17 Bit Software 4: Phase Four

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(C) D.Odd Oct 1993 B L A C K B O A R D V 1.0 --- Users Manual -------------------------- ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT ------------------- This document is organised so that the further you go through it the less general the information becomes. Try to read through the first few sections at least before you rush in, get frustrated, and have to come back and read it anyway. These bits deal with setting up, registration and general use. The further on bits in the document are more reference-like for when you want to use a particular function. IDEOLOGY -------- I have a dream. Because of the way this program is written, it's easy for anyone out there to write new modules and expand the system. In this way, if the program gets a wide enough user base - literaly hundreds of new functions could be written by other users. These could be produce a large library of functions in the public domain which would provide a constantly expanding and improving system. In short it COULD provide, by pooling the resources of everyone out there, a system more powerfull, more flexible, more customisable and most importantly far CHEAPER than the expensive commercial options on offer. INTRODUCTION ------------ BlackBoard is an image proccessor written specifically for the AGA chip-set machines. The system requirements are 2 floppy drives (or a hard drive), and at least a meg of memory. Idealy you should also have a bit more memory and the AGA chip-set. * The program is freely distributable. Providing this document is * * distributed with it. If you don't like it please DELETE it and be done * * with it. If you DO like it and find it useful then please send me the * * registration fee and you will become a legal registered user and will * * get a whole load of goodies through the post (see the section entitled * * 'REGISTRATION') * The program is formed by a number of disk-based modules which are run as required. This means that almost every aspect of the program can be upgraded and improved without having to re-write the whole thing. It also means that anyone can write their own add-on modules (e.g. Loaders, Displayers, filters etc.) providing they stick to certain guidelines (see 'REGISTRATION') BlackBoard can load in pictures. It can manipulate them in a variety of ways, and then it can display them in a number of different display modes as well as saving the picture to disk. N.B I apologise for the speed at which you can load in IFF pictures. I`m currently working on an assembly-language written version to replace it - which will be supplied with REGISTRATION. SETTING UP ---------- The first time you run BlackBoard you must select the type of chip set you have. If you have any machine with the AGA chip set (e.g. A1200, A4000 or A5000) then run the file entitled '24bit_Amigas'. Otherwise run the program called '12bit_Amiga'. Each time before you run the program, the program INIT must be executed. This can be done either through a startup-sequence or you can just double-click on it's icon. This sets up a number of system variables. When you run it it may ask you to insert 'BBoard:'. This is simply checking if the 'volume' already exists. Simply click on CANCEL and the program will assign it to the RAM disk. You can then run the main program - BLACKBOARD RUNNING IT ---------- While using the program you must keep the disk 'BlackBoard:' in the drive at all times. This is because it contains all the functions and filters and stuff which you can use. If you take it out the program can't find what it wants (say the program which displays the picture) and so can't do what you want. To get round this there are two alternatives. Firstly if you have oodles of ram, you can move ALL the files onto the RAM: disk, TAKE THE ORIGINAL DISK OUT, and enter the command (e.g. use Shell) 'Assign BlackBoard: RAM:'. Secondly if you have a HARD DRIVE you can again move the files across, TAKE THE ORIGINAL DISK OUT, and enter the command 'Assign BlackBoard: DH0:' REGISTRATION ------------ If you like this program and use it AT ALL, please register with me. In return you will receive an updated copy of the program and modules, but you will also get a load of goodies which I couldn`t fit on this disk. In brief you get... i) A disk FULL of additional stuff to help you get going. The extra stuff includes... - A new display function which allows users with ALL chip sets to display pictures in 128 shades. WOW! (Wasn't fully de-bugged and so wasn't put on this disk) - New Modules to perform new functions including FLIP, ARC PALETTE, PIXELATE, INVERSE, QUANTISE - New loaders/savers for new formats (including the only (as far as I'm aware) the only Archimedies format loader on the Amiga, and a new faster Load_ILBM module) - New textures (e.g. rock, wood and more) - Half a dozen more dithers. ii) Information on how YOU can write your own functions and stuff, with ANY programing language you like. PLUS information about how to move the files about and use different ways of storing the data. e.g. Store the data on your harddrive or carddrive instead of in memory. (Virtual Memory) PLUS assistance with any problems that you may encounter with any aspect of the program. PLUS information on how to customize and optimize your system. iii) New modules and updates on any bits of the program AS THEY ARE WRITTEN. These will be posted to you or be released in the PD market (they will only work on registered versions of the program) This stuff is what is available AT THE MOMENT (October '93). Any additional stuff will be added to this list and supplied to registered users. Features not finished YET, but which should be done soon are JPEG file support, ARexx control, and a warping and morphing module. And the price? Well 10 pounds sterling (or rough equivalent) that's all. However if you happen to be a student, unemployed or an OAP the price becomes slashed to a measly 5 pounds sterling - no proof required I'm just gonna have to trust you. Please make any cheques payable to D.Odd, and send the dosh to.. D. Odd 68 Gooding Ave., Braunstone, Leicester, LE3 1BQ, England. Notes ----- If you write any modules, have any textures, dithers, upgrades etc., and you think others may have any use for them, please send them to me. When I get enough for a disk I'll be able to supply a compilation of them to the registered users (along with any upgrades/new stuff I write myself). This way I hope to be able to keep the program going with fresh ideas and more powerful developments. If everyone who can helps out, there is no reason why we can't jointly develop a very powerful tool at a fraction of the cost of certain commercial packages - And a tool which is constantly changing to meet new fads, demands, file structures, etc. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE -------------------- BASIC STUFF ----------- Along the top of the window you will see a number of buttons. With 2,4,8,16 etc. on them. These control how the pictures will be displayed. These select the amount of colours you want the picture to be rendered in. These range from 2 to 256. Three other modes are available, HAM, HAM8 and EHB. HAM and HAM8 allow 4096 or 256,000 colours to appear on screen simultaneously, whereas EHB allows 64 colours to be used - although only half can be defined independently. 'But why don't you use the 64 colour button?' I hear you cry. Well machines before the A1200 (the 12bit_Machines) can only use 2,4,8,16,32,HAM and EHB modes. So even if you've get an AGA machine you may want any output produced to work on these earlier machines. Next are three button, 'Dither', 'HiRes' and 'Lace'. The first controls whether or not the program uses dithering routines when it renders the picture. See the 'Chnge Dither' button for more information. The other two buttons simply control how the screen is displayed. N.B. On the older machines ('12_Bit') you can only have HiRes in 2,4,8 or 16 colours. THE MAIN BUTTONS ---------------- Beneath and to the right are the main features, which are listed below... Load - This will load in from disk a new picture, using the default loading module (normally IFF - the same file as 'Deluxe Paint' and 'Photon Paint' use). See below for changing the format. Save - This will save to disk the currant picture, using the selected routines for displaying and saving. Picture Info - This will tell you about the picture and the currently selected options. Chnge Dither - This button allows you to change the way in which (if requested) the program will dither a picture. Fundamentally there are two types supported, either mapping or Floyd (error distribution). If you select the 'Floyd' method NONE of the other options apply. If you choose mapping, you have to choose a mapping style (three are supplied) and an intensity. This intensity controls how much the mapping pattern is applied to the picture, the higher the function the more dithering. A value will be suggested for the currant amount of colours. This value is ignored if the picture is grey-scale. RGB Control - Basic at the moment. Colour images can be separated by a number of different methods one way (and the only way that the program supports at the moment) is to split it up into red, green and blue components. This function allows you choose each bit and change it independently. Palette - Generates the 'best' colours for the currant data. This is NOT run separately when you alter the picture. If you change the pictures colours (except using the sliders at the bottom of the display, or the edit mapping routine) you may need to run this. Display - Displays the picture using the currant display options. Preview - As above but uses faster (and less accurate) routines. Sub Prog - Allows you to run a module or sub-prog which doesn't appear on the gadgets. Just select the name of it, and click on RUN. Quit - Quits the program. If you ask for the data to be deleted you will have to run INIT before re-loading BlackBoard. However if you don't you can simply re-load with all the data still present. Beneath these system gadgets are 5 sliders. These control the contrast, brightness, red, green and blue contents of the picture. They don't effect the picture directly; the displaying routines calculate effects as they draw it up - and therefore there is no need to re-calculate the palette if they are changed (or indeed if the number of colours selected is altered). To the left are the filters and effect which can be run from the program. The important ones have a button to themselves, and the rest are present in the box. They can be scrolled up and down with the correct buttons, and run by clicking on the 'RUN' button. They are all listed below, and what they do. But first... How you enter info to them. DATA ENTRY ---------- Each subprog can ask for a number of different types of data. The main program will gather these and then pass them on to it. In this way writing your own modules is much easier as you don't have to worry about the front end. Anyway, any information which is requested BY the subprog will be asked for by a set of buttons which appear in the middle of the screen. These will be of a number of sorts, all of which should be easy enough to work out (I hope). THE SYSTEM ROUTINES ------------------- If you want to change any of the system routines simply go up to the pull-down menu at the top of the screen and select the one you wish to change, and the select the one you want from the choice listed. Each program does the same thing (e.g. They all calculate the palette, or they all load an image) but they do it in a different way. (e.g. Different loaders may load pictures which are saved in different formats) THE SYSTEM MODULES ------------------ Loaders ------- Load_ILBM - This is the default. Will load in IFF (ILBM) pictures. Up to 256 colours, or 8/24 bit files. Load_Sculpt_File - Sculpt files are uncompactable, contain no structure (width, height etc.) information and are saved (if in colour) as three different files. Most filters which load in files will however expect them to be in sculpt format.. Why? Because it's easy to read, easy to calculate where specific pixels will be in the files and requires no computation to convert into 8 or 24 bit files. They therefore are easy, quick and memory (RAM not disk) efficient. Because they have no picture information you must type in the width of the file and if it is colour (three files .red, .gre and .blu) or greyscale (just the one). This is done so you can load in say a .red file as a grey-scale and manipulate it separately. Savers ------ Save_ILBM - Saves out currant screen (colours, palette, width etc.) as an IFF file, which can be loaded into almost every Amiga art package. Save_Sculpt_File - This saves the picture as a sculpt file. Data about the picture is NOT saved, and the width is required when you reload. So it's best to save the picture as something like "MyPicture(320)" where the '320' is the width. Colour images will be saved as 3 files, each one with a suffix. i.e. Filename.red, Filename.gre and Filename.blu. Palette routines ---------------- Palette12 - This calculates the colours, but only to a resolution of 12 bits (4096 colours). Palette18 - As above but a bit slower. The colours chosen are also accurate to 18 bits (265,000 colours). Displayers ---------- Firstly there are two types of displayers;- grey-scale ones and colour ones. Only one proper grey-scale one is provided, so you don't have a lot of choice there - but this does everything anyway so it doesn't matter. Of the colour ones there are 3 proper ones, and two which is only really of use as previewers. The HAM and HAM8 routines used by Display12 are different from the others ONLY in that they use less memory by accessing the data files while drawing up the picture, they are therefore slightly slower. Routine Accuracy Dither Speed Other info. ------------------------------------------------------- Display12 12 bits Not Floyd Medium Low memory needs memory than Display 12 or Display 24 Display15 15 bits YES Medium Display24 24 bits YES Slow HAM routine 24 bits Not Floyd Medium Routine in Display15 used HAM8 "" 24 bits Not Floyd Slow Routine in Display15 used Preview12 12 bits NO Fast Low memory needs Preview18 18 bits NO Fast Low memory needs GreyDisplay 24 bits YES Fast The previewer's (Preview12/Preview18) will display all pictures (ignoring the number of selected colours) in HAM/HAM8,16/256 grey-scale mode using a fast routine. Very useful throughout the development to see how the pictures going. USER MODULES ------------ Double_Or_Half - These double or half the picture. They don't just double the pixels, but work on the image to prevent a 'blocky' look. If you WANT a 'blocky' look use SCALE. Edge_Enhancer - Will either outline of enhance a picture. If you choose to enhance the picture then the value entered affects how pronounced this enhancement is. 0 will produce the most amount of edge enhancement, the bigger the number the less noticeable the effect. Smooth_Filter - Smooths the image. Asks for a threshold value. This will only smooth two pixels together if they are closer than this value in intensity. Therefore, in the case of a picture of a person; it cam be used to smooth the skin, and it will smooth the lips, but will not smooth the lips into the skin. It therefore retains sharp lines, but smooths out gradients. Very useful for converting old 12 bit images into 24 bits. (Value is between 0 (smooth nothing - a bit pointless) and 255 (smooth every thing - also pointless as `Reduce_Noise` does this faster and better)) Reduce_Noise - Provides two routines to 'smooth' and reduce noise in the picture. Emboss_Image - Creates the impression that the image is three dimensional. Composite_Load - This will load in another picture (Sculpt format) and merge it into the picture presently in memory. To do this it needs three pieces of information. Firstly the filename and it's size. Secondly it needs the percent of which to merge (0-100%). If this is 100% the new picture will totally replace the old one; if it's 50% they will mix 50-50. Thirdly it needs a threshold value. This value tells the computer what bits of the image to merge, and what to make 'see-through'. If the pixels' value is beneath the threshold then the new image is deemed to be 'see-through' e.g. The value can be between 0 and 255. If you enter 1 - Everything on the new image will used, except when it's colour is black, then it will be transparent. Finally position the new image on the old one and click on 'Load & Mix'. N.B. Colour images can't be mixed with grey-scale pictures and vice-versa. Shade - This also requires a sculpt picture (this time it must be grey-scale); but instead of mixing the file into the present one, its used to control the intensity of the present image. If the file loaded contains a pixel of 128 (middle grey), then the pixel this maps onto remains the same, if it gets lower, it darkens the pixel, and higher it brightens it. You don't need to place the image on the page because it will be used in a mosaic-like way to effect the entire picture. This function can be used for two reasons. Firstly it can be used to highlight an area (e.g. Fade the picture to darkness as it reaches the edge of the screen) - or it can be used to 'texture' pictures. See the example pictures to see how this works. Colour<-->Grey - Converts a 24 bit (colour) image into and 8 bit (grey-scale) image. And vice-versa Crop_Image - This allows you to cut out a segment of a picture and work with that. Scale_Image - Simply change either the actual length or the factors, and then click on 'Scale' to change the size of the image. Mapping - Here you can either set the map, or alter it. Setting the map involves permanently altering the picture data in so that it's actually stored in the similar way to how its displayed (i.e. Brightness, contrast, mapping red, green, blue etc.) altering the mapping... The images are stored as values from 0-255. Where 0=black, and 255=max red/green/blue/white. You can change this relationship. The graph displayed shows the distribution of colours. Fashion the graph anyway you want, and then click at the bottom. 'Default' will return your mapping to the simply linear relationship. You can also 'bend' the graph up and down by using the appropriate buttons. Edit_Palette - The palette created by the palette selector can here be modified. Rectangle - Allows you to colour in rectangular areas of the picture. Change_Range - The pictures are stored as a block of data, with each red, green, blue or grey point being stored as a number between 0 and 255. This program will show you the min and the max values found in all the data and allow you to scale it accordingly. ----------------------------------- Byeeeeee P.S. If you have any comments, request, advice etc. please feel free to get in touch with me (see above for my address) P.P.S. If anyone out their knows anything about the JPEG file format, has source code for it utilization or ANYTHING, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get in touch.