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      ³  If loaded with READ.COM, PRESS <Esc> when you wish to END   ³
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                       Fri  12-10-1993  01:00:29

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                        ³     SHADOWBX.BAS    º
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                              Version 2.0

One of the little and elusive programming problems in QuickBASIC is how
to make a "true" shadowed box. You know... where you can see the printed
text in the "shadow" in muted colors. The first Norton Utilities I
bought did that and also had a batch program called BE.EXE which would
make text box looks "3-D."

It's only taken me three (3) years to figure how how to do this. Sure
it's not too hard to make a black line to put on the bottom of the box
and figure out how to put one on the right; I did that with the program
DRAWIT.EXE posted here on CompuServe. But that is kludgy and doesn't
have that three dimensional effect you get by seeing PRINT -through- the
shadow.

According to my guruish friends, you need assembly to "paint over" the
color on a screen without disturbing the text... and they are right. But
how's about using PEEK and POKE to find what's on the screen as far as
the character, then change the color of the character, then print the
COLOR back to the screen.  That's what SHADOWBX.BAS does.

This is version 2.0... <sigh> got caught using too much PEEK and POKE
and have revised the program. Now SHADOWBX.COM will allow you to make
multiple boxes with multiple different backgrounds. It will detect if
you have a monochrome computer screen. If you do... you will be asked to
exit. If you don't exit... you are on your own. The code is only for a
color monitor.

You know... I have never even -seen- a monochrome VGA monitor so it's
hard for me to plan code for such an exotic (to me) beastie.

The code which makes the shadow is actually pretty simple. Most of that
information and code is from "Microsoft QuickBASIC Bible," page 714-21.

If you downloaded Version 1.0, you will be surprised with all the
additional SUBs and FUNCTIONS in Version 2.0. What can I say? I've been
reading Ethan Winer's 1991 Book "BASIC Techniques and Utilities" and
thought I would stuff a few into this program to see if they made the
"logic" better. I think they do. Ethan says the program will compile
smaller with these SUBs for LOCATE and COLOR.

The executable file SHADOWBX.COM is very tiny, like the program
SHADOWBX.BAS. It is included so that you will believe me when I tell you
can really make a shadowed box with this program.

When you press <Esc> to leave this help text, the batch file
FROMJOHN.BAT will load SHADOWBX.COM and run that for you.


Have fun,

John De Palma on CompuServe 76076,571