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- BMP2BGI: A utility to convert BMP graphic images to BGI format.
- Version: 1.0
- Date of Release: 6/25/91
- ===========================================================================
-
- This utility will convert 16-Color BMP images, like the ones drawn
- with MS Windows PAINT, to BGI format, so that the BGI image can be accessed
- through your Borland programs. Any image of any size can be accommodated
- as long as its size does not exceed the size of your video card. 1024x768
- images will not be converted if your video card can only show 640x480.
-
- The BMP images must be in uncompressed format, 16-color, and not
- created through OS/2. These are the MS Windows 3.0 defaults. A later
- version of BMP2BGI will support 256-color images.
-
- The advantage of this is that now you can use a paint program
- better than one you could create yourself and convert the image to use
- in your Turbo Pascal, C, or C++ programs via the getimage() or putimage
- functions. I found this to be helpful for writing games, creating neat-o
- title screens, and so forth. Granted, BGI is not the fastest nor most
- convenient of graphics system, but it's free. Not many of us hobbyists can
- afford the SFX graphics library.
-
- To convert your BMP file, create it & save it. Then, on the DOS
- line, type:
- BMP2BGI FName.BMP
-
- where 'FName.BMP'is the BMP file. Next, you will see some statistics about
- your file, and EITHER an error message that explains why the image couldn't
- be translated OR a message that informs you that conversion will commence.
- The conversion is nondestructive, i.e., your BMP file will be unchanged.
-
- Then you will see the image on-screen, followed by black-masking as the
- image is converted. The image is saved in the file 'FName.BGI', where 'FName'
- is the same 'FName' as your BMP file. If FName.BGI already exists, it is
- written over. Simple, yes?
-
- If you are interested in reverse-engineering BMP2BGI, I made it easy
- for you; I included all source code and project files. NOTE: if you want to
- tinker around w/ BMP2BGI: the source code is in Turbo C++ (v1.0) and you will
- need to write your own fexist(char *) function that returns TRUE if a file
- exists or FALSE otherwise. Of course, you could comment out the part of the
- source code that calls fexist(), as this won't affect the xlation.
-
- The BGI file is not exactly pure BGI, as there is a header before the
- BGI bitmap images that contains various info. Refer to BGI.H (included w/
- BMP2BGI) for an explanation. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOUR BORLAND PROGRAMS USE
- BGI.H TO ACCESS BGI IMAGES CREATED W/ BMP2BGI. A sample program, SHOWBGI.EXE,
- and accompanying source code is included to show you how.
-
- I acknowledge Charles Petzold's informative article on
- BMP bitmaps as giving guidance if not outright variable names and BMP header
- structures. If you are interested in the BMP file, refer to Mr.Petzold's
- article in PC Magazine (vol.10(10), pp365-370).
-
- Included in this Zip-archive are the following files:
-
- 0. This file:
- BMP2BGI.Txt
-
- 1. Turbo C++ source code for BMP2BGI:
- bmp2bgi.c, bmp2bgi1.c, bmp2bgi2.c, bmp2bgi3.c
- bmp2bgi.prj (The project file for BMP2BGI)
- bgi.h, bmp.h (Header files for BMP and BGI image files)
-
- 2. Turbo C++ source code for displaying BGI images created w/ BMP2BGI:
- showbgi.c, showbgi2.c
- showbgi.prj (The project file for SHOWBGI)
-
- 3. Compiled Executables if you want to use the BMP2BGI right away:
- bmp2bgi.exe, showbgi.exe
-
-
- 4. And a sample BMP file:
- test.bmp
-
-
-
-
- COPYRIGHTS (Because a lawyer suggested I do this):
- ============================================================================
-
- BMP.H: (c) Ziff-Davis Publishing
- BMP2BGI.EXE, SHOWBGI.EXE, BMP2BGI.c..BMP2BGI3.C, BGI.H, SHOWBGI.EXE,
- SHOWBGI.C, SHOWBGI2.C, TEST.BMP: (c) R.G.Rasulis Consulting Services
- MS Windows 3.0, MS Windows Paint, BMP: (c) Microsoft, Corp.
- Turbo C++, Turbo Pascal, Turbo C, BGI: (c) Borland International.
-
- About the Author:
- ============================================================================
-
- Richard Rasulis, Jr. is currently earning his doctoral degree in clinical
- psychology at the University of Montana. Prior to becoming a "gradual"
- student, he worked as a hacker-4-hire in Boston, MA. Amongst his hobbies is
- programming as well as conducting research on using computers to administer
- psychological tests. He is the author of several PC programs, including
- scoring programs for various psychological tests. Further, he is conducting
- research in the area of maturity and psychological well-being. He may be
- contacted through the various addresses:
-
- SnailNet: R.G.Rasulis EduNet: py__rgr@selway.umt.edu
- c/o Dep't of Psychology GEnie: R.RASULIS
- University of Montana
- Missoula, MT 59801
-
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