#####################################››                BILLBOARD›      More than just a screen dump›      by Thomas J. Andrews, member›      ACE of SYRACUSE, and THE OL'›      HACKERS A.U.G., Inc.› ›     Billboard is  an  8-bit  Shareware› program   that   will   print   screen› graphics  on  a  dot-matrix  printer. › It's much more than  a  simple  screen› dump,  however.   Billboard prints can› range from wallet size  to  multi-page› posters  and on up to huge billboards,› for which the program is named.››     Billboard  was  written  by  Chris› Wareham of Spearfish,  South  Dakota. › The  version  I  have, from the ACE of› Syracuse November  1991  disk  of  the› month,  carries  a  copyright  date of› 1987. It is written in Atari BASIC and› can  be  used  with  any  Atari  8-bit› computer  with at least 48K of RAM and› a disk drive.››    As written,  Billboard  requires  a› printer  compatible with the Epson FX-› 80.  For users  with  other  printers,› the   author   thoughtfully   provides› information in the documentation  that› makes it reasonably easy to change the› necessary printer codes.  I had to  do› this for my Gemini 10X printer and for› a  friend's  Atari  XMM801.  (Author's› note:  This  modification  is  in  the› OHAUG  library!   Check your 2 library› disks,   or  with  the  Librarian  for› details.)››     The   source  code  is  completely› accessable,   allowing   those    with› programming  skills  to  enhance   and› customize  it.  It is well-written and› commented, making it  fairly  easy  to› follow  for  such  a complex program. › Roy Goldman  once  created  a  version› that  would  print  to  a disk file as› well as to a printer, and included  it› with his famous Daisy Dot II.››    Billboard  can  print pictures from› GRAPHICS   modes   7+(15   on    XL/XE› machines),  8,  and 9.  These pictures› must come  from  "standard"  62-sector› disk  files.   This  format is used by› many   drawing   programs,   such   as› MicroPainter  and RAMbrant.  There are› literally hundreds of  these  pictures› available  from  several  PD sources. › The JVIEW XL monochrome modes  produce› files in this format.›    Many  drawings  created  with other› programs, such as  Micro  Illustrator,› can  be  converted to 62-sector format› using   Rapid  Graphics  Converter,  a› program from the November  1985  issue› of  Antic  magazine.  Print Shop icons› and Newsroom photos can  be  converted› to  GRAPHICS  8  files  using Newsroom› Converter,   from  the  December  1988› Antic.  Several PD programs exist that› also do such conversions.››    Because  GRAPHICS 7+, 8, and 9 each› use   the   same   amount  of  memory,› Billboard can load, display, and print› a  picture in several different ways. › Each picture can be loaded and printed› in  any  of  the  three  modes, and in› addition can be loaded  and  displayed› as GRAPHICS 7+ but printed as GRAPHICS› 8.››    GRAPHICS 8 is a two-color mode,  so› each  pixel is either on or it's off. › GRAPHICS  7+  and  9  are  multi-color› modes, and shading techniques are used› to differentiate between the different› colors in the printout.  In  the  case› of  GRAPHICS 7+, the user is given the› opportunity  to  change  the  shadings› applied to  each  of  the  four  color› registers  before  printing.   A handy› one-button   default   restoration  is› provided for those who get  hopelessly› lost during this process.››    Pictures  may  be  printed   either› upright  or  sideways,  and  in either› regular or inverse style.  In regular,› pixels  that  are  light on the screen› are dark on the printout.  In inverse,› dark pixels are dark on the paper.››    Only  one  vertical  dot density is› provided-the   standard  72  dots  per› inch.  This is  the  distance  between› the  pins on most dot-matrix printers,› and variance from this density,  while› sometimes  possible,  is  limited  and› difficult to program.››    For  those  printers   capable   of› producing    them,   four   horizontal› densities  are  supported.   They  are› 480, 720, 960, and 1920 dots per  line› (dpl).   These  translate  to  60, 90,› 120,   and   240   dots   per    inch,› respectively.   The  base width of the› printed picture is determined  by  the› selection  of the horizontal density. › Thus, a 960 dpl base-sized printout is› twice as wide as a 1920 dpl base-sized› printout.››    Printout height and width sizes can› be  expanded  in multiples of the base› dimensions, and independently of  each› other.   As  the  user  cycles through› each   dimension   multiple   on   the› selection  menu,  the physical size of› the final result in feet and inches is› reported in a message box.›    Once  the second dimension has been› selected, the number of pages and  the› amount of time required for a printout› as if it were done  on  an  FX-80  are› reported.   There seems to be no upper› limit to the size capabilities of this› program.   For  instance,  a  960  dpl› printout  that  is  1800  high by 1800› wide is 400 by 400 feet  in  size  and› will  take  270,000  pages  and 32,400› hours to print.  That's 3.7 YEARS!   I› have  not   yet   checked   this   for› accuracy. (grin)››    Pictures  may also be placed to the› right, center, or  left  side  of  the› printout,  and  there   is   a   handy› printing  pause  feature  to allow the› printer to cool off and for  paper  or› ribbon changes.››    For   all   of   its   versatility,› Billboard  is  one  of   the   easiest› programs I have ever tried to learn to› use.  There  is  one  command  screen,› with  various menu and message boxes. › Selections from  the  menus  are  made› through  the  use  of  the  arrow  and› RETURN  keys.  Except for the physical› requirements of printer operation, the› entire  program  can  be operated with› just one finger.››    Billboard is an excellent  program,› and I recommend it to all 8-bit users.› It can have many uses beyond  printing› pretty    computer    pictures.    For› example,   you   could    create    an› advertising  poster  or  a sign with a› drawing program like DRAW7, then  blow› it  up  to  almost  any   size   using› Billboard-something  you can't do with› Print Shop.››    As  with  many  other  good  8  BIT› programs,  the only real limit is your› own imagination.›› #####################################››