ASP Advantage 1994 2nd Q2

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The Complete Image v3.11 Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle _______ ____|__ | (R) --| | |------------------- | ____|__ | Association of | | |_| Shareware |__| o | Professionals -----| | |--------------------- |___|___| MEMBER Document dated: July 28, 1993 Paul D. Nettle 9668 Washington St. Romulus, MI 48174 (313) 941-9223 Author's name: Paul D. Nettle Author's Compuserve ID: 72163,2442 This document also Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle A limited license is granted to reprint short extracts from this document as long as credit is given to the above mentioned party. Individuals, BBSs and User Groups may distribute copies of this software, it's documentation and associated files (originally distributed in an archive) freely as long as the files remain in-tact, unmodified, are not re-named and are not made part of some larger work without the written permission of Paul D. Nettle. A BBS may rearchive the unmodified archived file's contents as long as the resulting archive is named CIMAGE.ZIP, CIMAGE.ARC, CIMAGE.LZH or CIMAGE.??? The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction .............................................4 Ombudsman Statement ......................................5 Definition of Shareware ..................................5 Disclaimer - Agreement ...................................6 Getting Started ..........................................7 Running CImage for the first time ........................8 Configuring CImage .......................................11 Batch files .........................................11 The startup batch file ..............................11 Macros ..............................................11 Environment variables ...............................12 The CImage command line .............................12 External programs interface .........................12 Help file configuration .............................12 Help File Format ...............................12 Filter file configuration ...........................13 Filter File Format ..................................13 Getting CImage to work with your video card .........13 Memory configuration ................................14 Batch Files ..............................................15 IPI File Format ..........................................17 Virtual Memory ...........................................18 Command Reference ........................................20 ` (Left single quote) ...............................21 : (Colon) ...........................................22 ADD .................................................23 ASK .................................................24 BIN .................................................25 BIOSINFO ............................................26 BRIGHTEN ............................................27 CONV ................................................28 CPY .................................................30 CRES ................................................31 DARKEN ..............................................32 DIVIDE ..............................................33 ECHO ................................................34 EXIT ................................................35 FADE ................................................36 FILL ................................................37 FILTERFILE ..........................................38 FLIP ................................................39 FREE ................................................40 GAMMA ...............................................41 GAMV ................................................42 GOTO ................................................43 GREYSCALE ...........................................44 IF ..................................................45 LB ..................................................46 LC ..................................................47 LOAD ................................................48 MACRO ...............................................49 MEM .................................................51 Page 2 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle MERGE ...............................................52 MULTIPLY ............................................53 NEGATE ..............................................54 NOISE ...............................................55 NORMALIZE ...........................................56 OVERLAY .............................................57 PAUSE ...............................................58 PERCENT .............................................59 PIX .................................................60 PLASMA ..............................................61 PMOD ................................................62 REM .................................................63 SAVE ................................................64 SET .................................................65 SHOW ................................................66 SUBTRACT ............................................67 TERRAIN .............................................68 VCOLORS .............................................69 VESAINFO ............................................70 VMODE ...............................................72 Future Enhancements ......................................74 Contacting Customer Support ..............................75 Ordering Information .....................................76 What you will get when you register .................76 Differences between non-registered and registered users ...............................................76 Page 3 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing "The Complete Image." I hope that this product will be as useful for you as it was fun for me to write. I'll try to keep this document from being dry, so forgive me if the jokes get bad. To use CImage, you will be expected to have a basic understanding of DOS. Having a basic understanding of DOS batch files and environment variables will help in understanding CImage equivalents. CImage also requires at least a 386. A math co-processor is optional, but recommended. 2MB of memory is also required (although 4 is better, and any more is just great). From now on "The Complete Image" will be known as CImage. (I like to pronounce it "simage"). CImage is a full-featured image processor. Take a look: o Reads and writes GIF, IMG, TGA, BMP and IPI image files. o An interface for external programs to perform tasks that CImage doesn't already perform via the IPI file format -- explained later in this document. o Very extensive on-line help. The help file is a simple ASCII text file so that you may modify it to add your external programs, batch files, macros and whatever else you may want information on. o Batch files, Macros, Environment variables (separate from DOS's) that allow complete customization of CImage. o Image arithmetic functions (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing images). o Filters, filters filters... Count them up, and you have over 100 filters! The filters are defined in an ASCII text file, so you can add your own. o Works on ALL video cards. VESA compatibility with versions up to 1.2 VBE. You have the choice of the built-in 256 color drivers, VESA, or BIOS. o Memory. CImage uses ALL available memory by running in protected mode. If you need more memory, you can turn on the Virtual Memory. I hope you enjoy using CIMAGE! Page 4 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle OMBUDSMAN STATEMENT This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the Shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a Shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for members' products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI 49442-9427 USA, FAX 616-788-2765 or send a Compuserve message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536. DEFINITION OF SHAREWARE Shareware distribution gives users a chance to try software before buying it. If you try a Shareware program and continue using it, you are expected to register. Individual programs differ on details -- some request registration while others require it, some specify a maximum trial period. With registration, you get anything from the simple right to continue using the software to an updated program with printed manual. Copyright laws apply to both Shareware and commercial software, and the copyright holder retains all rights, with a few specific exceptions as stated below. Shareware authors are accomplished programmers, just like commercial authors, and the programs are of comparable quality. (In both cases, there are good programs and bad ones!) The main difference is in the method of distribution. The author specifically grants the right to copy and distribute the software, either to all and sundry or to a specific group. For example, some authors require written permission before a commercial disk vendor may copy their Shareware. Shareware is a distribution method, not a type of software. You should find software that suits your needs and pocketbook, whether it's commercial or Shareware. The Shareware system makes fitting your needs easier, because you can try before you buy. And because the overhead is low, prices are low also. Shareware has the ultimate money- back guarantee -- if you don't use the product, you don't pay for it. Page 5 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle DISCLAIMER - AGREEMENT Users of The Complete Image must accept this disclaimer of warranty: "The Complete Image is supplied as is. The author disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability for damages, direct or consequential, which may result from the use of The Complete Image." The Complete Image is a "Shareware program" and is provided at no charge to the user for evaluation. Feel free to share it with your friends, but please do not give it away altered or as part of another system. The essence of "user- supported" software is to provide personal computer users with quality software without high prices, and yet to provide incentive for programmers to continue to develop new products. If you find this program useful and find that you are using The Complete Image and continue to use The Complete Image after a reasonable trial period, you must make a registration payment of 35.00 to Paul D. Nettle. The 35.00 registration fee will license one copy for use on any one computer at any one time. You must treat this software just like a book. An example is that this software may be used by any number of people and may be freely moved from one computer location to another, so long as there is no possibility of it being used at one location while it's being used at another. Just as a book cannot be read by two different persons at the same time. Commercial users of The Complete Image must register and pay for their copies of The Complete Image within 30 days of first use or their license is withdrawn. Site-License arrangements may be made by contacting Paul D. Nettle. Anyone distributing The Complete Image for any kind of remuneration must first contact Paul D. Nettle at the address above for authorization. This authorization will be automatically granted to distributors recognized by the (ASP) as adhering to its guidelines for Shareware distributors, and such distributors may begin offering The Complete Image immediately (However Paul D. Nettle must still be advised so that the distributor can be kept up-to- date with the latest version of The Complete Image.). You are encouraged to pass a copy of The Complete Image along to your friends for evaluation. Please encourage them to register their copy if they find that they can use it. All registered users will receive a copy of the latest version of The Complete Image system. Page 6 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle GETTING STARTED CImage is ready to run. All you have to do is install it. Installation is simple. Since you've probably downloaded the CImage archive and un-archived it (which you needed to do to be reading this document) you're already set to go. To run CImage, you need to have both, CIMAGE.EXE and DOS4GW.EXE in your path or in the current directory when you run it. To run it, just type CIMAGE. If you're like me, you may already have a very large path, and wish not to make it larger. Where there is a will, there is a way! Simply create a batch file that runs CImage in the following way: C:\CIMAGE\DOS4GW C:\CIMAGE\CIMAGE %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 This batch file runs DOS/4GW from the CIMAGE directory, and tells it to run CIMAGE from the same directory. If you just run CIMAGE, then it will not find the DOS Extender (which is what it tries to do if you just run CIMAGE). So, you need to run the DOS Extender manually. This works great because CImage will look for all batch files and the filter files in the directory where the CIMAGE.EXE file is located (if they aren't first found in the current directory). Just place that batch file someplace in your path, and you're all set to go! Page 7 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle RUNNING CIMAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME Run CImage by typing CIMAGE (or whatever you named the batch file you may have created as explained in the previous section). Note that if you run out of memory during the following examples, you will need to enable Virtual Memory (see the section titled VIRTUAL MEMORY). If your system only has 4MB, I suggest that you do this now. CImage does require a lot of memory. You will see your DOS prompt. Notice the small underscore to the left of your prompt; this is called the "Prompt modifier". That's so you know you're running CIMAGE. You can change it with the PMOD command. Try loading the Demo image that is included by typing: LOAD DEMO.IPI As soon as you pressed return, CImage began loading the image into the first available buffer (number 0 -- the second buffer is number 1, and so on), showing you a percent complete as it loads. Sometimes the percents may not quite reach %100. This is just a simple side effect of integer math. Don't worry, if you got a prompt again, then you have completely loaded the image. Typing LB will list the buffers in use, and DEMO.IPI should be included in this list. If not, you should have received an error message during the load. Next, show it by typing: SHOW Since the SHOW command has an optional parameter (for specifying which buffer to show) which was left out in the above example, the SHOW command just shows the first buffer it runs across. When the image is completely displayed, you'll hear a short beep. That beep is to remind you that pressing a key will take you back to the command prompt. When you're done trying to find this VERY DIM image, press a key. This demo image is VERY dim...so dim that you monitor may not even be able to display it (even with the brightness turned all the way up!). The colors are there, though, and I can prove it to you. This image needs a contrast enhancement. So, we use the normalization command: NORMALIZE. Try typing: HELP NORMALIZE You should have received a screen full of information specific to the NORMALIZE command. Notice at the bottom, there is a SHORTCUT heading. This means that by typing NORM Page 8 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle alone (rather than NORMALIZE) you can perform the same function. Try it: NORM 0 The Normalization command will place the output of the normalization into the input buffer unless you tell it otherwise (see NORM). Once the NORM command has completed, you can show it again (the result has overwritten the original image located in buffer 0, so, again, we still don't need to tell show where to find our image): SHOW Now, isn't that better? CImage didn't create any colors. Those color were all present in that dim image, CImage just enhanced it for you. Image processing plays a bigger role in everyday life than you may think. Did you know that when an X-ray is taken using 1/4 the normal power (radiation), that the X-Ray comes out looking black, but that all the information is still present? Just like that demo image you just normalized. Some doctors will actually take your X-Ray at 1/4 power, then digitize the X-Ray so that they can perform a contrast Normalization on it to view it. This way, you are exposed to fewer rays of radiation, and you can feel better about your health! Back to the tour. Before we do anything to this image, let's save it. You can save the contents of buffer 0 by typing: SAVE 0 PICTURE.IPI You can use another file format if you want. To specify a different file format, just change the extension on the filename to TGA, GIF, BMP or IMG. Lets try a filter: CONV LAPLAS3 0 This causes CImage to run a convolution filter called "LAPLAS3" (located in the CIMAGE.FLT file) on our buffer. There are two buffers in memory now. To see the second buffer (buffer 1) use the following command: SHOW 1 To see how much memory you have available, just type MEM. It lists the largest available memory block, and how much of that memory is virtual, or, disk-based memory (explained later). Page 9 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle To free up all buffers, just type: FREE ALL This will release the buffers from memory. If you have 4MB, 8MB or more, you won't need to do this very often. By the way, exiting CImage will automatically free all buffers. To quit CImage, just type: EXIT A shortcut for this command is Q. A lot of commands have shortcuts, don't forget to check out the help file for these shortcuts. Page 10 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle CONFIGURING CIMAGE CImage is very configurable. This section will explain how to configure CImage for your needs. Batch files: As I'm sure you already know, batch files are a great tool in DOS. The same goes for CImage. When you create batch files for CImage that you always want available, place them in the same directory that you placed the CIMAGE.EXE file. When you try to run the batch file, if it isn't found in the current directory, then CImage looks for it in the directory where CImage was run from. If you place a batch file of the same name in the current directory, it will override the one located in the CImage directory. You may find this useful. During Startup, CImage will attempt to run the AUTOEXEC.IPB file (following the same rules for locating this file as all other batch files.) The startup batch file: As mentioned above, CImage will attempt to run the AUTOEXEC.IPB batch file when it starts. This file is no different than any other batch file. Here's a list of good suggestions to place in your AUTOEXEC.IPB file: VMODE - Set your preferred video mode. VESAINFO - Configure the video features to use VESA (if available). BIOSINFO - Configure the video features to use the BIOS. CRES - Set the color resolution for your video mode. VCOLORS - Set the number of colors of your non-standard video mode. PERCENT - Turn the percentage displays On/Off. GAMV - Set the Gamma value of your choice. MACRO - Set up any shortcut macros. SET - Configure your environment variables for image directories and such. FILTERFILE - Change the name of the Filter file (default is CIMAGE.FLT) For information on any of the above mentioned commands, just look them up in this document. Macros: Page 11 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle Macros are a great way to shortcut a lot of commands. They allow you to "type" complicated command line tasks with a single keystroke or with a single word. Environment variables: Environment variables are great for specifying paths, batch file locations, and more. They are really intended for use in batch files only, but you're welcome to use them on the command line, however, you may find them to be rather cryptic to type. The CImage command line: The CIMAGE.EXE command line accepts up to nine parameters. These parameters are passed directly into your AUTOEXEC.IPB. You may use this for different startup configurations. External programs interface: The .IPI file format was designed to be the simplest file format available for storing 24-bit images of unlimited resolutions. This is for those of you that can program, and would like to add functions to CImage that it doesn't already perform. Here is an example batch file that takes advantage of this feature: SAVE %1 TEMP.IPI FREE %1 MYPROG TEMP.IPI LOAD TEMP.IPI %1 DEL TEMP.IPI This batch file will accept a single parameter for the buffer number. This buffer is then saved to a temporary IPI file. We will free the memory it was using just in case we need to give MYPROG.EXE some memory. Next, CImage runs MYPROG.EXE from DOS, passing it TEMP.IPI as a parameter. MYPROG.EXE can do whatever it wants to TEMP.IPI, then when it's done, CImage will regain control. Once we're back, we re-LOAD the image, then delete the temporary file. If this batch file is placed in the CImage directory, then this function is available just as if it was built into CImage! Help file configuration: The CIMAGE.HLP file is a simple ASCII file full of "topics" that are available on-line. If you decide to add external programs, macros, or whatever else, you can add these as topics to the help file. The format is quite simple: Help File Format: Page 12 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle 1. If the first non-space character on a line is a semicolon, then that line is ignored ("a comment"). 2. Topics must begin with a : (colon) and the colon must be placed in very first column on the line. No spaces may be contained in the topic, and it must be followed by a new-line. (":DEMO" -- this is called a "tag") will get help for the topic "DEMO". CImage will display all information after the specified topic's tag until the next tag is found. Filter file configuration: CImage has many filters (the most I've ever seen in one place.) The filters are defined in the file CIMAGE.FLT (or whatever you may have renamed it with the FILTERFILE command). You may modify this file as you wish, adding or removing filters (not that there is a reason for removing them) at your discretion. The format is quite simple: Filter File Format: 1. If the first non-space character on a line is a semicolon, then that line is ignored ("a comment"). 2. Filters are defined in the following way: FILTER <filtername> <size> <upper-left> <upper-center> <upper-right> <center-left> <center-center> <center-right> <lower-left> <lower-center> <lower-right> <operator> <operand> <bias> Where <filtername> is the name of the filter. This is where CONV looks for the command line option <filter>. <size> is the size of the filter (3, 5 or 7 only, others are ignored). For 5x5 and 7x7 filters, the above example is incomplete, since from <upper-left> to <lower-right> would be a 5x5 or 7x7 "grid". Getting CImage to work with your video card: You have many options for getting CImage to work with your video card. Just use the VMODE command to set the type of video interface you want to use. First, try VESA. It's the fastest, and allows more than 256 colors, if your card can handle it. See the VESAINFO command for more information. Example: VMODE VESA Page 13 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle VESAINFO 101 If you don't have VESA capabilities, then you will probably want to use the built-in super-VGA drivers. See the VMODE command for more information on configuring the video mode. Example: VMODE 13 If you have a really weird video card, then you may have to use the BIOS setting. See the BIOSINFO command for more information on configuring the BIOS setting. Example: VMODE BIOS BIOSINFO 0x5F 640 480 You may also need to set the CRES or VCOLORS to your video card's specified settings. Memory configuration: CImage uses the DOS/4GW DOS Extender from Rational Systems. This DOS Extender places CImage into "386 Flat Model" protected mode where the 80386 executes instructions faster, and has access to LOTS of larger chunks of memory. With access to all of this memory, CImage can run faster, and perform more complicated tasks than it would if it were written for a 286 or less processor. Lets assume you have 8 MEG. CImage loads above the first MEG (this is where most systems keep their faster memory). As memory is needed, CImage gets it from the memory above that first MEG. If that runs out, then CImage starts looking for memory in the DOS 640K area. DOS's memory is used last because it is usually slower, and also because CImage can run DOS programs, so you will want to save as much DOS memory as possible. Virtual Memory (VMM) is also available (see VIRTUAL MEMORY). Note that programs that use Extended or Expanded memory (like Disk Cache programs) will take memory away from CImage. You may want to limit the memory that they use to allow a comfortable amount for both. Page 14 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle BATCH FILES DESCRIPTION: Batch files are used for running a series of commands in a specific order saving you the trouble of running them manually; just as if the user were to type the commands at the command line. If you are familiar with DOS batch programming, then you will have no problem adjusting to CImage's batch programming, since CImage uses the exact same techniques as DOS with the following exceptions: 1. Currently, CImage does not support the FOR command 2. There is an ASK command that DOS does not support. See the ASK command for more help. 3. Currently, ERRORLEVEL is only valid after the ASK command. Return codes from DOS are not available in CImage, and CImage does not need return codes for it's commands. 4. CImage's batch files are named with the .IPB file extension rather than the .BAT extension used by DOS. 5. Batch files must be located in the current directory, CImage does not search the path. If the .IPB file is still not found, then CImage will search for the .IPB file in the directory in which CImage was originally run. As in DOS, there are nine batch parameters (%1 - %9). These are used for interpreting parameters passed into the batch file when it is run. for example, consider the batch file (called LOADSHOW.IPB): LOAD %1 %2 SHOW %2 When LOADSHOW is run: LOADSHOW PICTURE.GIF 0 will interpret as the following: LOAD PICTURE.GIF 0 SHOW 0 NOTES: At startup CImage will execute the AUTOEXEC.IPB batch file. Parameters may be passed into the AUTOEXEC.IPB file when CImage is run. For example, "CImage PICTURE.GIF" will run "AUTOEXEC PICTURE.GIF". This is Page 15 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle useful for running different configurations, for example. The only place in CImage where the break key makes any difference is in batch files. When the break key is pressed, the current command will not stop, it will finish, but when CImage goes to the batch file to find the next command, it will then ask to exit the batch file or to continue running it. SEE ALSO: ASK IF GOTO : REM PAUSE ECHO Page 16 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle IPI FILE FORMAT DESCRIPTION: The IPI (pronounced "ipee") file format is used to store 24-bit images. This format was designed to be the simplest to decode for programmers so that they may add functionality to CImage via external programs. For example: A developer needs to use CImage to manipulate some images for his software's title screen. Assume the interface programs have already been written. He runs CImage, and from CImage he runs his program to generate an image, and save it to an IPI file. Now he tells CImage to load the file, and does whatever manipulation he needs done. Next, he saves the file in IPI format. Lastly, he runs his other interface program to load the IPI file, do some final changes or modifications, then he saves the image in his own file format. With the use of batch files, this process can be automated. His second interface program can even erase the IPI file when it's no longer needed, so as not to clutter up the hard drive. This prevents the developer from having to write any GIF encoding or decoding routines, or having to learn an image format that is more complicated than he would like. The IPI files are un-compressed, linear RGB format with a very small header. These files were meant to be temporary, so they can be rather large. A 640x480 image can be over 900K in size. The IPI format is as follows: X resolution (WORD - MSB first) Y resolution (WORD - MSB first) Image data: FOR EACH PIXEL IN THE SCREEN (XRES * YRES) { Red Element (BYTE) Green Element (BYTE) Blue Element (BYTE) } SEE ALSO: LOAD SAVE MERGE LB Page 17 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle VIRTUAL MEMORY DESCRIPTION: CImage was written with the Watcom C/C++32 9.5 and uses the DOS/4GW DOS Extender from Rational Systems. This royalty-free DOS Extender (DOS4GW.EXE) offers a Virtual Memory Manager (VMM). When CImage runs out of memory, it can be configured so that it automatically starts swapping to disk. In this way, you can actually use more RAM than your computer has! This configuration MUST take place before CImage is run. If CImage runs out of memory while running, you must save what your are doing, exit CImage and configure for VMM before re-starting CImage. To enable VMM, you only need to set a single environ- ment variable. Might I suggest that you create an CIMAGE.BAT batch file that sets this variable before running CImage, then clears it afterwards just in case you're not one for having all these environment variable hanging around when they aren't (like me) necessary. I have found a drawback to using the VMM. It tends to slows CImage down dramatically, even when not swapping to disk. To enable VMM with default values, just "SET DOS4GVM=1" from within DOS before entering CImage. It's that simple. But, like all other things, there is a way to complicate it by configuring it (it's not that bad, actually). Usage: SET DOS4GVM=[option[#value]] [option[#value]]... (the '#' is used with options that take values since the DOS command shell will not accept "=") Setting the DOS4GVM=1 will use default values for all options. Here are some control options: MINMEM The minimum amount of RAM managed by VMM. The default is 512K MAXMEM The Maximum amount of RAM managed by VMM. The default is 4MB. SWAPMIN The minimum or initial size of the swap file. If this option is not used, the size of the swap file is based on VIRTUALSIZE (see below). SWAPINC The size by which the swap file grows. SWAPNAME The swap file name. The default name is "DOS4GVM.SWP". By default the file is Page 18 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle in the root directory of the current drive. Specify the complete path name if you want to keep the swap file on another drive. DELETESWAP Whether the swap file is deleted when CImage exits. By default the file is NOT deleted. Program startup is quicker if the file is NOT deleted. VIRTUALSIZE The size of the virtual memory space (swap file plus allocated memory). The default is 16MB. If you wish to have a temporary swap file, and only use no more than 4 MEG of RAM, then use the example below: SET DOS4GVM=DELETESWAP maxmem#8192 NOTE: This DOS Extender is especially advantageous for programmers. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Watcom C/C++32 9.5 compiler to developers. I own Borland C/C++ 3.1, Microsoft C/C++ 7.0, and Watcom C/C++32 9.5. My choice development tools are the Watcom Tools (although I hate to give up the Turbo Debugger). Take the time to learn them, they are wonderful! SEE ALSO: MEM Page 19 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND REFERENCE System level commands: [EXIT/Q/QUIT] [`] [?/HELP] [REM] [ASK] [PAUSE] [ECHO] [PERCENT] Batch file processing: [IF] [IFNOT] Graphic File Manipulation tools: [LOAD] [SAVE] [MERGE] [TERRain] Buffer Manipulation Tools: [LB] [FREE] [SHOW] [MEM] Local Environment Variables and Macros: [VMODE] [VCOLORS] [CRES] [SET] [MACRO] [GAMV] [BIOSinfo] [VESAinfo] Image Enhancement tools: [NEGate] [ADD] [SUBtract] [MULTiply] [DIVide] [BRIghten] [DARKen] [NOISe] [GREYscale] [NORMalize] [GAMMa] [CONV] [LC] [PIX] [OVERlay] [BIN] Image Manipulation tools: [FLIP] [CPY] Image Generators: [FADE] [PLASMA] [FILL] Page 20 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: ` (left single quote) PURPOSE: Send a command directly to DOS bypassing the CImage command processor shell. SYNTAX: `<command> -or- ` <command> DESCRIPTION: This is useful for commands like MEM. Since DOS has a MEM command as well as CImage, you can only run DOS's MEM by using the `left single quote'. NOTES: Another way to perform a similar function is to create a DOS batch file that runs MEM called M.BAT. This is, of course, not very practical. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 21 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: : (colon) PURPOSE: The `colon' is used in batch files only for designating a label. SYNTAX: :<label> DESCRIPTION: Labels in Batch files allow the batch file control over it's flow. Labels are used in conjunction with the GOTO command to alter batch program flow. NOTES: None. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK IF GOTO REM PAUSE ECHO Page 22 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: ADD PURPOSE: Add the contents of two image buffers. SYNTAX: ADD <buf1> <buf2> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: ADD will add, pixel by pixel each of the red, blue and green components of <buf1> and <buf2> and place the result into [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <buf1> contains the result. Upon adding the components, if the two components added are greater than 255, then the component value is clipped to 255. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: SUBTRACT MULTIPLY DIVIDE Page 23 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: ASK PURPOSE: ASK allows users to input single keystrokes for use within CImage batch files. SYNTAX: ASK <keylist> <string> DESCRIPTION: The <keylist> contains all available keys to the user. For example, a Yes/No question will have a keylist of `yn'. The <string> contains the prompt. This is displayed to the user while ASK waits for a Key. When ASK completes, ERRORLEVEL will be set according to the key that was pressed. The ERRORLEVEL starts at 1, for the first entry in the <keylist> and continues until the keylist is complete. In the above example, if the user pressed `y' then the ERRORLEVEL would be 1. If the user would have pressed `n' then the ERRORLEVEL would have been 2. NOTES: If a key not in the <keylist> was pressed, then ERRORLEVEL is 0. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH IF Page 24 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: BIN PURPOSE: Binarize a picture with a given threshold. SYNTAX: BIN <inbuf> <threshold> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: BIN will compare each of the red, blue and green components of <inbuf> against <threshold>. If the component value is less than <threshold> then the component value is set to zero. If the component value is greater than or equal to <threshold>, then the component value is set to 255. Valid range for <threshold> is 0-255. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BRIGHTEN DARKEN NORMALIZE GREYSCALE Page 25 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: BIOSINFO PURPOSE: BIOSINFO will set the BIOS graphics settings for CImage. SYNTAX: BIOSINFO <mode> [xres] [yres] DESCRIPTION: BIOSINFO will set the current BIOS configuration to be used for displaying image buffers using the SHOW command. By setting the BIOS settings in CImage, CImage can access virtually any video card that has BIOS support. Consult your video card's user's manual for information on the BIOS mode and associated resolutions. [xres] and [yres] may be omitted for quickly switching between two different modes of the same resolution. Default BIOS resolution is 640x480. The default number of colors is 256 (see note below). The BIOS is incapable of plotting pixels with more than 256 colors, so if the video mode that you are trying to access has more than 256 colors, you MUST use the VESA capabilities. Consult your video card's user's manual for more information on VESA capabilities that it supports. Users must also perform a "VMODE BIOS" to enable the BIOS mode for displaying image buffers. See the VMODE command for more information on setting the mode. TSRs are available to allow ALL video cards VESA support in software. See the VESAINFO command for more information on VESA support in CImage. NOTES: <mode> must be in HEX. VESA is the preferred graphics configuration to run. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. SHORTCUT: BIOS SEE ALSO: VESAINFO VMODE VCOLORS CRES Page 26 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: BRIGHTEN PURPOSE: Brightens an image buffer. SYNTAX: BRIGHTEN <amount> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: BRIGHTEN will increase the brightness of <inbuf> by <amount>. <amount> is a component value, so the range is 1-255. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: BRI SEE ALSO: DARKEN Page 27 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: CONV PURPOSE: Performs a 3x3, 5x5, or 7x7 convolution filter. SYNTAX: CONV <filter> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: Performs a Convolution filter (defined as <filter> in the filter file (defined by the FILTERFILE command; default filename is FILTERS.FLT). file) on <inbuf> and places the result into [outbuf]. CONV perform "convolution" filters. Convolution filters are a common way of changing an image's appearance. Some common filters will blur or sharpen an image, others may highlight edges, or remove all of the image completely leaving only the edges. The filters are contained in the filter file. The Available filters can be obtained with the command LC (for List Convolutions). See HELP LC for more information on the LC command. The filter description format for a 3x3 filter is as follows: FILTER <filtername> <size> <upper-left> <upper-center> <upper-right> <center-left> <center-center> <center-right> <lower-left> <lower-center> <lower-right> <operator> <operand> <bias> Any text following semicolons are comments Where <filtername> is the name of the filter. This is where CONV looks for the command line option <filter>. <size> is the size of the filter (3, 5 or 7 only, others are ignored). For 5x5 and 7x7 filters, the above example is incomplete, since from <upper-left> to <lower-right> would be a 5x5 or 7x7 "grid". Convolutions are quite simple. For each pixel in an image, the filter grid is overlaid onto that pixel and it's neighbors with the <center-center> element of the filter grid aligned onto the current pixel in the image, and the outer elements in the filter grid overlaying the current pixel's neighbors. The next step is to multiply each element in the filter grid with it's corresponding overlaid pixel value. Once all these values have been calculated, add them Page 28 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle together and perform the operation (/ 8 for an <operator> of '/' and an <operand> of '8'.) Lastly, add the <bias> value. If the addition of <bias> (or subtraction of <bias> if it is negative) takes the result above 255 or below 0, then the value is clipped to 0 or 255, respectively. A good trick for trying your own is to take a current filter, copy it, change the new copy's name, and modify it. If you have problems getting usable resulting images, try adding all of the values in the filter's grid and placing that value in <operand> with an <operator> of '/' NOTES: The valid range for <bias> is 0-255. Valid <operator> values are: +.......Add <operand> -.......Subtract <operand> *.......Multiply by <operand> /.......Divide by <operand> M.......Sort all multiplied grid elements, and use the median. Ignore <operand> -- Operand MUST still be present <.......Sort all multiplied grid elements, and use the lowest. Ignore <operand> -- Operand MUST still be present >.......Sort all multiplied grid elements, and use the highest. Ignore <operand> -- Operand MUST still be present If [outbuf] is not given, then CONV will create the first available buffer. CImage will search for the filter file in the following order: 1. The current directory 2. The default CImage directory (where CIMAGE.EXE is stored) CAUTION: The median ('M'), dilate ('>') and erode ('<') functions take a LONG TIME in 5x5 or 7x7 filters. Try to stick with using 3x3 filters for these operators. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: LC FILTERFILE Page 29 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: CPY PURPOSE: Copy an image buffer to another. SYNTAX: CPY <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: CPY will copy <inbuf> into [outbuf], creating [outbuf] in the process. [outbuf] must not exist. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then CPY will create the first available buffer. CPY was not named "COPY" because of obvious interference with the DOS COPY command. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 30 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: CRES PURPOSE: Sets the color bit resolution for 256 color VGA graphics. SYNTAX: CRES [value] DESCRIPTION: When CImage needs to display a 24-bit image onto a 256 color display, CImage needs to reduce the number of colors that the image uses. This is by sorting colors by popularity, choosing the most popular, and mapping the rest of the colors to it's closest counterpart in the list of the top 256. When CImage needs to display an image, it needs to know how many shades of red, green, and blue the video card allows. Most cards allow for 6 bits of resolution (0- 63, or 64) for each element. To calculate how many displayable colors, multiply red * green * blue, or 64*64*64 = 262,144. This is the number of colors possible, however only 256 colors are allowed simultaneously. CRES tells CImage how many shades the video card allows for each element so that CImage can reduce the number of shades as well as the number of colors. NOTES: If [value] is not given, then CRES will display the current value. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. When CImage loads or creates an image buffer, it is stored internally as a 24-bit image. Even if CImage loads a 256-color GIF file, it is still converted to 24-bits as it is loaded. This is because modifications to an image buffer may increase the number of colors that it uses. This also allows for CImage to perform functions on image buffers with the least amount of accuracy loss. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: VESAINFO BIOSINFO VMODE VCOLORS CRES SHOW Page 31 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: DARKEN PURPOSE: Darkens an image buffer. SYNTAX: DARKEN <amount> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: DARKEN will decrease the brightness of <inbuf> by <amount>. <amount> is a component value, so the range is 1-255. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: DARK SEE ALSO: BRIGHTEN Page 32 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: DIVIDE PURPOSE: Divide the contents of two image buffers. SYNTAX: DIVIDE <buf1> <buf2> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: DIVIDE will divide, pixel by pixel each of the red, blue and green components of <buf1> and <buf2> and place the result into [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <buf1> contains the result. Upon dividing the components, if a component if <buf2> is zero, then the result is automatically zero, since a divide by zero is impossible. SHORTCUT: DIV SEE ALSO: ADD SUBTRACT MULTIPLY DIVIDE Page 33 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: ECHO PURPOSE: ECHO is used to display text during the execution of an CImage batch file. SYNTAX: ECHO ON -or- ECHO OFF -or- ECHO <string> DESCRIPTION: Normally as a batch file is running, the commands are "echoed" to the screen as they are executed. This can be turned off by adding the command ECHO OFF to the batch file. Once it has been turned off, the ECHO ON can turn it back on. The ECHO setting is reset to ON when all batch files have completed processing. If ECHO is followed by <string>, then the string is ECHOed to the screen. NOTES: An "@" character placed in front of a command line in a batch file prevents that line from echoing. An ECHO. will echo a blank line to the screen. Currently, ECHO will echo all text as upper-case only. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK IF GOTO : REM PAUSE Page 34 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: EXIT PURPOSE: EXIT will exit from the CImage command processor shell to the previous level if one exists, otherwise, you are exited to the DOS command prompt. SYNTAX: Exit DESCRIPTION: Once running CImage, you can run different levels of the CImage command pro cessor. This is done by simply running CImage from within itself. Once running the second level, you can exit to the previous level by typing EXIT. NOTES: None. SHORTCUT: Q -or- QUIT SEE ALSO: None. Page 35 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: FADE PURPOSE: Creates a test image that fades from light to dark. SYNTAX: FADE <xres> <yres> <red> <green> <blue> [outbuf] [dir] DESCRIPTION: FADE will create a 256-color image that fades from light to dark the elements of <red>, <green> and <blue> in the direction of [dir], and place it into [outbuf] at a resolution of <xres> by <yres>. Each of the <red>, <green> and <blue> component values are entered as a '0' or a non-zero value. Any '1' must be placed in this value to cause FADE to add that color to the fade. A fade of 1 0 0 will create a fade of only shades of red. Use [dir] to denote which direction to create the fade image. Valid values are U, D, L, R, for Up, Down, Left, Right respectively. [dir] points to the dark side of the image (Up would start at the top as dark and work down to light). NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then FADE will create the first available buffer. If [dir] is not given, then FADE will use 'D' (down). FADE was originally a test image for the developer, but was left in for users. One use might be to create a fade, and subtract that from another image for a simple effect. The "Loaded as file name" is set to FADE.TGA SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 36 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: FILL PURPOSE: Fills a buffer of a given color. SYNTAX: FILL <xres> <yres> <red> <green> <blue> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: FILL will create an image of resolution <xres> by <yres> filled with the color specified by <red>, <green> and <blue> and place it into [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then FILL will create the first available buffer. The "Loaded as file name" is set to FILLED.TGA SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 37 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: FILTERFILE PURPOSE: Sets the filename used for the convolution filters. SYNTAX: FILTERFILE [filename] DESCRIPTION: FILTERFILE sets the filename that is used by the CONV and LC commands for locating and performing user- defined convolution filters. See the CONV command for more information on performing convolution filters. The default name is FILTERS.FLT, and must be located in, first, the current directory. If the filter file is not found there, then CImage will search for the file in the directory from which it was originally run. NOTES: If [filename] is not given, then the FILTERFILE will display the current filename. SHORTCUT: FFILE SEE ALSO: CONV LC Page 38 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: FLIP PURPOSE: Flip an image buffer top to bottom or left to right. SYNTAX: FLIP <dir> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: FLIP will flip the buffer <inbuf> in the direction specified by <dir> and place the result into [outbuf]. Valid values for <dir> are U, D, L, R for Up, Down, Left, Right, respectively. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then the result is placed into <inbuf>. There is no difference between Up and Down. There is also no difference between Left and Right. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 39 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: FREE PURPOSE: Release a buffer, freeing up the memory that it uses. SYNTAX: FREE <buf> -or- FREE ALL DESCRIPTION: FREE will free the memory used by <buf>. If <buf> is "ALL", then all buffers will be freed. NOTES: FREE will not ask to verify, even if you use "FREE ALL" SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 40 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: GAMMA PURPOSE: Perform gamma correction. SYNTAX: GAMMA <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: GAMMA will correct the gamma of <inbuf> and place the result into [outbuf]. It is usually safe to assume that black is 0 and white is 255. How ever, it is not necessarily true that 128 appears exactly as a medium grey (which would mean that color intensity output is linear). On most computers, color intensity output is not linear, and must be adjusted accordingly. The GAMMA command will correct this on images and make it appear that the image is being displayed with linear color intensity output. The GAMMA function uses the value set by the GAMV command to set the amount of gamma correction. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then the result is placed into <inbuf> SHORTCUT: GAMM SEE ALSO: GAMV Page 41 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: GAMV PURPOSE: Set the gamma correction level. SYNTAX: GAMV [value] DESCRIPTION: GAMV will set the gamma correction level for the GAMMA command. See the GAMMA command for more detailed information on gamma correction. NOTES: If [value] is not given, then the current value will be displayed. The default value for GAMV is 0.6. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: GAMMA Page 42 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: GOTO PURPOSE: Alter the program flow within an CImage batch file. SYNTAX: GOTO <label> DESCRIPTION: The GOTO command will cause the batch file to stop processing, locate <label> within the batch file, and continue processing there. Labels are designated by a ':'. See the ':' for more detailed information on labels. NOTES: The GOTO command is meant to be used within batch files only. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK IF : REM PAUSE ECHO Page 43 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: GREYSCALE PURPOSE: Convert the current image into a greyscale image. SYNTAX: GREYSCALE <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: GREYSCALE will convert <inbuf> to greyscale and place the results into [outbuf]. Converting an image to grayscale is very simple. Each pixel's red, green and blue components are compared against each other to find the largest (brightest) value, then all three components are set to this value. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then the result is placed into <inbuf> There is no command to convert from greyscale to color, since a greyscale image does not contain enough information to perform such a task. SHORTCUT: GREY SEE ALSO: None. Page 44 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: IF PURPOSE: The IF and IFNOT commands allow conditional execution of commands based on the results of a logical condition. When the condition is true, then CImage executes the <command>; otherwise, CImage will ignore the command. SYNTAX: IF ERRORLEVEL <number> <command> -or- IFNOT ERRORLEVEL <number> <command> -or- IF <string1> == <string2> <command> -or- IFNOT <string1> == <string2> <command> -or- IF EXIST <filename> <command> -or- IFNOT EXIST <filename> <command> DESCRIPTION: The conditions are described as follows: ERRORLEVEL True if, and only if, the previous command executed had an exit code equal to <number>. <string1> == <string2> True if, and only if, <string1> is equal to <string2>. The strings must not contain spaces. EXIST True if, and only if, the <filename> exists in the current directory. NOTES: Currently, the only CImage command that returns an exit code is the ASK command. DOS command exit codes are currently not supported. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK GOTO : REM PAUSE ECHO Page 45 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: LB PURPOSE: List the currently allocated image buffers. SYNTAX: LB DESCRIPTION: LB will list the current information about all currently allocated buffers: Buffer number Loaded file name Loaded file type Last saved name Last saved file type Resolution NOTES: None. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: LOAD SAVE MERGE Page 46 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: LC PURPOSE: List all convolution filters contained in the filter file (defined by the FILTERFILE command; default filename is FILTERS.FLT). SYNTAX: LC DESCRIPTION: LC Will list all the convolution filters in the filter file sorted by grid size (3, 5 or 7). NOTES: CImage will search for the filter file in the following order: 1. The current directory 2. The default CImage directory (where CIMAGE.EXE is stored) SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: CONV FILTERFILE Page 47 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: LOAD PURPOSE: LOAD will load images into memory. SYNTAX: LOAD <filename> [buffer] DESCRIPTION: LOAD will load <filename> into [buffer]. NOTES: If [buffer] is not given, then LOAD will create the first available buffer. Currently, LOAD does not interrogate the file contents to decide what type of image file to load. The file's extension is used to decide the file's type. Once the file type is obtained from the extension, LOAD will verify the file is indeed the proper file type. Current supported file types are: IMG - VIVID/BOB format GIF - GIF87a (and GIF89a files that are compatible) TGA - Only type 2, uncompressed BMP - All versions (Windows, and OS/2) IPI - CImage's internal format (See HELP IPI for details on format) SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: SAVE MERGE LB Page 48 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: MACRO PURPOSE: Creates a macro. SYNTAX: MACRO [macro] [cmd-line] DESCRIPTION: MACRO will define [macro] to be [command-line] Macros are shortcuts. You can define almost any command-line to a macro. Say you define "P" to be "PLASMA 640 480 3.3". Then, every time you type a "P" (followed by [RETURN]) on the command line, CImage will interpret it as: "PLASMA 640 480 3.3" (which will create a plasma image the size of 640x480 with the grain factor of 3.3, and place it into the first available buffer). Macros can also be inserted into a command-line anywhere. For example, you could use "plasma 640 480 PVAL" where PVAL has been defined as "3.3". Macros may also reference themselves. "P" may be defined as "PLASMA 640 480 PVAL" and if PVAL has been defined as "3.3", then that line "P" is interpreted as "PLASMA 640 480 3.3". NOTES: Macros may reference environment variables, but environment variables may not reference macros. If [cmd-line] is not given, then the [macro] will be removed from the macro list. If [macro] and [cmd-line] are not given, then MACRO will list all currently defined macros. [cmd-line] may contain spaces. Since a semicolon on the CImage command line is used to separate multiple commands, you need to use the carrot (^) character where semicolons are to be placed. These semicolons will not, however, become separate command lines within a single macro, they will be interpreted as one command line. Macros must be separated from other words on the command line they are to be used in by a space. SHORTCUT: None. Page 49 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle SEE ALSO: SET Page 50 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: MEM PURPOSE: Display the current status of memory. SYNTAX: MEM DESCRIPTION: MEM will display the following information: 1. Largest available block of memory 2. Size of paging/file partition The "Largest available block of memory" is quite self- explanatory. This includes all virtual memory. The "Size of paging/file partition" is the size of the virtual memory portion of available memory. NOTES: None. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: MEMORY Page 51 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: MERGE PURPOSE: Merges three color separated images into one full color image. SYNTAX: MERGE <redfile> <bluefile> <greenfile> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: MERGE performs three LOADs; one LOAD for each of the different files in <redfile>, <bluefile> and <greenfile> with the exception that MERGE gets the red element of the image from <redfile>, the blue element from <bluefile> and the green element from <greenfile>. These are then merged into a single image and placed into [outbuf]. This is useful for people who have monochrome hand scanners. It is possible to actually digitize a color image with a monochrome hand scanner. Scan an image three times using a red filter the first time, a green filter the second time, and a blue filter the last time. Use your hand scanner's software to align the three images, and import them into CImage using the MERGE command. What you will get is a full-color image in [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then MERGE will create the first available buffer. The three files in MERGE may be different file types, however, they must all have the same resolution. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: LOAD SAVE LB OVERLAY Page 52 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: MULTIPLY PURPOSE: Multiply the contents of two image buffers. SYNTAX: MULTIPLY <buf1> <buf2> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: MULTIPLY will multiply, pixel by pixel each of the red, blue and green components of <buf1> and <buf2> and place the result into [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <buf1> contains the result. Upon multiplying the components, if the two components multiplied are greater than 255, then the component value is clipped to 255. SHORTCUT: MULT SEE ALSO: ADD SUBTRACT DIVIDE Page 53 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: NEGATE PURPOSE: Create a photo negative of an image. SYNTAX: NEGATE <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: Negate reads the value of each color element for each pixel, and subtracts it from 255. Placing the resulting image into [outbuf]. The effect is an intensity reversal (or "photo negative"), in which black becomes white, and white becomes black. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: NEG SEE ALSO: None. Page 54 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: NOISE PURPOSE: Add random noise to an image. SYNTAX: NOISE <amount> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: Computer generated images often look to "perfect" and therefore, unrealistic. NOISE can be used to help this matter. NOISE will randomly add n <amount> to each individual pixel in <inbuf>, and place the result into [outbuf]. A useful value for <amount> would be 5-15. NOTES: Valid range for <amount> is 1-255. If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. If the addition or subtraction of <amount> takes the result above 255 or below 0, then the value is clipped to 0 or 255, respectively. SHORTCUT: NOIS SEE ALSO: None. Page 55 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: NORMALIZE PURPOSE: Perform a histogram normalization on an image. SYNTAX: NORMALIZE <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: NORMALIZE performs a histogram normalization (or contrast enhancement) on <inbuf>. A histogram normalization is quite a simple task. A normalization finds the darkest color, and maps it to zero, then it finds the brightest color and maps it to white. This is useful for adding contrast to images, like very hazy images. Normalization can actually turn a "foggy" picture into a "sunny day" picture. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: NORM SEE ALSO: None. Page 56 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: OVERLAY PURPOSE: Performs a color selectable overlay of one image onto another image. SYNTAX: OVERLAY <buf1> <buf2> <low> <high> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: OVERLAY will overlay each pixel from <buf1> that is greater than or equal to <low> and less than or equal to <high> onto it's corresponding pixel in <buf2>. The resulting image is then placed into [outbuf]. The comparison of <low> and <high> against pixels in <buf1> are done on after monochrome conversion. CImage first converts <buf1> to mono to compare against <low> and <high> and if the monochrome value is inside the range, then the COLOR value is placed into [outbuf]. OVERLAY is useful for overlaying an image of an airplane (with a black background) onto a mountain scene. NOTES: The valid range for <low> and <high> is 0-255. If [outbuf] is not given, then OVERLAY will create the first available buffer. The "Loaded as file name" is set to OVERLAY.TGA SHORTCUT: OVER SEE ALSO: MERGE Page 57 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: PAUSE PURPOSE: PAUSE suspends the operation of a CImage Batch file. SYNTAX: PAUSE <string> -or- PAUSE DESCRIPTION: If <string> exists, then <string> is printed, otherwise, PAUSE will display "Press any key to continue...". PAUSE will then wait for a key-press to continue. NOTES: PAUSE is often used to break out of batch files by allowing the user to press the break key [CTRL-C] or [CTRL-BREAK]. If the break key sequence is pressed during a PAUSE command, CImage will not ask to break out of the batch file until a key is pressed. This is the only point in batch file processing when CImage will wait for a key to ask to stop processing the batch file. Currently, PAUSE echoes all text as upper-case only. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK IF GOTO : REM PAUSE ECHO Page 58 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: PERCENT PURPOSE: PERCENT is used to enable/disable the percentages that are printed as CImage processes different commands that may take some time. SYNTAX: PERCENT ON -or- PERCENT OFF DESCRIPTION: PERCENT ON will enable the percentages, and PERCENT OFF will turn them off. The default is ON. Turning the percents off will speed up the time it takes to execute commands. This is because screen displays are rather slow. NOTES: The ONLY command that takes some time to process that does not display percents is the PLASMA command. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 59 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: PIX PURPOSE: Pixellize an image. SYNTAX: PIX <xres> <yres> <inbuf> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: PIX will group pixels of <xres> by <yres>, average all the pixel values in the group, and replace those pixels with the averaged color. The result of which is an image that appears as though the resolution has been lowered and the pixels stretched to keep the same image size. PIX does NOT alter the image resolution. An image of 100x100 being pixelized with the values of 5 (for <xres>) and 5 (for <yres>) will generate an image that appears to have a resolution of 20x20, however, the resolution is actually 100x100. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <inbuf> contains the result. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 60 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: PLASMA PURPOSE: Creates a "plasma" type fractal image. SYNTAX: PLASMA <xres> <yres> <grain> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: PLASMA will create a "plasma" fractal image of <xres> by <yres> using <grain> and place the result into [outbuf]. Plasma fractals look like clouds. The larger <grain> is, the denser the clouds. A typical value for plasma is 3. NOTES: Valid range for <grain> is 0.001 - 100.0. If [outbuf] is not given, then PLASMA will create the first available buffer. PLASMA is the only command that does not display percentages as it executes. The "Loaded as file name" is set to PLASMA.TGA SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 61 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: PMOD PURPOSE: Sets the prompt modifier. SYNTAX: PMOD [modifier] DESCRIPTION: The prompt modifier is displayed to the left of the prompt so that the user can tell when CImage is running. PMOD will allow the user to change the prompt modifier. NOTES: If [modifier] is not given, then PMOD will display the current prompt modifier. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: None. Page 62 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: REM PURPOSE: During the execution of an CImage batch file, REM displays the remarks that are on the same line as the REM command in that batch file. SYNTAX: REM [comment] DESCRIPTION: The [comment] is not executed, rather it is used for making notes inside batch files to it readers from it's author. It can also be used to display information to the screen as a batch file executes. NOTES: If the ECHO is off, then the REM command line is not displayed. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: BATCH ASK IF GOTO : PAUSE ECHO Page 63 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: SAVE PURPOSE: Save an image buffer. SYNTAX: SAVE <buff> [filename] DESCRIPTION: SAVE will save <buff> to [filename]. NOTES: If [filename] is not given, then SAVE will get the name from the last saved name for that buffer (see the LC command for more information on looking for the last saved name). If there is no last saved name, then SAVE will save the buffer under the name that it was originally loaded (or created). Files are overwritten without verification. The file's extension is used to decide the file's type. Once the file type is obtained from the extension, SAVE will create the file, and save it accordingly. Current supported file types are: IMG - VIVID/BOB format GIF - GIF87a TGA - Only type 2, uncompressed BMP - All versions (Windows) IPI - CImage's internal format (See HELP IPI for details on format) Also note that all files written out by CImage are 24- bit, non-compressed images (except .GIF files, which are 8-bit compressed images), and Targa files (.TGA) are written in Top-down format only. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: LOAD MERGE LB Page 64 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: SET PURPOSE: Set an CImage internal environment variable. SYNTAX: SET [var] [value] DESCRIPTION: SET will define the CImage internal environment variable [var] to be [value]. Environment variables are similar to macros except that macros must be separated from other words on the command line by a space, and environment variables don't, however, environment variables require a '%' sign on either side of them for them to be resolved properly. Environment variables are usually used as settings (like the path to your images) to be inserted into command line. You can define almost any string to a variable. These environment variable are accessed as %<var>%. If you define "PTH" to be "C:\IMAGES\". Then, every time you type "%PTH%" on the command line, CImage will interpret it as: "C:\IMAGES\" Say you type the line: "LOAD %PTH%PICTURE.GIF". This line will get interpreted as "LOAD C:\IMAGES\PICTURE.GIF". Like macros, environment variables may also reference each other. NOTES: Macros may reference environment variables, but environment variables may not reference macros. If [value] is not given, then the [var] will be removed from the environment variable table. If [var] and [value] are not given, then SET will list all currently defined environment variables. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: MACRO Page 65 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: SHOW PURPOSE: Display an image buffer. SYNTAX: SHOW [buf] DESCRIPTION: SHOW will display, in graphics mode, the image in [buf]. If color reduction is needed, then SHOW will perform the color reduction before displaying the image. SHOW will use the information in VMODE to pick what type of display mode to enter to show [buf]. See the VMODE command for more information on the different graphics configurations available from CImage. Once the image is displayed, SHOW will beep, and any key will return the user to the text mode command prompt. NOTES: If [buf] is not given, then SHOW will show the first available buffer (if one exists). The modes 11-13, 15 and 17 may take a few seconds once they enter graphics mode to begin displaying the image to finalize color co ordination. This is not true for modes with 32K colors or more. VESA is the preferred graphics configuration to run. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: VESAINFO BIOSINFO VMODE VCOLORS CRES Page 66 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: SUBTRACT PURPOSE: Subtract the contents of two image buffers. SYNTAX: SUBTRACT <buf1> <buf2> [outbuf] DESCRIPTION: SUBTRACT will subtract, pixel by pixel, each of the red, blue and green components of <buf1> and <buf2> and place the result into [outbuf]. NOTES: If [outbuf] is not given, then <buf1> contains the result. Upon subtracting the components, if the two components subtracted are less than 0, then the component value is clipped to 0. SHORTCUT: SUB SEE ALSO: ADD MULTIPLY DIVIDE Page 67 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: TERRAIN PURPOSE: Generate a BOB (ray tracer) compatible terrain map. SYNTAX: TERRAIN <buff> <range> <filename> <low> [color] DESCRIPTION: TERRAIN will generate a .B file for the ray tracer BOB that contains a terrain map of triangles for the current image using the intensity of each pixel for the height of the triangle points. TERRAIN scans <buff>, and at each pixel it scales [color] to <range>, then compares the value to <low>, which is the "water level", and if the value is less than <low>, the value gets clipped to <low>. The triangle is then written to <filename>. This command was meant to work primarily with the PLASMA images for terrain generation, however, it can be used with any image. NOTES: <range> must be greater than 0. Valid range for <low> is 0 (flat) to 255 (full height). Valid values for [color] are R, G, B or M. These specify to use the Red element, Blue element, Green element or the pixel converted to Monochrome for the pixel value (triangle height). If [color] is not given, then TERRAIN will use Monochrome conversion. Images of 640x480 can create VERY LARGE output files. SHORTCUT: TERR SEE ALSO: None. Page 68 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: VCOLORS PURPOSE: Set the number of colors that the video card can display. SYNTAX: VCOLORS [val] DESCRIPTION: VCOLORS tells CImage how many colors the video card can display simultaneously. CImage needs to know how many colors the video card can display so that it may properly reduce the internal 24-bit images to [val] colors for displaying. This value is set by the VESAINFO, VMODE, and BIOSINFO functions. NOTES: If [val] is not given, then VCOLORS will display the current setting. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. SHORTCUT: None. SEE ALSO: VESAINFO BIOSINFO VMODE CRES SHOW Page 69 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: VESAINFO PURPOSE: Set or display the VESA graphics configuration. SYNTAX: VESAINFO [mode] DESCRIPTION: VESAINFO will set the current VESA configuration to be used for displaying image buffers using the SHOW command. Users must also perform a "VMODE VESA" to enable the VESA mode for displaying image buffers. See the VMODE command for more information on setting the mode. VESA is a great standard for super-VGA displays. CImage's developers support VESA and hopes that you will use this configuration above BIOS or any of the built-in modes. NOTES: The VESA drivers are not included with CImage. These drivers can be obtained from you video card manufacturer if they were not included with your card upon purchase. If [mode] is not given, then VESAINFO will display the following information (this is from my system, VESA version 1.2 running a Diamond Speed Star 24X): Available modes are marked with an asterisk (*): 6Ah - 800 x 600 16 colors * 100h - 640 x 400 256 colors * 101h - 640 x 480 256 colors * 102h - 800 x 600 16 colors * 103h - 800 x 600 256 colors * 104h - 1024 x 768 16 colors * 105h - 1024 x 768 256 colors * 106h - 1280 x 1024 16 colors 107h - 1280 x 1024 256 colors 108h - TEXT MODE...unusable * 109h - TEXT MODE...unusable * 10Ah - TEXT MODE...unusable * 10Bh - TEXT MODE...unusable 10Ch - TEXT MODE...unusable * 10Dh - 320 x 200 32K colors 10Eh - 320 x 200 64K colors 10Fh - 320 x 200 16M colors * 110h - 640 x 480 32K colors 111h - 640 x 480 64K colors Page 70 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle 112h - 640 x 480 16M colors * 113h - 800 x 600 32K colors 114h - 800 x 600 64K colors 115h - 800 x 600 16M colors 116h - 1024 x 768 32K colors 117h - 1024 x 768 64K colors 118h - 1024 x 768 16M colors 119h - 1280 x 1024 32K colors 11Ah - 1280 x 1024 64K colors 11Bh - 1280 x 1024 16M colors Current Settings: VESA version: 1.2 OEM name: Western Digital Inc V1.2 VESA video mode: 113h (275) Resolution: 800x600 Displayable colors: 32768 (15 Bits per pixel) Mode attributes: [Supported] [No BIOS Output] [Color] [Graphics] Window A attributes: [Supported] [Readable] [Writable] Window B attributes: [Not Supported] Granularity/Win size: 4K/64K Window segments A/B: A000h/A800h Window pos. function: 0623:05EEh Bytes per scanline: 1600 Character size: 0x0 # of memory planes: 1 Number of banks: 1 Memory model type: YUV Bank size: 0K Image pages: 1 Red size/field pos: 5/10 Green size/field pos: 5/5 Blue size/field pos: 5/0 Direct color mode: [Color ramp fixed] [Bits are usable] VESA is the preferred graphics configuration to run. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. SHORTCUT: VESA SEE ALSO: BIOSINFO VMODE VCOLORS CRES SHOW Page 71 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle COMMAND: VMODE PURPOSE: Sets the video mode to be used for displaying image buffers. SYNTAX: VMODE [mode] DESCRIPTION: VMODE tells CImage what mode to use for displaying image buffers. Currently, the following modes are supported: 320 x 200, 256 color 640 x 400, 256 color 640 x 480, 256 color 800 x 600, 256 color 1024 x 768, 256 color BIOS mode VESA mode If BIOS is selected, then CImage uses the current BIOS information for it's display mode. See the BIOSINFO command for more information on BIOS graphics configuration. If VESA is selected, then CImage uses the current VESA information for it's display mode. See the VESAINFO command for more information on VESA graphics configuration. NOTES: If [mode] is not given, then VMODE will display the current mode's information, and the available modes. Valid values for [val] are: 11.......320 x 200, 256 color 12.......640 x 400, 256 color 13.......640 x 480, 256 color 15.......800 x 600, 256 color 17......1024 x 768, 256 color BIOS....BIOS mode VESA....VESA mode VESA is the preferred graphics configuration to run. CImage does not support modes with less than 256 colors. SHORTCUT: None. Page 72 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle SEE ALSO: VESAINFO BIOSINFO VCOLORS CRES SHOW Page 73 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS o Add ERRORLEVEL to internal CImage commands where needed. o FOR command o Image Functions: Morphing (that's REAL MORPHING, not a fake) Resize (interpolate) Image combination (average of x number of images) Rotate (on 90 degree boundaries) o More Image Filters! Sobel (strength & orientation) Robert's edge (accurate & fast) o Add other file formats: Targa (versions of the Targa file that are not currently supported) TIFF Other versions of GIF Page 74 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle CONTACTING CUSTOMER SUPPORT I'm available in the evenings, I have the standard 9-5 job (eastern time). If you need to reach me during the day, you can do so by calling and leaving a message. I call in to my voice mail about three times per day, however, on hectic days, it's not so easy, and I may not get any messages at all. Tech Support is available for all registered users for one full year following the purchase. For non-registered users (and registered users over one year), tech support is not officially available. But if I'm not swamped, I'll try to get back to you. Registered users over one year have priority over non-registered users. So, please state your status. It can be verified on computer. To contact me, just call (313) 941-9223. You may also mail your support questions to: Paul D. Nettle 9668 Washington St. Romulus, MI 48174 My phone number and address are for support, comments, suggestions, questions, registration information, and of course, orders. Page 75 The Complete Image -- Copyright 1993, Paul D. Nettle ORDERING INFORMATION To order a copy of The Complete Image, just print out the REGISTR.FRM, fill it in, and send it with you check or money order for $35.00. What you will get when you register: o The registered version of CImage on disk (your choice of disk format -- 1.2M or 1.4M). o A printed manual. o The next update of CImage -- free of charge (Including printed documentation). o Peace of mind. Differences between non-registered and registered users: o Registered versions don't display the registration notice upon startup of CImage. o Registered versions are marked with an "r" after the version number in the title rather than a "u". o Registered users are allowed free technical support priority via phone or by mail. Non-registered users are given no official technical support. (see Contacting Customer Support). Page 76