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- PCX2BAS.EXE - Converting CGA .PCX images to BASIC BLOAD (.PIC) format
-
- Compiled with: Turbo C++ v1.00
-
-
- Once again, a client's wishes were fulfilled. This time, I had a person
- that *loves* working with Deluxe Paint II Enhanced, but still programs in
- BASIC and is more familiar with BASIC's BLOADing of images and shapes. So,
- she needed a way to go from .PCX or .LBM format to a straight memory
- dump. Since EA's convert program didn't provide for it...I did.
-
- BAS2PCX assumes that the input file is a CGA (mode 4) .PCX file. It
- simply loads the file, then performs a straight memory save, creating
- the familiar BLOAD memory image.
-
- To use PCX2BAS, just type:
-
- pcx2bas <filename> [WAIT]
-
- where:
-
- <filename> - Name of CGA .PCX file. If no extension is given
- .PCX is assumed.
-
- [WAIT] - Optional parameter to beep and wait before clearing
- the screen and exiting on completion. Leave this
- off if you're running pcx2bas via the PCX2PIC.BAT file
- (for multiple conversions).
-
- The coded is heavily commented, so it should be interesting reading. This
- little adventure serves several purposes:
-
- 1) You get a look at several CGA manipulation routines. A neat start for
- people who want to mess around with PIC files on the CGA screen. You
- also get an example of a faster CGA-screen RAM accessing system,
- utilizing a "pointer table". Feel free to try this idea and expand
- on it, as it makes working with the "split-plane" CGA memory map
- relatively transparent.
-
- 2) You get an example of using Turbo C++ pseudo variable to access the
- CPU registers directly.
-
- 3) You get a chance to see how to decode a .PCX file (specifically, the
- CGA video format).
-
- If you have any comments (please, nothing about the value of this program.
- If it's worthless to you, I'm sorry. I probably won't use it again myself
- . . . but then, you never know), drop me a line.
-
-
- Scott J. Walter
- GEnie: S.Walter4
-