Press F5 or double click on the title line to enlarge or restore the size of the help window. $
The help windows have highlighten keywords,
which guide to others help windows.
You may navigate through the help topics with
TAB
or SHIFT+TAB
and then press Enter
to pick a topic
Using the mouse simply click on an interesting keyword.
Press ESC to exit help.
The NOMSSI Viewer
This program allows you to read pictures archived in files with different image file
formats. It requires a Super
VGA card in your PC to display the picture. The pictures may also be writen to files using the TIFF format.
Use the dialogbox "Load an image file" to load and display a picture. To open this box press F3 or click on the item 'F3 Load' in the statusline.
The NOMSSI Viewer can be customized using the setup dialogbox. Press F9 to open this window. All default values and miscellaneous switches can be set and saved there. )
Choose a topic from the following list:
Load
image
Setup
Graphic
tools
SlideShow
Shortcuts
Image
files
informations
register
Inputline image file name
Name
Enter directory path and/or file name. A file mask is allowed. These line has an associated history list. ]
Related information:
Load
image
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
The file list
Files
..\
FILENM04.GIF
NVDMP001.TIF
TOOLS\
FILENM05.PCX
NVDMP002.TIF
TEXTS\
FILENM06.PCX
NVDMP003.TIF
NVIEWER.TIF\
FILENM07.TGA
FILENM01.BMP
FILENM08.TGA
FILENM02.BMP
FILENM09.TIF
FILENM03.GIF
FILENM10.TIF
The list window shows all files in the current directory which meet the file mask in the input
line or the current filter selection, and the subdirs.
To position the cursor on a file use the arrow keys, the Home/End keys,the Ctrl + PgUp/PgDn keys, or perform incremental search: type small letters for files and capital letters for directories. The cursor jumps to the next file matching your input. Backspace go back.
Pressing Enter or Alt
L initiates an image display or a directory change, if the focused item was a directory. Changing to the upper directory sets the cursor at the name of the previously selected directory. &
While using a mouse, double click on a choosen file name to load and display an image. Alternative click on the Load-button to load the actually selected (highlighten) file. To select a file, click once on it with the left mouse button. Use the horizontal scrollbar to move through the files.
The space bar or the right mouse button tag a file. Tagging files is useful for Slideshow or file management operations (copying, moving, delete), which are only allowed while the file list is focused.
F10 switch to the menu bar.
To force a re-read of the current directory (i.e. after changing the disk from a floppy drive), either enter a new file mask in the input
line or re-select the drive (see change
drive) or change the file mask in filter. ]
Related information:
Load
image
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
Change drive
This listbox shows all autodetected drives in your system. Use the arrow keys to focus a drive name and press the space bar or double click with the left mouse button to select a new drive. ~
Press Enter to select the focused drive and get back to the file list. The change will only be effective if no errors occur. G
Related information:
Load
image
The
system
Selecting an image file format mask
Filter
( ) *.TIF
( ) *.PCX
( ) *.GIF
( ) *.BMP
( ) *.TGA
( ) *.LBM
( ) *.JPG
( ) *.*
The selected item in this field is the default file mask used to read the current directory. The list corresponds to the normal file masks for the supported image file formats. You can overwrite this default by entering a new mask in the input
line. L
Press Enter to select the focused file mask and get back to the file list. F
Related information:
Load
image
The
Helpsystem
[ Options ]
Click on this window or use the F9 key to open the control panel and setup default values. X
Related information:
Control
panel
Load
image
The
Helpsystem
[ Load ]
Click on this button or press Enter to load and display the selected image file in the file
list. This leads to a directory switch only when the currently selected name is a directory. ]
Related information:
Load
image
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
[ Cancel ]
Close the dialogbox without making any changes. You may also use ESC. F
Related information:
Load
image
The
Helpsystem
Scan
Scan all files currently in the file list for image files. Get picture informations (Width, Height, Compression...) and display them in the file info panel. The file list contains only valid image files after the scan is done. ]
Related information:
Load
image
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
[ SlideShow ]
Initiate a slide
show. You must have tagged at least two files to have access to this button. This button opens a dialogbox with Slideshow
options to let you select the parameter and start the slideshow. &
Also use F8 or the shortcut Alt
related topics:
Load
image
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
Load an image file
There are shortcuts to reach an active field or a command, use TAB
and SHIFT+TAB
to change to the next or previous field within the dialogbox.
To load a file, double click on its name or enter the file name in the fileinput
line or either TAB to the file
list or use the arrow key to select the file name and press Enter.
To tag a file, select it in the file list with the *right* mouse button or use the arrow keys to select and press the space bar. You may also use the gray +, - or * for group selection, deselection or to reverse tags.
F10 switch to the menu bar. k
Change
drive
Filter
Options
Load
Cancel
SlideShow
Scan
graphic
tools
The
Helpsystem
Mode
Selecting a graphic mode forces the next pictures to be displayed in the given resolution. You may select 'Automatic' to let The NOMSSI Viewer automatically switch to an available mode with a resolution near to the picture size. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
Contrast
While viewing a picture, you can change its contrast (see: graphic
tools). To accurately reproduce color picture from different devices, especially to display scanned pictures, it must be taken into consideration that monitors have non-linear output curves. Device-dependent color correction curves are used to map the color values.
One generally uses exponential curves, which are analytically described with an exponent "gamma". You may set a monitor "Gamma" here, that will be used to correct your picture color values. H
( ) linear
This should be your standard, it means no correction of the color intensity. It will work well with all computer-generated pictures and most of the others, which are already corrected for monitor output. H
( ) Monitor
This option is for scanned color images advisable. Gamma = 2,2 is for monitor output quite a good value. H
( ) user defined
This option enables you to select the Gamma inputline. You can input a gamma value in the range from 0.1 to 7 now. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Use buffer
Selecting this option allows the image first to be loaded into memory (EMS, XMS or disk) and then be displayed after loading. This option will be ignored if you have no or not enough EMS/XMS/disk-memory (EMM386 or HIMEM.SYS not installed). The program uses the directories in your TEMP environment variable to allocate disk space. S
This option improves the slideshow quality, it is needed to build picture arrays. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Beep
A beep is generated as soon as the loading operation is terminated. There are two tones for OK and error. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Center Picture
Small pictures are positioned in the middle of the screen. 1
Exception: TIFF tiled images are not centered.
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Mosaic
The picture is used as pattern to form a grid. This is interesting for small pictures (icons). ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[X] show all pages
TIFF and GIF files may have several images (pages) in them. By now the pages are being shown in turn without break. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] uses VESA driver
Normally, the native VGA chipset in your machine is autodetected and The NOMSSI Viewer works with chipset-dependent code. Choosing this option, you force the use of the VESA interface, which is chipset-independent and enhances compatibility.
Having a video card that has a VESA compatible BIOS, or installing a TSR program that provides Video BIOS extensions (like the universal VESA VBE) will make The NOMSSI Viewer work correctly with your Super
VGA. I
The NOMSSI Viewer detects and uses the available VESA 256 colors modes. J
You may already have a VESA TSR for your video card, check your drivers disk for it. A VESA TSR is a small Terminate and Stay Resident (TSR) program that provides extensions to the Video BIOS routines of SuperVGA video cards to make them compatible with the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) recommended extensions. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Auto scan
Scan the current directory for image files and get file information after each directory change. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] Continue on error
Don't cancel viewing on some faulty image files. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ ] TrueColor
This release of The NOMSSI Viewer doesn't use HiColor and TrueColor modes. Images with more the 256 colors are shown in 256 color modes using a fast dithering technique. 24 bit PCX, BMP, TGA, TIFF, IFF/ILBM and JFIF are supported. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
Path to the image files
This input line contains the standard directory, where the NOMSSI Viewer looks for image files at start. ;
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
[ OK ]
Press or click on the OK button to save your inputs. The NOMSSI Viewer checks and saves them in the NV.CFG file if they are valid and then closes the dialogbox. Otherwise it selects the invalid fields in turn to let you correct them. You can nevertheless cancel the input. +
You may also use Enter or hotkey Alt
see also:
Options
bersicht
[ Cancel ]
Close the dialogbox without any change. The NV.CFG file is not updated. D
ESC is the corresponding key, you can also use the
hotkey Alt
Related information:
Options
The
Helpsystem
Control panel
Use hotkeys to execute an active Command. Use TAB
or SHIFT+TAB
to select (highlight) a field. The following fields are available:
Image
Graphic
Contrast
Disable
screen
Beep
Center
Picture
Mosaic
Pages
VESA
driver
Auto
Error
behavior
TrueColor
Your default values will be saved in the NV.CFG file.
The
Helpsystem
graphic mode tools
After an image loading, you can change the appearance of the picture by means of increasing or decreasing brightness and contrast. Use "Del" and "Ins" keys to change brightness. You can make a negative of the picture that way. Change contrast with the "Home" and "End" keys. You can scroll a big picture horizontal and vertical over the screen limits with the arrow keys, assuming you have enough video memory to store more than the visible part of the picture. a
To undo your editing, press the F10 key and the original colors are restored. Use the F2 key to save an image file with your editing as a numbered, uncompressed, 256 color TIFF file with the name NVDMPxxx.TIF (x is a number between 0 and 9). This file ist *not* equally good as the original, since The NOMSSI Viewer uses fixed parameters to create it. 8
Press Enter or click on the mouse left button to exit.
The
Helpsystem
Slide show options
Time in Seconds
Enter delay time in seconds (0 up to 99s) to specify how long a single image from the sequence of tagged files will be displayed, although you can influence the pause for the current image. W
[X] Cycle Slideshow
Decide whether the sequence will be repeated or if it should break after a cycle. You can stop the running slide
show with ESC. W
[ ] Superpose pictures
The current image will not be cleared prior crossing to the next image. However, this will only work if no graphics mode switch is necessary. W
[X] Reset tagged files
All selected tags will be cleared after the slide show. W
[ ] Arrange to an array
The screen is divided in nxm parts, each picture is scaled to fit in this tile, so you may have nxm images on the scren at the same time. Press F4 to zoom the current image.
This process is detrimental to picture quality. The NOMSSI Viewer uses dithering and antialiasing to preserve as much of the picture quality as possible. @
Related information:
SlideShow
The
Helpsystem
[ Start ]
A delay is accepted and the slide show started.
[ Cancel ]
Cancel or ESC or Alt
C to break off your action, you go back to the dialogbox Load
image
file. =
Related information:
SlideShow
The
Helpsystem
SlideShow
With The NOMSSI Viewer you can generate a slide show. Do to this select several image files, which are displayed one after the other, with a given delay. Select files in the file
list, then press F8 or click the "Slideshow" button. The image files are shown exactly in the order of selection. i
The delay between two images can be set from 0 up to 99s, a cycle can be repeated (slide
options).
While the slide show is running, you may click on the mouse right button or press the space bar to hold on an image (freeze the slideshow) and later click on the mouse left button or press enter to go on. You can always use the graphic
tools. '
Use ESC to quit a running slide show.
The
Helpsystem
TIFF
TIFF is a tag based, rich file format for storing and interchanging raster images. It enables storing bi-level, grayscale, palette-color and full color image data in several color spaces.
The NOMSSI Viewer is (should be) a Baseline TIFF 6.0 reader which supports several TIFF 6.0 Extensions (CCITT 1D and LZW Compression, TIFF Tiles, planar and packed images, YCbCr color space). +
TIFF is a trademark of Aldus Corporation. ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
The PCX image file format is in widespread use on the PC. The NOMSSI Viewer can handle PCX-files with 1..8 and 24 bits/pixel. Some 256 color PCX are written without color informations, The NOMSSI Viewer uses a grayscale map. Pictures with 2 or 4 colors are displayed using the CGA color map. SHIFT+F9 switchs to the standard EGA color map. ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
"The Graphics Interchange Format(c) is the Copyright property of
CompuServe Incorporated. GIF(sm) is a Service Mark property of
CompuServe Incorporated."
GIF files may include several pictures with up to 256 colors/pixel. The GIF89a specification allows GIF files to store text and commands for animations. S
The NOMSSI Viewer will skip the GIF89a extensions. It will only display graphics. ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
Bitmaps are used under Windows 3.x and OS/2 to store bi-level, palette color and full color images (1, 4, 8 and 24 bits/pixel).
The NOMSSI Viewer can load both Windows 3.x uncompressed and compressed Bitmap (BMP/RLE) files. OS/2 2.x bitmaps may include several pictures, which are shown in turn. ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
Truevision TGA file format is mostly used to store TrueColor images. m
The NOMSSI Viewer can handle TGA file types 1,2,3, 9,10 and 11 (uncompressed and run-length encoded files). ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
IFF is a file format for storing and interchanging data (text, images, music,...). It is in widespread use on the Amiga. IFF stores data in FORMs. The NOMSSI Viewer can handle IFF ILBM (Interleaved Bitmap) with 1..8 and 24 bits/pixel and PBM (Packed Bitmap) forms, which contains image data, offering support for run-length and HAM encoding. ,
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
JFIF
JPEG File Interchange Format is a minimal file format which enables JPEG bitstreams to be exchanged between a wide variety of platforms and applications. It is entirely compatible with the standard JPEG interchange format. A
The JFIF support requires a 80386SX processor or better to run. /
Image
formats
The
Helpsystem
SVGA
SVGA (Super VGA) is a graphic card standard for PCs, that electronically take control of the screen output in graphic modes with a resolution of at least 640x480 pixels with 256 simultaneous colors.
A SVGA card converts the digital color values in analog voltage to control analog monitors using a digital-analog-converter (DAC). A normal DAC includes 256 registers, each subdivided in three groups of 6 bits (for the colors red, gree, blue). thus there are max. 64 gradations for a priming and altogether possible 262144 colors. However only 256 colors can be displayed at a time (HiColor and TrueColor DACs allow more colors). |
The NOMSSI Viewer supports only the 256 color modes for a variety of SVGA cards (using VGADOC (c) 1993 by Finn Th
gersen).
The
Helpsystem
Raster image data
Bi-level images contains two colors - black and white. Grayscale images store shades of gray for each pixel and have one component per pixel. Color pictures are usualy described using the RGB model. Each pixel is made up of three components (red, green and blue). In the RGB full color case, each component is 8 bit deep. Palette color images still have one component per image, but the component value is used as an index into a full RGB lookup table. -
image file formats
The NOMSSI Viewer 1.1 supports the following raster image file formats
TIFF Aldus tag-based Image File Format
PCX ZSoft PC Paintbrush Format
GIF Compuserve Inc. Graphics Interchange Format
BMP Windows Bitmap
TGA Truevision TGA File Format
IFF IFF Interlaced Bitmap/Packed Bitmap
JFIF JPEG File Interchange Format
The
Helpsystem
Range error !
You have tried to input a numerical value out of the allowed bounds. Correct the value or cancel the operation.
The
Helpsystem
Invalid char error !
You have used an invalid char while entering a numerical value. Correct or cancel the input.
The
Helpsystem
Shortcuts
general
Alt + Key Select an active Option. Press left Alt-key *together*
with the lightening letter.
(i.e. Alt + S for "SlideShow", Alt + A for "Scan",
Alt + N for "Name").
ESC Cancel the current operation.
Enter Confirm a vaild input/selection
TAB Select (highlight) the next field in a dialogbox.
Alt+F3 Close window
Help: F1 Open Helpwindow
F5 Zoom/restore size of the active helpwindow
Ctrl+F5 Change the size and/or position of the active window
File: F3 Open dialogbox "Load an image file" X
Space bar Select (tag/reverse tag) file. Needed for slide show or
for group copy
Gray + Tag all files
Gray - Clear all tags
Gray x or * Reverse all tags
F10 Go to the menubar
F7 Copy file(s)
Alt+F7 Search for image files
F8 Slide show
Options: F9 Open dialogbox "Options"
Tools K
Palette editing
Ins Brightness +, lightens the image
Del Brightness -, darkens the image
Home Contrast +
End Contrast -
Shift+F9 EGA Palette
F9 Grayscale
Alt+F9 Correct palette for monitor output
F10 Restore original palette
Viewer
PgUp/PgDn Scroll up/down (slow)
Arrow keys Scroll (fast)
Gray + Increase the current mode (higher resolution)
Gray - Decrease the current mode
Transform
F3 Scale down (half)
F4 Scale to fit screen size
F5 Flip vertically (up/down)
F6 Flip horizontally (left/right)
Shift+F6 Rotate
F7 Write image to buffer
F8 Restore image from buffer
Save
F2 Save as TIFF-file
Slide show: F8
Space bar Freeze image, stop (Mouse right button)
Enter Continue, next image (Mouse left button)
TAB Reverse image ordering
ESC Cancel slide show, end
Helpsystem
Gray +, Gray -, Gray *
The keys +,- and * on the keypad simplify the selection of files group for slide show or file operations. )
Hotkeys
The
Helpsystem
Copy file
This menu item opens the the "Copy" dialogbox, where you can set what and where to copy. >
WARNING: The copy routine doesn't abort gracefully on error.
The
Helpsystem
Move file
This menu item opens the dialogbox "Move". You can move files to another drive or directory.
The
Helpsystem
Rename file
This menu item opens the dialogbox "Rename". You can only rename one file at a time.
The
Helpsystem
Erase file
This menu item opens the dialogbox "Delete", where you can specify the files to delete.
The
Helpsystem
View as Text
This menu item opens a Textfile viewer for the current file. C
WARNING: the whole file is loaded into memory prior to displaying
The
Helpsystem
View as Hex
This menu item opens a Hex-dump viewer for the current file. Only the first 64 kB can be displayed.
The
Helpsystem
Commands
Left
Ctrl-S or Cursor left
Right
Ctrl-D or Cursor right
First char
Ctrl-A or Home or Ctrl+Cursor left
Last char
Ctrl-F or End or Ctrl+Cursor right
Line up
Ctrl-E or Cursor up
Line down
Ctrl-X or Cursor down
Page up
Ctrl-R or PgUp
Page down
Ctrl-C or PdDn
First Page
Ctrl-PgUp
Last Page
Ctrl-PdDn
The
Helpsystem
Search for file
This menu item opens the dialogbox "Search", where you can set a file mask to match.
The
Helpsystem
Change directory
This menu item opens a directory tree. You can navigate through the directories on the current drive and easily change the current directory.
The
Helpsystem
File Read/Write error
You may cancel or retry the operation, depending on the error cause.
The
Helpsystem
Copy to
Enter the target directory. You must enter a valid path here or no copying will occur.
The
Helpsystem
Copying selected files
( ) current file
Select this item to copy only the curently focused file (highlighten) to the target
directory. K
( ) selected files
Select this item to copy all tagged items in turn to the target directory. The selection remains intact.
The
Helpsystem
[ OK ]
Press Enter or click on the OK button or use Alt+K to confirm and start copying. e
Shall the path be invalid, then the dialogbox will not close until you correct or cancel the input.
The
Helpsystem
[ Cancel ]
With this button you close the dialogbox and cancel copying. "
You can also use ESC or Alt + C. 1
See also
Shortcuts
The
Helpsystem
Toggle video mode
Choose screen size, use a display of 25 lines by 80 columns or 50 lines by 80 columns. 1
See also
Shortcuts
The
Helpsystem
Beenden (Alt+X)
This command exits The NOMSSI Viewer. 1
See also
Shortcuts
The
Helpsystem
DOS shell
With this command you temporarily exit The NOMSSI Viewer to DOS. Type EXIT and then press Enter to return. 2
See also
Hotkeys
The
Helpsystem
Scanning
All files in the current directory are beeing scanned, searching for valid image files. Just wait a moment or press ESC to break.
System
Press Enter to list the menu items.
Window
The menu item "New" let you open a new "Load an image file"-window on the current drive and path, that becomes active.
You can hold several windows open at a time, each one displaying another drive/directory. The display is updated after files operations like copying, renaming, etc. N
Selecting the 50 lines mode gives you a better overview on all open windows. '
The
Helpsystem
Screen
Window
Close All
Close all windows on the desktop /
To close a single window select Window
Close.
The
Helpsystem
Window
Size/Move (Strg+F5)
Change the size or position of the active window.
Size
To change the size, keep the Shift-key down and use the arrow keys. Press return when you are done. P
You kann use the corner-field of some window to change it size with the mouse.
Move
Change the positon of the active window by pressing the arrow keys. Press return when you are done. ;
You can alternatively drag the titleline using the mouse.
The
Helpsystem
Window
Zoom (F5)
Enlarge or restore the size of the active window. r
You can also double click on the window titleline, or use the zoom symbol in the upper right edge of the window.
The
Helpsystem
Window
Use this command or F6 to make the next window active and put in in the foreground.
The
Helpsystem
Window
Close (Alt+F3)
Close the active window. y
You can also use the close symbol in the upper left edge of the window. Use Window
Close All to close all open windows.
The
Helpsystem
Sort by
Use this dialogbox to set the default sort method in the file
list. Files may be sorted alphanumerically, by size or by time. N
The values in these dialogbox are first saved when you use the setup
(.txt)