Shareware Grab Bag/Shareware Grab Bag.iso/016/spinlet.arc/SPINLET.DOC

Text File | 1986-10-02 | 3.9 KB | 77 lines

October 2, 1986

   This is the first time in a year of dialing up bulletin
boards that I'm uploading a file that I've "created" and
feel is worth sharing. Up until now, my uploads and downloads
have been like a bee pollinating flowers...finding a program
or utility on one board and uploading to another because I felt
it was interesting to them. I am not a programmer but a newspaper
editor who plays with his computer at night.

   About two months ago, I downloaded some ANSI graphic programs
from SOUND OF MUSIC (A great BBS with extraordinary graphics) at
[phone]. Some of the original files were uploaded to SOM
from the fountainhead of ANSI graphics, ELCO BASE [phone].

   So now I had hi res color to play with and draw with and make
wild and wacky intros to all my regular and business progams. On
several bulletin boards, using ANSI system, I watched letters spin
and just jump off the screen. "How did they do that?" was the
question that kept me up and gave me some large bags under the
eyes.

   To make it happen on my own computer became an accomplishment
that I show off to friends - although to you jaded graphic
computerists, it might just be another small utility.

  On the assumption that there are more like me out in computer-
land, I've put the program into SPINLET.ANS. Not my great
illustrations and funny sayings, because you will do your own -
but just the heart of making letters appear to spin, one at a time,
and spell out words.

  You can type at your A prompt "Type spinlet.ans" (without the
quotes) and you will see the words "Then Press Any Key" spun out
in high intensity yellow, a letter at a time. It was part of my
intro graphics which read, in whole, "When the music stops, then
press any key to pull up your program."

  If you pull the program up on a text editor (I use Wordstar),
you can edit the letters, at the end of each line, to say what
you want. You can use your text editor block copy function to
add more program lines, change the color and change the column
and row to which each letter is assigned. The text is in ASNI,
and you must be familiar with ASNI escape codes. Your MS-DOS
manual will have some, other BBS will have some. You can change
the positions, colors, add to it if you're more proficient than
I. Unless you know the escape code for your text editor, you must
block copy the escape code from the program, otherwise you're in
for an evening of trouble.

  The key to spinning letters is, in reality, simple, once you
understand ASNI codes. You're asking the computer to print a
"/", a "\", a "<" and a ">" rapidly, several times, and then print
a readable letter (or symbol). The letter or symbol appears to
be spinning. You cannot print one of the above characters and
backspace, overprint, as it will just erase it. However, with
the ANSI code Esc[1D] you are telling the computer to move backward
one space without erasing and overprint another character. If you
want to type out lines and lines of that stuff, with all the
escape codes, you're nuts. Just block copy this program and
you've got 80% of the work done. Add you own rows,columns,
colors, blink (if you really want to drive people nuts) and
that's it.
   Not trusting my Wordstar completely, I also double-checked
what I did on a dos editor (you can use Patch rf Dosamatic),
just to make sure the escape codes were correct in hex (1B).
   A not small accomplishment for a non-tech but computer buff
all the same. Have fun with this and knock your friends eyes
out.
   A small PS-since putting the time in to create this
small utility, I have come across two programs that offer
"whirling stars" and spinning letters. So I'm not a lonely
genius...just someone offering another goodie.
Allan Morrell,
Island Park, NY