═══ 1. Introduction ═══

Welcome to ViewFITS, a versatile, powerful and easy-to-use FITS format image 
viewer for OS/2 (tm, property of IBM Corp.). This program is freeware and is a 
property of its author, Dominique Beauchamp. 

This is a с release of ViewFITS. 


═══ 2. Menu items ═══


═══ 2.1. File ═══

File allows the user to handle files, i.e. to load data and colour palettes and 
to modify the configuration file. 


═══ 2.1.1. New ═══

New loads a new file (image) into the viewer.  You can select which buffer 
(1-4) will receive the data. It is possible to define the validity interval for 
pixels (e.g. 0 and 100 will set all pixels with value below 0 to black and all 
those with value above 100 to white). 


═══ 2.1.2. Palette ═══

Palette loads a new colour palette for the active buffer.  The palette is a 
liste of 256 RGB values in an ASCII file.  These values are listed as RED, 
GREEN, BLUE, with 0=darker and 255=lighter. 


═══ 2.1.3. Quit ═══

Quit will exit from ViewFITS. 


═══ 2.2. Zoom ═══

Zoom provides facilities to magnify and shrink the image.  Each buffer has its 
own zoom factor and is not affected when it is not active. 


═══ 2.2.1. Zoom in 2x ═══

Zoom in 2x Will magnify the image by a factor of two. This will increase the 
amount of memory used to store this image. This function can be applied many 
times. 


═══ 2.2.2. Normalsize ═══

Normalsize Will restore the size of the image to its original value. 


═══ 2.2.3. Zoom out 2x ═══

Zoom out 2x Will shrink the image by a factor of two. This will decrease the 
amount of memory used to store this image. This function can be applied many 
times. 


═══ 2.3. Blink ═══

Blink is used to change the active buffer or to blink between the buffers. 


═══ 2.3.1. Rate ═══

This allows the user to change the blink Rate  This rate is given in tenths of 
second.  (It is possible, if the tempo is too fast, that the computer cannot 
give the correct rate.) 


═══ 2.3.2. Blink ═══

Blink will toggle the blinking mode.  This mode will display only buffers into 
which an image is loaded.  Each one is given its own size, position and colour 
palette.  This mode is very useful in order to compare two images of a same 
region of the sky to find variables or supernovС. 


═══ 2.3.3. Buffer ═══

Buffer will change the active buffer number. 


═══ 2.4. Tools ═══

Tools contains tools to display the position of the cursor and the value of the 
pixel, to display the palette bar and to modify the palette. 


═══ 2.4.1. Cursor ═══

This tool will display the X and Y position of the pixel on which the Cursor is 
located. It will also display the value of this pixel. (This tool cannot be 
used at the same time as the palette modifier.) 


═══ 2.4.2. Palette bar ═══

This tool will display a Palette bar, i.e. a rectangle containing all the 
colours being displayed by ViewFITS. 


═══ 2.4.3. Modify palette ═══

Modify palette will dynamically modify the colour palette of the active buffer. 
When this tool is toggled on, press down button 1 and drag the mouse over the 
window. 


═══ 2.5. Refresh ═══

This button will Refresh the window in the case it would not automatically 
redraw. 


═══ 2.6. Help ═══

Help facilities. 


═══ 3. Using the mouse ═══

Most of the tools are activated by mouse movments.  It is important to know how 
to deal with them. 

In normal mode, a click on button 2 will move the centre of the image toward 
the cursor position. 

In cursor mode, button 2 has the same effect but a click on button 1 will send 
position and pixel value to an ASCII file if it has been previously opened. 

In modify palette mode, a click on button 2 will have the same effect as 
previously but if the button 1 is held down, this will change the colour 
palette. 


═══ 4. How to contact the author ═══

The author can be reached on Astronomy Echo, a FidoNet conference at DOMINIQUE 
BEAUCHAMP or via InterNet e-mail at beaucham@phy.ulaval.ca. 

Please, report all bugs and comments. 

Thanks for using ViewFITS!