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Video Toaster Switcher Arexx Manual 4/20/95
**********************************************************************
Update for 4.04 on 6/6/95 - D. Wolf
See changes to following functions:
FMLD, FMSV - Framestore load and save by filename instead of xxx.FS.yyyy
GROF, GRON - Error checked for validity.
QUIT - BROKEN!!! DO NOT USE! Will be fixed.
A number of functions have been REMOVED! They are meaningless in the
new Toaster/Flyer software environment (releases >3.5). The removed
functions could have been potentially harmful if run. As a reminder to
all you ARexx programmers to CHANGE your programs, all these functions
now return an ARexx '10' error code - likely to stop your ARexx script
dead so you'll notice them and change your programs! Calling these
removed functions is completely harmless now, but you'll just get ARexx
error returns from them anyhow.
Docs for some of these functions were correctly removed from this file
some time ago, but the functions were still there and dangerous.
The 27 REMOVED functions are:
PAGE, BKLD
CHGR, CKGD, RDGD, WTGD
PJLD, PJCK, PJDV, PJSV, PJDL, PJRN, PJXI, PJNM, PJMK, PJBD
FSDV, FSNM, FSMK, FSCK, FSBD, FSCT
FMDL, FMRN, FMXI
KEYP, KEYN
For example, CHGR used to let you select a different effects 'grid' -
complete nonsense in the newer Toaster/Flyer environment.
***********************************************************************
Note about ARexx: The Video Toaster is compatible with the ARexx
programming language. However, due to the complex and technical nature of
programming, users of ARexx cannot be supported by NewTek Technical
Support. Its inclusion is intended primarily for developers, programmers,
and advanced users who are familiar and comfortable with programming
concepts. Commands are subject to change without prior notice.
The Switcher Arexx interface has been implemented as a function host,
rather than the more common command host interface (e.g. ToasterPaint).
Arexx function hosts are initialized using the addlib() function with the
name of the host or library. The name of the switcher host is
'ToasterARexx.port' and it is case-sensitive. ARexx messages sent to the
Switcher must be in function call format. This means that all commands
must be given as arguments to the function Switcher(), rather than being
sent as direct commands to an ARexx command host. If the switcher command
has any parameters, then they too must be given as arguments to Switcher()
or the command will fail. Furthermore, all parameters should be uppercase.
Unless otherwise noted, all function commands return 0 if they were
sucessfully executed, and 10 if a failure occurred. ARexx messages will
only be accepted and processed when the main Switcher control panel is
active. At other times, ARexx messages will be accepted and will remain in
the Switcher's ARexx message port queue until the primary switcher control
panel is active, at which point they will execute.
Most of the commands that directly impact the Switcher will also show up on
the Switcher interface. Almost all ARexx commands that impact the Switcher
behave exactly like their corresponding manual user interface functions
from the Switcher interface. In particular, they are restricted by the
active controlling effect as to whether or not their requested function
will be granted. If an ARexx command function is aborted by a controlling
effect, an OK return code may still be returned. In the case of a failure
code, the current Switcher settings remain unchanged.
Arexx Command Set:
Switcher( AUTO )
This command will invoke an AUTO transition.
Switcher( UATO )
This command performs an un-auto, the equivalent of a Shift-Spacebar action
to reverse a partially transitioned effect back off screen.
Switcher( TBAR, <TBar level> )
This command will invoke a TBar jump movement to the specified level
(0-511). A failure code will be returned if the level argument is invalid.
Switcher( TAKE )
This command will invoke a TAKE.
Switcher( SLOW )
Switcher( MEDM )
Switcher( FAST )
Switcher( SVAR )
The above commands set the speed active for the transition that is
currently in effect. SVAR sets the effect to the last duration chosen with
the variable speed selector. You MUST make sure the effect supports variable
speeds bad things can and WILL happen.
Switcher( NOPR )
This command is a NOP.
Switcher( FRES )
This command resets the frame base count to the moment this command was
processed.
Switcher( WAIT, <Frame count> or GPI )
This command can wait for either a specified frame count or for a GPI
trigger. If 'GPI' is the specified argument, this function will wait for
a GPI trigger to occur before continuing. The trigger can be either a
positive or negative trigger. In the case of GPI triggering being
disabled, this function will become a NOP. If 'GPI' is not the specified
argument, then the argument is assumed to be a digit field specifying a
frame count. In this case the command will wait until the specified frame
count from the last frame base count is reached. In the case of specified
frame count already exceeded, this function will return immediately.
Switcher( CLIP, <Clip level> )
This command will invoke a Clip jump movement to the specified level
(0-257). A failure code will be returned if the level argument is invalid.
Switcher( KEYM )
This command toggles the current key mode state of the Switcher.
Switcher( M001 )
Switcher( M002 )
Switcher( M003 )
Switcher( M004 )
Switcher( MDV1 )
Switcher( MDV2 )
Switcher( MBKG )
The above commands select the specified video source for the Main output.
Switcher( P001 )
Switcher( P002 )
Switcher( P003 )
Switcher( P004 )
Switcher( PDV1 )
Switcher( PDV2 )
Switcher( PBKG )
The above commands select the specified video source for the Preview
output.
Switcher( O001 )
Switcher( O002 )
Switcher( O003 )
Switcher( O004 )
Switcher( ODV1 )
Switcher( ODV2 )
Switcher( OBKG )
The above commands select the specified video source for the Overlay
output.
Switcher(GOCG)
Switcher(GOLD)
Switcher(GOSA)
These commands are now obsolete. They have been left in for compatibility
reasons, but they do nothing.
Switcher(STAT,<Command>)
This command returns information about the status of the Switcher. The
return value depends on which command is used. The possible commands are:
MAIN Return status of the Program (main) row. The binary representation
of the number returned will have a bit set for which input is
selected on the Program row. Thus if input 1 is selected, the
number returned will be 1 (binary 00000001). Similarly, input 3
would yield 8 (binary 00000100), DV2 would yield 64 (binary 00100000),
as it is the sixth button on the row, and fills only the sixth bit
(from the right) in the binary rep. of the returned value.
PREV Return status of the Preview row in the same format as MAIN
OVLY Return status of the Overlay row in the same format as MAIN
FREZ Return status of the Freeze button: 0 for live video, ~0 for frozen video
TEXT Return contents of popup menu in quick access panel
TBAR Return T-Bar position (0-511)
KEYM Return Key Mode ('BLACK', 'WHITE', or 'OFF')
CLIP Return clip level (0-257, 0 and 257 are off)
SPED Return current speed setting. The number returned is a 16-bit value
whose lowest 2 bits indicate which preset speed is in effect (M=00,
F=01, V=10, and S=11). The remaining 14 bits will hold the variable
speed. If the 16 bit value is all 1s or 0s (i.e. -1 or 0), it means
variable speeds won't work with that particular effect.
FCNT Return frame count for current effect (0-9999 frames)
KNUM Return number in quick access panel
FXNM Return the effect name for the current effect
INFO Current numeric keypad selection (SA, LD, CG).
BACK Current Background color
BORD Current Border color
TERM Current termination settings returned as a number whose lowest
4 bits represent the state of the four input terminators (input 4
is least significant bit, input1 most significant bit).
SGPI Current GPI mode (POS,NEG,OFF)
FACE Number of monitors (2 or 3)
Switcher(FMLD,volume:filename)
This command loads the contents of the frame buffer selected on the preview
bus from the named volume:filename.
Switcher(FMSV,volume:filename,1) 1-field save
Switcher(FMSV,volume:filename,4) 4 field save
Switcher(FMSV,volume:filename) 4 field save
This command saves the contents of the frame buffer selected on the preview
bus to the named volume:filename. If the last argument is 1, only 1 field
of video will be saved, if that argument is 4, or is absent a standard 4-field
save will occur.
Note: this will save the framestore in the format volume:filename. This
command used to use a 0 to denote a 1-field save, now it uses 1 instead.
Anything other than a 1 will cause a 4-field save.
Switcher( TOWB )
This command will pop the WorkBench screen up to the front and disables the
Switcher/Toaster system. This function will return a failure code if
WorkBench could not be opened.
Switcher( TOSW )
This command will pop the Switcher screen up to the front and enable the
Switcher/Toaster system.
Switcher( DOEN )
This command will do an "Enter" key on the numeric keypad. This would be
used to pre-load a selected effect.
Switcher( QUIT )
This command will completely shut down the Switcher/Toaster system upon its
arrival. All Switcher/Toaster resources will be freed and the program
exited.
NOTE: This command IS BROKEN!!!
Switcher( BACK , <Index # or -1> [, <Custom BG color>] )
This command will select the specified matte (background) color either from
indexing the current config slice matte color FGs (0-8) or a specified
custom matte color if the index is specified as -1. Custom color
specifications have a valid range of 0-4096. If you want to directly
specify snow, specify your custom color as a negative 16 bit word value.
Switcher( BORD , <index #> )
This command will select the specified border color via the index specified
for the current config slice border color FGs (0-7).
Switcher( KOFF )
Switcher( KBLK )
Switcher( KWHT )
The above commands forces the Key mode to be off, on with black enabled,
and on with white enabled respectively. Issuing this command does not
guarantee that the key mode will be forced to the desired mode. If it
doesn't work, the function will return a failure code.
Switcher( LVID )
Switcher( FVID )
The above commands forces the Video mode to be live or frozen respectively.
Issuing this command does not guarantee that the video mode will be forced
to the desired mode. If it doesn't work, the function will return a
failure code.
Switcher( NOMO )
The above command does a frame capture along with motion removal.
Switcher( SGPI, <OFF|POS|NEG> )
The above command sets up the Switcher GPI trigger system. 'OFF' disables
the system, 'POS' enables the system for positive GPI triggers, and 'NEG'
enables the system for negative GPI triggers. The changes to the Switcher
GPI trigger system made by this function WILL NOT be reflected in the
HardSets file. Tech note: GPI input occurs on pin 6 of the second
gameport (bit 7 of CIAA port A).
Switcher( DISW )
Switcher( ENSW )
The above commands are for disabling/enabling return of control from the
ARexx environment back to the Switcher. The primary use of these commands
is in running the Switcher entirely from ARexx scripts without allowing
input from the Switcher interface (keyboard, mouse, etc.) to interfere with
the execution of the ARexx script. Only diskchanges will still be
processed.
Switcher( DIIM )
Switcher( ENIM )
The above commands are for disabling/enabling rendering, the SoftSprite
system, and the mouse and keyboard IDCMP. These calls can be used to speed
up the processing of ARexx switcher commands at the expense of visual
feedback of the transition. When enabled, the Switcher display will be
completely redrawn.
Switcher( MEMC ,'L')
The above command returns the amount of free CHIP memory or the largest
CHIP chunk if the 'L' option is used. This command is ARexx dependent.
Switcher( MEMF ,'L')
The above command returns the amount of free FAST only memory or the
largest FAST only chunk if the 'L' option is used. This command is ARexx
dependent.
Switcher( CKTP )
Switcher( CKCG )
Switcher( CKLW )
The above commands check for the existence of ToasterPaint, CG, and
LightWave respectively. They return a 1 if the program entity is currently
loaded and 0 if not. These commands are ARexx dependent.
Switcher( LDTP )
Switcher( LDCG )
Switcher( LDLW )
The above commands attempt to load ToasterPaint, CG, or LightWave
respectively if those program entities are not already loaded. These
commands can be dangerous if the load fails and a requester comes up,
hanging ARexx.
Switcher( DPTP )
Switcher( DPCG )
Switcher( DPLW )
The above commands will unload ToasterPaint, CG, or LightWave respectively
if those program entities are loaded.
Switcher( STTP )
This command will enter ToasterPaint if and only if it is currently active,
otherwise this command is a NOP. Once entering ToasterPaint, your ARexx
message will not be returned until ToasterPaint exits back to the Switcher.
So be careful that you don't hang yourself.
Switcher( OGPI )
This command causes an output GPI trigger to occur in accordance to the
current settings of the GPI system. This command is a NOP if GPI
triggering is disabled. Tech note: GPI output occurs on pin 9 of the
second gameport (potentiometer circuit).
Switcher( TERM, <mask> )
This command sets the termination for the four video inputs. The mask will
be a number from 0 to 15 whose bits (0-3) control the termination setting for
inputs 1-4.
Switcher( SRGB, <filename>,<field>,<bank>)
This command saves the contents of one of the digital video buffer to a
standard IFF24 type rgb file. The filename should include the complete file
path. The bank argument should be 0 for DV1 and 1 for DV2. Field selects
which of the 4 fields (0-3) of video stored in the frame buffer should be
saved. Setting field to 4 will initiate motion removal and save 2 fields.
Setting field to 5 will save a full 4-field 'color frame'. This is the best
quality save.
NOTE: Not all of these settings are currently implemented .
Switcher(LRGB,<filename>,<bank>)
This command loads an RGB image into the specified digital video buffer.
The filename should include the complete file path. The bank argument
should be 0 for DV1 and 1 for DV2.
Note: This feature will load framestores as well.
Switcher(FACE,<monitors>)
This command sets the interface to 2 monitor or 3 monitor mode, when
monitor is 2 or 3 respectively.
Switcher(GROF)
This command turns off the image hilighting system and software
mouse pointer. Each call to this function MUST be matched with
exactly one (1) call to the GRON function. After this call no
interface elements will be hilighted. The function returns a pointer to
the bitmap structure used by the screen.
NOTE: Now (>4.03) checks to see if image hilighting is ALREADY off and just
returns if that is so. If GROF really happens (if image hilighting
is ON when you call GROF) then you will get the pointer to the bitmap
structure of the screen as a return value. If GROF doesn't happen
because hilighting is ALREADY off, you will get a return value of 0
instead of the bitmap structure pointer value.
Switcher(GRON)
This command turns on the image hilighting system and software mouse
pointer after a GROF. Each call to this function MUST be matched with
exactly one (1) prior call to the GROF function.
NOTE: Now (>4.03) checks that image hilighting is indeed OFF before
doing anything. If image hilighting is OFF when you call GRON then
GRON will turn it back ON. If image hilighting is already ON when
you call GRON, then it does nothing (but reports no error, either).