####
        ##
       ##  ==============================================================
      ##   B M   G R A P H I C S
     ##  ================================================================
    ##
  ####

What is IBM Graphics?  Well, it's yet another throwback to the early IBM
days (as the name indicates.)  All IBM's and compatibles have a special
set of graphic characters built into the upper half of their ASCII table
(128-255) as a way for text-only programmes to make boxes, windows, lines,
and such.  Use of IBM Graphics found its way into terminals and BBS
programmes much like ANSI did.

Of course, the Amiga with its ROM-based windows environment had no need for
such primitive methods of generating graphics, but once Amiga terms started
emulating IBM ANSI the need for emulating the IBM ASCII table arose as
well.  Fortunately, all that was required was a special font containing all
of the necessary characters.


THE BBS END
===========

IBM Graphic characters can be generated easily in most ANSI editors using
point-and-click gadgets, but they can also be generated the old-fashioned
way by using special key sequences entered in a text editor or terminal
which has an IBM Graphic font selected as its default.  An IFF-ILBM screen
showing the most commonly-used IBM Graphic characters and their associated
key sequences (assumes keymap 'usa0') has been included in this archive for
your viewing pleasure.  You can display it either by clicking below or by
using a viewer of your own devising.




THE TERMINAL END
================

USING IBM GRAPHICS WITH ANSI: To enable IBM Graphics on any Amiga terminal,
simply select an IBM Graphic font as the terminal's default text font.
(a good IBM font has been included in this archive for those who don't have
one.)  This information is generally entered in a requester somewhere in
the terminal's configuration.

USING IBM GRAPHICS WITH SKYPIX: This requires a bit more work, but believe
it or not, it's possible.  JR-COMM uses Pearl rather than Topaz-8 as its
default font in SkyPix mode, so all you need to do is replace Pearl with
an IBM Graphic font (such as the included CleanIBM.)  This is accomplished
simply by copying the '8' file from the FONTS:CleanIBM/ subdirectory into
the FONTS:Pearl/ subdirectory and running FixFonts (for good measure.)

NOTE: If your terminal has an option for 'High-Bit Stripping' or '8th-Bit
Stripping', it must be turned off for IBM Graphics to function.

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Converted on 22 Aug 1996 with RexxDoesAmigaGuide2HTML by Michael Ranner.