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HIDIMG (C) Copyright 1993-94 John Caputlu-Wilson All Rights Reserved Hidden Image AutoStereograms All other copyrights(C) and trademarks(TM) mentioned herein are hereby acknowledged *************************************************************** * * * Create your own professional-looking hidden images like the * * ones seen in the malls. Put your own name or message or * * picture in the image. * * * *************************************************************** To get started QUICK: Run the program by typing HIDIMG17 at the dos prompt Press the (H) Key Press the (3) Key then <Enter> Packing List: ------------- Name: FileSize: HIDIMG17.EXE 70016 SVGA256.BGI 7451 HIDIMG.DOC 21641 INVOICE.DOC 1701 VENDOR.DOC 2117 PT1.BMP 83502 PT2.BMP 61078 PTAD.BMP 11078 SHAPES.BMP 11312 TITLE.BMP 72654 TORUS.BMP 67112 HID1.MAP 3328 HID2.MAP 3328 HID3.MAP 3328 --------------- RLE2BMP.EXE 33184 TIPS.DOC 5175 These files in the REGISTERED version HIDIM17R.EXE 69744 --------------- INTRODUCTION ------------ HIDIMG is a program to create an autostereogram from any 256 color .BMP (bitmap) file included with program or that the user supplies. An autostereogram is a picture which appears 3-Dimensional when viewed in the correct manner. Unlike other stereogram programs, HIDIMG is not limited in color or in the surface pattern displayed. Most other programs only create black and white SIRDS. A SIRDS is a Single Image Random Dot Stereogram. HIDIMG can use full 256 color and whatever surface pattern the user desires, not just random dots. That means that you can create pictures similar to those that are done professionally and sold in the malls and other shopping areas. The hidden image is then saved into a .BMP file which the user may edit or print out as desired (using other programs). You can "hide" any image that you can create. There are a number of shareware painting programs available. Of course there are a number of expensive painting programs available as well. However, most computers come with Windows nowadays, which has a Paint application built-in. Have fun making posters, post cards, invitations, ads, pictures, nameplates, etc. Without exception, everyone I have met who has "seen" a hidden image picture has thought that it was very neat. Sometimes it takes a little while to "see" the images, but it is usually worth the effort. Even if you have already "seen" the pictures, it is great to see someone else's face when they finally "see" it too. At that point you share their sense of wonder and prove that you really are not crazy ! All the images that I have printed out have looked great! I have found that they make very entertaining gifts. REGISTRATION ------------ HIDIMG is a SHAREWARE program. Shareware programs are great because they allow a limited trial period before actually purchasing the program. If you do not like the program, then it costs nothing. You simply quit using it. Users may use HIDIMG for a trial period of 30 days. At that time they may either register (if they haven't done so already) or quit using the program. The registration price is $24.95 US. All images created by an unregistered user are for personal use only; they may not be sold or used commercially. Limited permission is granted for the distribution (uploading, downloading, etc.) of the unregistered version. Feel free to let your friends and others try out the unregistered shareware program and see if they would like to order the registered version. Vendors may charge no more than $5 over the cost of media for this program. Registration information is in the INVOICE.DOC file. The REGISTERED version of HIDIMG has the following: ------------------------------------------------------------ All features of UNREGISTERED version, including: full SVGA 256 color manipulation of image colors and hidden effects works on picture, pattern, and color map files included or supplied by user images displayed on screen and saved in .BMP form for later editing by user allows from 300x200 up to 1280x1024 resolution on screen allows up to 2048x2048 in disk-video mode PLUS!!! no annoying SHAREWARE screens HIDIMG message is not "stamped" on hidden pictures images created by program may be freely used, no copyright restrictions on registered user-made images tips on how to create good images program RLE2BMP.EXE to convert .RLE files to .BMP files Note: .RLE files are one of the formats used to transmit picture files over the Internet. It is used by some other SIRDS programs. These files can be converted to .BMP's. Some of these .RLE file pictures are copyrighted. You must get the artist's permission for other than personal viewing of those files. Also, do not mistake these files with Windows RLE compressed .BMP's. They are two different things. ------------------------------------------------------------- ************************************************************* * Remember, registered programs or images from a registered * * program make great gifts for family and friends!!! * ************************************************************* HOW TO USE HIDIMG PROGRAM ------------------------- Basically, HIDIMG takes an input file and "hides" it by covering it with a pattern file. The resulting image is displayed on-screen. There are triangular indicators on the image to help in "locking-in" on the image. The user must change his/her focus until the indicators appear to merge in the center. At this point of focus, the hidden effect should be noticeable in the image. The colors of this image may be modified. When the user is finished looking at the picture, it is saved to the output file. If you chose to make your own pictures, you need to create them in a special way. The picture must be in the form of a topographical map, i.e. the palette numbers that you use must correspond to the heights that you wish that color to be at. For example, the following values would give a pyramid structure: 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 1-2-2-2-2-2-1 1-2-3-3-3-2-1 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 1-2-3-3-3-2-1 1-2-2-2-2-2-1 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 These numbers represent the palette numbers in the drawing program. Note that the colors which are assigned to the palette numbers are arbitrary. You can make them whatever colors you like. Think of it like this; your palette numbers correspond to 256 boxes into which you will put whatever color of paint that you want. What color of paint goes into which box is up to the you. When you want to make a topographic structure however, you must use the paint from the correct palette box that is at the height you want that color to be at. The "4" at the center of the pyramid indicates that it is at height "4". Notice that it is surrounded by colors at height "3", and so forth. Thus, the highest point is at the center, with the sides sloping down to form a pyramid. DISK SPACE: Make sure that you have LOTS of it. HIDIMG can read in compressed or uncompressed .BMP's, but it only creates uncompressed files. The reason for this is that a large number of the hidden pictures have larger compressed .BMP files than uncompressed. This is due to the way that the Windows RLE compression works. You might try converting the files to other formats and see if they work better. I would suggest a hard drive with at least 2-5M of free space. HIDIMG will try to save hidden images to the file HIDDEN.BMP unless the default is changed. This is intended to keep your disk from getting overrun with hidden image files. If you want to keep an image that you like, I would rename it to something else, so that you don't inadvertently write over it on the next hidden generation. Another reason for the uncompressed files is that they get displayed faster. This program is math intensive; the faster your system the better. I have a 486/66 and it gets slow at times. I have yet to see a computer that I can't slow down. Come on Pentium, your next... Speaking of slowing something down, HIDIMG is capable of very high rez disk-video modes of up to 2048x2048x256. These files take a LONG time and take a LOT of disk space (about 4.2M) per picture. However, there are some programs that can use them so here they are. Just run the program normally and selection whatever resolution you like. HIDIMG is actually a disk file-to-disk file converter. The images on screen are actually virtual. They do not affect the size of the images in the files. HIDIMG uses the following commands: Creating Hidden Images ---------------------- (H) Hide the Input file ***The Heart of HIDIMG*** The current input file is hidden with the current pattern, displayed on then screen at a selectable resolution, and saved in the output file. The image colors may be modified while the image is on-screen using the color palette changing commands. The final colors will be saved with the file information. Focusing indicators will appear at the top of the picture. Try to make the indicators merge and your eyes should be approximately at the correct focusing distance to "see" the image. Make sure that you have a lot of disk space availiable, especially if you use the high-rez modes. This is the shortcut key for generating an output file. Changing Settings ----------------- (C) Change a File Setting Each of the different file types; input, pattern, output, and color map may be changed with this command. It will go to a submenu from which the choice (I,P,O,C) can be made. Be sure to include the entire name when you select a file (e.g. HIDIMG.BMP). (I) Change the Input file A list of .BMP files in the directory will be displayed. A default file may be chosen by pressing <Enter>. (P) Change the Pattern file A list of the pattern PT*.BMP files in the directory will be displayed. A default file may be chosen by pressing <Enter>. (O) Change the Output file The user may chose a filename. A default file may be chosen by pressing <Enter>. (C) Change the Color Map file A list of the .MAP files in the director will be displayed. A default file may be chosen by pressing <Enter>. A .MAP file is a color palette text file which contains a list of the Red, Green, and Blue intensity values for each color used by the image. These files are identical to those used by the FRACTINT fractal generation program. Any comments stored in these files must be below the 256th color triplet, or HIDIMG will have problems reading the file (HIDIMG not equipped to handle words). (Z) Change the Z-Scale parameter The Z-Scale parameter controls the apparent depth of the hidden image. A large Z-Scale value gives the picture a lot of 3Dness. A small Z-Scale values makes the picture look more flattened. Too large a value destroys the hidden effect. Too small a value makes everything flat. The original Z-Scale value of an input file is 1. The generated standard files work best at values near 1. (R) Change the Repeat parameter The Repeat parameter controls the apparent distance of the hidden image. A large Repeat value makes the image appear further away. A small Repeat value makes the image appear closer. Too small a Repeat value destroys the hidden effect. This parameter is useful in making the hidden image easier to see in terms of the focusing ability of the viewer. The two triangular indicators on the hidden image screen are controlled by this parameter. Larger Repeats make the indicators move apart, smaller make them move together. The original Repeat value is the width of the Pattern file. For most comfortable viewing, the indicators should be about an inch apart. (S) Change the Symmetry Algorithm HIDIMG supports three different symmetry algorithms for hiding the images: LTR, SYMM, and RTL. The SYMM or symmetric algorithm tries to hide the picture from the center towards the sides. The result is usually good, unless there is a lot of depth, in which case some of the picture near the center gets lost. LTR and RTL are the Left-To-Right and Right-To-Left algorithms. These will not lose any of the picture's data, but the surface pattern will appear distorted more on one side as the algorithm runs across the picture. (T) Change the Type of Hide Pictures may be hidden in either Normal or Inverted form. Normal form has higher palette numbers appearing closer to the viewer, while the inverted forms have higher palette numbers appearing further from the viewer. Typically the normal images appear upraised or embossed, while the inverted images appear depressed, like footprints. Sometimes the inverted images are fairly difficult to "see". Displaying Files On-Screen -------------------------- (D) Display a File On-Screen This option will display on-screen any of the file types; input, pattern, output, or color map. A beep will be sounded when the image is finished being made. The user can then modify the color palette of the image using the color palette changing commands (0..8,O,M). This command goes to the choice of file submenu. (I) Display the Input file on-screen Reads in the current Input file listed in the current settings and shows it on-screen at a selectable resolution. (P) Display the Pattern file on-screen Reads in the current Pattern file listed in the current settings and shows it on-screen at a selectable resolution. (O) Display the Output file on-screen If a hidden image has been created, then reads in the current Output file listed in the current settings and shows it on-screen at a selectable resolution. Otherwise, it gives the message that no hidden image has been created during the current operation of the program. Note, hidden files displayed this way do not have the focusing indicators included (since that information is not easily recordable in the file headers). Also, these files are not affected by the "hidden effect" parameters. At this point, the program is simply drawing an already made picture, whether that picture is a hidden image or not. (C) Display the Color Map file on-screen Reads in the current Color Map file listed in the current settings and shows an on-screen palette in a 16x16 grid. The palette number and the (R,G,B) components are displayed. This option should be chosen at 800x600 resolution or above. Showing File Information ------------------------ (I) Information about a File This option allows the information about the different files types to be seen. It goes to the file choice submenu. The input, pattern, and output files are all bitmaps (.BMP), and the information given is the information contained in the file headers of the images. This includes picture size, compression, color info, etc. The Color Map Information gives the palette numbers and (R,G,B) values of the file. (I) Show Input file information Gives .BMP bitmap info on the Input file such as image and file sizes, compression and color info, etc. (P) Show Pattern file information Gives .BMP bitmap info on the Pattern file such as image and files sizes, compression and color info, etc. (O) Show Output file information If a hidden image has been created, then gives .BMP bitmap info on the Output file such as image and file sizes, compression and color info, etc. Otherwise it gives the message that no hidden file has been made in the current use of the program. (C) Show Color Map file information Gives the Palette numbers and Red,Green,Blue color values of the current Color Map file listed in the current setting section. Modifying Image Colors On-Screen -------------------------------- (0..8) Random Color Palette Once an image is being displayed on the screen, press a number from 0 to 8 to use a random color palette on the image. The value indicates the degree of randomness in the color patterns, with 0 giving the smoothest color transitions and 8 giving very rough, random color transitions. On certain pattern files, a value of 8 creates random dot hidden images. (O) Original File Color Palette Once an image is being displayed on the screen, press O to use the original color palette that was saved with the file. The image is initially displayed in whatever are the standard colors of that system. (M) Map File Color Palette Once an image is being displayed on the screen, press M to use the color palette of the current .MAP file. Generating Standard Files ------------------------- (G) Generate Standard Files This feature is a protection in case some of the other files with HIDIMG get lost. Using this feature creates a random Color Map file called HIDIMG.MAP, a semi-random Pattern file called PTHIDIMG.BMP, an Input file called HIDIMG.BMP, or the Output file called HIDDEN.BMP which is based on the current file settings. Note that the last option is the same as pressing the (H) key. The size of the Output file is determined by the resolution selected during the generation. Make sure that you have plenty of disk space available during the creation, since the high-rez files can be quite large (a 1024x768x256 .BMP occupies about 800KB). Please be patient during file generation, it could take a while on some machines. There will be a beep when the generation is finished or the program will automatically go to the main menu. (I) Generate Standard Input File This option will create some standard .BMP files which may be used as input files. The file created will be saved as HIDIMG.BMP. It will be saved at the resolution selected. (P) Generate Pattern File This option will create a semi-random pattern file which may be used to cover the hidden images. It will be saved as PTHIDIMG.BMP. It is a 100x100 size file. (O) Generate Output File This option is exactly the same as the (H)ide the Image key (M) Generate a Color Map File This option creates a smoothly random color map file of 256 colors. Quitting the HIDIMG Program -------------------------- (Q) Quit Return to the DOS prompt. ** Any key not listed will escape the user one level back in menu selection. Once at the main menu, it will page back and forth between the shareware ad and the main menu. ** REQUIREMENTS ------------ To run HIDIMG, you must have SVGA card capable of 256 color. The file SVGA256.BGI needs to be in the same directory as HIDIMG17.EXE. Not all SVGA cards are alike, so some cards may not run HIDIMG. If nothing else, I believe the low rez (320x200) mode should work. Finally, it is designed for 286+ machines. A 287+ coprocessor is highly recommended, but not required. Special Thanks to J. Michael Gibbs and Frank D. (Tony) Smith, whose help made this program possible. A version of the program should eventually be made available for Apple Mac computers. J. Michael Gibbs will be the author. More details about this later... For technical support contact HIDIMG author: John Caputlu-Wilson 1451 Mecaslin St NW #8303 Atlanta, GA 30309-2288 (404) 875-4384 gt2346a@prism.gatech.edu DISCLAIMER AND LEGAL NOTICE --------------------------- All files included in this package must be distributed together and may not be modified in ANY WAY by anyone other than John Caputlu-Wilson. I reserve the right to refuse anyone the right to distribute this software with a written notice. In no way will John Caputlu-Wilson, J. Michael Gibbs, Frank D. (Tony) Smith, or FHS Supply, Inc. accept ANY RESPONSIBILITY for ANY damages, real or otherwise that this program, or images produced by it, may cause. This software is provided AS IS, USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK. None of the parties above guarantee that the program will work as described. Now with that out of the way, have fun in the world of AutoStereo 3D!!! H H H H H H H H H H H H H i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d d I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m g g g g g g g g g g g g g