¢Documentation for the CGS viewing system, VERSION 0.93¢¢CGS stands for the Color Graphics System for Atari XL/E computers.¢¢Color Graphics System (C) 1991,1992¢By Tom Hunt¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢The CGS viewing system allows you to view online color graphics, when connected to host systems that support CGS.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢¢REQUIREMENTS:¢¢DOS¢ Sparta Dos 3.2, or¢ MyDos 4.5, or¢ Atari Dos 2.5¢ (It will NOT work with SDX!)¢¢SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS¢ Black Box, or¢ MIO, or¢ P:R: Connection, or¢ SX-212 modem connected via SIO.¢¢TERMINAL PROGRAM¢ BobTerm 1.21¢ (Others MIGHT work)¢¢SOFTWARE/HARDWARE¢ A ramdisk, or¢ a hard drive.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢ If you intend to use CGS093 with either MyDos or Atari Dos, be sure to ALSO read the documentation files that cover those specific dos'. ╬∩⌠σ: Owners of 64k 800XL's can use CGS if you use the supplied version of Atari Dos 2.5. The supplied version creates a small ramdisk, that is necessary for the storage of the CGS fonts.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢INSTALLATION¢¢ The CGS093.COM file was assembled at $2300. If you have a floppy disk system, you can still use CGS if you copy the CGS fonts to your ramdisk before use. If you are using floppies, and do not have a ramdisk, then you cannot use CGS.¢¢ This version of CGS has the ability of dynamicly loading any of up to 99 different fonts. It also supports special CGS control codes, in the form of ESCape sequences sent from the host bbs to your terminal. These CGS control codes turn Bobterm 1.21 into a graphics terminal, capable of hi-res pictures. Sysops and developers can download the CGS Developer's Package from the Closer To Home BBS, under the "Z" function, at the number listed at the end of this file. The CGS Developer's Package contains various utilities and information for creating a CGS environment on a bbs.¢¢ When loaded, the first thing that CGS093.COM does is it looks for is a file named CGS.CNF on D1:. Right now, all this file contains is the drive on which the CGS handler will find the CGS fonts, when it needs to load one in.¢¢ You want these fonts to be on the fastest drive you own. So, let's say you want to install them on your ramdisk, which you want to be D5:. You would create the CGS.CNF file by typing in the following lines.¢¢COPY E: D1:CGS.CNF¢D5:¢(control-3)¢¢ Of course, the "(control-3)" means you press control-3, not type it in. And, before loading CGS093.COM, you must copy the CGS fonts to "D5:>F>".¢¢ The fonts contained in this ARC have filenames like "0.0" and "1.2". These fonts MUST be installed into a directory named "F", (if you are using Sparta dos 3.2). So, you must create an "F" directory on the same drive that the CGS.CNF file points to.¢¢ After creating your CGS.CNF file, and giving your CGS fonts a permanent home, the next step in using CGS is the creation of your batch file. Please note that there are two R: handler's supplied in this ARC, one for the P:R: Connection, and one for the SX-212 modem (when connected direct). Be sure to use the ones supplied if you are using either type of setup. Other types of R: handlers may not work! Unfortunetly, you cannot use the 850 interface with Sparta Dos 3.2d and the CGS handler. However, 850 interface users CAN still use the CGS handler if the use Sparta Dos 2.3, NOT 3.2.¢¢ CGS is sensitive about how it is loaded in, so you should follow the example batch file shown below. It won't work with lots of other memory-resident utilities loaded into lower memory (like TDLINE or SNAPSHOT). This example shows how to use a ramdisk for your fonts.¢¢BASIC OFF¢KEY OFF¢SX¢PSIRD D8: /F¢CREDIR D8:F¢COPY F> D8:F>¢CGS093¢BOBTERM¢¢Let's look at each line of the above batch file, starting with...¢¢LINE 1 Turns off BASIC¢LINE 2 Turns off keyboard buffer¢LINE 3 Loads in R: handler for ¢ SX-212 modem. You may have¢ to change this line, in order¢ to load in the correct R:¢ handler for your modem/¢ interface.¢LINE 4 Creates a ramdisk on D8, and¢ formats it.¢LINE 5 Creates the "F" directory on¢ my ramdisk.¢LINE 6 Copies the fonts from¢ D1:>F>*.* to D8:>F>.¢LINE 7 Loads the CGS handler.¢LINE 8 Loads Bobterm.¢¢ Of course, in the previous example, the CGS.CNF file would contain the following line of information.¢¢D8:¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢SPECIAL NOTE TO MIO AND BLACK BOX OWNERS¢¢ If you have your modem hooked up to either an MIO or Black Box interface, you will need to load the file MIO_INIT.COM before loading CGS093.COM. See the seperate ARC file covering this.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢HOW TO OPERATE THE CGS¢¢ After booting your system with the correct method, as outlined above, you are ready to call up a bbs that supports CGS. Be sure to set your terminal program for ATASCII mode, and that you have a joystick plugged into the second port. The ONLY time you should have to use the joystick is after a download/upload. This is because the bbs tells the CGS handler to deactivate itself for the upload/download. So after an upload/download, you must reactivate CGS. To switch in CGS, have a joystick plugged into the second joystick port, and push the stick away from you. To deactivate CGS, pull the stick toward you. The bbs will tell you, after the end of an upload/download, to "reactivate CGS"... This is your prompt to do so.¢¢ If you call a bbs that doesn't support CGS, it is probably best to deactivate your CGS handler manually, before doing so.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢THE FUTURE¢¢ At the time of this writing, CGS is in it's infancy. Plans are to expand it to allow online joystick-controlled games, etc.¢¢ As the CGS development system matures, you may see CGS graphics appearing on many different types of bulletin boards.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CGS,¢OR THE CGS DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM¢¢ Call The Closer To Home BBS, at 419-368-4413, Conference #0. Leave email to Tom Hunt. Be sure to read the CGS convo in the [┴⌠ß≥Θá╘ß∞δ] message base for the latest news of developments. Download the current version of CGS software by accessing the "Z" function of the bbs. The CGS developer's kit can be downloaded under the Z function, also. There are also eye-poping demos under the "Z" function.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢ADDENDA¢¢ The CGS handler version .093 was created in order to allow BBS Express! Professional, versions 3.2 (and beyond) to fully support CGS. These versions of Pro! mask out the ESCape character, which earlier versions of the CGS handler required in order to operate. Version .093 will now accept both the ESCape character and the NULL character as a CGS control sequence initializer.¢¢ Also, the .093 version checks for the presence of the CGS.CNF file and the validity of the Dx:>F> directory, and will report an error if anything is wrong.¢¢-------------------------------------¢¢BOARDS THAT SUPPORT CGS¢¢Closer To Home BBS¢419-368-4413¢Conference #0¢300/1200/2400 baud¢24 hours/7 days¢¢(more to be added later)¢¢
