest VPIC, shipping and handling, a 10 page printed manual, and about 1M of very good GIF pictures.

Cut along dotted line

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VPIC 6.1 UPGRADE FORM

Yes, I would like to upgrade to VPIC 6.1. The version of VPIC I am now using is __________________.

The high density disk format I would like is (check one) ______ 5.25" 1.2M _______ 3.5" 1.44M

My present video board is _______________________________ using the _________________________ SuperVGA chip.

Name:	___________________________________________________________________________________

Address:	___________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, ZIP:	___________________________________________________________________________________

Phone:	___________________________________________________________________________________

Comments: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please enclose $15 ($20 foreign) in cash, check, money order or credit card (number, expiration date, signature) and mail completed form to:

VPIC Inc.

P.O. Box 162857

Altamonte Springs, FL 32716-2857