Fixim  2.5 Documentation

Index:

1.0 - Welcome.
2.0 - Requirements.
3.0 - Getting started.
4.0 - The Software side.

1.0 Welcome. 

Welcome to the wonderful world of shareware software!

Fixim 2.5 is the shareware version of the powerful Fixim Pro image repair Software. Use it to 
repair graphic images from Macintosh BBS’s or anywhere else that offers images in .GIF or .JPG format that have been altered or created on MAC based software/hardware.
 
Fixim 2.5 with it’s two image format handling capabilities, Compared to Fixim Pro’s simultaneous 8 image format capability, is useful for correcting  .JPG and .GIF images damaged by the MAC format. After discovering how useful Fixim ’s correction capabilities are for the two graphics formats, you may desire the power of Fixim Pro’s 8 image format  array capabilities and ability to load, access, fix and change mostly all image and animation formats modified by Macintosh platforms.

This documentation will help you understand, setup and use the features of Fixim  to help you get started on protecting and correcting all your images in their native formats that goes on around your computer 24 hours a day.

2.0 Fixim lite/Fixim Pro hardware requirements.

Fixim  software only requires the minimum standard equipment  included with virtual all IBM compatible PC’s since the 8088 XT.

Fixim software will operate  on a IBM compatible XT 8088, AT 286, 386, 486 and Pentium computers with at least 512k RAM, MS-DOS 6.0 compatible operating System. 

Fixim also runs equal well under Windows 3.1 and Windows95 in a DOS window, it was especially designed for this purpose so it can run in the background.

3.0 	Getting started.
 
Installation is very simple and straight forward. No complicated and time consuming custom install and setup routines are required, simply copy all the files from the Fixim 3.5in. disk to a directory of your choice, or you can even run it from the 3.5in. disk itself!

From a DOS command line in the directory you have Fixim installed, Simply type FIXIM to launch the software.

From the Windows 95/3.1 environment click on the program ICON.
 
The software can be moved to any directory at any time without any modification or  setup changes to the software, as long as all the files are kept together in the same directory.

Fixim Pro and Fixim  2.5 does not make any changes to any Windows or DOS initialization files like the Windows95 registry or any .sys, .ini, .bat or .sys support files.
This makes uninstalling the Fixim software as simple as deleting it.

4.0 The Software side.

Basically Fixim 2.5 lite finds and strips PIC header "Packets" from JPEG, GIF, and MPEG image files, making them IBM viewable.

If you have ever downloaded a GIF or JPG image file from a MAC BBS and discovered that Cshow or other image viewers for IBM do not recognize it as a GIF or JPG, try running Fixim 2.5 on it. It fixes all images I've received from MAC BBS's. Now Fixim 3.0 also handles MPEG movie files!

Unlike past versions that relied on user input on filenames and output, this new version will target all files in the current directory, run tests, and determine if each file is a valid image. After that it will correct any headers to proper form and output the images with proper filenames with the correct file extender if missing or wrong.

It will give you a color representation as it moves through each file in the directory:

   (blinking yellow = testing, red = unvalid image and green = valid or fixed)

To use Fixim, just type fixim at the DOS prompt.

I've only tested it on MSDOS6.x-7.x with color. I don't know how it will run on any DOS under 6.0 (hint: so upgrade!) and anyone interested in GIF and JPG image files should have at least CGA color mode!

Fixim 2.5 can handle a directory full of suspect images, testing and correcting all images in the directory. All you have to do is just type fixim, and it's all taken care of, or you can specify a wildcard in the command line if you want to run fixim on some other target directory.

Pressing the ESCAPE key will stop image testing/corrected after it completes any task already under way.

Fixim 2.5 runs fine under WIN95 and now handles long filenames.

That's it! I hope this is helpful to anyone that has an interest in GIF or JPEG images!
                                              
- Joe Howard

If you  have any questions or comments I can be E-mailed at:

   Paradise City BBS                           - INTERNET - addresses:
at (216)-843-1373 (28.8)                       gj365@cleveland.freenet.edu 
or (216)-843-1383 (28.8)                       hf536@cleveland.freenet.edu 
or
Joe Howard P.O. BOX 44335 Cleveland, Ohio 44144