Acorn PD Software ....

This program was developed to help maintain the database of filetypes in the program !File_ID that I had written. A program that sorted the sprites in a sprite file into alphabetical order was needed, as was an easy way of making sure that all sprites were defined in one of the modes recommended in the PRMs to ensure maximum compatibility across the range of machines.

To use, just drop the sprite file that you wish to sort onto the main window or onto the icon on the icon bar. Click on the 'Paint' style icon to save. To change the mode that a sprite is defined in, you can either accept the mode that the program suggests in the 'Preferred mode' box, or type a new mode into this box. Then click on the 'bent arrow' icon to carry out the modification. This is also a way to try to force the program to display a sprite defined in an unrecognised mode - try changing the defined mode to 12 or 20, for example, and see what happens. A test file containing sprites defined in a range of modes, with and without palettes is supplied inside the application directory, called 'tester', suprisingly. Some information about the sprites in the file can also be saved as a text file.

Use the program at your own risk, (preferrably on a backup copy of your sprite file) - extensive testing has not been carried out and many bugs are no doubt present. It is known to work on both an A410 and a RiscPC without major problems and should be fairly intuitive to use.

Any e-mailed bug reports are welcome, as are suggestions for improvements and better programming technique - the mode independent sprite handling routines are probably rather iffy... The most recent version will be at http://www.valleyfield.demon.co.uk

This program is public domain, and no warranty, express or implied, is given of the suitabilty of this software for any purpose whatsoever. Under no circumstances will liability for any damage or indirect or consequential loss arising out of use of the software be accepted etc.

The MenuUtils module was written by Alex Petrov. (APetrov@misis.msk.su). Comments and suggestions from Will Everitt were appreciated.

Tony Snell
April 1998

Brief History
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v0.10ß - put on web site, Oct 1996
v0.12ß - bugfixes
v0.13ß - can now save textfile containing sprite info
v0.15ß - MenuUtils module added
v0.19ß - small modification to text data output
v0.21 - bugfixes