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Text File | 1987-09-21 | 23.0 KB | 727 lines

================= C o m p u S h o w ================= CompuServe Graphics System Version 3.0 for the IBM PC/XT/AT/PC-jr (and compatibles) with Hercules Monochrome Graphics Adapter or Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) or Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA) and Graphics Printer Program Operation ================= Execute the program by typing CSHOW (and a <Carriage Return>) at your DOS prompt. (Also see the section on PRINTING for start-up options.) The program will require approximately 192k of available memory. If the program displays an "Insufficient memory" message, you need to make more memory available. (Remove some memory-resident programs, for example.) The program will start by retrieving and sorting a directory of your disk files. The top three lines of the screen show the current date, day, and a running time-of-day clock. The center twenty lines of the screen contain the sorted disk file directory. The directory display "format" depends on the number of files displayed: Up to 40 files: The file name, size, date and time are displayed. The files are listed in two columns. 41 to 80 files: The file name and size are displayed. The files are listed in four columns. 81 to 120+ files: The file name is displayed. The files are listed in six columns. If you have more than 120 files, you may display additional directory screens by pressing PgDn/PgUp while the cursor is in the "input area" (see below.) If you are in the directory display, press ESCape to return the cursor to the input area, first. The bottom line of the screen is used to display "shift-status". The current status of the CAPS Lock, Insert, Num Lock, and Scroll Lock, as well as either shift key, Ctrl, or Alt key is indicated. Selecting a file to display =========================== Method 1: Enter the name of the file ------------------------------------ Above the bottom line is a "prompt" and an input area. You may type the name of any file and press <Carriage Return> to select it. Note that you may use this method to enter the name of a file that is not in the displayed file list. For example, you may want to display a file that is on a different disk or in a different sub-directory. Simply type the full name of the file, specifying the disk drive and sub-directory location, as needed. The input area is actually a twenty character window over a sixty-three character file name. The window will scroll to allow you to enter up to sixty-three characters of file name. When you press <Carriage Return>, the file will be retrieved, or a "beep" will sound if it was not found. Method 2: Selecting from the directory list ------------------------------------------- To select a file from the on-screen list of files, press the "up arrow" cursor key ("8" on the numeric keypad) to move into the directory display. You may then move around the list of files using the cursor arrow keys, PgUp, PgDn, Home, and End. When you find a graphics file that you would like to display, press <Carriage Return>. (If you change your mind, pressing ESCape will return the cursor to the input area without selecting a file.) Remember, to access additional directory screens (if you have more than 120 files), ESCape back to the input area and press PgDn/PgUp. Once a file has been selected ============================= The program will read and examine the file to see if it is a supported graphics file. The "demonstration" version of the program recognizes either CompuServe RLE or GIF graphics formats. The "enhanced" version of the program also recognizes Macintosh MacPaint files. If the file is not one of the supported graphics types, a box will pop up indicating that it is an unknown (or un-supported) file type. Press any key to make another selection. If the file is a supported graphics format, a box will pop up with information about the file and display options. RLE Graphics ============ The RLE format supports "Medium" and "High" resolution graphics. The information box should indicate either: 192 rows of High Resolution RLE or 96 rows of Medium Resolution RLE One display mode is indicated (either CGA or Hercules.) (There is nothing to gain by displaying in an EGA mode, since RLE is "black and white", and looks best in 320 x 200 format.) - Type "1" to display the RLE image. (Display is instantaneous.) While the RLE image is displayed: - Press "I" to Invert the image. Some RLE images (radar/weather maps, for example) should be "inverted", which reverses black and white, before printing. Without inverting, you would print a black page with white lines. - With the enhanced program, you may print the image by pressing "P" (or ^P). - Type <Carriage Return> to return to the RLE information box. - At the information box, the image may be re-displayed by typing "1" again. - Type "0" (zero) (or <Carriage Return>) when finished with this file. The RLE information box will disappear and you will be returned to the main directory screen, ready to select another file to display. GIF Graphics ============ The information box for a GIF graphics file will indicate the GIF signature and version ("GIF87a" is the initial standard established by CompuServe in June of 1987.) The width, height, and number of colors in the image are also shown. The number of display options will depend on the type of display adapter and monitor that you are using: - On any system, there are fifteen "lettered" options, A through O, which are used to convert the image to black and white, where A is the lightest display, and O is the darkest. These lettered options are used to prepare the GIF image for printing. - On a Hercules adapter, the fifteen black and white options are available. - On a Color Graphics Adapter, there are five additional display options, including two "PC-jr" modes, which are also supported on the Tandy 1000. - On an EGA system, the five CGA options plus an additional three display options are available. You may display the GIF image in ANY MODE LISTED (the PC-jr/Tandy modes will not work on all systems.) The "recommended" modes will be highlighted, the "inappropriate" modes will be listed in a dim text color. This "recommendation" is based on the width and height of the image compared to the display capabilities of each mode. For example, if you select CGA 320 x 200 mode for a GIF image that is 640 x 200, only the left half of the image will be displayed. Conversely, if you select a 640x200 mode for an image that is 320 wide, it will be displayed ("compressed") in the left half of the screen. - Type the number (or letter) to display the GIF image in that mode. While the GIF image is displayed: - On an EGA monitor, you may adjust the color palette, save the palette or retrieve a previously saved palette. This process is described below. - With the enhanced program, you may print an image displayed in black and white (one of the lettered modes) by pressing "P" (or ^P). - Type <Carriage Return> to return to the GIF information box. - At the information box, you may re-display the GIF image in the same or a different mode by typing the number or letter corresponding to the desired mode. - Type "0" (zero) (or <Carriage Return>) when finished with this file. The GIF information box will disappear and you will be returned to the main directory screen, ready to select another file to display. EGA color palette adjustment ---------------------------- Most images look "quite good" on an EGA monitor. The GIF file contains a "color map" which is used to select sixteen colors from the EGA palette of sixty-four. However, adjusting the colors will frequently result in a more pleasing image. This is particularly true where skin tones are concerned. The sixteen colors displayed are numbered 0 to 9 and A to F. Color zero is always the background. To select a color to adjust, type the color number (0..9 or A..F). That color will flash three times, so that you can see where it is on the screen and decide whether it should be adjusted. There are two methods for adjusting colors: - A selected color may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the Red, Green, or Blue component: RED: decrease [F1] [F2] increase GREEN: decrease [F3] [F4] increase BLUE: decrease [F5] [F6] increase Each color has a Red, Green, and Blue component with a "weight" of 0..3, so pressing [F2] four times will step through all four levels of Red. [ 4 (Red) x 4 (Green) x 4 (Blue) = the EGA palette of sixty-four colors. ] - You may "step through" all sixty-four colors in EGA color number sequence: COLOR NUMBER: decrease [F7] [F8] increase The adjusted palette may be saved to disk by pressing Alt-F10 (hold the Alt key and type the [F10] function key.) The palette is saved in a file with the same "base" file name as the GIF file, and a "CSH" extension. (The palette for GIF file "PUPPY.GIF" will be saved in "PUPPY.CSH".) Whenever the GIF file is displayed in EGA mode, you may retrieve the saved palette by pressing [F10]. The colors will instantly change to your adjusted palette. (If the palette file is not found, the program will "beep".) To return to the original color palette as defined by the color map in the GIF file, press [F9]. Pressing [F9] and [F10] will allow you to instantly review the differences between the original GIF palette and your adjusted palette. A NOTE about 32 color images ---------------------------- CompuShow will display 32 color images on the EGA in a quality comparable to a sixteen color image. In analyzing the 32 color palette, the program "compresses" it to remove colors which are equivalent on the EGA. Surprisingly this process usually results in an EGA color palette containing 9 to 14 colors. (This means that you are losing some subtle color shading present on the original 32 color computer.) When adjusting the EGA palette, as described above, you can determine how many discrete colors there are, since the program will "beep" when you reach a color number beyond the number of colors in this "compressed" palette. (If you type "9" and the program beeps, then there are only nine (0..8) colors in the compressed palette.) MacPaint Images (ENHANCED PROGRAM) ================================== The information box indicates the number of rows in the MacPaint image. Each image is 576 wide, and a maximum of 720 long. The image may be displayed in Hercules 720 x 348 B&W, CGA 640 x 200 B&W, or in EGA 640 x 350 B&W mode. - Type the number to display the MacPaint image in that mode. (Display is instantaneous.) MacPaint images are usually longer than Hercules, CGA, or EGA screens. During display: - The up and down arrow keys allow you to "scroll" a single row at a time. - PgUp and PgDn scroll the image in about 20 steps. - Ctrl-PgUp and Ctrl-PgDn scroll in about 5 steps. - Home and End jump immediately to the top and bottom. - Ctrl-Home and Ctrl-End "auto-scroll", so that the image moves slowly up or down the screen until the top or bottom is reached, or until a key is pressed to stop the "auto-scroll." - On an EGA monitor, you may press "C" during the display to "colorize" the image. The 576x720 image (larger than the screen) is compressed to 288x350, so that it may all be displayed on one screen. Shades of reds and browns are displayed in place of the black and white image. The [F1]..[F10] function keys will allow you to select any of ten different pre-defined color palettes. Press any key to remove the colorized image. - With the enhanced program you may print the MacPaint image by pressing "P" (or ^P). - <Carriage Return> returns you to the Information box. - At the information box, the MacPaint image may be re-displayed by typing the number of the desired display mode. - Type "0" (zero) (or <Carriage Return>) when finished with this file. The information box will disappear and you will be returned to the main directory screen, ready to select another file to display. Printing (ENHANCED PROGRAM) =========================== The IBM-PC has become a standard in the personal computer world over the past several years. The "IBM compatible printer", however, is not as clearly defined. As a matter of fact, IBM itself has several different "standard printers" capable of printing graphics. In view of this "non-standard standard", CompuShow uses custom graphics printer drivers, for various printers. The supplied printer drivers are described in detail in PRINTERS.DOC. Selecting a printer driver -------------------------- Most "IBM compatible" printers (such as Epson, Citizen, Panasonic, Star, Toshiba, etc.) will use the IBM Graphics Printer driver "IBMGRAPH.DRV". To determine whether this driver will work with your printer, start CompuShow with the name of the IBM Graphics Printer driver: CSHOW IBMGRAPH.DRV and press carriage return. When the program starts, the printer driver will be loaded (or the program will display a message, indicating that the driver could not be found.) Display an RLE, or MacPaint image or a GIF image USING ONE OF THE LETTERED (BLACK AND WHITE) MODES, and press "P" to print. - When a printer driver has been loaded a "P to print" reminder is displayed on the RLE and MacPaint graphics screens, and in the GIF information box. - If no driver was loaded, the "P to print" message is not displayed, and pressing "P" causes the program to "beep". - RLE and GIF images are printed "sideways" on the page. MacPaint images are printed "right-side-up". - Press any key to interrupt (and terminate) printing. - When the image has finished printing (or when it has been interrupted by a key-press) a form-feed will be sent to the printer. If your printer doesn't advance to the top of the next page, you probably need to set top-of-form. If your printer doesn't have a specific button to set top of form, you may need to turn it off, re-position the paper, and turn it back on. In most cases (see PRINTERS.DOC), images may also be printed in a "single- density" mode for high speed printing by pressing ^P (Ctrl-P) instead of "P". (Hold the Ctrl key down and type "P".) (If the IBM Graphics Printer Driver doesn't work with your printer, check "PRINTERS.DOC" for a description of other printer drivers.) Setting up a "default driver" ----------------------------- When CompuShow starts, it will look for a printer driver named "CSHOW.DRV", unless you specify another name. To use IBMGRAPH as your normal driver: COPY IBMGRAPH.DRV CSHOW.DRV to make a copy of the IBM driver with CompuShow's default name. Now, you can start CompuShow without a driver name and CSHOW.DRV will automatically be used. Custom Printer Drivers ---------------------- We want all users of the enhanced program to be able to use the print feature. IF NONE OF THE SUPPLIED PRINTER DRIVERS WORKS WITH YOUR PRINTER, we will provide ONE custom printer driver AT NO CHARGE! (See PRINTERS.DOC) Quitting CompuShow ================== At the main directory screen, press ESCape to exit the program and return to DOS. CompuShow Slide Show (ENHANCED PROGRAM) ======================================= The CompuShow Slide Show program is CShowS.Com. Execute the program by typing CSHOWS (and a <Carriage Return>) at your DOS prompt. It displays RLE, GIF, and MacPaint images in the same display modes available in CompuShow. Since it is essentially an "automatic CompuShow", start planning your slide show by making some notes while in CompuShow. You will need the name of each graphics (RLE, GIF, or MacPaint) file and the appropriate display mode (the number or letter key used to display it.) When CShowS starts, it reads the slide show instructions from a "script" file, "CShowS.Scr". The script file is an ASCII (text) file, which you create using a word processor or text editor program. Word processor programs usually have the ability to save the file (document) in ASCII or "un- formatted" mode. (Be sure to do this!) [ An example script file is included with the program. It will run a slide show of all graphics files (GIF, RLE, and MacPaint) included on the program disk. NOTE that this script file uses only "common" display modes, which will work on Hercules, CGA, or EGA systems. These common modes don't include any COLOR display modes, so that the script will run correctly on a Hercules system. The GIF image is displayed in black and white mode, and MacPaint images are not colorized. Use this script file as a sample while reading the instructions, below. ] Each slide show "command" is on a separate line. The first character in the line specifies the type of command (UPPER and lower case letters are equivalent): F: The File name; the name of the RLE, GIF, or MacPaint file. You may include the disk drive and/or sub-directory name, as needed. CShowS reads and analyzes the file to determine what type of graphics file it is. If the file is not found, or if it is not a graphics file, the program will "beep". M: The display mode. This is the number or letter key that you would press to display the image in CompuShow. CShowS displays the image in this mode. If the specified mode is un-available on the current computer, the program will "beep". (A script containing EGA display modes will not run on a CGA or Hercules machine, for example.) In addition, you may display an "inverted" RLE image by specifying mode "I", and a colorized MacPaint image by specifying modes "A" through "J" to correspond to the ten color palettes selected with the [F1] through [F10] function keys. D: A delay, in seconds, from 1 to 30. (Multiple "D" lines may be specified, if you want more than a 30 second delay.) W: Specifies a "Wait for key press". CShowS will wait for a key to be pressed before proceeding. Q: Is the "Quit" command. CShowS will quit, rather than repeating the slide show. For a "free-running" slide show, you would use "F", "M", and "D" commands. The program will start over when it reaches the end of the script. You exit the program by pressing a key. (If an image or delay is in process, it will finish before the program terminates.) By placing a "Q" command at the end of the script, the slide show will run one time and then quit. (It may be interrupted with a key press, if desired.) By using wait (W) commands, instead of delay (D) commands, you can set up an "operator controlled" show, where the program waits for a key press between images. (Pressing ESCape, Ctrl-C, or PgDn will exit the program at a "Wait".) An example: (CShowS.Scr) fMONA.GIF m8 d10 fB:\MAPS\MAP-A.RLE m1 d5 mI d2 fKATHY.MCP m2 d1 mA d3 In the example, we first select file MONA.GIF, display in mode 8 (which is a 640x350x16 color EGA mode), and delay 10 seconds. Next, we select MAP-A.RLE (which is located on drive B: in sub-directory \MAPS), display it in mode 1 (CGA or Hercules), and delay 5 seconds. We then display THE SAME RLE image (no new "File" command has been issued) inverted (reversing black and white), by specifying mode "I", and delay 2 seconds. Finally we select file KATHY.MCP, display it in mode 2 (EGA) and delay 1 second. The MacPaint image will "scroll" to the bottom and then back to the top. Then we display THE SAME MacPaint image "colorized" using the [F1] palette by specifying mode "A", and delay 3 seconds. Since there is no "Q" (Quit) command, the slide show will repeat until a key is pressed. S H A R E W A R E ================= This program is copyrighted software. However, you are encouraged to copy and share it with others, so long as no charge is made for the software. If you use this program and find it of value you may show your support by registering the demonstration program (version 3.0a) for $5, or the enhanced program (version 3.0b) for $15. To order the enhanced version, send $15 (check or money order) to Canyon State Systems and Software at the address below. Thank you for your support: Bob Berry [76555,167] Canyon State Systems and Software 1725 West Highway 89A, Suite 4 Post Office Box 86 Sedona, Az. 86336 GIF and "Graphics Interchange Format" are trademarks (tm) of CompuServe Incorporated, an H&R Block Company Copyright (c) 1987, Canyon State Systems and Software (tm), Sedona, Az.