ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º SHOWPCX Image File Display Utility v1.2 º± º Program Documentation º± º Copyright (c) 1995-96 Robert Manning, Author. º± ÇÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄĶ± º º± º SHOWPCX is a very easy to use image display utility which will open º± º and display any 256 color .PCX file format image, in any size up to º± º 1024x768! Information on running the utility is detailed below. º± º º± º Email contact addresses: º± º RobertM782 on AOL 76022,1630 on Compuserve º± º If using Internet Email, please address RobertM782@AOL.COM º± ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ± ±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±± ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º This version of SHOWPCX is fully functional. A Nag screen is shown º± º to remind you to register the program. Please show your support for º± º this shareware program - fill out the registration (purchase) form º± º in REGISTER.TXT, and mail with your payment. Thank you! º± º º± º Robert J. Manning, Author South Bay Computer Assistance º± ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ± ±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±± SHOWPCX.EXE V.1.2 Program Documentation Fully Functional Shareware Version ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ SHOWPCX.EXE is a very easy to use command line utility which can display 256 color PCX image files, of up to 1024x768 resolution, provided your system is VESA compliant, and has 1MB of video RAM. The utility will automatically select a video mode for you, depending on the size of the image. Images of 320x200 or less will use the standard 320x200 VGA screen mode. An image with dimensions of 400x200 will use 640x400 mode, and so forth. This will allow the image to be displayed in as large as possible display size. Images of 800x600 size or less will 'fade in', as with a normal photo- graphic slide show. There is usually some delay while the image loads. Larger images will be displayed as they are read from disk. WHAT ARE THE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ SHOWPCX requires DOS 3 or higher, VESA VGA compatibility, a 386 or high- er CPU, and enough video RAM for the image to be displayed (chart for determining this shown below). You may also need to load a VESA Bios TSR for your video card. WHAT IS THIS PROGRAM USEFUL FOR: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ SHOWPCX is an easy to use viewer for 256 color PCX image files. Of course, there are many other programs which will do this, for both DOS and Windows. There are a few things which this utility is very useful for: - You can create image presentations very easily, with a DOS batch file (example to follow), where you can view any number of image files, in any order, or repeatedly, for any length of time, from 1 second to almost 9 hours. - There is no need to start Windows, or a full-fledged paint program to see an image file - just enter SHOWPCX filename.pcx, and you'll see it quickly. - The utility is very small in size, making it very portable and space-saving. - Install the program file SHOWPCX.EXE into a directory that is in your DOS Path, and you'll have a handy way to display PCX files while using DOS. WHAT DOES THE REGISTERED VERSION DO: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ The registration is identical to the shareware version, except that there is a nag screen with delay, to remind you to register the program. SIZE LIMITS OF DISPLAY: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Your installed video ram can limit the size of the image file which SHOWPCX can display. If you have a 1MB video card, then you'll be able to view any 256 color PCX image up to 1024x768 resolution. If you have less than 1MB, the maximum image size is listed here: Mode: Description: VRAM needed: Installed VRAM size: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ 320x200 Standard VGA 64kB 64kB 640x400 SVGA 256kB 256kB 640x480 SVGA 300kB 500kB 800x600 SVGA 480kB 500kB 1024x768 SVGA 768kB 1MB For example, to display up to 640x400 images, you'll need to have at least 256kB of video ram installed. For up to 800x600 images, you'll need at least 500kB, and you'll need 1MB of video ram for images that are 1024x768 in size. Images which require more video ram than you have available will not display correctly. Simply press a key, and you'll be returned to the DOS prompt. If you know you have enough memory, yet the display does not show properly, you may need to install a VESA Bios TSR first. A utility disk which came with your video card should have this TSR on it. RUNNING THE UTILITY: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ The registered version of SHOWPCX contains some useful extra features to enhance the viewing of images. Entering SHOWPCX by itself, with no command line parameters, will bring up a help screen. The command line syntax is: SHOWPCX filename.pcx displaytime cleartype cleardelay "message text" msgcolor The command line options are as follows: filename.pcx = full file name (including path) of PCX file to be displayed (Enter the full name including the .PCX extension) displaytime = time to show image in seconds (default = 10 sec) cleartype = screen clear effect (default = 0, plain clearing) (see below for more info on the effects). cleardelay = clear effect delay value in milliseconds (default = 0) "message text" = a double quoted text string to be placed onscreen Notes: 1) The "message text" *MUST* be surrounded by double quotes! Else the program will treat the seperate words as command line arguments. 2) For 320x200 size images, the useable text length is 40 characters. For images from 321x201 to 640x480, the useable text length is 80 characters. For 641x481 to 800x600 images, the useable text length is 100 characters. For 801x601 to 1024x768 images, the useable text length is 120 characters. msgcolor = the display color of the message text, valid values are from 0 to 255. Default color if you don't specify is palette color 0, usually black, but will be whatever the image defines it to be. Screen clearing choices explained: 0 = simple screen clear (default) 1 = clear palette 1 color at a time, to black 2 = clear palette w/chase color 3 = clear vertically with horizontal bar 4 = xor line sweep across screen 5 = draws random filled circles then clears palette to black 6 = moves image chunks to center screen To use the utility, you need to enter, as a minimum, the name of the PCX image file to be displayed: SHOWPCX filename.pcx The above command will show the image called 'filename.pcx' onscreen for 10 seconds, then exit. You must enter the full filename of the image to be displayed, including the .pcx extension. The registered version will accept a path as well (128 chars max), for images not in the current directory. Demonstrations of the other command line options: SHOWPCX filename.pcx 30 - will show filename.pcx for 30 seconds, then exit. SHOWPCX filename.pcx 20 3 - will show filename.pcx for 20 seconds, clear the screen with clear effect #3, then exit. SHOWPCX filename.pcx 15 5 10 - will show filename.pcx for 15 seconds, clear the screen with clear effect #5, using a 10 millisecond effect delay, then exit. SHOWPCX filename.pcx 40 1 0 "This is an example message" - will show filename.pcx for 40 seconds, displaying the text message "This is an example message" onscreen with the image, then clear the screen with clear effect #1, using no clear effect delay, and exit. The message color will be 0, which can be whatever the image defines color 0 to be (usually black, but not necessarily). SHOWPCX filename.pcx 40 1 0 "This is an example message" 12 - will show filename.pcx for 40 seconds, displaying the text message "This is an example message" onscreen with the image, using palette color #12 to display the text, then clear the screen with clear effect #1, using no clear effect delay, and exit. *************** Important Note: *************** All command line functions do not need to be used, but if you wish to use one and not another, you must place a zero in place of an unused option. For example, say you want a text message, but don't care what screen clear effects are employed. You'll need to place a zero in the spot for the unused effects, as shown here: SHOWPCX filename.pcx 30 0 0 "This is a test message" - will show filename.pcx for 30 seconds, displaying the text message "This is a test message" onscreen, and exit with a plain default screen clear. SHOWPCX filename.pcx 30 0 0 - performs the same display except leaving out the message text. You would not need to specify message color if not using the text. Failure to add the 'placeholder' values will cause the program to assume that whatever is in that spot is a value, and will interpret it as such. In order to keep the show as small as possible, this extra error process- ing was not included; So, it is up to you to use it correctly. DISPLAYING MORE THAN ONE IMAGE FILE: ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ A DOS batch file may be constructed to use this utility to display any number of PCX images. If you're unfamiliar with DOS batch file const- ruction, please consult your DOS manual. An example of such a batch file is shown below: SHOWPCX pic1.pcx 5 SHOWPCX pic2.pcx 10 SHOWPCX c:\docs\pic3.pcx 3 SHOWPCX c:\paint\pic4.pcx 20 To make this show, start the DOS text editor (or Windows NotePad) and enter multiple command lines as shown above. Save the text file with the extension .BAT, ie SHOW.BAT. Exit the editor, and type in SHOW.BAT in the directory the file is in. The files will be displayed in the order shown. Only files in the current directory will display properly. By this means, you can create your own slide show / image file present- ation. For example, make a list of all the PCX files in a directory, and place them in a text file. The easy way to do this in DOS is with the command: DIR *.PCX > LIST.TXT This command uses DOS to create a text file named LIST.TXT, which is just a directory list. There will be some extra information which is not needed in the file, namely, the directory name and other info. Edit out this unneeded info, so just the PCX file names are in the file. Now Copy/Paste the line SHOWPCX in front of each filename as shown above. Save the file with the .BAT extension, instead of the .TXT extension. Exit to DOS and enter LIST, and you'll have an instant slideshow! REGISTRATION ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Want to get the registered version without the nag screen? Fill out the registration form in the file REGISTER.TXT, and mail it along with a check or money order made out to Robert Manning, for $5 U.S., to: Robert Manning, PO Box 2011, Lomita, CA 90717 Your registered version will be sent by return mail. Orders are accepted from outside the USA, however, due to the prohibitive cost of mailing outside the US, your registered version will be sent via Internet email (UUEncoded). Orders from within the US may also elect this option; simply state so when registering. YES, THERE IS A WWW PAGE ÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ Visit the South Bay Computer Assistance Web page, which has most all the publicly distributed programs by this same author. Point your browser to: http://members.aol.com/robertm782/public/sbcapage.htm ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º SHOWPCX Image File Display Utility º± º Copyright (c) 1995-1996 Robert Manning, Author. º± º º± º Email contact addresses: º± º RobertM782 on AOL 76022,1630 on Compuserve º± º If using Internet Email, please address RobertM782@AOL.COM º± ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ± ±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±