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---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TERMINAL PROCEDURES EDITOR AND DISPLAY MODULE DOCUMENTATION VERSION 1.0 (BETA TEST) June 8, 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Package information and goals: ------------------------------ Contents of this zipped package are: 1. A graphics editor <TPE_ED.EXE> for the purpose of creating high resolution graphics images similar to those contained in the volumes of U.S. TERMINAL PROCEDURES. 2. A data file display module <TPE_DM.EXE> for viewing completed images. 3. Five example image data files <SJC.TPE> - <QUIET1.TPE> - <FROGO6.TPE> - <SJCAPT.TPE> and <USER.SHP>. 4. a documentation file <TPE.DOC> which explains how to use the editor and display module. I wrote this package to facilitate information transfer between people who enjoy flying aircraft on computer flight simulators. The coded images of SID plates - APPROACH plates and AIRPORT DIAGRAM plates are of relatively small size and are transmitted quickly over information networks. Overview of the editor <TPE_ED.EXE>. ------------------------------------ The editor is capable of creating plate images in 16 colors. There are three border types you can use. You can enter lines - circles and shapes in graphics mode. There is a library of typical graphics shapes which is user expandable. You can enter text from an altered/limited character set of upper or lower case letters in text input mode. The actual drawing area is 640 x 750 lines. The portion of the image off the display screen is written to - or viewed - by scrolling. In graphics mode - a bounded region fill routine is available - its capabilities are limited. The editor is able to write or retreive image files to/from disk storage. You can resume editing a saved image once it is re-loaded. On SID plates you can store multiple pages of text info in the lower pane. You can delete mistakes you make when editing. You will be prompted via a selection menu for input and output file names. Overview of the display module <TPE_DM.EXE>. -------------------------------------------- The display module is capable of writing plate data image files to the display screen. Once the file is showing on the screen you are able to scroll the image up or down. All pages of text (5) in the bottom pane of a SID type plate image are able to be displayed. This module should be packaged with any image files you generate. You will be prompted via a selection menu for input file names. Example image file <SJCAPR.TPE>. -------------------------------- This image is an approach plate for ILS Runway 12R at San Jose International Airport. It does contain a few errors. Sorry! Example image file <SJCAPT.TPE>. -------------------------------- A diagram of San Jose Airport. This is incomplete and intended to to show editor capabilities and limitations only. Even though I wrote this thing - I am still learning how to use it. Example image file <QUIET1.TPE>. -------------------------------- A Standard Instrument Departure for San Francisco International airport. I am pretty sure that this image has few or no informational errors. Example image file <FROGO6.TPE>. -------------------------------- A Sacramento Metro SID. I used this image as a test of the delete function. It's an added bonus! In ATP using IPS WEST you might have some difficulty hanging on to MYV on 110.8! You will lose the signal just before you intercept the R-154 radial! Example user shape file <USER.SHP>. ----------------------------------- An example user shape file. Thiss example file contains only one shape. When the editor starts up it looks for a file of this name. If it finds the file it will load the additional shape bit patterns in it and make them avilable when you use the editor. Please read file format information further down. The documentation file <TPE.DOC>. --------------------------------- Please TYPE out this file or make notes before running the editor or you'll get lost. There is no on-line help in this version. I always seem to find out that writing documentation is tougher than the actual programming. Please excuse any mis-information or omissions. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Starting the editor: -------------------- To start the editor just type TPE_ED <CR>. You should see an image of a Boeing 747 on short final accompanied by the editor logo build up on the screen. For the next few seconds the image will darken as night falls. When those running lights are burning brite press any key to clear the intro and bring up the main menu. All initial plate type choices - file save/load operations and a display option are selected from the main menu via function keys <F1> to <F10>. Main menu choices: ------------------ <F1> Begin a new SID plate. Pressing this key will remove the main menu from the screen and draw a two pane SID plate border. After the border appears you can begin editing. <F2> Begin a new AIRPORT DIAGRAM plate. Pressing this key will remove the main menu and draw a one pane general border. Although this is advertised as an AIRPORT DIAGRAM border - it is intended as a basis for your own custom pane layouts. If you should do this please note the section further down about cursor movement. <F3> Begin a new approach plate. Pressing this key will remove the main menu from the screen and draw a four pane APPROACH PLATE type border. <F4> Load and display an image file from disk storage. When the file is loaded you can scroll the image. Display it from the top down or from the bottom up. If it is a SID type plate you can scroll through up to five pages of text in the bottom pane. Pressing the <ESC> key will return you to the main menu. Use of this key disables editing functions. It is intended to duplicate the actions of the display module <TPE_DM.EXE>. If there are no files in the current directory with a TPE extender then an error message will appear. <F5> Load and display an image file from disk storage. Using this key to load an image allows you to continue editing after the file is loaded. Editing functions are fully functional after the image is up on the display. You can add more items to the image. If there are no files to be loaded with a TPE extender in the current directory an error message will appear. <F6> Save the current image to a disk file. If you press this key the main menu will be replaced by a file name input box. You can enter a filename of 8 characters or less. The editor will add a <TPE> extender to the name you type. A check is made for duplicate filnames. An error message will be generated if this occurs. If there is no information in the display list to be saved an error message will also appear. You can accumulate a display list 12K in length. Do not exceed this limit. no check is made on size. It's really plenty of of space! Even very cluttered SIDs are using only about 4k in this version. <F7> Reserved for future expansion. <F8> Reserved for future expansion. <F9> Reserved for future expansion. <F10> Quit the editor and return to DOS. NOTE: To get back to the main menu at almost any any time press the <ESC> key! NOTE: As soon as the main menu disappears - all function keys are redefined. The STATUS LINE at the TOP of the display: ------------------------------------------ At the top of the display you can see information that will assist you in editing. From left to right here is what you see: Two groups of three digits each. This is the X-Y coordinates of the graphics cursor. The graphics cursor is the small white dot a little farther down the screen. The default position is 100 100. Directly after the coordinates is a colored patch. This is the current drawing color. All lines - circles - shapes - region fills - and text will be drawn in this color until you change it! To the right of the color patch is the current shape symbol. The default symbol is my representation of a VOR. Next to the right is text stating the plate type you have selected. After this comes the mode state. The default mode is <GR> - graphics entry mode. The other available mode is <TX> - text entry mode. In certain instances when in <TX> mode you will see a page indicator after the mode state. It will look like this: <P#>. Understanding the status line is the key to using the editor. In some instances - plate header text will be apparently inter-mingled with status information. This only happens when the editor is running. As you edit a plate image I would suggest that the header text is the last thing you enter. SHIFTING the IMAGE on the display: ---------------------------------- When you start editing an image - all you can see are the first 480 lines. To shift the image up and down use function keys <F7> <F8> <F9> and <F10>. Keys F7 and F8 scroll the display up and down 20 lines at a time. Function key F9 shows the image from the top down. Function key F10 shows the image from the bottom up. HINT: If you are working on the bottom section of an image the status line may not be visible. Using <F9> can always give you a quick peek at it. <F10> will then return you to the bottom section of the image. Moving the DOT CURSOR: ---------------------- The DOT CURSOR is used to enter graphics information to the image. 1. It defines the start and end points of all lines. 2. It defines the center of a circle and any point on its radius. 3. It defines the location of a shape. 4. It defines the seed location for a region fill. To move the DOT CURSOR use the UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT arrow keys. Any problem with movement check the <NUMLOCK> key. As you move the cursor notice that the X-Y coordinates on the top status line are changing. The cursor position is monitored and it will not be allowed to cross any pane or border boundary lines. See below for - how to change panes. You can move the cursor off the visible screen and still monitor its movement using the X-Y coordinate information. Sometimes this comes in handy. Changing to the TEXT CURSOR: ---------------------------- To change to the text cursor press the <F2> key. The DOT CURSOR will disappear and be replaced by a short horizontal line - this is the TEXT CURSOR. Any text you type will appear ABOVE this cursor line and as each character is typed the cursor will advance one position. The text cursor position is monitored and - once again - it will not be permitted to cross a pane or border boundary line. Its movements are more jumpy than the DOT CURSOR'S so get used to it! Also look at the status line on the top of the display to see that the mode has changed from <GR> to <TX>. NOTE: The X-Y information is meaningless when in text mode. Changing back to the DOT CURSOR: -------------------------------- Press <F2> again! Moving the DOT CURSOR or TEXT CURSOR across a pane boundary: ------------------------------------------------------------ Press the <F5> key to shift the cursor - whatever its type - to the next available pane. Repeated use of the <F5> key will cycle the cursor through available panes. NOTE: As you cycle through available panes notice that all three plate types have a NOT SO OBVIOUS PANE at the top of the screen. There is room there for two lines of TEXT. This is for creating the plate header. Be aware that although this information is written over the status line - it will be displayed properly on a finished image. In this version of the editor you can see enough of what's going on to complete these two header lines despite the status info. Version 2.0 will resolve this conflict. Changing the drawing COLOR: --------------------------- Press the <F1> key to cycle through available drawing colors. The color patch on the status line will change to the new color. The editor code modifys the VGA DAC color registers to provide a more suitable color selection for drawing images. There are some dimmer blues and greens intended for land and ocean filled regions on color approach plates. Changing the current SHAPE: --------------------------- To change to the next available graphics shape press the <F4> key. As the shape is changed the shape symbol on the status line will reflect it. There are 24 shapes in the default library. When the editor is started it looks for a file called <USER.SHP>. If it finds this file - and it has the correct format - the user file shape data is added to the default shape library. A maximum of 50 total shapes are allowed. Shapes are 16 bits wide by 9 lines. Drawing a SHAPE at the DOT CURSOR position: ------------------------------------------- Shapes can only be drawn when in graphics <GR> mode! To draw the current shape at the cursor position press the <F3> key. An attempt is made to center the shape on the dots position. The shape will be drawn in the current drawing color! NOTE: If the position of the DOT CURSOR would cause the shape to cross a pane or border boundary it will not be drawn. If this happens just move the dot in a couple of pixels and try again! Drawing a LINE: --------------- Lines can only be drawn when in graphics <GR> mode! To draw a line first specify its starting point by moving the DOT CURSOR with the arrow keys then press the "s" key. Caps or lower case will not matter! Now move the cursor to the line's end point and press the "e" key. A line will connect the two points in the current drawing color. Notice a small white dot was left at the start point for user reference. A couple other important concepts: You can initiate a line at the top of the screen by pressing the "s" key - then scroll the screen using the <F7> <F8> <F9> <F10> keys so that the start point is no longer visible and move the DOT CURSOR to this section of the screen and select the line end point by pressing the "e" key. The line will connect the two points with no problem. It's all one big drawing area! You can cascade line entry. After you draw a line you can move the dot cursor to the next line end point and press the "e" key. It is not necessary to press the "s" key. This is useful for drawing coast lines or curved lines. Then cascaded line can be of a different color if you want. Use the <F1> key to select a new drawing color before you press the "e" key. Drawing a CIRCLE: ----------------- Circles can only be drawn when in graphics <GR> mode! To draw a circle - position the DOT CURSOR at the center of the circle and press the "c" key. Now move the DOT CURSOR to any point on the radius of the circle and press the "r" key. A circle will be drawn in the current drawing color. Notice that the circle is clipped at pane and border boundary lines. After you have selected a circle center and moved the cursor to any point on the radius a white dot will be left at circle center for user reference. The dot will still be there after the circle drawn. This dot will not appear in a finished image. Filling a REGION: ----------------- This function is only intended for airport diagrams and approach plates. It is NOT very smart. Several seeds may be necessary to fill very irregular regions. It only fills BLACK areas. It will NOT fill colored areas. Make sure the area you are filling is completely bounded by some color other than black! Do fills early in your design so that if it screws up - you can start over! Please read my fill hints and suggestions below. Now that the fill routine's limitations and hazards have been explained! To fill a region place the DOT CURSOR at the SEED location and press the "f" key. OFF SHE GOES! In the current drawing color. Please practice with this a little before you use it a lot. I am working on improvements. Entering TEXT: -------------- A BIG NOTE: This will be different from what you are used to because of the way text records are stored in the display list in system RAM. The carriage return key does NOTHING! To stop a text entry just press any cursor movement arrow key. This closes out the record and starts a new one whether it's a 1 character string or a multi character string! Make sure that you are in text <TX> mode. Remember the <F2> key changes between text and graphics entry modes. Put the TEXT CURSOR where you want to enter some text and start entering characters. The only other key affecting text entry is the backspace key. As soon as you type a character you may backspace it away. Backspace only works until it reaches where you began typing a line of text. Changing text pages in a SID bottom pane: ----------------------------------------- If you are in text entry mode <TX> and you are editing a SID type image and the text cursor is in the lower pane (three conditions). You will be able to select five different pages in which to enter text using the <PAGE UP> and <PAGE DOWN> keys. The default page is number one. The top status line will show <P#> after the <TX> mode indicator when this option is active. About entering text: -------------------- NOTE: Once you move the cursor - the text record is closed out in display list RAM memory. A new one begins as soon as you type another character. It takes a little getting used to. It's really easier this way where there are lots of short little lines of text all over the place. BACKSPACE key: -------------- NOTE: After you have started entering text characters the backspace function is available. It will only backspace to the start of a line of text characters and no further. If you just see the text cursor by itself ready to start a line - the backspace will do nothing. There is a backsapce BUG I know about in the program and have not as yet fixed. If you type a line of text all the way to the right border - further text entry becomes blocked - the only way to enter more text at this point is to use one of the arrow keys and move the text cursor. In this - border locked condition - the backspace key operates okay but the text cursor and characters on the screen are not updated as you backspace. Keep the text cursor away from the position adjoining the right border and you will encounter no problems. UNDOING what you have done: --------------------------- When you are in graphics or text entry modes pressing the <F6> key will remove the last item you entered from the image. This is accomplished by resetting the EOF marker and then re-writing the image. Multiple presses of the <F6> key should back you all the way through the image to the first item you entered. Be nice! Try to validate each item you enter. If you make a boo boo erase it and re-enter it. Once you save a file you cannot back past the original EOF. If you add more display list items you will be able to delete back through the added records only. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND NOTES Starting the DISPLAY MODULE: ---------------------------- To start the display module just type TPE_DM <CR>. A small menu will appear asking for the name of the file to load and display. If the internal file header indicates an incorrect format - it will not be loaded. Once the file is validated and loaded - the image will be displayed. SHIFTING the image: ------------------- There is a subtle difference between shifting the image here and on the editor. To scroll the image up or down 20 lines at a time use the <UP> <DOWN> arrow keys. To view the image from the top-down press the <HOME> key. To view the image from the bottom-up press the <END> key. If this image is a SID plate with 5 pages of text in the bottom pane - pressing the <PAGE UP> or <PAGE DOWN> keys will cycle through the pages. CHOOSING an input file: ----------------------- When the load menu appears use the spacebar to cycle through all available files with TPE extenders. When you get the one you want in the red window press the carriage return key. That fille will be loaded and displayed. If the message "NO TPE FILES" appears in the red window - it means that no valid image files were found! Press any key to return to DOS. EXITING the display module. --------------------------- If you decide not to load an image and want to quit to DOS just press the ESC key. INCLUDING display module with image files: ------------------------------------------ It is intended that the display module (only about 6K of code) be packaged up with any image files - and used for viewing them. So if you create an approach plate for your favorite airport and transfer it around - please zip up the display module with it! INCLUDING the file USER.SHP: --------------------------- If you use an expanded shape library when drawing your image please include your file <USER.SHP> with the image file. The editor or the display module look for this file when they start up and will load its contents. If you try to display an image using an expanded shape library and this file is missing - any expanded shapes used in the image will NOT be written. I had intended to include the shape library - default or expanded - with each image. Maybe in V2.0. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPLANATION OF THE FILE FORMAT FOR THE DISPLAY LIST The first three bytes of the file are <TPE>. This will act as kind of pre-filter to exclude files which do not contain display list data. The next word (2 bytes) in the file is the border type number. This indicates to the display processor what type of border and pane layout to draw and which set of cursor movement minimums and maximums to load. The min/max is also used to determine circle clipping. Next follows a sequence of records of different formats and lengths. They are read and processed by the display processor sequentially. After all the display records comes a single byte <0FFH>. This indicates the end of all display records. Hope it's always there! Disaster is guaranteed if this record termination byte is missing. Lines - circles - shapes - and region fill seeds are all fixed length records. Text records are of variable length. Record types can occur in any order. Once again I mention that records are processed sequentially. A record begins with a code byte indicating what type of record it is. The display processor reads this byte to determine how to process the record. All coordinate data is 16 bit word integer type. line record format: ------------------- <DB> --- code byte 000h - indicates that this is a line record. <DW> --- line begin x-coordinate <DW> --- line start y-coordinate <DW> --- line end x-coordinate <DW> --- line end y-coordinate <DB> --- line color <DB> --- line style circle record format: --------------------- <DB> --- code byte 001h - indicates that this is a circle record. <DW> --- circle center x-coordinate <DW> --- circle center y-coordinate <DW> --- circle variable a <DW> --- circle variable b <DW> --- dcx max clip value <DW> --- dcy max clip value <DW> --- dcx min clip value <DW> --- dcy min clip value <DB> --- circle color shape record format: -------------------- <DB> --- code byte 002h - indicates that this is a shape record. <DW> --- shape x-coordinate <DW> --- shape y-coordinate <DW> --- shape number <DB> --- shape color region fill record format: -------------------------- <DB> --- code byte 003h - indicates that this is a region fill record. <DW> --- fill seed x-coordinate <DW> --- fill seed y-coordinate <DB> --- seed color text record format: ------------------- <DB> --- code byte 004h - indicates that this is a text record. <DW> --- x-coordinate of upper left bit of string start <DW> --- y-coordinate of upper left bit of string start <DW> --- count of actual characters in the string <DW> --- page number of text string (0) or (1-5) <DB> --- text color <DB> --- text character ....... until count is reached! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXPLANATION OF THE FILE FORMAT FOR A USER SHAPE FILE The first three bytes of the file must be ASCII letters <TPE>. The next byte is an 8 bit integer that describes how many new additional shapes are contained in the file. Next follows bytes describing the bit pattern of the shape. Shapes are 16 bits wide by (9) lines. Thus - each shape will be represented by 18 bytes. The number of shapes loaded is limited during the file read. If you think you can specify 300 different shapes - WRONG! - you are limited to 50 total! Default plus user. There is a file included in the package called <USER.SHP> use DEBUG or something like that to examine its contents. I was going to write a shape editing package similar to windows icon editors but right now I do not have the time! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A FEW TIPS AND HINTS FOR DRAWING IMAGES 1. Even at 640 X 480 VGA resolution images can become cluttered quickly! Make images of the less complicated plates at first. Even then - you might have to use a little license and even leave something out to make them look good. The coding in the editor is open ended so I might try for increased resolution graphics modes in some future version. 2. Remember that the region fill routine is only capable of filling (black) colored areas. A great example of what can happen is my stellar example of the San Jose Airport diagram - although it's not complete - I decided to include it as a perfect example of what not to do. Notice that I filled (green) then drew a building outline in (yellow) on the left side and could not fill it with (yellow). Plan your fills carefully. Another hint - DO NOT add text or shapes before you fill regions. If you do - you will end up dropping RF seeds everywhere to get solid colors where you want them. I included the fill routine primarily for approach plates and airport diagrams. 3. Use the subdued fill colors for land areas and water. This makes the brighter colors for course lines and text really stand out! 4. To draw a runway - use the line cascade feature. First draw a line representing one side of the runway. Shift the dot cursor in X-Y to the opposite side at the same end and press the "e" key. Remember how many pixels you shifted in x and y. Now move the dot cursor back to the start point and then shift it the same number of pixels in x-y as you did at the bottom and press the "e" key again. You get two nice parallel lines. Then just connect the last two line ends. 5. As you construct images - use a plastic triangle and ruler to get better orientation of angles and lines on the display. I have found a ruler scaled in millimeters to be particularly useful. In the Terminal Procedures Publication an approach plate diagram box is usually 120 X 120 MM. In this area on the display x varys from 1 to 638 and y varys from 20 to 465. So we arrive at scaling factors of (5.32) pixels per MM in (X) and (3.72) pixels per MM in (Y). I use a small programmable calculator for quick conversions. 6. Enter minimums text in the lower section of an approach plate first! Draw the separation lines afterward. Remember that the text cursor movement is jumpy and limited by pane and border boundary lines. Sometimes there are areas where you can't get the cursor to! 7. When you enter text near the right side of the image. Position the cursor next to the border and move it towards the left using the arrow key and count the message backward including spaces. Then type the text towards the right. This way everything will fit with no surprises. REMEMBER: No carriage return key is used. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES: The program uses graphics mode 012H ( 640 x 480 VGA 16 colors ) exclusively. I'm not really sure how much video memory is required to run this program. Certainly more than 64K. My apologies for not knowing this info. I have had a report of a problem with an ATI VGA WONDER display card when running a program using techniques that this program uses! I have no idea why! If you should sucessfully run this editor and display module on this display adaptor please let me know and thanks! I have tested the editor on every display adaptor I have access to. It has run okay on the following: DIAMOND SPEEDSTAR - PARADISE VGA PLUS 16 - VIDEO-7 1024i/512K - NORTHGATE VGA - 3 OTHER ANONYMOUS DISPLAY ADAPTORS - My apologys if this does not run on your adaptor - I programmed for a long time on a IBM CGA waiting for a "STANDARD" to emerge and it looks like here we go again! Just look at the number of configuration files that come with GIF viewers to see what I mean! These programs are distributed under the NO WARE concept. I'll let you know when I figure out what that means! In any event do not hesitate to distribute them - no strings attached! Have fun. Enjoy flying! I expect to see some really crazy approaches and departures from all this - also a few things I haven't even anticipated! Your comments - observations and ideas are always welcome. I am about to embark on my "DAY" job in the merchant marine for about the next 4 months - so if any major problems develop with the software - please be patient. The "BOX" is going with me on the ship and rest assurred I will be working on version 2.0 during my time off. JIM DUKAT 74040,1573