›     Turbo Basic Character Editor›            By Gavan Moran›               (c) 1989›››Note: On this disk there are two›versions of this manual.  CHARED.TXT›which you are now reading and is›formatted for 40 columns and›CHARED.DOC which is formatted for 80›columns.›››The Turbo Basic Character Editor is a›very powerful tool with which to›create your own character sets.  It is›unusual in that it is window, rather›than menu, driven.  Yes, thats right -›just like an ST.  A joystick is needed›in port 1 in order to control›selections in the windows.  The only›time the keyboard is used is when›loading and saving  character sets and›when going from the  editing to the›manipulation options.››When first running the program, you›will see a large 8X8 editing grid on›the left hand side of the screen, a›window containing credits on the right› and a window showing the entire›character set being edited along the›bottom.  Pressing START will cause the›credits window to disappear and a›window offering various character›manipulation and I/O options will›appear as will a smaller window›containing the ascii number of the›character being edited and it's image.› Alternatively, just moving the stick›or pressing fire will also cause the›credits window to disappear and you›will find yourself controlling the›editing cursor in the 8X8 window.›››The Edit Window››This window contains an 8X8 grid which›represents the shape of the character›being edited.  The small window at the›top-centre-right of the screen tells›you the number of the character which›you are currently editing and shows an›actual gr.0 sized image of it.  Use›the joystick to move the cross-shaped›cursor around the window in the 8›directions.  Going off one side of the›window will lead to you coming back on›at the other.  Press the fire button›in order to change a square from lit›to unlit or vice versa.  The lit and›unlit squares on the grid represent›lit and unlit pixels in the character›being edited and changes in the grid›are reflected in the character in the›small window (but NOT on the character›in the bottom character set window). ›Note that changes are only made to the›actual character when the PUTCHAR›function is selected in the›manipulation window (see later) so›feel free to try your ideas out.  Once›you have finished designing your›character you will want to place it in›the character set or maybe manipulate›it using some 'special effects'.  In›order to do this you will have to›enable the  manipulation window.  Do›this by pressing START on the›keyboard.›››The Manipulation Window››This is the window down the right hand›side of the screen.  It allows you to›carry out many special operations on›the character in the character window›and also allows disk I/O.  The options›available are shown inside the window.› A white 'menu bar' is used to select›an option.  This is done by up/down on›the joystick to move the bar over the›desired option and then fire to select›it.  Sometimes this may cause another›window to be opened and the bar is›then transferred to this window and so›on.››Let us go through the options›available:-››EDIT:›Selecting this will cause you to be›back in the character edit window ›controlling the cursor.  Use this when›editing a new character or when›'touching up' after an effect is used.››REVERSE:›This will reverse all the pixels of›the current character.  It acts like›the inverse key in the BASIC editor.››SCROLL up:›Moves all the rows in the current›character up by one position.  The top›row will 'wrap around' to the bottom›row.››SCROLL down:›Moves all rows down one.  Bottom wraps›round to top.››SHIFT right:›Moves all the pixels across one pixel›to the right.  Wraparound occurs on›pixels shifted off right hand side of›grid.››SHIFT left:›Shifts pixels to left.  Wraparound›occurs.››FLIP u/d:›Spins character through 180 degrees›around a horizontal line through the›centre of the grid.››FLIP l/r:›Spins character 180 degrees around›vertical line through centre.›     ›ROTATE:›Rotates character 90 degrees clockwise›around centre.›     ›GETCHAR:›Allows you to choose a character in›the set to be edited.  This causes›another selection window to be opened›which allows you to select the›character in the following ways:››   >> and << go backwards and forwards›   through the character set.›   ›   ASCII lets you type ascii no of›   character to be edited.›   ›   TYPE lets you type the character›   directly on the keyboard.›   ›   QUIT returns you to the›   manipulation window selecting the›   character currently shown.›   ›Notice that a smaller, quarter-size›window is opened over the edit window›while you are choosing the  character.› This contains a representation of the›character which will be chosen and is›done for speed purposes - on leaving›the GETCHAR window, the full edit›window is restored.››PUTCHAR:›When you have edited a character to›your satisfaction, you must put it›back into the character set in order›to affect a permanent change.  You may›either put the character back into the›set 'as is' i.e.  as the same›character number it was fetched as, or›you may put it back in as a different›character number.››As with getchar, these options are›represented in a seperate window -›simply use the menu bar to select›them. The options are AS IS, OTHER and›QUIT.  With the other option, you will›be prompted to press a key on the›keyboard and this is the character›that the redifined character will be›assigned to.  e.g. pressing 'A' will›cause the character A (ascii number›65) to be redefined to the shape in›the edit grid.  Use QUIT to go back to›the main window.››DISK:›This presents a window of I/O options.›They are LOAD, SAVE and QUIT. ››   LOAD causes a directory window to›   be opened, showing all the files on›   the disk with .SET extenders. ›   Another window prompts you for the›   name of the file to be loaded. ›   Type your filename (minus the D:›   and .SET extenders).  This set will›   then be loaded and displayed in the›   blue window along the bottom of the›   screen.›   ›   SAVE opens a window which prompts›   you to type a name for the file›   which you mean to save the current›   set as.  The filename of the last›   file loaded is displayed as a›   default and pressing RETURN will›   allow you to save as this file. ›   Any other keypress will allow you›   to type a new name.›   ›   QUIT returns you to the main›   window.›    ›DEFAULT:›This option will opens a window with›three further options.  They are:››   CHAR which will change the›   character being edited back into›   it's default (O.S.) form.  Note›   that this also affects the actual›   character in the set being edited.›   ›   SET which changes the whole›   character set to it's default form.›   ›   QUIT returns you to the main›   window.›   ›CLEAR:›This allows you to clear the character›currently being edited.  i.e. set all›it's pixels off.  Note that it does›not affect the character in the set›being edited.›››Notes››When the program is run, it tries to›load a character set off the disk›called CHARED.SET.  If this is not›present, the program will not run.›This is because the program itself›uses a redefined set. If for some›reason you  do not have the CHARED.SET›file, simply rename any character set›file to CHARED.SET and use it.  The›program will then run correctly, but›needless to say the graphics of the›windows, grid etc will not be correct.› You can, of course, use the editor to›redefine the CHARED.SET file in order›to change the grpahics of the program›to whatever you want.››The program itself is nearly 100%›Turbo Basic.  The exception is the DLI›routines for changing the character›set and screen colour at the bottom of›the screen.  These were created using›the excellent DLI MAKER program by›Greg Anderson in the Jan '86 issue of›ANALOG magazine (No 38).››Well, thats about all.  I think that›this program nicely demonstrates the›power of Turbo Basic and hopefully›should inspire people to make the most›of this powerful language.››Gavan Moran›18 Roehill Walk,›Limavady,›Co. Derry,›Northern Ireland›BT49 9BJ             ›››››››