$VER: RGFX.doc 2.0 (28.8.2004)
 ==============================

 IFF-RGFX: An extended graphics file format for
           Amigas and compatibles using XPK

 Author:  Andreas R. Kleinert
 Date:    V1.0 16 Nov 1997 (16.11.1997)
          V1.1 26 Nov 1997 (26.11.1997)
          V1.2 07 Dec 1997 (07.12.1997)
          V2.0 28 Aug 2004 (28.08.2004)
 Contact: Andreas Kleinert <info@ar-kleinert.de>

 Credits: Peter Bornhall, Marcel Offermans, Achim Stegemann


 Preface
 -------
 Since some time there's need for either an extension
 or a complete rework of the IFF-ILBM file format: one can't
 store chunky graphics and storing more than 256 colors
 only is possible in a very unusual manner.

 All that does slow down usage on graphics card-equipped
 systems very much.

 And IFF-ILBM's compression is not very efficient, too.

 IFF-RGB8, IFF-DEEP and IFF-YUVN aren't good alternatives,
 since they're mainly designed for 24 Bit images and/or make
 use of uncommon compression algorithms and/or color spaces.

 A first step to pass this by was SView's internal
 graphics file format called "SVG" (SView Graphics),
 but it was not an IFF file format and somewhat proprietary
 in other terms, too. Additionally, there's a name-clash
 with the new vector graphics format from W3C...

 RGFX is an attempt to design a new file format that unifies
 the following enhancements over IFF-ILBM et al:

   - a real, open IFF file format
   - fully documented
   - easily extendable
   - currently supports:

      - planar graphics                    ( <=    8 Bit)
      - chunky graphics                    ( <=    8 Bit)
      - 15 Bit graphics as  RGB            (    3x 5 Bit)
      - 16 Bit graphics as ARGB            (1 + 3x 5 Bit)
      - 24 Bit graphics as  RGB triples    (    3x 8 Bit)
      - 32 Bit graphics as ARGB quadruples (8 + 3x 8 Bit)

   - allows to save these as either:

      - uncompressed
      - compressed with any available XPK-Packer

     This gives the following advantages:

      - you can easily (and quickly!) write raw
        chunky and RGB graphics without having to
        implement compression algorithms like CmpByteRun1
      - nevertheless you can use any compression
        algorithm you like - if there a really new,
        efficient ones available, you don't need
        to wait for an extension of the file format
        AND your prefered image processing program;
        no, you simply select the corresponding
        XPK packer and everything is done 'automagically'

     Last not least:

      - as you may know, the XPK package now is GNU software and
        it's now somewhat more platform-independent than it was
        some years ago

   - allows to store separate viewmode information
     for all the three gfx/RTG systems, as there
     are:

      - AGA
      - CyberGraphX
      - Picasso96

     This enables you to specify screenmode settings
     for several destination systems as well as a common
     default behaviour (AGA screenmode).

   - displays really fast on RTG systems
     when using a chunky or RTG storage format.
     No more waiting for 8 or 24 Bit c2p conversion !

   - easily can be stored into and exchanged through
     the clipboard, since it's an IFF file format

   - already is supported by SuperView 7.30
     (library version 19.5), soon should be
     supported by other programs, too

   - and more...



 Where can the docs be found ?

 The full archive should be available on Aminet under

     dev/misc/IFF-RGFX.lha

 It includes a textual description of the file format
 as well as a C header file, ready for use with your
 programs.

 Please help supporting IFF-RGFX to make Amiga graphics
 support more versatile!

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