----------------------------------------------------- Art Department Batch Converter (ABC) By Ro Sato Ryder Unit July 15, 1982 Ver. 1.0 ----------------------------------------------------- Requirement: *Must Have* The Art Department Pro V2.0+ AREXX rexxarp.library 3.0 (RAL3P0.lzh) by W.G.J. Langeveld WB 2.04 *Better to Have* ifftoDCTV makeanim TIFF/TARGA Loader & Saver FireCracker24 Tons of MEMORY Hires Interlaced Screen ------------------------------------------------------------------- Included: ABC.rexx ABCWindow.IFF readme(This document) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Installation: Be sure you have Rexx: assigned to some drawers. Make sure you have rexxarp.library in LIBS: - ifftoDCTV & makeanim in C:. Put ABC.rexx in REXX:, rename it to f1.adpro or f2.adpro (or any other function keys that are available) so you can assign this script to one of the function key in TAD. Put accompanying ABCWindow.IFF in some drawer, preferably in TAD drawer. ABCWindow.IFF is just a IFF file that is use to enhance my interface cosmetically. If you have no space to put this file, you may do without it. *Using any text editor, look at *LINE 74*, the line looks like this: CALL IFFImage(ABCHost, 'DH0:Window2.IFF',4,11,640,389,N) Change the directory 'DH0:ABCWindow.IFF' to designated directory where you decided to put ABCWindow.IFF file. EX: CALL IFFImage(ABCHost, 'DH1:TAD/ABCWindow.IFF',4,11,640,389,N) Do not erase apostrophy (') at beginning and at end. You can also do without this picture or replace it with yours if you wish. To do without a picture, simply delete LINE 74 or comment it out. EX: Commenting it out /* CALL IFFImage(ABCHost, 'DH0:Window2.IFF',4,11,640,389,N) */ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ABC: ABC is a simple AREXX script that works in conjuction with TAD. It can load practically any files (that are supported by TAD) and will batch convert it to IFF24/DCTV/JPEG/HAM/TIFF/TARGA automatically. To use TIFF & TARGA, you will need an extra loader/saver that is released seperate from ASDG. ABC also has some few options you can choose such as animation, scale, define pixel aspect, dither, 256, & Firecracker output that will be operated during the conversion. Since I am very novice programmer, I had to rely on some Arexx Script thats been released on BBS or on publication. Basically, my script is a summary of all seperate scripts available for TAD, all in one. Sorry if I had rip someone off by copying their script. I have no intension of making money out of this, and anybody is free to alter it on their own. SO, ABC is a Freeware. Please do send back response. --------------------------------------------------------------------- THANKS TO: W.G.J. Langeveld Merril Callaway Michael Smith Peter Greci Black Belt Systems ASDG ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Usage: Have TAD run on the machine, if you have assign the script to function key, press it. ABC should start automatically. From shell: Have TAD run on the machine, open SHELL, type in rx REXX:ABC.rexx . ABC should start automatically. If ABC does not run: *TAD has to run before ABC. *Make sure Installation is done correctly *Check your memory *Make sure ABCWindow.IFF is assigned correctly ----------------------------------------------------------------------- How to use ABC: ABC can load 4 types of file templates. Those four types are: Imagine -> pic.0001 pic.0002 and so on (basename has to be pic.) LightWave -> ***000 ***001 and so on (basename (*) could be anything) VistaPro -> ***00000 ***00001 (basename could be anything) Real3D -> ***0 ***1 ***2 (basename could be anything) Image file does not neccessary have to come from each softwares, ABC is simply using these template (ex. pic.0001 or test001 or test00000) to batch load the files in to TAD. Image file also does not have to be IFF file, it could be JPEG, TARGA, or any other file format that can be loaded with TAD's Universal Loader. To use ABC, simply click on the buttons to your preference from left to right (1->3). When the final saving format is chosen, the screen will flip back to TAD to make its final settings. More than one Option can be choosed, although some may not work in conjunction with the saving file format. Ex. Only DCTV can be animated. Ex. 24bit file format cannot be dithered PIXASP = Change Pixel Aspect LOCKP = Lock Palette (Used only with HAM & TIFF) 256 = 256 Color used in TIFF FC24 = Displays output on FireCracker 24 All restrictions are self explanatory & some what logical, so please experiment it. --------------------------------------------------------------------- * CAUTIONS * There are several wierd flaws in this program... I would like to fix it in the future. * Abort will not work when saving. This is a safety feature, so you will not accidently write over your original file. * Animation option can be only used if there are more than 10 Frames to process. * HAM animation does not work. I tried several ways, but makeanim seems to alter HAM pallete when put together as animation. So the HAM & ANIM combination will not work together. * ifftoDCTV is used instead of TAD's own dctv operator. DCTV operator in TAD also seem not to work along with makeanim. Since I definitely needed this option to work, I use ifftoDCTV instead of it. Pros - for using ifftoDCTV-> its faster Cons - NO Abort! If you do not bypass it, TAD will save once to designated directory as IFF24 image, ifftoDCTV will later convert it to DCTV and delete IFF24 image. <-Sorry for DISK Fragmentation.... This is done because Image can then be scaled or pixel aspect can be altered. * Avoid using RAM: for Saving directory, for it will eat up the memory needed by TAD. Remember TAD is a memory hog... * I use A3000 with 16 meg RAM to test this program, since I have not tested in on other machines, I have no idea if it works or not. please inform me of any complications. * If any damage had been made by this program, I will not be responsible for it. Use it at your own risk. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- TIPS: Some of the settings that you have on TAD will be directly carried on thru Batch Conversion. Ex. Color Balannce (make everything TINTED to Blue.) Ex. TIFF LZW compression option. If you have selected .LZW option with some files, .LZW will remain selected thru out the Batch conversion. Ex. JPEG Quality control In a same way explained above, whatever selected will be used to batch convert. Ex. 256 is used for TIFF mainly. Ex. Dither setting 1 to 6 is: 1 Floyd 2 Burkes 3 Sierra 4 Jarvis 5 Stucki 6 Random Ex. Example of Pixel Aspect Hires Interlace 22:26 Lowres NonInterlace 44:52 Hires NonInterlace 22:52 Lowres Interlace 44:26 DCTV (in OverScan) 11:13 Epson Scanner 1:1 There is a great tutorial on Amazing Amiga April/92 about a pixel aspect, written by Merril Callaway. Please read it for more information. Ex. Some Options are automatically canceled depending on the Saving File Format. I tried to be logical for the selection, so please experiment the combination. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HISTORY: Ver .9b Initial Release Ver 1.0 Found some bugs in DCTV animation option. Makeanim was broken when bypassed. Pixel Aspect requester appeared when DCTV bypass option is on. Minor fix on manual. Lots of safety function added. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GOOD BYE: I am very Sorry for terrible English. Ro Sato RyderUnit Compuserve: R.SATOH (76467,3051) GEnie: R.SATOH Internet: 76467.3051@compuserve.com