XPM Converter
                               Version 1.00

                               by Steven Lee
                             January 22, 1994


Introduction
------------
XPM Converter is a utility to convert X PixMap format to NEOchrome and
vice versa.  In the future, it may support other popular Atari picture
formats.  This program is freeware.

The archive file should contain the following files:

    XPMCONV.TTP - XPM Converter program
	*.XPM       - Some XPM images
    README.TXT  - This file


Usage
-----
XPM Converter can run from the GEM desktop or from a command line
interface (CLI) like COMMAND.TOS or a shell like Gulam.  From a CLI
or shell, you simply issue:

    xpmconv <*.XPM> -o <*.NEO>

or

    xpmconv <-w width> <-h height> <*.NEO> -o <*.XPM>

       where *.NEO = NEOchrome file
             *.XPM = XPM2 file


From the desktop, double click on XPMCONV.TTP and provide the same
input as above but leave out "xpmconv".


What is XPM?
------------
The X PixMap Format (XPM) was created by Arnaud Le Hors of GROUPE BULL.
It is an ASCII representation of an image used by X Windows applications.
The format is different from bitmaps in that it supports color.

The XPM library and documentation is available via ftp on
avahi.inria.fr (138.96.24.30).

XPM Converter only supports the XPM2 format.  Sun provides an icon editor
which can create XPM2 files.


Limitations of XPM Converter
----------------------------
The following are limitations of XPM Converter.

  1. Supports XPM2 format only.
  2. Maximum number of colors is 16.
  3. Only supports color specification using a "#" followed by the RGB
     code in hexadecimal.  It will only use the first RGB code on the line.
     The remaining data are ignored.
  4. Maximum width is 320.  Maximum height is 200.
  5. Maximum number of characters per pixel is 2.
  6. No support for hotspot in XPM2 file.
  7. No support for XPM2 extension (XPMEXT).


Limitations on the Atari platform
---------------------------------
Converting from an XPM2 file to NEOchrome results in loss or change of
some information.  Most noticeably, the color values will be changed.
Therefore, if you convert the picture back, it may not be the same as
the original.


Final comments
--------------
I created this program because I wanted to use my Atari at home to
draw pixmaps and later transfer it over to my Sun workstation at work.

Send comments, questions, suggestions, bug reports to stevenl@robadome.com.