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Amiga Format CD 30
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Amiga Format AFCD30 (Sep 1998, Issue 114).iso
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-seriously_amiga-
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graphics
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bmp2spec
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bmp2spec.txt
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1998-06-22
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BMP2SPEC version 1.0
Written by the Infamous Blood!
(C)1996 Cheese Freak Software
Welcome to BMP2SPEC! This software won't change your life, but with a
bit of luck someone other than myself will find it useful. Please read
this file thoroughly before trying to use the prog, or you may end up
disappointed! And if you have any comments, see the email info at the
end to drop me a line! Ta.
What is BMP2SPEC?
-----------------
It's a small DOS prog, run from the command line (but it could be
compiled on other platforms, the C source code is included). As input,
it takes a Microsoft Windows .BMP format picture, and as output it
produces a .TAP file which can be loaded into your Spectrum emulator
(or real Speccy). In other words, it's a fast way of getting PC pictures
onto your Speccy.
What do I need to use it?
-------------------------
You'll need the following :
The BMP2SPEC software! (obvious really)
A PC to run the binary, or a compiler to compile the source for your machine
A way of loading .TAP files (i.e. a Spectrum emulator such as Z80)
A way of manipulating image files into a certain .BMP format
(I use Paint Shop Pro on my PC under Windows)
Some Pictures!
What are the included files?
----------------------------
BMP2SPEC EXE - A PC Binary version of BMP2SPEC
BMP2SPEC C - The C source code for BMP2SPEC
BMP2SPEC H - A (very) small header file to accompany the source
BMP2SPEC TXT - The documentation file
MDRAW Z80 - A copy of Melbourne Draw, in .Z80 format, for editing pics
EXAMPLES TAP - A .TAP file full of example screens
The examples are in the following order:
JSW - A section of the Jetset Willy tape cover, scanned into the PC
and quite successfully ported to the Speccy.
JETPAC - The Jetpac tape cover, scanned into the PC and not so
successfully ported to the Speccy!
LAKE - An example of how NOT to port a piccy to the Speccy. This had
just too many colours in it to look nice. Looks better from a
distance!
CHIPHEAD - A raytraced PC picture from a PC Format coverdisk, reduced
and squished onto the Speccy screen. Not bad!
NASTY - My favourite. A picture of Richie and Eddie from Bottom! On
your Speccy!
These examples can all be loaded into the Speccy using LOAD "" SCREEN$.
Have a look at them - they're fun!
What do I do now?
-----------------
Here's a step by step guide to getting a picture (in this case, the
Jetset Willy cover .JPG file from NVG) onto your Speccy screen.
1. Get the image you want to use and load it into your computer's image
manipulation software.
2. It's probably too big for the Speccy screen, so scale it down to
256x192 resolution. This may make it look crap, in which case you'd
better only use part of the image.
3. Lower the colour mode of the picture to 2. This means the picture
must be converted to black and white. With Paint Shop Pro, you would
choose Colours-->Decrease Colour Depth-->2 Colours. PSP provides a lot
of options to make your 2 colour images look nice! Basically, if it
looks awful on the PC screen, it'll look worse on the Speccy! Try and
get the image looking as good as possible before proceeding!
4. Save the image as a .BMP file (Windows compatible Bitmap). This
should be EXACTLY 6206 bytes long. If it isn't, you've gone wrong
somewhere. We'll call the file JSW.BMP.
5. Run BMP2SPEC using the following command line :
BMP2SPEC JSW.BMP JSW.TAP
6. Wait for BMP2SPEC to finish (should only take a few seconds). Once
this is done, a file called JSW.TAP should have been created.
7. Start your emulator (I'm assuming you're using Z80). Set the tape
input file to be JSW.TAP. If you now browse this file, you should see
there is a single file called 'screen'.
8. Drop to Speccy BASIC and type :
LOAD "" SCREEN$: PAUSE 0
9. The screen will now load and you can view at your leisure!
Restrictions
------------
The program isn't very brainy. It only does some number crunching. In
other words, it won't scale your pictures for you, it won't clip them,
it won't handle colour pictures and it won't handle any format other
than .BMP. It'll tell you if something goes wrong, but the error
messages aren't too helpful (unless you're me, that is...).
If you feed it a colour bitmap, or one that's too large, or something
that isn't a bitmap, BMP2SPEC won't complain. It will, however, produce
garbage. You know the old saying - Garbage in, Garbage out....
Other Uses
----------
The produced Speccy pictures can be used just as normal Speccy pictures
can! In other words, there's no reason not to edit them further once
they're on the Speccy. I've included a snapshot of Melbourne Draw, which
is pretty good for colouring the pictures in once you've got them onto
the Speccy!
Using this program, it's also a real possibility to produce all of your
Sprites for a Speccy game on a PC using whichever graphical tools you
like, and then port them over to the Speccy.
Future Updates
--------------
Possible, but not pressing :
Let you name the SCREEN$!
Let you decide on the paper/ink colours of the image.
Better error trapping.
Legal Stuff
-----------
Sorry, but I prefer this to be here to save my hide!
This software is provided as is. In other words, if it works for you
fine. If it doesn't, then ask me questions but I'm not a support
helpline. This is free software after all.
The source code for this software is included for free. If you want to
alter it or add to it or point out where I've included some crap code
which could've been done better, then fine. However, please don't
distribute modified versions of this program without asking me first.
And definitely don't put your name on it and pretend it's your program.
Alright? The source isn't very well documented, it's not supposed to be
a C tutorial. Please don't ask me questions about it.
This software has been checked out and tested and seems to be okay on MY
machine. If it wipes your hard drive, blows up your computer, or
destroys the universe, then it's not my responsibility. It's yours. So
don't whinge.
Finally, this software should ALWAYS be FREE! Don't even pay for the
price of a disk for this, 'cos it's only small and it's not even worth
50p. And if a magazine or one of those 'whack a load of files from the
Internet on a CD and sell it for twenty-quid' merchants wants to use
this program to make cash then YOU CAN'T! Sod off. This is a program for
the people, not the businessmen. Humph.
And Finally...
--------------
I'd like to hear if anyone makes any use of this program. It's not
earth-shattering, but it works for me and I use it occasionally. If you
find any bugs, or you'd like to see a new feature, or you make a nice
picture that you'd like to show me, or you just love this little piece
of C, then drop me a note at :
l.d.tonks@bra0202.wins.icl.co.uk
I'm always happy to hear from Speccy fans!
May your lives be free of Tape Loading Errors!
Blood.
12th February, 1996