FILES CONTAINED IN GIFXTS.ZIP 1) READ1ST.TXT - this one file 2) GIFXTS.TXT - Users manual. Not required reading, but might clarify some things. 3) GIFXTS.EXE - The executable program 4) various GIF files to get you started. 5) REG.TXT - Registration form 6) STEP.TXT - Step-by-step instructions for first time users This section is repeated in GIFXTS.DOC. For those of you who don't read manuals, please at least scan this section. This section will explain WHAT the GIFXTS program is intended to do. During the testing of the program, there was a lot of confusion regarding the display, the output and what exactly should be expected. In order to ensure that the phrases and "buzz" words that are used mean the same to everyone, let's start with some terminology. PIXEL - a graphical point of resolution. Each graphics monitor contains a maximum number of addressable pixels, EGA is 640x350, VGA is 640x480. When software is written it sets the resolution, thus a VGA monitor can be "changed" to EGA mode by specifying that the graphics driver is to use the EGA pixel resolution of 640x350, or even 640x200. Thus "pixel" is somewhat independent of the monitor. Independent in that although the monitor has a physical MAXIMUM resolution, any lower resolution can be used. Gifxts uses an EGA resolution, 640 pixels by 350 pixels. GIF - Graphics Interchange Format - A method of encoding and decoding the graphical information presented on a monitor. Thus a GIF image is a graphical image that has been encoded using this methodology. In order to re-generate the display, the decode methodology is used. * GIF and "Graphics Interchange Format" are trademarks (TM) of Compuserve, Inc., an H&R block company. When an image is originally created, the artist has decided which 16 colors are to be used and has loaded these colors into a "palette". Although the computer can generate 256 different, most monitors can display only 16 colors at one time. Thus the artist will select the 16 colors, including the background color, and load the palette. The next step is to "draw" the image.Each pixel of the image has one color assigned to it. The color is indicated by the palette entry, therefore a pixel whose color is 1, is using the color located in the first entry of the palette. If the color located in entry 1 is changed, the pixel will immediately change to the new color. When the image is saved, the palette configuration and the color of each individual pixel is recorded, usually left -to-right, top-to-bottom. Thus to restore the image, the file is read, the palette is loaded and the pixels are colors, left-to-right, top-to-bottom. GIFXTS COLORS: When a GIF file is read into GIFXTS, each palette entry is assigned a character. Entry 1 is a '!', entry 2 is a '\' and so on. There are 94 different characters that can be used. However, there are only 14 colors available. The colors BLACK and WHITE are reserved. There is a really GOOD reason for this, that I will try to explain: The default background color (palette entry 0) is black, white is defaulted to entry 15. When I first started programming this program, I looked at "white grid on black background" vs. "black grid on white background". The white on black was very difficult to look at, so I opted for black on white. The menus use white text on a black background with a colored highlight bar. The menu bar uses black on a colored background. When I first started loading GIF images, everything went smoothly until on day. The menu bar disappeared, the menus were blank, the menu highlight bar was gone. It turned out that the color palette associated with the GIF I reading consisted of 2 colors, white ,entry 1, and black, every other entry. At that time I decided that not only would I protect the palette entries for black and white, but I would not allow any other entry to be set to black or white. This can have a very interesting affect on some images, so once an image is loaded into GIFXTS FORGET THE COLORS. THINK SYMBOLS! It doesn't matter if the spots on Bambi are green, blue or white. As long as they are a different SYMBOL than the rest of the image. If the color(s) really bother you, use the EDIT MENU and select the option to use BLACK SYMBOLS. Then the only time you will see the colors is when you use the VIEW or PRINT options. Once you have an image loaded, you can add detail by adding new symbols or delete detail by deleting symbols. You can also change the color palette, change the colors assigned to individual symbols and trim the image down to any segment of the image. After performing whatever editing you want, you can save the image. SAVING IMAGES WITHIN GIFXTS: There are 2 ways to save an image that you have loaded into GIFXTS. You can save it as a GIF file. This file will be readable by any GIF viewer BUT PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE COLOR CONSTRAINTS EXPLAINED ABOVE ARE IN EFFECT IN THE SAVED FILE! Or you can save the file as an XTS file. This file is NOT readable by a GIF viewer. It contains some additional information about the image, such as the colors assigned to each of the 94 symbols, and which symbols were used. PRINTING THE IMAGE AS A PATTERN: Gifxts itself will not print the symbolized image, rather it will produce a GIF file that can be printed using a GIF print utility for your printer. (I suggest that you wander thru the Graphics Support and/or Quick Pictures for a GIF print utility that suits your printer, and your pocketbook.) This file is MUCH bigger than the original GIF image. This is because each individual pixel is now being changed to a 6x7 pixel character, plus the grid lines. Thus the final printable symbolized GIF file size will be: (original width x 8)+1 and (original height x 7)+1(+ the symbol chart at the bottom of each image) BUT there are 2 ways to produce this file: You can either "print" the entire file, or you can select sections to print. The selection box will automatically select a width that will produce a file not more than 640 pixels. The symbol chart at the bottom of the file will list every symbol used for the ENTIRE image. CONCLUSION: Hopefully this little explanation will help you understand what you are viewing, and creating when using GIFXTS. If you have any questions, and are a registered user, feel free to contact me: Chris O'Donnell 576 Benson Road Middlebury Ct. 06762 CIS: 70431,1427 I usually access CIM between 7:00 and 9:00 AM. I usually access CIM again around noon. If you're REALLY STUMPED, you can call (203) 758-1451 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (EST). But please be aware that I/we have 3 children under the age of 4. The background noise can be pretty intense. DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT Users of GIFXTS must accept this disclaimer of warranty: "GIFXTS is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of GIFXTS". GIFXTS is a "shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user- supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using GIFXTS and continue to use GIFXTS after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of $20.00 to Chris O'Donnell at the address below. The $20.00 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Anyone distributing GIFXTS for any kind of remuneration must first contact Chris O'Donnell at the address below for authorization. You are encouraged to pass a copy of GIFXTS along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will are entitled to free upgrades. If you encounter a problem, or have any questions or comments please contact me. Obviously, all problems will be responded to, question and comments are welcome from registered users. Chris O'Donnell 576 Benson Road Middlebury, Ct 06762 CIS: 70431,1427