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- GIFDESK.DOC - some notes on GIFDESK.EXE 4.0
- (released March, 1991 - 25th anniversary of Beatles "Nowhere Man")
-
- GIFDESK is a utility to view many of your GIFs at one time on a VGA system.
- Examples of how to use GIFDESK:
- GIFDESK *.gif
- GIFDESK f:\pics\s*.gif p*.gif
-
- Run GIFDESK alone to get a quick-reference to it's usage.
-
- Remember, you need at least a VGA to use GIFDESK! All of the Super VGA
- modes require at least 512k video memory. If you have only 256k, you
- may need to override the autodetect by setting GIFDESK=VGA.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- NEW THIS VERSION:
- - Full GIF89a support! Plain text, transparent, restore, etc
- - printing to LaserJet compatible printer on LPT1 (F9 key)
- - rewritten video drivers, better, faster
- - VESA driver support
- - Ahead A and Ahead B chipset support
- - Genoa 6400/6600 chipset support
- - Tecmar card support (no auto-detect)
- - Trident 8900 chipset support (no auto-detect)
- - Command file support (see SAMPLE.CMD)
- - FILE driver for non-VGA or BBS systems
- - better color selection per picture
- - better alphabetic file sorting
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Display: GIFs are displayed by GIFDESK in several arrangements. The
- maximum number of GIFs shown at one time is 80 (if you have a 1024x768
- mode on your SVGA). GIFDESK can also show 1 GIF at a time (in color if
- you have a hi-res 256 color mode on your SVGA). The display layout can
- be changed by hitting the SPACEBAR. This will cycle through the various
- GIF arrangements. Also, the F1,F2,F3 and F4 keys will switch directly
- to a particular layout. (Notice that F1=1x1, F2=2x2, etc). If you are
- using an SVGA that supports an 640x480, 800x600 and/or 1024x768 mode you
- can switch to a higher resolution using the + key. Switch to lower
- resolution with the - key. The following table lists the various
- configurations:
-
- Video Mode GIF Arrangemant
- F1 Key F2 Key F3 Key F4 Key
- ------------------ ------------- ----------- ----------- ------------
- 640x480x16 1x1 16-Grey 2x2 16-Grey 3x3 16-Grey 6x5 16-Grey
- 640x480x256 (SVGA) 1x1 256/64 2x2 256/64 3x3 256/64 6x5 256/64
- 800x600x16 (SVGA) 1x1 256/64 2x2 256/64 4x4 256/64 8x6 256/64
- 800x600x256 (SVGA) 1x1 256/64 2x2 256/64 4x4 256/64 8x6 256/64
- 1024x768x16 (SVGA) 1x1 256/64 2x2 256/64 5x5 256/64 10x8 256/64
- 1024x768x256(SVGA) 1x1 256/64 2x2 256/64 5x5 256/64 10x8 256/64
-
- (256/64 is 256 colour or 64 grey - toggle between these with F10)
-
- Notes:
- 1) GIFDESK should be able to handle GIF's up to 4096x4096 in size.
- 2) Writing a GIF file (via . key) may take a while. As it is being
- done, a white dot will scan the screen for top to bottom. At
- completion, a two tone sound will occur if successful.
- 3) Printing a screen (via F9 key) may take a while. At completion
- a tone will occur.
-
- Super VGA's:
- If you have a super VGA that supports 640x480x256 or better (you need 512K),
- GIFDESK should use the appropriate driver for your card. The signon screen
- lists the type of card that GIFDESK detected. If this is incorrect, you can
- override this autoselection with the environment variable GIFDESK. Set the
- environment variable GIFDESK to the correct card name according to the following
- table:
-
- Card(s) GIFDESK Environment Variable
- =====================================================================
- ATI VGA Wonder ATI
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Chips & Technologies, Cardinal C&T
- Boca Research 1024 VGA
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Everex Viewpoint EVEREX
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Paradise, AST, Compaq, Dell PARADISE
- Western Digital
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tseng, Genoa, STB, Orchid TSENG
- Quadram, Sota, Willow
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Trident, Logix, ZyMOS TRIDENT
- TrueTech
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Video 7, Headland VIDEO7
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Generic VGA VGA
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tseng 4000, Sigma TSENG4K
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Genoa 6400/6600 GENOA
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- V.E.S.A Driver VESA
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Ahead Wizard Deluxe AHEADB (older cards AHEADA)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Tecmar ADGM TECMAR (no auto-detect)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Trident 8900 TRIDENT89 (no auto-detect)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Disk File image GIFDESK.DAT FILE (no auto-detect)
-
- Example:
- If you have an AST VGA card (with 512k!) use the following command:
- c:>SET GIFDESK=PARADISE
-
- Notes: 1) The startup screen will notify you of the driver GIFDESK is using.
- (the drivers are built into GIFDESK)
- 2) Several of the SVGA cards have not been tested...comments???
- (Everex, Dell, Tecmar)
-
-
- Keys in GIFDESK:
- "PgDn/PgUp" . .Next/Previous screen
- "Esc" . . . . .Exit to DOS
- "Space" . . . .Toggle Resolution (2x2->1x1->6x5->3x3->2x2...)
- "Tab" . . . . .Skip to Next Pic
- "." . . . . . .Write screen to GIF file
- "Home". . . . .Go to first screen
- "End" . . . . .Go to last screen
- "+" . . . . . .Increase Resolution (SVGA only) (640x480->800x600->1024x768)
- "-" . . . . . .Decrease Resolution (SVGA only) (1024x768->800x600->640x480)
- "F9". . . . . .Print to LaserJet on LPT1
- "F10. . . . . .Toggle between grey and colour mode (SVGA only)
- "F1,F2,F3,F4. .Change directly to 1x1,2x2 etc.
- any other . . .Skip to GIF file with name starting with character
-
- Examples:
- Key Result
- === ===========================================
- . Writes GIF file (named GIFDSKnn.GIF)
- c Skips to first GIF file starting with c (e.g. CHEAPSEX.GIF)
- 7 " " " " " " " 7 (e.g. 7HEAVEN.GIF)
- end Displays last set of GIF's (e.g ZAGNUT.GIF, ZIGGY.GIF, ...)
- esc Exit the wonderful world of GIFDESK
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- COMMAND FILE:
- If the file GIFDESK.CMD is present in the current directory,
- GIFDESK will read its commands from it. The file contains ASCII
- commands that tell GIFDESK what to do next. This may be useful
- to someone incorporating GIFDESK into an automatic GIF catalog
- generator for BBS use.
- SAMPLE.CMD contains a sample of a command file, along with the
- available commands. To use it:
- 1) copy SAMPLE.CMD to GIFDESK.CMD
- 2) run GIFDESK... GIFDESK *.gif
- 3) watch it happen
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- FILE DRIVER:
- This driver is activated by setting GIFDESK=FILE. No graphics
- card is necessary; pixel operations are simulated by reading
- and writing a disk file (GIFDESK.DAT). Printing is not
- supported with this driver. Disk space of 768 kbytes is
- required for the GIFDESK.DAT file. Normal keystrokes or Command
- mode can be used (via the GIFDESK.CMD file, see SAMPLE.CMD).
- Status information is directed to the screen during processing,
- and can be redirected at command time:
- C:>GIFDESK *.gif >lpt1
- Note that this driver is slower than real hardware, and certain
- operations (e.g. clearing the screen) may take a few seconds
- and be disk intensive. GIF89a extensions are not supported for
- this driver.
-
- Version History:
- 1.0 - Initial release, worked...kinda slow...
- 1.1 - Faster.
- Allows keys during GIF decode.
- Shows resolution even in 6x5 format.
- 2.0 - Super VGA support, promo screen, 1x1,2x2 format, better sizing!,
- Writes GIF's!, 1st character key->filename, much more!
- 3.0 - Autodetect of SVGA. Colour-colour-colour!!! (on SVGA, GIFDESK now
- shows GIFs in colour in all modes. Can still force to grey with
- F10). Fixed 640x480x256 for C&T, Paradise, Trident, & Video 7.
- 3.1 - Some intermediate beta releases
- 3.2 - Tseng 4000 support, clear screen routine changed, vertical
- interrupt detection modified.
- 3.2a- GIF89a support, bank 0 preset fix for certain TSENG based
- cards.
- 4.0 - Rewritten video drivers. Printing to LaserJet. VESA, Genoa,
- Ahead, Tecmar, Trident 8900 added. Command file support. 16
- color palette bug fix. FILE driver. More than 256 files quick
- key bug fix. Better color selection per picture. Better
- alphabetic file sorting. Full GIF89a support added.
-
- GIF is a trademark of CompuServe Inc.
-
- Have comments, suggestions, fan mail, hate mail, GIF pictures?
- Jay Wherley
- 1006 Hidden Harbour Dr. #E2
- Melbourne, FL 32935
- (407) 242-5296 9-5 M-F
-
- Finally, GIFDESK Was free, Is free, Always free.