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PC-ART
Version 4.01
Copyright (c) 1987,1988
by
Paul Michael Stone
201 Heyden Dr.
Eureka, Mo. 63025
Introduction
------------
PC-ART is a graphics drawing program that allows you to
create color pictures and designs utilizing the standard
color graphics adapter on the IBM PC. The following is a
brief summary of its main features:
* Crayon function for freehand drawing in any color with
varying line boldness and shape.
* Paint brush function that paints in any one of 15
different paint patterns in any combination of colors.
* Pattern editor to create and save your own paint
patterns.
* Spray paint function which sprays random dot pattern in
any color and varying spray size.
* Line and Box functions with 4 different line patterns.
* Circle function with concentric repeat feature.
* Text function in one of two different fonts in any color
and 10 character sizes.
* Save or retrieve entire screen for later processing.
* Snapshot function to take a picture of a portion of the
screen and store it in an internal buffer.
* Image library to store and later retrieve saved
snapshots.
* Easy to use, pop-up menu panels for selection of
functions, colors, etc.
* Keyboard, joystick or mouse operation.
Page 1
PC-ART
PC-ART was originally written to satisfy my own needs for a
multi-function graphics drawing system. The current version
has gradually evolved out of that original program over the
years. The objective of PC-ART is to provide a full-
function drawing capability without need of a joystick or
mouse. Although the current version supports a joystick or
a mouse, it can be run entirely from the keyboard with
little difficulty. Another main feature is the use of pop-
up menu panels, allowing the entire screen area to remain
open for drawing.
System requirements
-------------------
* IBM PC/XT/AT or true PC Compatible
* IBM Color Graphics Adapter or equivalent
* IBM Color Display or equivalent
* 256K RAM Memory
* PC-DOS or MS-DOS version 2.0 or later
* IBM or Epson compatible graphics printer capable of 120
dots per inch print resolution (includes IBM Proprinter)
* Joystick and adapter (optional)
* Microsoft compatible mouse (optional)
Note: This software is tested to run on a true IBM PC with
an IBM CGA adapter or equivalent. Although it should run
successfully on most true PC clones, unpredictable results
may be obtained on non-IBM equipment. No guarantee of any
sort is made as to the performance of this software on your
particular equipment. If you are a registered user (see
section on distribution), I will attempt to rectify any
problem of this nature that you have. However, I cannot
promise that any particular problem can or will be fixed.
Page 2
PC-ART
Version 2.0 changes
-------------------
The following is a summary of the changes and enhancements
made in version 2.0 over earlier versions:
* Crayon function now has varying stroke shapes when
drawing bold lines (larger than 1 pixel wide). Six
different shapes are provided.
* The 'U' and 'P' keys no longer function with the
crayon. The crayon is now moved without drawing by
holding either shift key while using the arrow key.
* The speed option now affects the crayon while drawing.
In other words, the crayon will move and draw the
number of pixels set by speed each time a direction key
is pressed.
* The spray can function is entirely new. This sprays a
pattern of random dots on the screen. The size of the
spray can be varied.
* The circle and box functions have changed the way they
work. They both now have a preview feature which lets
you see where the shape will be drawn, before it
actually is. The size, shape and position of the
figure can be changed and then fixed in place.
* The snapshot and partial screen erase functions are now
controlled from within the box function instead of from
separate function keys.
* The text function now displays a box shaped cursor the
exact size and shape of the current font. The arrow
keys move the cursor in proportion to the character
size. Holding either shift key while using the arrow
keys moves the cursor one pixel at a time, allowing for
fine adjustments.
* An undo feature that allows you to back up if you make
a mistake.
* A full-function screen print utility is now provided.
Page 3
PC-ART
Version 3.0 changes
-------------------
The following is a summary of the changes and enhancements
made in version 3.0 over earlier versions:
* The paint color selection menu has now been eliminated
and its function merged into the pattern selection
menu. The selected pattern now dictates the color to
be painted, including mixed colors in the same pattern.
* A pattern editor has been added allowing you to modify
the standard patterns supplied with PC-ART. Modified
patterns are then stored to disk and used each time you
run PC-ART.
* A zoom feature has been added allowing you to select
any portion of the screen and enlarge it to four times
its original size. Individual pixels can then be
changed as desired. Any changes made to the enlarged
view will be reflected when you return to the full
view.
* Full mouse support has been added for any Microsoft
compatible mouse. To facilitate the mouse interface
the function of the shift key has been modified on any
PC-ART functions that use it. In each case, the effect
of pressing the shift key is exactly the opposite as
with earlier versions. For instance, using the arrow
keys on the crayon function moves the crayon without
drawing. Pressing the shift key causes the crayon to
draw.
Page 4
PC-ART
Version 3.1 changes
-------------------
The following is a summary of the changes and enhancements
made in version 3.1 over earlier versions:
* A new method is being utilized to save and restore
drawn screens. This reduces compatibility problems
with some models of non-IBM PC's. Note that screens
created with previous versions of PC-ART cannot be used
directly by this version. Registered users can obtain,
free of charge, a conversion utility to convert older
screens to the new format.
* The keyboard interface has been modified to reduce
compatibility problems with various keyboard layouts.
* Both the zoom mode and the pattern editor have been
modified to allow continuous drawing while holding the
shift key, just as when using the crayon tool.
* An online help facility has been added to allow the
user to review the key functions while drawing.
* An additional function has been added to allow
snapshots taken within PC-ART to be saved as external
image files rather than in the image library. This
provides programmers the ability to use saved snapshots
in their own programs.
Page 5
PC-ART
Version 4.0 changes
-------------------
The following is a summary of the changes and enhancements
made in version 4.0 over earlier versions:
* The text drawing tool has been completely rewritten to
use a different technique for creating text characters
to allow more and varied text fonts. Five text fonts
are supplied at this time with more to come later. As
a consequence of this, the text function no longer
supports the variable size feature.
* The box tool now provides a flip and a reverse feature
that allows any image outlined by the box to be flipped
vertically or reversed horizontally.
* The box tool now provides an expand feature that allows
any image outlined by the box to be stretched either
vertically, horizontally or both.
* The box tool has been modified so that any commands
affecting the box (such as erase) now include the
outline of the box itself and not just the interior of
the box. Prior to this the box could not be made to
affect any pixels along the outer edge of the screen.
* The old file format used in versions prior to 3.1 was
compatible with a number of other software packages
(Wordperfect 5.0, Flicker, etc.). This is not the case
with the current format. A set of utilities is now
provided to convert PC-ART screens between these
formats. The current format files are now identified
by a file extension of '.ART'. The old format retains
the old file extension of '.PIC'.
Page 6
PC-ART
Distribution
------------
PC-ART is being distributed under the 'user-supported'
concept. PC-ART is copyrighted and all rights are reserved
by the author. However, as a user of PC-ART under the user-
supported concept, you are granted a limited license to
freely distribute this program as long as you follow certain
restrictions:
* The entire program package and its supporting
documentation must be distributed in complete and
unmodified form.
* The package cannot be sold for profit. A small handling
fee (not to exceed $10) can be charged as a service
charge only for copying and distributing the program.
In keeping with the user-supported concept, I am asking that
if you find this program of use to you, that you support my
efforts with a voluntary registration fee of $25. People
that write and distribute user-supported software depend on
the users like yourself to support their efforts. In order
for me to continue to support and enhance this product I
must be able to rely on your support.
If you do choose to register your copy of PC-ART send the
$25 registration fee to me at the address listed below. In
return you will receive the following:
* The latest release of PC-ART will be sent to you free
of charge at the time of your registration.
* Notification of future product releases. Future
releases will be made available to registered users for
a small service charge.
* Free technical support (by mail only please).
Please note that PC-ART is distributed on an as-is basis.
No warranties or guarantees of any kind are made regarding
its performance or suitability for any purpose. While I
will attempt to address problems that are reported by
registered users, I cannot guarantee that any particular
problem can or will be fixed.
If you choose not to send in the required registration fee,
the program is of course still yours to use. However, you
will be entirely on your own. No support of any kind will
be provided to unregistered users.
Page 7
PC-ART
The distribution diskettes
--------------------------
Below is a summary of the files contained on the PC-ART
distribution diskette:
PC-ART.EXE The main program execution file.
PC-ART.IDX The index file to the snapshot library.
PC-ART.PAT Paint pattern data file.
PC-ART.SCR Image file for PC-ART logo screen.
PC-ART.CFG PC-ART system configuration data.
PC-ART.Fx PC-ART text font files.
PC-ART.DOC The file this documentation is contained in.
ARTPRINT.EXE The PC-ART screen print utility.
ARTPRINT.SCR Image file for the print utility screen.
ARTCONFG.EXE PC-ART system configuration utility.
REGISTER.FRM Registration form.
Below is a summary of the files on the Conversion Utilities
diskette:
ART2PIC.EXE Converts the current format '.ART' files to
the older '.PIC' format.
PIC2ART.EXE Converts the older format '.PIC' files to the
current '.ART' format.
ARTUTIL.DOC Documentation file for the conversion
utilities.
Page 8
PC-ART
Getting started
---------------
To run PC-ART on a floppy based system, simply place the
program diskette in disk drive A. To run on a hard disk,
copy all files on the program diskette into any directory of
your choice. The only restriction is that they must all
reside in the same directory and that directory must be the
current directory during execution.
As supplied on the distribution diskette, PC-ART is
configured to run on a one floppy disk system with the
program disk in drive A. Drive A is also designated as the
location where saved screen images will be stored. PC-ART
is also initially configured with the joystick and mouse
options turned off.
In order to change the location where PC-ART will store
screen images to other than drive A (i.e. drive B or a hard
disk directory), you must run the ARTCONFG utility. In
addition this utility is also used to turn on the joystick
option and configure the joystick parameters to your
particular joystick, or to turn on the mouse option.
The ARTCONFG utility
--------------------
To run the ARTCONFG utility simply type ARTCONFG from DOS.
Once the utility begins running you will be prompted to
enter the drive and/or path name where you want PC-ART to
store saved screen images. You can enter either a drive
identifier in the case of a floppy disk drive (don't forget
the colon), or a full path name for a hard disk directory
(don't forget the trailing backslash). If you designate a
floppy drive, a floppy diskette must be in that drive and
the drive must be ready. If you enter a hard disk path
name, the sub-directory that you specify must already exist.
The second function of ARTCONFG is to configure your
joystick if you have one. You will be prompted to indicate
if you have a joystick attached to the system. If so you
will be given several instructions to move the joystick
which will allow the utility to adjust the proper parameters
to fit your joystick.
Next you will be asked if you have a mouse attached to your
system. Simply respond according to your hardware setup.
Page 9
PC-ART
Last of all, you will be presented with a list of graphics
printers supported by PC-ART. Simply enter the number next
to the type of printer you have. If your printer is not on
this list, try the Epson printer configuration as many
models of printers support the Epson control codes. If you
printer will not work, contact the author. If your printer
supports 120 bit per inch graphics, PC-ART can be modified
to add your printer to the list of supported printers.
After you have followed all the directions, ARTCONFG will
update the PC-ART.CFG file to reflect the new configuration.
Note that if you are using a floppy based system, you may
wish to delete the file ARTCONFG.EXE from the program
diskette after you have completed the configuration process.
This will free more space for use by other functions of the
program. Make sure that you make a backup copy of it before
you delete it in case you should need to run it again at a
later date.
Running PC-ART
--------------
If you are running from a floppy system, make sure the
PC-ART program diskette is in drive A. If you are running
PC-ART from a hard disk, then make sure its sub-directory is
the current DOS directory.
Once you have properly prepared your system, PC-ART can be
executed by simply typing PC-ART directly from DOS. The
program is quite large and will take several seconds to load
and begin executing, especially on a floppy disk.
When the program begins executing you will see the PC-ART
logo screen appear. Pressing any key at this point will
erase the logo and you will see a blank screen with the
crayon at its center. You are now ready to begin drawing.
Most of the functions and options in PC-ART are selected by
using pop-up menu panels. There are seven such panels in
PC-ART, each with its own function. The various menus and
their uses are described in later sections.
Page 10
PC-ART
Selecting a drawing tool
------------------------
There are seven different drawing tools available to you.
To select a particular tool, press the F1 key. This will
cause the drawing tool menu to pop-up at the top of the
screen.
The seven available tools will be displayed with a hi-lited
box around the currently selected tool. By pressing the
left and right cursor keys, move the box to the desired
tool. Then press the escape key to exit the menu and return
to the drawing screen. Note that the escape key is used to
exit from all of the selection menus in PC-ART. For those
of you who have used earlier versions of PC-ART the F10 key
also still works for this purpose.
The crayon tool
---------------
The crayon tool is selected automatically when PC-ART first
begins executing. When the crayon tool is selected a small
crayon will appear on the screen.
The crayon can be moved across the screen by using the arrow
keys. Note that the Home, PgUp, PgDn and End keys also work
by moving the crayon diagonally in that direction.
The crayon can also be caused to draw a line as it moves by
holding down either shift key while using the arrow keys.
As long as the shift key is held down, a continuous line
will be drawn wherever the crayon is moved.
One additional function of the crayon allows you to draw a
single point on the screen without moving the crayon. This
is done by pressing the 'P' key at any time.
Changing the crayon speed
-------------------------
Initially the crayon will move one pixel on the screen each
time an arrow key is pressed. This can be changed by
pressing any of the number keys 1 thru 0 across the top of
the keyboard. This number represents the number of pixels
the crayon will move for each key pressed. The number 0
represents a 10.
Page 11
PC-ART
Note that this speed option is in effect whether or not the
shift key is being used.
Changing the crayon size
------------------------
Similar to the speed option, the crayon will initially draw
a line that is a single pixel wide. This can be changed by
holding down the Alt key and pressing any of the number keys
from 1 to 5.
The number 1 causes the crayon to draw a line one pixel
wide, which is the default. Each number greater than 1
causes the crayon to expand one pixel on either side. In
other words, a value of 2 results in a line 3 pixels wide,
up to a value of 5 which is 11 pixels wide.
Changing the crayon shape
-------------------------
The default crayon shape is a circle. This causes the
crayon to draw a circular shape as it moves, leaving both
ends and corners of a line round.
This can be changed by pressing the F2 key to select the
crayon shape menu. As with the drawing tool menu, a pop-up
panel will appear showing the six different shape options.
They are a circle, square, left slanting line, vertical
line, right slanting line and finally a horizontal line.
Use the arrow keys to select the desired shape and press Esc
to return to the drawing screen.
Changing the drawing color
--------------------------
The crayon can draw in any of the four colors available on
the current color palette. To select a drawing color, press
the F3 key. This will pop-up the color menu at the upper
left side of the screen.
The four available colors will be displayed. Use the up and
down arrow keys to move to the desired color. Then press
Esc to return to the drawing screen.
Page 12
PC-ART
The paintbrush tool
-------------------
When the paintbrush is selected from the tool menu, a small
paintbrush will appear on the screen. The brush can be
moved across the screen by using the arrow keys just as with
the crayon.
Unlike the crayon, nothing happens to the screen when the
paintbrush moves. To actually cause painting to occur, move
the brush to the desired spot and press the 'P' key. The
screen will then be painted starting at the exact tip of the
paintbrush.
Note that the paint will expand until it hits a boundary of
some sort. This will either be the edge of the screen or a
solid line drawn in the current drawing color. For example
if you draw a white circle on the screen, then use the
paintbrush at any point inside that circle, the paint will
expand to fill the entire circle and then stop.
Selecting a paint pattern
-------------------------
The paintbrush can paint in any of fifteen different
patterns. This pattern can be a solid color or any pattern
of colors. To select a paint pattern, press the F7 key to
see the paint pattern menu.
Select the desired pattern and return to the drawing screen,
just as with any other menu.
The pattern editor
------------------
PC-ART is supplied with fifteen standard painting patterns.
The pattern editor lets you change any of these patterns to
suit your own needs.
To edit a pattern, select the pattern menu by pressing the
F7 key, and use the arrow keys to select the pattern to be
edited. Then press the 'E' key to select the editor.
The screen will be erased and the pattern edit screen will
appear. The area at the center of the screen will contain a
large box on the left which is an enlarged view of the
pattern to be edited. The small box to the right labeled
'Current color' displays the currently selected color to be
used in editing the pattern.
Page 13
PC-ART
The edit color can be changed at any time by pressing the
'C' key. Each press of the 'C' key toggles the current
color thru each of the four colors in the current palette.
When the edit screen first appears, a flashing cursor will
appear in the upper left corner of the pattern box. This
cursor can be moved to any position in the pattern using the
arrow keys. Pressing the 'Return' key will change the color
of the spot under the cursor to the current edit color. In
this way any spot in the entire pattern can be changed to
any color desired.
Holding down the shift key while moving the cursor causes
the editor to drawn the current color continuously just as
with crayon tool.
When you are done editing the pattern, press the 'Esc' key
to return to the drawing screen. Any changes made to the
pattern will be reflected in the pattern selection menu.
Any changes made are also stored in the pattern file on the
disk so that PC-ART remembers all changes you make.
The spraycan tool
-----------------
When the spraycan is selected, a small circle will appear on
the screen. This circle can be moved around on the screen
by using the arrow keys as before.
Pressing the 'S' key at any time causes a spray of random
dots to be put on the screen. The circle on the screen
indicates the size of the spray pattern.
The spraycan sprays in the currently selected paint color
which can be changed just as with the paintbrush.
The size of the spray can also be changed, just as with the
size of the crayon, by holding down the Alt key and pressing
a number key 1 thru 5.
The circle tool
---------------
When the circle tool is selected a small circle will be
drawn on the screen. Just as with the other tools, the
circle can be moved anywhere on the screen by using the
arrow keys.
Page 14
PC-ART
The shape and size of the circle can also be changed by
holding down the shift key when using the arrow keys.
When the shift key is pressed, the left and right arrow keys
affect the size of the circle. Pressing the left arrow
shrinks the circle and pressing the right arrow expands it.
The up and down arrows work slightly different. Pressing
the up and down arrows causes the circles shape to change.
The up arrow causes the circle to shrink from top to bottom
while the down arrow causes it to stretch in this direction.
When the circle is in the desired position, pressing the 'C'
key causes the circle to be permanently glued in position.
Additional circles can then be drawn starting from that
point.
Note that the circle will draw in the currently selected
drawing color and that the speed option is also in effect
(see the crayon function for details on the speed option).
The box tool
------------
When the box tool is selected, a small box is drawn on the
screen. This function works very similar to the circle
function with a few minor differences.
Like the circle, pressing the arrow keys moves the box
anywhere on the drawing screen.
When the shift key is pressed, pressing the left or right
arrow keys causes right side of the box to move in that
direction, shrinking or expanding the box horizontally.
Pressing the up or down arrow keys causes bottom of the box
to move, shrinking or expanding the box vertically.
The diagonal keys also work, adjusting both the right and
bottom of the box at the same time.
Unlike the circle, the box can be drawn in solid lines or in
any of three different dashed or dotted lines by changing
the line pattern. This is done by pressing the F6 key to
select the line pattern menu. As with any menu, select the
desired option and press Esc to return to the screen.
The box tool also has two additional functions that are
performed by pressing either the 'F' or the 'R' keys while
the box is on the screen. The 'F' key causes the contents
of the box to be flipped vertically, while the 'R' key
reverses the box contents horizontally.
Page 15
PC-ART
Another additional function of the box tool is the expand
feature. This allows you to stretch the contents of the box
either vertically, horizontally or both. Simply position
the box around the area to be expanded and press the 'X'
key. Now use the direction arrows to change the shape of
the box. Note however that only the right hand and bottom
sides of the box will move and the box can only be made
bigger, not smaller. Finally press the return key and the
contents of the original box will be expanded to fill the
new box.
On last feature of the box tool is the erase feature which
will be explained in a later section.
The line tool
-------------
When the line tool is selected, a short line will be drawn
on the screen. Pressing any of the arrow keys will move one
end of the line in that direction while the other remains
fixed.
Pressing the 'L' key at any time fixes the line in its
current position and the fixed end of the line is moved to
the new end. In this way a series of continuous lines can
be drawn from one point to the next.
By holding the Alt key and pressing 'L', the same line will
be drawn, but the fixed end will remain at its original
point. In this way a ray pattern can be drawn from a fixed
point.
Last of all, the fixed end of the line can be moved to the
point at the other end of the line, without drawing a line,
by pressing the 'P' key.
As with the box, the drawing color, speed, and line pattern
options are all in effect for the line tool.
The text tool
-------------
When the text tool is selected a small box will be drawn on
the screen. Pressing any of the regular typewriter keys on
the keyboard will cause the corresponding character to be
printed in the exact location of the box. The box will then
skip one space to the right.
Page 16
PC-ART
The text box can be moved on the screen, without typing
characters, in two ways. By pressing any of the arrow keys,
the box will skip across the screen in direct proportion to
the size of the characters. In other words, very similar to
the way the cursor moves on a text editor. Holding down
either shift key while pressing the arrow keys moves the box
a single pixel at a time, allowing for fine adjustments.
Changing the text font
----------------------
Five different text fonts (designs) are available. The
current text font can be changed at any time by pressing the
F4 key to display the font menu.
Simply select the desired font and press Esc to return.
The zoom function
-----------------
PC-ART provides the ability to select a portion of the
screen and enlarge it so that very fine modifications can be
made to the picture at that point.
The zoom function is selected at any time from the main
drawing screen by holding down the 'Alt' key and pressing
the 'Z' key. A large box will appear on the drawing screen.
This box can be moved around on the screen, just as with the
box tool. Move the box to the area of the screen to be
enlarged and press the 'Return' key.
The screen will clear and the area of the screen contained
in the box will be enlarged to four times its original size
and displayed on the screen. Each pixel or dot on the
original screen area will be displayed as a small square on
the zoom screen.
Once the zoom screen has been drawn, a flashing cursor will
appear in the upper left corner. As with the pattern
editor, the cursor can be moved with the arrow keys.
Pressing the 'Return' key changes the pixel under the cursor
to the current drawing color. As before, the cursor can be
made to draw continuously while moving by holding down the
shift key.
While in zoom mode, the current drawing color can be changed
at any time by pressing the F3 just as you would in any
other PC-ART function.
Page 17
PC-ART
When all changes have been made to the zoom screen, pressing
'Esc' will exit the zoom function. The original drawing
screen will be returned and any changes made to the zoom
screen will be made on the drawing screen.
Saving an entire screen image
-----------------------------
When you have completed drawing a screen you can save the
entire contents of the screen for later retrieval or for use
in the print utility.
To save a screen, hold down the Alt key and press F2. You
will be prompted for the name of the file you wish to save
the screen under. You can type up to an eight character
name. Do not type a file extension, as an extension of
'.ART' is automatically added to the file name.
Retrieving a saved screen image
-------------------------------
A previously saved screen image can be retrieved onto the
screen for further editing by pressing the F1 key. Once
again you will be prompted for the file name. As before, do
not include the file extension.
Note that screen images saved with versions of PC-ART prior
to version 3.1 are not compatible with version 3.1 or later.
See the Conversion Utilities diskette for details on how to
convert files to the new format.
Taking a snapshot
-----------------
PC-ART provides the ability to take, and store, a snapshot
of any portion of the drawn screen. This feature allows you
to outline any portion of the screen and store that image
for later use.
To take a snapshot, start by selected the box tool. Move
and adjust the box as you normally would until the box
exactly outlines the area of the screen that you wish to
take a snapshot of. This area can be of any size.
Page 18
PC-ART
Now press the 'S' key. A frozen image of just that piece of
the screen will then be stored in memory for use as
described below.
Retrieving a snapshot
---------------------
Once the box tool has been used to take a snapshot of a
portion of the screen, this snapshot can be retrieved any
number of times and redrawn on the screen.
To retrieve a snapshot, hold down the Alt key and press F3.
The image currently in the snapshot buffer will appear in
the upper left corner of the screen. You can then use the
arrow keys to move the image around on the screen until it
is in the desired location. Pressing the 'G' key will then
glue the image in place.
This operation can be repeated any number of times with the
same image. By using this feature with the erase (see the
section 'Erasing a portion of the screen') and snapshot
options of the box tool you can take a snapshot of a shape,
erase it and then redraw it in a different place. This
provides a simple way to move drawn images on the screen.
Saving a snapshot to an external file
-------------------------------------
PC-ART provides the ability to save snapshots to an external
file in the same format as when saving entire screens. This
allows BASIC programmers to use snapshot images in their own
programs. To use this feature you must have already taken a
snapshot using the box tool.
To save a snapshot, hold down the Ctrl key and press F2.
You will be asked for a file name to save the image in. The
rules for entering the file name are the same as those for
saving an entire screen, except that the extension '.IMG' is
automatically added to the file name.
Saving a snapshot to the library
--------------------------------
PC-ART includes a special image library which can store
snapshot images from the screen. To use this function you
must have already made a snapshot using the box tool.
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PC-ART
To save a snapshot, hold down the Alt key and press F6. You
will then be prompted for the name to store the image under.
As with a screen image you can type in up to eight
characters in the name. Then press enter to store the image
in the library. Note that doing so does not erase the
snapshot from the internal buffer.
Retrieving a snapshot from the library
--------------------------------------
You can retrieve a snapshot from the library at any time by
holding down the Alt key and pressing F5. A pop-up panel
will appear which will list up to nine snapshots currently
stored in the library. If there are more library entries
than will fit on the screen, you can page through the
library by using the PgUp or PgDn keys.
Once the desired entry is displayed on the screen, use the
up and down arrows to position the lit box around it.
Pressing the return key then retrieves the snapshot image.
Two things happen at this point. First of all the image is
stored in the internal snapshot buffer, just as if you had
made a snapshot from the screen. Secondly the retrieved
image is displayed in the upper left corner of the screen.
You should proceed at this point exactly as if you had
pressed Alt-F3 to retrieve a snapshot.
Tips for BASIC programmers
--------------------------
Saved screen images as well as snapshots saved to disk can
be used and displayed in your own BASIC programs quite
easily.
All screen images and snapshots saved with PC-ART are saved
from an integer table array using the BSAVE command. They
can therefore be loaded into any other BASIC program using
the reverse process. The images can be loaded into an
integer array using the BLOAD command and then the PUT
command can be used to display them on the screen. Saved
snapshots, because they are only a piece of the screen, can
be displayed anywhere on the screen.
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PC-ART
Below is a sample BASIC program that loads and displays a
screen named ART:
100 DIM ARRAY(8224)
110 OFFSET = VARPTR(ARRAY(0))
120 BLOAD "ART.PIC",OFFSET
130 SCREEN 1
140 PUT (0,0),ARRAY,PSET
Erasing a portion of the screen
-------------------------------
You can erase a portion of the screen by using the erase
feature of the box tool.
Start by selecting the box tool from the tool menu. Then
use the arrow keys to move and adjust the box until it
exactly outlines the area you wish to erase. This area can
be of any size.
Then simply press the 'E' key and the area within the box
will be erased.
Erasing the entire screen
-------------------------
At any time you can erase the entire screen by holding down
the Alt key and pressing F7. You will be prompted to make
sure that you do indeed wish to erase the screen. Answering
'Y' will then erase the screen. Answering 'N' will cancel
the erase and return to the screen.
The undo function
-----------------
At any time you can undo the latest changes to the screen by
holding down the Alt key and pressing the 'U' key. This
will erase all changes made since the current tool was
selected from the tool menu. Changing tools permanently
freezes the screen contents.
An example would be if you had drawn a circle on the screen
with the circle tool, and then switched to the paintbrush.
After painting the circle, you decide that you wished to use
a different pattern. Pressing Alt-U will remove the paint
but leave the circle intact.
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PC-ART
Changing background color and palette
-------------------------------------
The current background color displayed on the screen can be
changed by pressing the F8 key. Each time you press the key
the color will cycle through one of its sixteen different
options until finally arriving back at the original black
background.
The current palette represents which three colors are
available to you for drawing or painting at any one time.
Pressing the F9 key flips between the two available color
palettes. The colors available in the two palettes are
shown below:
Palette 1 - Green, Red, and Brown
Palette 2 - Cyan, Magenta and White
Using a joystick
----------------
When a joystick is attached to a standard game adapter port
on the PC you can make use of the joystick to help you draw
with PC-ART.
In all functions of PC-ART, the joystick acts exactly as if
you had pressed the directional arrow keys. Moving the
joystick to the left is just like pressing the left arrow
key and so on.
The left button (red on some models) on the joystick behaves
exactly like either shift key on the keyboard. In other
words if you move the joystick while holding down the
button, PC-ART will perform as if you had pressed an arrow
key while holding either shift key.
In addition, the right button will perform a number of
functions depending on which tool is currently being used:
Spraycan - same as pressing 'S'
Circle - same as pressing 'C'
Box - same as pressing 'B'
Line - same as pressing 'L'
All others - same as pressing 'Return'
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PC-ART
Using a mouse
-------------
When a mouse is attached to your system you can make use of
the mouse to help you draw with PC-ART. The mouse is used
in a very similar manner to the joystick.
As with the joystick, moving the mouse in various directions
is the same as pressing the direction arrow keys on the
keyboard.
Likewise the left and right mouse buttons behave exactly
like the same buttons on the joystick.
Getting help
------------
PC-ART provides an online help facility that can let use
review the various key commands and the function while
drawing in PC-ART.
You can invoke the help feature at any time by holding down
the Alt key and pressing the H key. This will cause the
first help screen to appear. Press the return key to obtain
additional screens. Pressing Esc at any time will restore
the screen as it was prior to requesting help and you will
be returned to whatever you were doing at the time.
The ARTPRINT utility
--------------------
Once a graphics screen image has been created using PC-ART,
the ARTPRINT utility can be used to print a hardcopy of the
screen. Prior to using ARTPRINT you must have saved the
screen you wish to print using the Alt-F2 function of PC-
ART.
To use the print utility simply type ARTPRINT from DOS. The
print option screen will then appear. When it does, you
will see a place to enter a screen name and three option
selection windows across the bottom.
To print a saved screen you must first select the desired
print options, if the displayed default options do not meet
your needs. Any of the options in the option windows can be
selected by holding down the Alt key and pressing the first
letter of that option.
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PC-ART
The first option is the print mode. There are two print
modes; portrait and landscape. In portrait mode the screen
will be reduced in size to print upright on the paper just
as it appears on the screen. In landscape mode the screen
will be rotated 90 degrees and printed on its side, allowing
the entire 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper to be used.
The second option is the print position. In portrait mode
the printed screen will use only half of an 8 1/2 by 11 inch
sheet of paper. Selecting top or bottom indicates where on
the sheet of paper the screen will print. Since landscape
mode uses the entire sheet of paper, the print position
option is ignored when landscape is selected.
The last option is print type. In normal print, any shapes
drawn on the screen will appear as dark lines on a white
background with colors being printed in shades of gray. In
reverse print, all images are printed as white on a black
background. Note that reverse print should be used
sparingly as printing a solid black background is hard on
both your printer and the ribbon.
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PC-ART
Keyboard Summary
----------------
F1 Calls up the drawing tool selection window.
F2 Calls up the crayon shape selection window.
F3 Calls up the drawing color selection window.
F4 Calls up the text font selection window.
F6 Calls up the line pattern selection window.
F7 Calls up the paint pattern selection window.
F8 Changes the current background color.
F9 Changes the current color palette.
F10 Returns to the drawing screen from any
currently active selection window.
Alt F1 Loads a saved screen image from disk.
Alt F2 Saves a displayed screen image to disk.
Alt F3 Retrieves and draws a snapshot stored in the
snapshot buffer.
Alt F5 Retrieves and draws a snapshot from the
snapshot library stored on disk.
Alt F6 Stores the snapshot currently in the buffer
to the snapshot library on disk.
Alt F7 Erases the entire display screen.
Ctrl F2 Saves the snapshot currently in the buffer to
an external image file.
1 thru 0 Sets the speed option for any drawing tool
except for text.
Alt 1 - Alt 0 Changes the size of the text characters
when using the text tool.
Alt 1 - Alt 5 Sets the size option for the crayon and
spraycan tools.
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PC-ART
P key Moves the fixed end of the line to the
current point when using the line tool.
Paints the screen when using the paintbrush
tool.
C key Fixes the circle on the screen when using the
circle tool.
Changes the edit color when in the pattern
editor.
Allows the current zoom color to be viewed
when in zoom mode.
B key Fixes the box on the screen when using the
box tool.
L key Fixes the line on the screen and moves the
fixed point to the current point when using
the line tool.
Alt + L key Fixes the line on the screen without
moving the fixed point when using the line
tool.
S key Takes a snapshot of the box contents when
using the box tool.
E key Erases the box contents when using the box
tool.
Edits the current paint pattern when the
pattern selection window is on the screen.
F key Flips the box contents when using the box
tool.
R key Reverses the box contents when using the box
tool.
X key Expands the box contents when using the box
tool.
Alt + Z key Selects the zoom feature while on the main
drawing screen.
Alt + H key Selects the online help facility.
Alt + Q key Quits PC-ART and exits to DOS.
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