Date: 03 Jun 92  09:18:00     From: Mark Seifried

Here is a bulletin that I made for my GT users.  Hope it helps!

2J============================================================================

Hello fellow Artists and potential Artists,

      Here is a description of HOW TO ENTER ANSI ART MESSAGES using THEDRAW.
      If you use SCREEN DEBUT, read the file SD2GT.DOC contained in the
      DEBUT package. These instructions are for both GT16 and GT 17 version.
      The U/L procedure is slightly different for GT 17 but ANSI should be
      prepared according to the following instructions for either version.

      A few points for Starters
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      1) ANSI messages are (of course) drawn or made offline. ie While not
      connected to a BBS.

      2) The Best program to use to make ANSI ART  is  THEDRAW
      (available everywhere as TDRAW340.ZIP) The documentation explains
      how to use and make animation using ANSI.

      3) If you are going to do Animation its best to keep the size of
      the animated object to a minimum.  Remember most people connect at
      2400 baud and 1200 baud, a large animation takes for ever at these
      speeds.



      4) The maximum line length for a message in GT is 75 characters
         and the maximum number of lines per message is 70 in GT 16 and 99
         in GT 17.

      Making your ANSI Message
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      1) Make your picture or whatever you want to do using TheDraw.

      2) When you go to save your screen, TheDraw asks you a few questions.
       o The first one is the Format. Select A for ANSI.
       o The next thing it will ask is Video Preparation. Select either C
           for Clear screen (ie clear screen before displaying picture) or
           N for None.
       o Next and ** very importantly **, Maximum output Line length.
         YOU MUST SELECT 75 or LESS. GT wordwraps on the 76th
         character in a line so you must save your message to less than 75
         characters per line or it wont work. 72 is a nice safe figure.
       o Next question is Display Speed, Select 0 for fastest
       o Then enter the name you want to call the file.



      TheDraw will tell you how many lines it saved your message in when
      done. If it saves it in more than 70 lines you won't be able to
      upload the full message to a GT 16 or earlier BBS.

      GT 17 permits messages of 99 lines length.  If your ANSI exceeds 70 or
      99 lines when saved by The Draw, the best thing to do is start again
      and make the animation a bit smaller or less complicated.

      3) The first stage of your ANSI Message is complete.

      4) Now with your favorite text editor you have to edit your saved
         screen.  What you need to do is put in a CTRL-R character or
         CTRL -E in the first column of the first line of the ANSI code.
	 In GT, CTRL-R (  ) is Alt-18  (It disables the <more?> prompt
         and makes the screen scroll until a CTRL-E appears.   BUT it MUST
         be in line 1 column 1 of the saved ANSI screen.  You can also put
         a <More?> prompt in a message by placing a CTRL-E (  ) or (ALT-5) 
         in column 1 of the line where the <more?> prompt should appear.


    eg:
      
      <-[44m;32m   <-[5;45m;31m  and more ANSI code
      <-[u<-[44m<-[5C etc.. etc..
      more ANSI code
      and more etc. etc.
      
      <-[0m   the end

      The above example has a <more?> prompt first up. This allows you to
      put a explanation in the front of your messages like I do. Then on
      the next line you have the disable more prompt so that <more?>'s
      won`t appear all through your message.  The next to last line has
      another alt -5 () to stop the Ansi before displaying the command
      menu.  The last bit of code in any ANSI message should be <-0m .
      This code restores screen to normal (turns off all color).


      How To Upload your message to a GT 14, GT15 or GT16 BBS
      -----------------------------------------
      1) OK now your ready to upload your message to your favorite GT BBS.
         Logon and get into the Message Area for Ansi Art.  Select <E> for
         Enter message,  Complete header info (e.g. to "ALL"  then the
         Subject Title, etc.

         You will then be presented with the first line to enter.
         Type a <Space> then <Enter> to put in a blank line.
         If you are using a <more?> prompt type in your description for the
         ANSI Picture or whatever you want to say.

         When you have finished typing press <enter> to start a new line.
         Your ANSI message must start on a NEW LINE. i.e. cursor in column
         1 of any line except line one.

      2) ASCII upload your ANSI Message into the message you have
         started. At the end of the upload GT will ring at you like it
GT16 ->  does when you up or download files. Press <enter> then type <S> for
         save, or if you want to put some writing in after the message, go
         for it.    ***   NOTE This is only for GT 16 and earlier!!!  ***
                    ***   GT 17 is slightly different  ******************


 3) Once you have saved the message, View or Read It to see if it
         worked. If it didn't or doesn't come out the way you expected,
         delete it and have another go.

       ***  Now, for GT 17 the U/L procedure is slightly different. ***

      GT 17 allows u/l from the message command menu using your choice of
      a variety of protocols.  After preparing your message using the above
      instructions, Logon and get into the Message Area you want to u/l to.
       1. Select E for Enter message
          Put who its to. e.g. ALL
          then the Subject Title.

       2. You will then be presented with the first line to enter.
          Type a <Space> then <Enter> to put in a blank line.
          If you are using a <more?> prompt, type in your description for the
          ANSI Picture or whatever additional text you want to precede the
          ANSI drawing.


       3. When you have finished typing press <enter> to start a new line,
          your ANSI message must start on a NEW LINE. ie cursor in column
          1 of any line except line one.


       4. Type <ENTER> again to get the command line, and type <U> for upload.

       5. Choose the protocol you wish to use, then u/l your ANSI using that
          protocol and your usual u/l procedure.


      The main points to remember are 72 characters per line, 70 lines
      max., put in a ctrl-R to disable the <more?> prompt, and when you do your
      ascii upload, don't start the message on the first line, (make the
      first line blank or put some writing in there). Start your ascii
      upload at position (1) one of any other line.

      Also be sure you are on a GT 16 or earlier BBS or on a GT 17 BBS
      because the U/L procedure is slightly different!

      If there's any questions don't hesitate to ask the SysOp here!.


.ORIGIN: 092/014 - ±°º   RHAPSODY IN BLUE BBS  -  EDGEWOOD, KY 41017   º°±     
                   ±°º    SYSOP - MARK SEIFRIED     <606-331-1442>     º°±
                   ±°º  MUSIC BRINGS NEW LIFE, PEACE, AND JOY TO ALL!  º°±
