February 11, 1993 ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º All of the files included in this BINCON package º º are (C)opyright 1993 Tim Triemstra, All Rights are Reserved º º º º The author can be contacted at: º º Internet: empath@ais.org º º UUCP: umcc!roofus!empath º º Fido: Tim Triemstra @ 1:2410/339.1 º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ALL EMPATH SOFTWARE CAN BE FOUND FOR DOWNLOAD FROM: Ground Zero BBS - Dearborn Michigan (313)561-9274 Fido: 1:2410/339 INTRODUCTION: _____________ Welp, first off, here's what the heck this program does! It is a very simple program (as the source code will attest to.) The BINCON program simply takes ANY type of file (especially binary or image files) and converts it into a linkable list of numbers for programming. The data can be output in decimal or hexidecimal formats. The data numbers are formatted to look pretty nice, and are an even 12 digits accross. My main purpose for writing this program is for easy adding of bitmaps and palette information into the graphics programs. This is before I write my graphics library kernel, but I still want to experiment with graphics bitmaps - reading from files stinks in my mind. This is also good for data that you may not want users to realize IS data. This is done by having your data right into the program, not in an external file for anyone to edit. WHAT IS INCLUDED: _________________ BINCON16.EXE and BINCON32.EXE are the two compiled versions of the program that are included. The 16bit version hasn't been tested very extensively. I'm under the assumption that the 16bit version simply won't work beyond a 64k limit of a file. This is because I didn't bother working with virtual files and such. This reason is, of course, because I can include the 32bit version!! The 32bit version is compiled with a special virtual-memory DOS extender (by FlashTek for Zortech C++.) This compiled version will read ANY size file (unless you are running this little thing on a file larger than 4G! It requires a 386 of course, but that is really the requirement for most of the programming languages out now anyhow, right? The source code, BINCON.C, is also included. It includes some of the vital information included in this file at the top in comments. More importantly, you can modify the way the hex or dec is printed in the little loop at the bottom of the code. This is so that you can change the format of the output and such to your liking. HOW TO USE IT: ______________ Here's the command line: BINCON32 (start) (end) >output.dat FILENAME is obviously the input file. It is the file you'd like to convert to raw data. The D or H represent (D)ecimal or (H)ex output. Both of the previous commands are required. The (start) is the first byte to start dumping from, (end) is where to stop. You can enter a start without and end and the file will simply be processed to the end. The >output.dat is just a pipe of output into a desired file. I decided to do it this way to allow yu to run the program through the screen. I do this alot to check through palettes. It is also good because you can print it out from the command line and such. What they hey, DOS and UNIX created piping for a reason, I'm just using it... Modify it if you'd like something else. Skip some parameters and you'll get a parameter list. You'll also probably want to rename one of the files to something simpler, but I thought it was most important that the filename be descriptive for the release (I call the 32bit version binc.exe over here.) EXTRA STUFF: ____________ For the most part, all the information about distribution and such is covered in the next section (and in the source.) However, I thought I'd like to add that if you make modifications (that you KNOW will compile) that you would like compiled for 32bit virtual memory then send me the code and $10. That will cover the cost of mailing you a disk (also, mention what disk size you want.) If the modified code is good, I'll do an update and give you plenty of credit. Trust me, I'm not releasing this to make money, and anyone that that does send a donation will be given back plenty for their $7 or so... PS: I prefer to deal with people via internet mail, but it can cost me some money to send too much binary info over the Inet lines. If you have an email address, please include it. I'll at LEAST send you some mail with some updated source code and information on any possible upgrade releases/executables which I could mail you. Rule of thumb: include all your information that could possibly be relevant. I don't give my info to ANYONE! OTHER STUFF -> INCLUDED IN THE SOURCE CODE: ___________________________________________ This file is probably pretty ugly to alot of you "professional programmers" (or anybody else actuall.) However, since I am just a guy who learned myself all mines knowledge on mines own =) - don't expect too much. I included the source because there is probably a situation that someone out there mich like some more functionality. I can't really think of anything off the top of my head (after all, I wrote this program for myself anyhow.) Please, if this code influences you to write an application along this line, release it as shareware/freeware. The world needs good programs and if we all have to spend our precious minutes writing small tools like this then the real programs will take alot longer. I'm constantly writing small programs like this myself and I try to release them all into the public domain with source code. The only thing I ask is that if you use it constantly - distribute it! After all, you're not the only wierd one out there that may like this program. Finally, I doubt I'll do too much more with this program, but in the interest of keeping the good stuff rolling, I do accept donations. I'll be sure to send you back some mail with some little tidbit of code or info that you may find interesting. Sometimes it'll be an update, other times I'll send you other code that I may be working on that you may be interested in. If you have a specific application you may want some help with, or are looking for little tidbits, let me know. I may have some code lying around... And, ESPECIALLY, if you have an internet mail site (or Fido I guess) let me know it and I can get you alot more stuff sent to you. I'd ask for something like $7 for a general, all purpose donation. If you'd like some graphics coding information (my real speciality) I'll gladly send you a disk full of stuff for a little more money. I prefer to handle most of this stuff via regular mail or, especially, internet mail. So, here's the info: Send any donations (along with your personal info so I can keep in touch and send you some stuff you might like, and keep track of my fellow programmers) to: Tim Triemstra Empath Software 6238 College Drive Dearborn Heights, MI 48127 * Make any checks/money orders payable to Tim Triemstra, my bank is still trying to charge me for depositing company checks so I don't deal with them like that yet. I can be contacted at: Internet: empath@ais.org Fidomail: Tim Triemstra @ 1:2410/339.1 (I'm a point so I see it all) UUCPmail: umcc!roofus!empath This info is also included in the readme.txt, but I know I love to delete those darn files so I put it here as well. There IS some other good info in the readme though too... ___ I sure hope this code helps SOMEONE besides myself (although the people that may find it useful may never see it - unless you distribute the program. PLEASE - distribute this file to your local BBS systems and FTP sites where people look for programming tools. You could be helping the guy that figures out how to do a FAST fractal on a 8088 or some other gound breaking research =) Tim.