PC Format 4/Disk4.iso/A/VCAD.EXE/TUTORIAL.DOC

Text File | 1990-10-06 | 29KB | 654 lines

    I.  COLORIZATION: Colorizing Grey Images

         False Colorization is the process by which you are now viewing
         Black & White movie classics in living color.  You can do the
         same thing, particularly if you own a digitizer that supports
         grey scales.  I have selected 16 gray shades as the main focus of
         VGACAD's support, primarily since it is aimed at the low-end
         market.  If you want to colorize gray images with more that 16
         shades use the ColorBAR (CBAR) option to change the range of
         local colors.

         Let us colorize one of the famous GIF pics in BBSs - MONROE.GIF
         (which is being distributed with Michael Vigneau's VGAGIF in
         VGADEMO.arc).

         MONROE.GIF is a 16 grey-level picture with colors 0 to 15
         containing the entire grey scale.  Run VGACAP, then view the
         picture with any GIF viewing utility; capture the picture then
         load the screen and palette in VGACAD. The first thing to do is
         to increase the number of grey scale elements.  From the ImgP
         (Image Processing) menu:

         1)   Convert (CNVT) the picture into the "Stretched 64" format.
              This will give you the maximum range of grey levels although
              the picture will remain unchanged.

         2)   Next BLUR the picture with a Threshold "Minimum =12"; this
              will smoothen the picture yet keep most of the edge detail.
              The smoothing will introduce intermediate grey scale values
              making your picture richer.  Notice the "salt and pepper",
              random noise; these are the edges or "spikes" that were not
              "blurred" to keep details.

         3)   You can remove those spikes with the Median Threshold
              Filter, by increasing the value of BLUR to "Minimum=256".
              You can, also, zoom into each area with "spikes" and blur
              individual pixels with the HAZE function in the ZOOM Menu.
              Using the Zoom Menu will take more time but a significant
              amount of detail will be retained.

              You have numerous combinations of image procesing techniques
              at your disposal.  You can use the CONTrast Enhancement
              function, or EDGE Detection functions to boost details or
              try different settings with the BLUR function to achieve
              different effects; the HAZE, LITE, DARK and BLEND processes
              can also be used on selected areas or pixels (from the Zoom
              Menu); you have to experiment to get the optimal quality
              from your grey image.

         4)   Convert (CNVT) the picture into a "Colors 32-63" format.
              Now from the Files Menu, load the "GRAY32.PLT"; you will
              notice that the picture remains untouched.  You are now
              ready to colorize your grey image.




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         From the COLOR menu, select the CBAR option and change the range
         to 32 by clicking the CBAR box until you see bands of 32 colors
         on the upper and lower Colorbars.  Click the AREA Colorization
         option.  Now, with the scroll arrows, set the lower Colorbar to
         the 32 grey range; set the upper Colorbar to the flesh tones.
         Select any area in your grey image; after releasing the LEFT
         mouse button you will notice the entire area to be colorized with
         the flesh tones of the upper Colorbar.  Do this for all areas you
         think will have that flesh tone; avoid the hair and background as
         much as possible.

         By now, most of your picture will have flesh tones and
         overlapping areas in the hair and background.  To edit each area,
         use the ZOOM function in XColor mode;  XColor will perform in the
         same manner as AREA Colorization but on a pixel basis; remember
         to keep the upper and lower Colorbars to reflect which range is
         being replaced by the other - the lower Colorbar always replaces
         the upper Colorbar.  You can now use a "yellowish" Colorbar to
         simulate blonde hair color.  If you are not happy with any of the
         hues, simply go into the Color Map and adjust any range until you
         have colors best suited for your image.

         Once you have colorized the hair, flesh areas and even the
         background, you will notice that no matter how careful you are at
         differentiating one colorized area from another (e.g., hair from
         her face) there will be an area of high contrast between the
         colorized areas.  Click the MODE box and switch to PROCESS; use
         the HAZE, LITE, DARK or BLEND functions to smooth out the
         adjacent areas.

         Now for the final touches, you can paint over the eyes, lips,
         nails and any other detail in NORMAL mode or assign a new range
         for these areas; each range uses 32 colors - limiting you to 8
         color ranges. There are innumerable combinations to colorize your
         grey picture.  If you decided to convert your image processed
         picture to 16 grey levels then you would have 16 color ranges to
         play with.  Experimentation is the only way to optimize the
         results; after a few sessions you will be able to make startling
         colorized images.


    II.  VSCRN TUTORIAL: Editing an 800x600x256 SVGA GIF

         Let us assume you want to edit a corrupted version of a classic
         800x600x256 GIF (ie., ZOE.GIF) in the "\GIF\SVGA" directory.  You
         want to remove some noise patterns from the lower-right corner
         caused by a bad download (your lucky it even loads).  You have a
         PS/2 Model 50, a 30 Meg Hard Disk, and 1 Meg RAMDISK as Drive E.

         1)   From VGACAD's Main menu, click FILE.  From the Files menu,
              click VSCRN.  You are in a sub-directory called "\VGACAD"
              and will have to locate your picture file.  As in the Files
              menu, you click the word "Pathname" at the bottom of the
              screen.  You type the new path "\GIF\SVGA\".



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         2)   Now click the LIST box and all the GIF files in that
              directory are listed.  Having a large RAMDISK, click
              "Pathname".  Press <ret> without any input to retain the
              PATH.  Input the path of your RAMDISK at "VDSKpath" - which
              is "E:\" <ret>.

         3)   Click the DCOD box and select "ZOE"; press the RIGHT mouse
              button; "Filename: ZOE.GIF" appears at the lower left.  Now,
              click "OK"; the disk whirls; you see "Creating TEMP files."

         4)   You are back at VSCRN.  Click the "iSCR vDSK" box then OK;
              you see the center of the image slightly elongated (you are
              still in a 5/6 aspect ratio).  To correct the aspect ratio,
              press "Esc" to get out of "iSCR" and PRESS [F2]-SIZE TO
              TOGGLE ASPECT RATIO.  The screen "squishes" about 20%.  You
              are now in a 320x200x256 mode with a 1:1 aspect ratio !

         5)   Now back to viewing; click "iSCR" then OK and try out all
              the cursor keys.  Press [F1] for HELP.  With NUMLOCK UP,
              press <Shift-End> to "jump" the "viewing window" to the
              lower-left section of the image - the one you want to edit.
              Press "Esc" and the image is now stored in memory as your
              new 320x200x256 screen (but with a 1:1 aspect ratio).  Click
              EXIT and you are back at VGACAD's Main Menu with the section
              to be edited.

         6)   Back at VGACAD, you'll notice that all the menus are
              slightly "squished" but the screen looks like you "zoomed"
              the 800x600x256 GIF.  So far so good.  All VGACAD functions
              will work as normal (with the exception of resizing/flipping
              options which assume a 5/6 aspect ratio).

         7)   After some time editing/image processing, you are now happy
              with the results and want to integrate it in your Virtual
              Screen.  Click the FILE box from the Main Menu, then VSCRN.
              At the VSCRN menu, click the "iSCR" box, then OK; you see
              the same image you left without your changes.  Press
              <Return> and you see the changes being updated to your
              Virtual Screen.

         8)   You think you have fixed the image and want to convert the
              Virtual Screen to an SVGA GIF file.  Press "Esc".  You are
              back in the VSCRN menu.  Click the "LIST" box and the files
              appear. Click the NCOD box and a "text bar" cursor appears.
              Since you want to overwrite your old copy of ZOE.GIF, you
              click the LEFT mouse button over ZOE.  Click OK and your
              image is now being encoded as an 800x600x256 GIF.

         9)   After a while, you are returned to VSCRN.  You want to view
              the results of your editing.  Click LIST again, then VIEW.
              As usual, select the file - ZOE.  Click "OK".  You are now
              transferred to MVGAVU where you can view your edited image
              as a 320x400x256 or 360x480x256 image on your PS/2 Model 50.




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    III.  VSCRN TUTORIAL: Making a SVGA 640x400x256 image from scratch

         You have a regular IBM XT, 30 meg Hard Disk with an Orchid
         Designer VGA 512KB card.  You want to create a 640x400x256 SVGA
         GIF using the 320x200x256 images of Phoebe Cates downloaded your
         favorite BBS (ie., CATES1.GIF, CATES2.GIF and CATES3.GIF).

         1)   You have to find out which of the three GIF palettes you
              want to use as your "reference" palette (the one which the
              other two will be MELDed with).  From the Files menu, you
              click the GIF box, select CATES3, click LOAD then OK;
              CATES3.GIF is loaded and you are back in the Main menu of
              VGACAD.

         2)   Since CATES3.GIF is the "R-rated" scene of the three
              pictures, you decide that this is the GIF that will be the
              "reference" palette; let the other two GIFs be compromised
              to fit the "reference" palette.  Click PLT, specify
              "CATESREF" (or any other name) as the filename, then click
              OK.

         3)   Now click VSCRN to get VSCRN menu.  Click BLANK.  Choose [A]
              for the 640x400 Virtual Screen.  After a while, you are
              returned to the VSCRN menu.  Click "iSCR", then OK; the
              screen is literally "blank".  At this point in time, you are
              in the center of your Virtual Screen.  You want to put
              CATES3 on the lower-left "quadrant", so press <Shift-End>
              (NUMLOCK SHOULD BE UP); the disk whirls but you don't see
              any changes in the screen (it is still blank).  When the
              disk stops, press <Return>; the image appears and updates
              the Virtual Screen.

         4)   Press "Esc" to get back to the VSCRN menu.  Click EXIT and
              you are back in VGACAD's Main Menu with the CATES3 image.
              Now, LOAD "CATES2.GIF".  Click "GIF"; select "CATES2"; click
              LOAD then click "OK".  CATES2.GIF is now loaded.  You are
              back in the Main Menu.  Happy with the image, you forego any
              image procesing and now want to integrate it in the Virtual
              Screen.

         5)   Click FILE; from the Files Menu, click MELD.  The PLT and
              MELD boxes are both "set".   With the "text bar" cursor, you
              pick "CATESREF" which you previously saved as your
              "reference" palette.  You then click "OK".  The picture
              changes color then reappears with new colors.  Happy with
              the MELDed output, you proceed to VSCRN.

         6)   From VSCRN you pick "iSCR" again, then OK, and see the last
              screen you "pasted" on the Virtual Screen (i.e., CATES3).
              You want to place CATES2 in the upper-right quadrant;
              <Shift-PgUp> (NUMLOCK IS UP!) and the screen "blanks" since
              that "quadrant" is empty.  Press <return> and CATES2 appears
              and is updated in the Virtual Screen at that location.




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              REPEAT steps 4 to 6 for the last screen (CATES1) and place
              it at any of two remaining "quadrants" (i.e., the
              lower-right or upper-left).  You can use the remaining
              "quadrant" for text.

         7)   Having MELDed the three 320x200x256 screens of Phoebe Cates
              and added text to the last "quadrant" you now want to
              convert the Virtual Screen to a large GIF.  Knowing you have
              almost no space in your Hard Disk left (you didn't clean-up
              for 3 months <grin>) you want to save NEWCATES.GIF to a
              360KB floppy in Drive A, so you click "Pathname" and change
              it to "A:\".

         8)   Now, click the "LIST" box; no files appear since it is a
              blank floppy disk.  Click the NCOD box and a "text bar"
              cursor appears.  Since you want to create a new filename,
              you move the "text bar" cursor to "Filename" and click the
              LEFT mouse button.  Type the new name (e.g., "NEWCATES");
              you press <return> and the .GIF extension is added to your
              filename.  Click OK; your image is now being encoded as a
              NEWCATES.GIF (640x400x256) in Drive A.

         9)   After a minute, you are back at the VSCRN menu.  To view the
              results of your editing click LIST, then VIEW; pick NEWCATES
              then click "OK".  You are now transferred to MVGAVU where
              you can view your edited image as a 640x400x256 (even if
              this mode is not supported by the Orchid DVGA) !


    IV.  IMGPRO TUTORIAL: EDITING BLD/PLT IMAGES INTO SVGA MONTAGE

         Let us assume that you have the following GIFs which you want to
         combine into a 640x400x256 montage: LISAW, GINA, DABO and CATES -
         all are 320x200x256 images.  You have a Paradise SVGA card and
         720KB of RAMDISK as Drive E.

         Note: Whenever "click' is mentioned, this means you click the
         LEFT button unless RIGHT is specifically mentioned.

         1)   First, lets set your paths.  From the MAIN menu, click the
              "File" box to transfer to the FILES Menu; click the VSCRN
              box.  At the VSCRN menu you are prompted to save a 320x200
              USERSCRN, click the RIGHT mouse button since we have nothing
              to save at this time.

              Click "Pathname" and change your path to where your GIFs are
              (eg., "\gif\mcga") and change your VDskpath to your RAMDISK
              for FAST access (ie., "E:").  Now, click BLANK and select
              "A" for a 640x400x256 virtual screen.  After a second you
              are back at the VSCRN menu, click EXIT to return to VGACAD's
              MAIN menu.






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         2)   Determine which of the four pictures has the RICHEST colors
              - the one with the widest spectrum of colors to choose
              from.  In this example, LISAW.GIF is our choice.

              From the FILES Menu, click the GIF box and a listing of all
              your GIFs in that sub-directory appear.  Click "LOAD";
              place the highlight bar on LISAW and click it; LISAW.GIF
              appears under "Filename".  Click "OK" and LISAW is loaded.

         3)   Go back to the FILES Menu, click the PLT box, and save the
              palette as your reference palette (eg., "REF").  This will
              be the palette which remaining images will be matched
              against.

         4)   Now click the VSCRN box.  When prompted to save a 320x200
              USERSCRN, click LEFT to save it, RIGHT aborts.  The screen
              is shown and saved to USERSCRN files.

         5)   Click the "ImgP Edit" box and you'll see a whole new menu.

         6)   Click the "xVGA Mode" box,  a text screen similar to MVGAVU
              appears. Since you have a Paradise SVGA card, select "8" for
              its 640x400x256 video mode.  It automatically exits.  If you
              are not sure about the choice you made, click the "xVGA
              Mode" box again and see a RED flashing number beside
              "RET-LastMode"  indicating the selected mode; if okay then
              press <return>.

         7)   Click, the "iPut" box.  The screen blanks since IT IS
              BLANK.  A small rectangle, about 1/4th the size of the
              screen appears.  Place it wherever you want LISAW to be.
              Click ONCE and LISAW appears.  A blinking rectangle appears
              around the image (this blink may not be as apparent on FAST
              machines).  You didn't like where you placed the image, so
              click the RIGHT button; the image is cleared and the
              rectangle appears again.  You can repeat this process as
              often as you wish - until it is located exactly where you
              want it.

              If you click the LEFT button, the image will be 'pasted' and
              the rectangle will appear again so that you can paste
              several copies of the same image anywhere you want.  If you
              click the RIGHT button during the 'verify' blinking phase,
              the WHOLE screen is restored.

              Lets assume you pasted LISAW on the upper left corner and
              have just pasted another copy on the lower right corner.
              The rectangle is blinking - waiting for your decision.

              Click BOTH buttons (DON'T RELEASE THE BUTTONS UNLESS YOU ARE
              ABSOLUTELY SURE BOTH ARE BEING PRESSED).  Once released, the
              'verify rectangle' disappears and the image is SAVED to TEMP
              files - this will take a few seconds.  After the image is
              updated, you are returned to the IMGPRO menu.  Click EXIT.



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         8)   You are back at the VSCRN Menu and prompted again to save
              the 320x200 image.  Since you already did, click the RIGHT
              button.  Click EXIT - back at VGACAD's MAIN Menu.

         9)   Now the second picture - click FILE, click GIF, click LOAD,
              select the second GIF (eg., GINA), and click OK - its
              loaded.

              THIS SECOND IMAGE HAS TO BE 'MELDED' OR YOUR VIRTUAL SCREEN
              WILL BE CORRUPTED BY GINA.GIF's PALETTE.

              Click FILE, click PLT and click MELD.  Select REF.PLT, which
              you saved from LISAW.GIF then click OK.  Your image is
              changed before your eyes - it looks a bit different since
              the colors were compromised with LISAW.GIF's palette -
              anyway you think its ok. Click once and its done.

         10)  Lets paste it.  From the FILES menu, click VSCRN and save it
              as a 320x200 USERSCRN when prompted (LEFT mouse button).
              Click the "ImgP Edit" box, then click the "iPut" box.

         11)  You'll see the two copies of LISAW on your 640x400x256
              screen and the same rectangle which you can move all over
              the place.  Since you think one copy of LISAW on your
              montage is enough, you place the rectangle OVER the image of
              LISAW on the lower right corner. Click and its pasted over
              the old image.  Its now the 'verify blinking' phase; since
              you like where it is, click BOTH buttons and the screen is
              updated.  After the image is updated, you are returned to
              the IMGPRO menu.  Click EXIT.

         12)  Use STEP 8 to STEP 11 as a guide for every image you want to
              include in your montage.  You can position these 320x200x256
              images as creatively as you want.

         13)  Lets assume you have just pasted the fourth "melded" image
              on your montage.  From the VSCRN menu, click NCOD (ie.,
              eNCODe) and a highlight bar appears.  Move the highlight bar
              beside "Filename" and click.  Type your new filename (eg.,
              "MONTAGE") and press <enter> - "MONTAGE.GIF" appears.  Click
              OK.

         14)  After a few seconds, its encoded.  That's all folks.


    V.  IMGPRO TUTORIAL: SQZGIF, USERSCRNS & VARIABLE IMAGES

         In this lesson, you'll try the powerful capabilities of the
         integrated VGACAD system as it resizes, synthesizes new colors,
         and 'melds' images with different sizes and colors into an MVGA
         360x480x256 montage to give to a friend who has a generic but
         register-compatible 256KB VGA card.  Let us assume that you have
         the following images:




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              MASSIVE.PCX - 1024x768x256  (SVGA+)
              JACOBSN.PCX -  640x480x256  (SVGA)
              DARLNG .GIF -  640x480x16   (VGA)
              TRUDI  .GIF -  640x350x16   (EGA)

         Two of the images are in GIF(87a) format and two are in PCX
         256-color format.  You have a PS/2 with a regular, generic 256KB
         VGA card, a 286 with NO RAMDISK, a 40 MB hard disk - and have
         about 4MB left of free disk space.  The VGACAD system is located
         in "C:\VGACAD".

         1)   Determine which of the four pictures has the RICHEST colors
              - the one with the widest spectrum of colors to choose
              from.  In this example, JACOBSN.PCX is your choice.

         2)   From the MAIN menu, click the "File" box to transfer to the
              FILES Menu; click the VSCRN box.  At the VSCRN menu you are
              prompted to save a 320x200 USERSCRN, click the RIGHT mouse
              button since you will be saving USERSCRN images with unusual
              sizes.  PRESS <F4> to transfer to SQZGIF.

         3)   SQZGIF is invoked and you are prompted to choose a file
              format for input; select [P]CX.  The files selection menu
              comes up; your PATH and VPATH are set to defaults -
              "\VGACAD".  Change your PATH to where your images are -
              (eg., "\IMAGES") and press <enter> TWICE to keep your VPATH
              to "\VGACAD".  Select JACOBSN.PCX and press <enter>; it is
              decoded.

              SQZGIF's main menu is shown.  Since you want to mix four
              LARGE images into a 360x480x256 virtual screen you will have
              to "squeeze" the image into a 180x240 USERSCRN (which is
              exactly 1/4th of the screen).  Keep the default CONTROL
              SETTINGS.  Now, select [U]ser and specify a 180x240 USERSCRN
              size. Hit <enter> and image is processed. [Q]uit from SQZGIF
              and delete the SPARE files when prompted to conserve your
              disk space.

         4)   You are back at VGACAD.  Since we didn't create any TEMP
              files, you should be back at the VGACAD main menu.  Click
              FILE.  Your PATH SHOULD still be "\VGACAD" (if for some
              reason its different, then change it to "\VGACAD").  Click
              the PLT box, click LOAD, select USERSCRN.PLT then click OK.
              Your menu colors change.  Now click the VSCRN box.

         5)   You are now at the VSCRN menu and are prompted to save a
              320x200 USERSCRN, click the RIGHT mouse button since you
              already have one ready for pasting.  Click BLANK and select
              "E" for a 360x480x256 virtual screen; it takes a few
              seconds; you are back at the VSCRN menu, click the "ImgP
              Edit" box.






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         6)   Click the "xVGA Mode" box,  a text screen similar to MVGAVU
              appears.  Since you want the 360x480x256 mode card, select
              "1" and it automatically exits.  If you are not sure about
              the choice you made, click the "xVGA Mode" box again and you
              see a RED flashing number beside "RET-LastMode" indicating
              the mode you selected; if its okay then press <return>.

         7)   Click, the "iPut" box.  The screen blanks - IT IS BLANK.  A
              small rectangle, about 1/4th the screen appears.  Place it
              wherever you want JACOBSN to be.  Click ONCE and JACOBSN
              appears.  A blinking rectangle appears around the image.
              You didn't like where you placed the image, so click the
              RIGHT button; the image is cleared and the rectangle appears
              again.

               You can repeat this process (ie., pasting and 'undo'ing
               with the RIGHT button) as often as you wish - until it is
               located exactly where you want it.  If you click the LEFT
               button, the image will be 'pasted' and the rectangle will
               appear again so that you can paste several copies of the
               same image anywhere you want.  If you click the RIGHT button
               during the 'verify' blinking phase, the WHOLE screen is
               restored.

              You pasted JACOBSN on the upper left corner and the 'verify'
              rectangle is blinking - waiting for your decision.  Click
              BOTH buttons (DON'T RELEASE THE BUTTONS UNLESS YOU ARE
              ABSOLUTELY SURE BOTH ARE BEING PRESSED).  Once released, the
              'verify rectangle' disappears and the image is SAVED to TEMP
              files - this will take a few seconds.  After the image is
              updated, you return to IMGPRO menu.  Click EXIT.

         8)   You are back at the VSCRN Menu and prompted again to save a
              320x200 USERSCRN image; click the RIGHT button.  You are now
              ready for you next 'squeezed' image.  Press <F4> for SQZGIF.

         9)   SQZGIF is invoked and you are prompted to choose a file
              format for input; you want TRUDI.GIF as your next image;
              select [G]IF; files are shown.  Your PATH and VPATH are set
              to defaults - "\VGACAD".  Change your PATH to where your
              images are - (eg., "\IMAGES") and press <enter> TWICE to
              keep VPATH.

              Select TRUDI.GIF and press <enter>.  A takes a few seconds
              to decompress; the main menu of SQZGIF comes up.  This is a
              640x350 image with 16-colors.  Normally you will have to
              interactively play with the [M]atrix and [T]hreshold
              settings to get the best results with 16-color images; here
              is some 'spoon feeding'.  Press [M]atrix and it changes to
              "2x2" which is about right for this image.  Press [T] and
              change the threshold to "26".  Now, select [U]ser and
              specify a 180x240 USERSCRN size.  Hit <enter>;image is
              processed. [Q]uit from SQZGIF;delete SPARE files when
              prompted to free disk space.



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         10)  Since TEMP files have been created, you are 'chained' back
              to the VSCRN menu.

              Use STEP 7 as a guide to paste additional USERSCRN images
              when in the IMGPRO menu.

               MASSIVE.PCX is a 256-color image; use STEP 3 as a guide to
               process this image with SQZGIF.  DARLNG.GIF is a 16-color
               image; use STEP 9 as a guide to process this image.

         11)  Lets assume you have processed the remaining images and just
              pasted the fourth and last USERSCRN image on your montage.
              From the VSCRN menu, click NCOD (ie., eNCODe) and a
              highlight bar appears.  Move the highlight bar beside
              "Filename" and click.  Type in your new filename (eg.,
              "MONTAGE") and press <enter> - "MONTAGE.GIF" appears.  Click
              OK.

         12)  After a few seconds, its encoded.  That's all folks.






































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