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MANUAL.LZH
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MAN_28
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1990-06-22
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Mode Descriptions
Overview
The basic modes are selected from
the block of 18 options located in the
top left of the Main Menu. Attributes
concerning these modes are mostly found
on appropriate Specboxes and also on
some of the 'static' options on the
Main Menu. Following shortly will be
detailed descriptions of how to use
each of the modes and all the options
which affect their output.
Before that, however, it is
necessary to explain the general
aspects and procedures for using the
modes...
...naturally, you use the modes on the
work screens. On the whole, the left
mouse button is used to plot something,
whether it be a drawing primitive eg.
Mark or Sprite etc., or setting an
'elastic band'. The right button is
normally used to cancel an option such
as the last 'elastic band' point to be
set.
Some of the modes will obviously be
easier to explain than others. In any
case it will be more self-explanitory
to try each of them out with the
various combinations of attributes to
see exactly what is possible. During
the explanations you will see the
letters 'L' and 'R' enclosed in
brackets (like so: (L) or (R). These
refer to which mouse button (Left or
Right) you must use to carry out a
function just, or about to be,
described in the text.
Elastic Bands
Elastic bands are simple skeletons
of where, say, a line is to be drawn.
In the case of a line, you must firstly
set a start point (left button). Then,
by moving the mouse about, you will see
the most simple kind of elastic band.
Basically, they are markers to show you
where the final pixels will be plotted.
Don't worry about them messing up your
picture - they wont, they-re just there
for a guide. You will find lots of
different elastic band shapes on Canvas
by using the various modes.
Arc Mode
An Arc is part of an elliptic
shape. Therefore the first input to be
made is where the centre of the ellipse
should be (L). An elastic ellipse will
then appear. Now you must select the
shape of the ellipse you want (L). You
will then see a line from the centre of
the ellipse to the perimeter. This line
marks the beginning (furthest
anit-clockwise) point of the Arc you
want. Move the cursor around the centre
then select the desired point (L). The
same procedure is then needed to select
the other end of the Arc (L). The Arc
is then drawn. Right button Cancels the
option at any time during the
procedure.
The attributes which affect the
output of Arc are: Colour (MM), Rainbow
(MM), All Line Attributes (LS), Write
Mode (OS), and Regular (MM).
Block Mode
Block Mode is by far the most
complex mode since there are so many
ways of using it! With the exceptions
of Outline, Replace, Swap, Cut, Copy
and Pattern, all Block Modes must first
have an image (rectangular portion of a
work screen) placed in a copy buffer.
Blocks can be of any size up to a whole
screen. To place something into the
buffer you must use the Cut or Copy
modes (the first 2 Block Modes). Then
you may place the image back on a work
screen using some of the other Block
Modes. The following list explains the
modes:
Cut: Select 2 opposite corners of a
rectangular portion of the screen
(L,L). A Bell should sound - this
indicates that the image has been
stored in the copy buffer. The image on
the work screen will then be erased to
the background colour.
Copy: Similar to Cut, except that the
image on the work screen is not
erased.
Paste: On entering the work screen you
will be able to see the current image
in the copy buffer. Move it to the
position on the screen which you want
it to be plotted at and press the left
button. You must release the button
before continuing.
Brush: Same as Paste except that you
needn't release the button. This allows
for a line of images to be drawn
quickly on the screen. Try it!
Outline: By selecting a rectangular
area (same way as Cut) (L,L), the whole
of the area will have a direct outline
performed on it. Note that the image
previously in the copy buffer will not
be affected in any way. The thickness
of the outline produced will depend
upon the Outline option on the Brush
Specbox (when you click on the Outline
Block Mode, the Brush Specbox
automatically comes up). The colour to
be outlined is the colour on the Rep
Colour (on Brush Specbox), and the
outline produced is of the colour on
the main Colour Bar (MM). Note that
pixels will only be plotted where the
background colour occurs.
Replace: Select the area in the same
way as Outline. Clicking on the Replace
Block Mode will automatically bring up
the Brush Specbox from where you must
choose which colour you want to replace
with the colour on the main Colour
Bar.
H-Wrink: Drag the image to a chosen
place (like in paste mode), then press
the left button. You will then be able
to select the width and height of the
wrinkle (L) using the laggy bands. This
mode produces a course (jagged) wrinkle
effect.
V-Wrink: Similar to H-Wrink.
H-Flip: Select the position of the
image (L). The image will then be
flipped.
V-Flip: Similar to H-Flip
H-Sheer: This option allows you to skew
the image horizontally. Select the
position as normal (L), then move the
cursor so that the laggy band is the
shape that you wish the image to be and
press the left button.
V-Sheer: Same as H-Sheer but vertical.
Resize: Select position as normal (L),
then move the laggy bands to the new
size you want and press the left
button. To give you a guide, the size
of the image as it is in the copy
buffer is also shown.
PResize: Similar to Resize, but keeps
the width and height ratios the same on
the new image as on the old one.
Pattern: Select an area in the same way
as Cut (L,L). An arrangement of the
image in the copy buffer will then be
drawn. If the area you selected was
twice as wide and twice as high as the
image in the buffer, then 4 images will
be plotted... and so on. Try it to see
what I mean!
Spin: Select the position as normal
(L). Spin the laggy bands too the
desired angle (any angle can be used)
and press the left button. Spin will be
slower and less accurate on larger
images, so it is best, where possible,
to stick to using this mode only on
small images.
Digit: The image will be scanned in
blocks of the size determined on the
Grid Specbox. The most common colour of
pixel in each block will be used to
draw a rectangle covering all of the
pixels in that block. In artistic
terms, this mode produces a Block Image
output.
Swap: Similar to Replace, except that
as well as all pixels of the main
colour are swapped with the secondary
colour (Brush Specbox) they are also
swapped the other way around.
The Block Modes above which produce an
output on the work screen are affected
by the Write Mode (OS) attribute only.
Box Mode
Select a rectangular area of the
screen by using the left buttons and
guiding the laggy bands. Opposite
corners must be selected. The output is
affected by Colour (MM), Rainbow (MM),
Shadow (SHS), Mirror (OS) and Write
Mode (OS). When Solid is OFF the Line
options (LS) also affect it. When Solid
is ON, the Fill Pattern (MM) and
Rounded (MM) options affect it.
Brush Mode
Choose which type of Brush you wish
to use and it's Size from the Brush
Specbox. Pressing the left button
allows you to perform whatever function
you selected on the square area around
your cursor.
Fill Pat is affected by the Fill Pat
(MM) Options and Write Mode (OS).
Replace is affected by the Rep Colour
(BRS).
Outline is affected by the Rep Colour
and Outline thickness (BRS).
Smear simply swaps at random the
positions of all the pixels under the
brush.
Swap is affected by Rep Colour (BRS)
All of the Brush modes above are also
affected by Mirror (OS), Shadow (OS),
Rainbow (not Smear) (MM) and main
Colour (not Smear) (MM).
Draw Mode
This mode is the most basic mode.
Simply hold down the