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Almathera Ten Pack 3: CDPD 3
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Almathera Ten on Ten - Disc 3: CDPD3.iso
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beyond_iconed
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read_me.doc
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1995-03-18
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BEYOND ICONED
Beyond IconEd is a file containing commands for creating and editing icons
beyond what can be done with IconEd. While all these commands can be found
in the public domain, I have never seen them all together in a file that
explained how to use them in relationship to each other. Basic to using
these commands is Deluxe Paint (I or II), which takes the place of IconEd.
With Deluxe Paint (DP) as an editor/creator you are not confined to 80 x 42
pixels. If you desire you can make an icon as big as the screen!! (This
wouldn't be advised, too memory intensive). And with all the many tools
available on DP, you are only limited by your own creativity!
The commands contained in this file are as follows:
ZapIcon: converts DP brushes into tool icons
Alticon: merges 2 icons into 1
Icontype: converts an icon's type to another type (e.g.tool to disk)
Other commands exist in the public domain that do the same things, but for
our purposes, I'll be referring to the ones above since I have worked
primarily with these.
The following notes will explain:
1) how to use DP brushes to make icons,
2) how to make two icons into one animated icon, and
3) how to change an icon's type.
1) USING DELUXE PAINT TO MAKE ICONS
You can use DP for creating or editing your own icons far beyond what you
could do with IconEd. How to do this is a bit tricky so take some time and
read the following and you will be making ingenious icons in minutes!!
First boot-up DP. Go into the medium resolution mode (640 x 200). If you
are using DP II click the "4" for number of colors. The pallete should
default to the workbench colors (blue, black, orange, white). If you are
using DP I, work only with the colors on the palette that correspond to the 4
workbench colors. Next, call down the color palette requester (type "p") and
"EX"change blue for the black. The screen should now be blue instead of
black.
Using only the four default workbench colors, make an image of any size or
shape, name it and save it as a brush. Be creative and use some of the
powerful tools DP has for special effects!
Now use the command ZapIcon to change your brush to an new icon.
Usage: ZapIcon brushname new_icon_name
Purpose: Brushname is the name of the brush to be changed into an icon.
New_icon_name is the name you give to the icon you are creating.
ZapIcon will automatically add .info to the new icon name. The
new icon will be a tool icon type. To make things easier,
brushname
and new icon name can be the same.
Note: You can use other IFF graphic images made by other programs, load them
into DP, change them into the 4 color format, save them as a brush and
convert them to icons!!
B) MAKING ANIMATED ICONS
What are animated icons? Animated icons are really two icons instead of one.
Usually, you click an icon and see its colors change (reverse video). An
animated icon, when clicked, will show another icon. Drawers that open,
disks that shift their shutters, or a trashcan that pops its lid; these are
just a few of the many animated icons you can create (No doubt you've
probably seen many examples already)!!
Making animated icons is pretty straight forward. Just make two icons that
represent some sequence, event, or anything you want - and merge them
together using Alticon.
Before you get too anxious, there are TWO very important things you need to
remember as you're making icons for animation. First, use the same size
space for painting and saving each proposed animated icon set. This doesn't
mean the icons themselves must be the same size - no way!! But the space
(think of it as a painters canvas) must be the same size!! If the canvas
size is different, the icons will not line up properly when viewed on the
Workbench screen. To ensure that they do line up properly, decide on the
canvas size you want to work on and outline it. When you go to save an
image, save it just inside the outline. If you used the same canvas outline
for both images they should line up evenly when viewed on the Workbench
screen. A difference of only one pixel row can be noticeably distracting!
Secondly, make sure you save your icons under different names. As an
example, you could call the 1st icon firecracker and the 2nd icon
firecracker2.
To merge two icons into an animated icon use the Alticon command.
Usage : Alticon 1st_icon_name 2nd_icon_name
Purpose: Alticon will merge the 1st icon with the 2nd icon. You do not need
to add .info to the icon name, Alticon knows to look for the name
you spcecify with .info after it.
When Alticon command has been performed on a set of icons, the 1st icon name
will be the name of the new animated icon. There will still be a copy of the
2nd icon, but the 1st icon will no longer exist. So if you want to keep a
copy of the 1st icon, copy and rename it something different before
performing the Alticon command.
C) CHANGING ICON TYPES
ZapIcon converts the DP brush to a TOOL icon. "But I wanted a project
icon..." you may be saying to yourself. The command Icontype has taken care
of that problem nicely. This command enables you to convert any icon type to
another icon type EXCEPT the ram disk icon. This command also works with
animated icons as well.
To convert an icon's type to another type use the Icontype command.
Usage : Icontype icon_name.info icon_type_desired
Purpose: Icontype will change a current icon's type to another type. Notice
you will need to add .info to the icon name.
Well I hope you will have as much fun as I've had with these utilities.
Challenge your creativity and see what awesome icons you can make. Remember,
the only limiting factor is you!!
I would like to thank all those individuals who have contributed these
utilites to the public domain . If I knew any of the authors' names I would
mention them here! I would also like to thank Bob Belcher and Duane Zumwalt
for sharing their time and knowledge as well.
If you have any questions or have some enlightning information to improve on
the above, give me a ring on Genie and leave a message.
D.Barton (Don)
GEnie
The contents of this file are for use in the public domain and are not
intended for any other purpose but for the enjoyment and creative growth of
those who use it.