Program copyright И November 1996 Dan Ramage лллллллллл л л л л л SPRITE л >>> Viewer.app 1.3 >>> л VIEWER л >>> Graphics.dyl 1.6 >>> л л л лллллллллл л -1- DISCLAIMER The author takes no responsibility for any losses due to the use of this product including damages to the user's computer, self, or information. Using this software is at your own risk, and the author is in no way liable for any of the user's problems. (I haven't found any major bugs with it, but if you do, I'm not responsible for anything resulting from that problem.) -2- INTRODUCTION What is Viewer.app? Viewer.app is a front end program for the Graphics.dyl. Viewer allows a sprite to be displayed and positioned using the arrow keys. What is Graphics.dyl? Graphics.dyl is the driver used by Viewer.app. Graphics allows for unlimited amounts of sprites in as many windows as desired. It supports frames of specifiable lengths with a resolution up to 10 frames per second, and the use of both the black and grey planes. Sprites can also be transparent so background pixels can be seen through the sprite's cleared pixels. What is Sprite.als? Sprite.als is a text editor for creating the required .TXT input file, used as the instruction set to build sprite animations from a series of .PIC files. (See "Creating animations".) -3- INSTALLATION NOTE: This program will only run on a Series 3a, 3c, and (possibly) the Sienna. It will NOT run on a Series 3. Copy the files Viewer.app and Sprite.als to the \APP\ directory on any Psion drive. Copy Graphics.dyl to either the directory where Viewer.app is, \IMG\ or \DYL\ on the same drive as Viewer.app. Optional: Copy the example sprites (*.SPR) to the \PIC\ directory on any Psion drive. Install Viewer.app and Sprite.als from the system screen using + and press on either program to enter the program. NOTE: If you do not wish to create your own sprites, omit copying and installing the sprite.als file. -4- VIEWING ANIMATIONS * Choose the Open Animation menu option and select a .SPR file to view. * If you would like Viewer to play the sprite from file instead of memory (which is slower, but is much better for memory usage), set the 'Play sprite from:' line to 'File'. * If you would like to override the default duration for each frame, set the 'Override default duration?' line to 'Yes' and enter the speed for the sprite to be played at in tenths of a second in the 'Frame duration' line. A value of 0 means that the frames are played as fast as possible. * Press and Viewer will load the animation and play the sprite. You can move the animation using the arrow keys and you can close the animation by pressing escape, loading another file, or exiting the program. -5- CREATING ANIMATIONS NOTE: A separate bitmap editor is required for making the individual frames. Choose the Make Animation menu option and select a .TXT input file (created with the Sprite program) and a .SPR output file. Viewer will create the .SPR output file based on the contents of the .TXT file. The format of the .TXT file is as follows: 1. The first line of the file is the number of bitmaps in the file, including repeats. 2. The next line is the full file specification of the bitmap file that you want included (i.e. "M:\PIC\JUNK.pic"). 3. The next line is the duration for this bitmap to be displayed (in tenths of a second). 4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each bitmap you want in the sprite. If all goes well, you should have a playable output .SPR file created! NOTE: Repeats are included only once, and re- referenced for each repeat. Here is an example file: 2 (The number of bitmaps in the file) M:\PIC\JUNK1.PIC (The file name of the bitmap) 5 (Display this frame for 5/10ths of a second) M:\PIC\JUNK2.PIC (The file name of the next bitmap) 2 (Display this frame for 2/10ths of a second) -6- DISPLAYING A BITMAP IN THE BACKGROUND Choose the 'Set background pic' menu option and choose a .PIC Bitmap file. Viewer will load the bitmap and display it centered on the screen. You can use the arrow keys to move an open sprite over the picture and see the transparency abilities of the sprite. You can press the space bar to re-center the image. -7- OTHER USES FOR GRAPHICS.DYL Graphics.dyl can be used in your own applications, so long as your programs are using the HWIM hwimman or OLIB appman application manager classes. This is because of its way of event handling (i.e. OPL programmers can not use Graphics.dyl). If you would like to use this in your own programs, (bearing in mind that they can only be HWIM/OLIB), you can have access to all of the information necessary to use Graphics.dyl for the registration fee of $15 (US). (See next section.) NOTE: The $15 registration fee (for programming information) is only for private, freeware, and shareware under the $10 registration limit. Information for uses such as $10+ shareware and commercial software is negotiable. -8- REGISTRATION If you would like use Graphics.dyl in your own applications, or if you would just like to show your appreciation for this free product, send $15 (US dollars) to: Dan Ramage 200 Wychwood Road Westfield, NJ 07090 United States of America You should email ahead before sending the money because I have no obligation to supply you with the information unless I gave it the OK. If you are in violation of the rules stated above (under Other Uses) and you send me $15 without my OK for your product, I do NOT have to send your money back! -9- TROUBLE SHOOTING If Viewer crashes, it is almost always from lack of memory. If it occurs on startup, free more internal ram. If it occurs when you attempt to open a sprite, try setting the 'Load from:' option in the dialog to 'File'. If you still have problems, contact me (see Contact Information below). -9- STILL TO COME! * OPL support for Graphics.dyl * A Menu driven Sprite Animator program which allows you to edit individual frames, set frame attributes, and compile this information in to a sprite format file. * Synchronized sound playback along with graphics. * Image compression. * Support for animated GIFs. -10- CONTACT INFORMATION Send bugs/comments/questions to: DRamage@worldnet.att.net or Damage@juno.com or my compuserve address 75452,3714 NOTE: Send to dramage@worldnet.att.net for a faster reply as I don't check the other so often. Thanks to Phil Creed for his excellent icons and walking Robot example sprite (his compuserve address is 100302,1314). Dan Ramage 11/96