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2022-08-26
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MINI-BITMAP CONVERTER
by Dave Moorman
Now you can take your Doodles and
High-Resolution SHP (LOADSTAR)
graphics and convert them to our new
128x96 pixel Mini-Bitmap format. And
why, you may well ask, would you want
Mini-Bitmaps?
* Compact
* Fast to Load and Display
* Text-Screen Based
* The KEY to LOADSTAR Movies
A Mini-Bitmap uses only 2048 bytes
of memory (since they are actually
custom fonts). The quasi-animation in
The Zucchini Song during the "I love/
hate" chorus uses two instances of a
Mini-Bitmap. With the SCREEN ML module
(also on this issue), you can quickly
and easily put Mini-Bitmaps in your
programs.
GETTING STARTED
---------------
You first need a disk with high-
resolution, monochrome graphics files,
in either Doodle or SHP format. Boot
up Mini-Bitmap Converter and have your
work disk ready to insert or in
another drive. Each function of this
program is called by a nice big button
you can click with the mouse, cursor
and <RETURN>, or hit the underlined
hotkey.
DISK <D>
----
With Disk, you can choose
the drive that your graphics are on.
Pretty elementary, eh, Watson?
GET SHP <H>
-------
Displays a scrolling menu of all
SHP and Doodle (.DDL) files on your
disk. Click one to load.
GET MBP <B>
-------
Displays a scrolling menu of all
MBP (Mini-BitMap) files on your disk.
Click one to load.
SHP > MBP <S>
---------
Draws a Mini-Bitmap from your
full-sized graphic. The area used on
the large graphic is the 256x192 pixel
area in the middle of the screen.
You will need to make a couple of
decisions first. The program will look
at either the Even columns or the Odd
columns, or will OR the two together,
or will AND the two together.
Likewise, you can choose Even, Odd,
ORed, or ANDed rows.
For instance, if your large
graphic has
23
6 .*
7 ..
(where * is a set pixel), then if the
Column and Row are both set to Even,
no pixel will be drawn in the Mini. If
both Column and Row are Odd, no pixel
will be set. ORing will set a pixel if
Even OR Odd Column OR Row has a pixel.
However, some large bitmaps have
the pixels "inverted." You will
probably not be able to see this,
since foreground and background colors
can be set on a high-res graphic. But
with Mini-Bitmap, it makes a
difference. Here is another example:
23
6 *.
7 **
In this case, the clear pixel (.)
is the one you want to be sure to have
on your Mini. So use AND for both
Column and Row.
We give you all these combinations
(16 in all) just because we like to
make life complicated! By the way,
your last selection is saved on your
drive (assuming you are using two
drives, with the program in one and
the work disk in another), so the
combination will be there the next
time.
Once your selections are made,
press <Space>. If you have Turbo or
Warp speed, use it. This is a DotBASIC
program, and not exactly fast at
handling 12288 pixels. You will see
the mouse arrow moving across the
Mini-Bitmap screen, "drawing" your
picture.
MBP > SHP <M>
---------
Just to be complete, this program
lets you make a Doodle graphic from a
Mini-Bitmap. The idea is that one
might want to edit the graphic with
Doodle, then reconvert it to MBP.
No questions to answer here. Each
pixel on the Mini-Bitmap draws a four-
pixel block on the Doodle.
VIEW MBP <V>
--------
Take a look at the Mini-Bitmap
currently in memory.
VIEW SHP <I>
--------
Take a look at the large graphic
currently in memory.
SAVE <A>
----
If a either form of graphic is in
memory, you can save it to your disk.
This program only saves Doodle format
full-size high-res graphics, and -- of
course -- Mini-Bitmaps (MBP's).
EXIT <E>
----
Answer <Y> or click "Yes" and
you're outta here!
PLAYING AROUND
--------------
We have put a couple of SHPs on
this issue for you to play with. You
will certainly want to use a copy
program to move all the files from
"B.CONVERT" through "T.CONVERT" to a
work disk first.
The graphics included are rather
detailed, pixelated Ascher prints --
which give you very different results
when you choose Even/Odd/ORed/AND
conversions. See what you can do with
it. Next month (Lord willing and the
creek don't rise), we will have a way
to combine MBPs into LOADSTAR MoVie
files, like Zoetrope and Train. Then
we will certainly be ready for some
really fascinating stuff.
Picture Morphing?
There is nothing computational
that we cannot at least model!
DMM