17 Bit Software 4: Phase Four

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Text File | 1978-01-04 | 11.7 KB | 317 lines

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Most Unpopular Disk Magazine Trasher is here... * MAGNUM V1.8 - LAST EVER VERSION! * * SOURCE OFFER * Written in AMOS by Wai Hung Liu alias KHUL/DEFEKT Example graphics by SAREK/DELIGHT Example music by PAK/NERVE AXIS Dedicated to Telemach/ex-NERVE AXIS! (Good luck!) Magnum is public domain, the author retains all copyrights. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @2SOURCE CODE AVAILABLE@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the early months of 1992 I set to work. Taking a break from the run of the mill assembler demos and utilities, I decided to create some- thing different with AMOS. It became my last project with AMOS. In April, Magnum v1.0 was born. It was small, with few options, but it worked. Users demanded more options, more preferences, and it all ended up in v1.7 in July 1993. This is v1.8, the last ever _official_ Magnum. I have tidied up the program and you have the resulting work. Many users will have AMOS or AMOS Pro and will have wanted to create a disk magazine. Magnum allows you to do this with ease... But if you want to make your _own_ disk magazine, with your own style and look, the backbone of the work is now available. Since I am not going to continue Magnum anymore (more time on PowerTracker! hehe ;-) I have decided to release the source code for the entire program. Note that the source listing can be run straight away, but it can be messy in some places. However, you can rip bits out of it and use it, or just slowly alter parts of the program to your own taste. Anyone with the AMOS manual will be able to nearly _reprogram_ the entire thing after tinkering with it! So if you would like the source listing on disk, send 5.00 pounds UK sterling and I'll send you back the source on a quality disk. You can obtain the source by sending cash (at your own risk!) or by sending cheques, EuroCheques or International Money Ordeys made payable to: Wai Hung Liu, 90 Terenure Road East, Terenure, Dublin 6, Ireland. Please make sure you write your address clearly! You'll receive the source within 2-4 weeks, or even quicker! If you are having _MAJOR_ problems with the source, feel free to write, but you'll be okay as long as you have the AMOS or AMOS Pro manual. The source code is _NOT_ Public Domain in any way. Anyone found spreading or selling it without permission from the coder (me!) _WILL_ be prosecuted! The source is for your own use, you are allowed to use it to release your own utils, diskmags etc. That's it, enjoy the production! @2INTRODUCTION@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magnum is a utility that allows you to make disk magazines with ease. It uses a system that has been tried, tested, and is now used with the majority of disk magazines. It follows the style of Raw, Grapevine, Deadlock, Hexagone, Upstream, Jungle, Zine, Freedom Crack, etc. Of course, using this program doesn`t replace your own coded versions, but if you don`t know how to code, or haven`t got the time and want to produce a professional looking disk magazine, then Magnum is all you`ll probably need. @2HOW DOES MAGNUM WORK ?@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magnum works by reading a text file called Magnum.index from disk. This file is configured to your needs. It details the title of your article and the path from which it is to be loaded, and also the colours you want. Magnum.panel contains your panel gfx. Music and a title page are optional. This "index" file could also be called a configuration file. @2ENTERING ARTICLES@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Each article is to be typed and saved as a normal ASCII text file from any word processor. Note that ansi and styles (italics, bold, etc.) are not currently supported. Once you have your articles ready on a blank disk you can use Magnum. Try to keep each article to no more than 200 pages (4800 lines). Colour commands are available to choose from 7 text colours. 1-White (default) @2 2-red @3 3-yellow @4 4-green @5 5-cyan @6 6-blue @7 7-purple @1 If you don`t understand, load this file into a word processor to have a look! @2POWERPACKED FILES@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Magnum does not internally support Powerpacked graphics, text, and music files. You can avoid this problem and fit more on your disk by using a superb little utility called POWERPATCHER by Michael Berg. Just run this program before you load up the main Magnum program and you will find you can read packed files. POWERPATCHER and similar utilities can be found on many disks and is available from any good PD library. @2CONTROL PANEL GFX@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The control panel you are using below can be changed to suit your taste. The graphics panel must be low-res and in 16 colours. A stencil and example is on the disk to help you (panel.iff). The panel when complete should be saved as a brush @3Magnum.panel@1 onto your disk. @2GRAPHICS@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Graphics can be displayed as a single page. They must be NTSC in size and standard in width (320 or 640). Pictures can be in Interlace, HAM, Low, Med, and High resolution. @2MUSIC@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music can be run in the background so you could have Octamed, TFMX or whatever music running. The Music on/off function only applies to music loaded by Magnum, otherwise this function is useless, and you can draw some graphics over the unused panel. (logo?). The program will know whether there is music loaded in which should be saved as modules compatible with ProTracker, PSTtracker, NoiseTracker, Soundtracker, etc. The default magazine music should be saved under the name @3Magnum.music@1 on your disk. @2TITLE PAGES@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The title page can be whatever you want, making sure that it is IFF of course. Your completed picture should be saved under the name @3Magnum.t1@1. Subsequent loading pages should be titled Magnum.t2, Magnum.t3,... until Magnum.t5. You can have upto 5 different lead up/loading pictures. @2INDEX FILE (CONFIGURATION FILE)@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now a text file must be created to tell Magnum where your articles are on the disk, and what it should show on the menu. You can load up the example file on this disk, @3Magnum.index@1 . Below is an example... f00 - Colour of line at top. The number is typed in hex format and you must remember to press return afterwards... This example will be RED. fff - Top text colour. (WHITE) fff - Mouse colour (WHITE) f00 - Mouse border colour (RED) My Disk Magazine- The title of your disk magazine. (No more than 30 chars) Article 1 - A1. The name of your first article df0:drw/file - A1. Path of article (where file is on disk) Article 2 - A2. Another article... df0:drw/file - A2. Path again... *empty* - A3. Putting *empty* leaves an empty line YO DUDE! - A4. To create a message, place message and then put *empty* *empty* - A4. so that when YO DUDE! is chosen, nothing loads. King Tut - A5. To load an iff picture, place *iff*df0:d/f - A5. *iff* BEFORE the path Beethoven - A6. To load a tracker modules, place *music*mod.beet - A6. *music* BEFORE the path You can continue the name and path of this article to a maximum of 500 articles. You must also remember to press RETURN after EACH line. This file should then be saved under the name Magnum.index . @2CONTROLS@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The icons are self explanatory, and there is a help file on disk. Keyboard shortcuts are as follows. @3Esc @1= @7Return to index @3Shift + Esc @1= @7Quit @3Return @1= @7Load file @3Space bar @1= @7Goto page of index/article @3s @1= @7Sound on/off @3Up arrow @1= @7Goto 1st page of index/article @3Down arrow @1= @7Goto last page of index/article @3Left arrow @1= @7Move back a page of index/article @3Right arrow @1= @7Move forward a page of index/article @2TIDYING UP@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So now you should have on your disk: @4Magnum.Panel @1- your gfx @4Magnum.T1-T5 @1- title pages (optional) @4Magnum.Music @1- (optional, you can use your own player or not have any music at all.) @4Magnum.Index @1- your file of names and paths Now all you have to do is to copy across the Magnum.prg file to your magazine disk and place the "diskfont.library" into the LIBS: drawer. Now all is needed is a startup-sequence. Make your startup load Magnum.Prg or your own custom music first if necessary. eg. @4 MAGNUM.PRG @1 or @4 RUN OCTAMEDPLAYER >NIL: <NIL: name of music MAGNUM.PRG @1 Check your manual for help if you are confused. @2ABOUT@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- @3 Programmed in AMOS@1...........@6Khul @1 (Assembler rules - use Trashem'One!) @3 Example music@1................@6PAK @3 Example gfx@1..................@6Sarek @1 I retain full copyright of the program and it may not be altered in any way. This program is not shareware so you have no obligation to register this program with me. Feel free to copy and spread as it's PUBLIC DOMAIN. Fred Fish can distribute this if he wishes - full permission is given. Well, that's it. For all those users who contributed to me for updates, thanks! Thank you to you, the user, for showing interest in Magnum. There will _NEVER_ be another disk mag creator called Magnum so take this chance to get the source and make your own creations! I wish you luck with your disk magazine and just want to say, goodbye... Wai Hung Liu (alias Khul) @2HISTORY@1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.8 - no more... 1.7 (15.07.93) - Some quick changes to the internal code so now it is more memory efficient! (For you Sarek!) 1.6 (29.03.93) - Sorry for delay but I'm still waiting for that AMOS PRO compiler. Alas... Still, this new version will work with A1200 machines. 1.5 (19.01.93) - Added tracker support Added more loading screens No bug fixes needed 1.4 (13.10.92) - Keyboard commands bug fixed, it caused a display mess... Now, 500 articles. Each article can be upto 200 pages long. Added in two more buttons to click. 7 colours added for text. Easier and more simple INDEX file. 1.3 (3/8/92) - Keyboard commands added. 250 articles. 1.5 hrs to update. 1.2 (21/6/92) - IFF support added. 200 articles. Bug fixes. 1.1 (April 92) - Original release version. Limited to 20 articles. Bug fix. Shared command when compiled meant continuous crashing so most variables now global. 0.1 > 1.0 (April 92) - Pre-production version. Very badly bugged, keeps crashing.