A note to MS Windows users: if you use the "Word Wrap" facility within the
"Notepad" application, you will be able to read this text file more easily.
If you are reading this file using an MS-DOS editor, you'll have to use
the left/right cursor keys and/or the scroll bar if you're using a mouse.
1) Existing users (V1.1)
************************
Existing users need only replace/overwrite the existing OPA file with the current version. No other files need be installed. You might also wish to read through either of the main documentation files with respect to the recent modifications that have been made since (V1.1).
Registered users need NOT re-enter their codes. (V1.2) currently supports all registration codes that have to-date been issued.
2) User-defined sequences
**************************
Many people have asked me if the program is capable of supporting your own sequences. The answer, sadly, is no. This is due in part to the complexity involved in enabling grey/black plane detection & the coordinate vectoring required for any one sequence. Another problem lies in condensing all the individual images required to make up a sequence into one file (ANI) which the playback procedure will then be able to recognize.
As an alternative, custom sequences can be produced upon request for those willing to supply their own images, although THIS SERVICE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO USERS WHO HAVE REGISTERED THEIR COPY OF THE PROGRAM
Any images supplied must be, within any one intended sequence:
a) all of the same plane (all black or all black/grey).
b) a maximum of 142 pixels high by 280 pixels wide.
c) all of the same size (or within 10 pixels of one another).
d) sequential in movement, to ensure a smooth animation effect.
Acceptable formats: PIC, BMP, PCX, GIF, RLE
Acceptable media: IBM PC compatible 3.5" diskette
If you wish to send any images which are of a format other than one of those shown above, then please contact me (refer to the main documentation file/s for details) to discuss suitability.
3) Sourcing suitable images
****************************
The best sequences are those which exhibit the most subtle changes between frames, to produce really smooth animation results.
As memory is a valuable commodity on the Psion, a compromise has to be made somewhere, so any one sequence (depending on it's use of grey-scale) should be limited to a sensible number of frames (15 is the maximum allowable).
Images can be sequential clip-art or line drawings, cartoon or film strip extracts, stored as a single or series of scanned files on your desktop / notebook PC, which can then be copied onto a suitable diskette.
One good source of such images, is to use 35mm negative strips. If you have a camera with a motorwind facility, you then have the ability to capture or photograph several images in rapid succession. When your film is processed, the resultant negative strips produced, supplied as a matter of course with the photographs, can be placed over a backlit surface and scanned directly into a PC. During the compilation of a U.D. ANI file, any images which are supplied in negative, will be reversed back into their correct sense.
One other source is to scan directly from cartoon or film strips. These can be taken from extracts/cuts of a processed movie reel such as 'Standard 8'/ 'Super 8' film reel. Again a backlit surface is advisable, as a platform on which to place the strip(s) prior to using the scanner.
4) General
**********
Producing each ANI file is a time consuming affair. Additions to the current range (SEQ001-4) are therefore apt to take time as far as availability goes. Note: all new sequences distributed with future versions of Animator will as before, only be accessible to registered users.
Sequences 5,6 & 7 are currently in production and are due for release within the near future, barring interruptions !!
5) Summary
**********
This document forms part of the distributed archive ANIMAT12.ZIP and isn't intended as the sole point of reference. Please read through either of the main documentation files that accompany it, for more extensive information.
