Atari Mega Archive 1/Atari Mega Archive - Volume 1.iso/graphics/tv_title.lzh/TV_TITLE.TXT

Text File | 1991-04-09 | 10KB | 226 lines

         ///////////////  TV TITLE.PRG  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

This software is intended for owners of Atari 16 bit computers who
use NTSC converters to send images to VCRs or regular TVs.

In the past 2 1/2 years I've owned a 520 FM, a mega 2 with a video
key and finally a mega 4 with a JRI Genlock which I now use to
produce "Cheap Videos" commercially.  The Atari compatible software
that I use to produce my images are CAD 3D, Cyber Paint, Cyber
Control, Degas and now, STOS basic.  After using the regular line
of software I eventually reached the conclusion that none of these
commercially available programs could produce titling effects such
as those seen regularly on TV.  The only one that comes close is
Cyber Paint, but it eats up so much memory, and takes so much time
to compute vertical scrolling effects that it's practically useless
in this respect.  I came to the conclusion that, although there was
beautiful software to generate animations, there was no titling
utility as such.  (Antic has a disk called "video titling" but it
isn't what it's title sounds like).

I then decided to write my own titling utility, and, although it
started out as a modest project, you'll find that it includes most
of what is required to produce great titles on your videos.  I
personally use it regularly for my clients.

My TV_TITLE.PRG program does not produce the titling images
themselves but is used to concatenate a series of .P?1 images in
a various number of ways... Although this may seem a drawback,
there are so many ways to produce very appealing Degas images
that I  decided to concentrate on maneuvering these on the
screen.

The best images for titling can be obtained through a desktop
publisher or by using GDOS fonts. To create the P?1 images,
start with whatever program you want to use to create the titles
and produce a P?1 image from it.  Programs like Degas and Cyber
Paint can create their own P?1 images but what about the others?
Practically, all programs that can produce text can be made to
produce P?1 images indirectly.  If for example you want to use a
desktop publisher, you can loat an "Alternate Help" utility that
will capture your screen, any screen, in PI? format.  Such
Alternate Help utilities are available as shareware.  Once you
have the PI? image it can be converted to a PI1 image using the
shareware "PICSWITCH".  Once a PI1 image is produced, it can be
loaded in Degas or Cyber Paint to add a black outlines to the
characters.  The "draw line" feature can then be used in block
mode if a 3D effect is desired.

Note that Cyber Paint is great because it can use the beautiful
GDOS fonts without having GDOS loaded!  It's "edge in" feature is
also at least 10 times faster than Degas to produce a black
outline to the text.  Unfortunately, Cyber Paint cannot draw
lines in block mode like Degas can...  You win some, you loose
some.

LOADING THE PROGRAM

Before you start using the TV_TITLES program, be aware that STOS
BASIC  programs cannot always return to the desktop if
accessories are loaded. In any case, you'll need a lot of memory
to use the program and especially so if you own a 520 FM.  You
will not be able to use all 12 titling screens with a 520FM...
The unusable screens will be greyed out.

The program starts with the opening screen and then presents a
mouse  driven menu to control all the effects. Two .P?1 files are
provided  with this functionnal demo version of the program.
The file "ALLCOLRS" will already be in memory as screen 1 and
the other file, should be on the unarc'ed disk under the name of
DEMO.PC1.  This demo version is a fully compiled version of the
program with a couple of repeating messages inviting you to
contribute to this shareware.  The registered version comes
without the messages and includes :

- a SAVE SETTINGS option           - Documented keyboard control
- a LOAD SETTINGS option           - Venetian effect
- no shareware messages            - Wipe effect

THE CONTROLS

1-  To quit the program & return to the desktop type "CONTROL C"


2-  LOADING PROGRAMS

To produce titling effects, you will need to load the .P?1 files
you want to display on your TV. There are 12 slots available for
these files and slot 1 is already occupied by a file called
"ALLCOLRS". Lets load the file "DEMO.PC1" from the disk.

 a) Click on an empty screen name any from 2 to 12 and the field
    will be highlited.

 b) Click on "LOAD" and you will be presented with a file selector
    box.  There are two main differences between this file selector
    and a GEM file selector:  You should click on "PREVIOUS" to
    exit a folder and you should click on "UP" or "DOWN" to view
    files that are not displayed in the window. Click on the file
    "DEMO.PC1" and click on "RETURN" or double click on
    "TITLE.PC1" to load the file.  The file will be loaded and
    you will be returned to the control screen where the file
    name will be displayed and the corresponding "On/Off" control
    will be set to "On".  Note that all empty screen names are
    "Black" screens (if  colour register 0= $000).


3-  THE COLOUR CONTROL

Since the program works with a number of screens, that could use
different colour palettes, you can choose which palette will be
used to produce your titling effects.  Under the heading "Colour"
there is a box containing a palette number.  This number DOES NOT
correspond to the screen name numbers.  These palettes can be
initialized by any of the following methods:

  a) Note that palette "0" always adopts the colours of the
     screen loaded last.  It is therefore unwise to use this
     palette.

  b) The colour palette from any loaded screen can be transferred
     to any palette.

  c) The colour registers of any palette can be set manually.

  d) If you own a registered version of the program, saved
     settings can be loaded in any palette.


The "ALLCOLRS" screen comes with a lot of colours to experiment
with. To load the ALLCOLRS palette in one of the program's
palettes proceed as  follows:

  a)  Choose a palette number, say 2, by clicking on the + __ -
      in the palette box.

  b) Click on the word "Reg." in the colour setting box.  You
     will be invited to choose a screen name so make shure that
     "ALLCOLRS" is highlited.  Click on "OK" and on "OK" again
     following the warning prompt.  You will then be asked if you
     want to keep the "Flash" info... click on "OK".

At this point the ALLCOLRS palette should be loaded in palette 2
and you can examine the colours by clicking on the + __ - to
select the various colour registers.  Notice that each colour is
displayed in turn by the colour of the colour settings box.

All colour registers are programmable.  You can choose to Flash a
sequence of colours for each of the 16 colour registers.  This is
controlled by the "Flash" section of the colour menu.

The Flash number corresponds to a subregister of the selected
colour register.  For example, Register 2 can have up to 16 Flash
settings, Register 3 up to 16 Flash settings, etc.

Select Reg 1 which should be at setting "700" (Red). The Flash
number should be "0". Click on the Time setting to select "0 sec
and 5/60". Then augment the Flash setting to "1". you will find
that subcolour 1 of Reg. 1 is now "000" (Black). Set the time
setting to "0 sec and 10/60" and click on the word "Flash". The
word Flash will highlight and you will see the result of the
programmed colour combination.  Notice that the "Black" setting
lasts 10/60 sec. while the "Red" setting lasts 5/60 sec. Although
we've only set two subregisters, you can experiment with up to 16
per Register!!!

All colour of the selected palette can be set in this fashion and
you can have up to 10 different palettes!  Flash can be turned on
or off by clicking on the word "Flash".  A setting of "0 sec 0/60"
will disable that subcolou