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ANSI View
2.0
Copyright 1993 Robert D. Bouman
All Rights Reserved
August 30, 1993
License Information :
The ANSI View software package is NOT free. You are expected to
register your copy of ANSI View within 30 days or cease all use
of software.
ANSI View is not to be included with any other software package
unless permission is obtained in writing from the author.
You may freely distribute the shareware version of ANSI View (in
fact I encourage it) as long as all files included in the
official release of ANSI View are included. Shareware
distributors may sell disks containing ANSI View as long as no
fee is charged for the software itself, however, distribution
fees and reimbursement for cost of media may be charged to end
user as long as the fee does not exceed $5.00 (U.S. funds).
Warranty Information:
All measures have been taken to ensure that ANSI View is of the
highest quality. However, the author takes no responsibility for
any loss of equipment and/or loss of data resulting from the use
of ANSI View and utilities.
(See REGISTER.DOC for information on registering ANSI View)
The Shareware Concept and What it Means to You.
Shareware is a method of marketing and distributing software that
requires almost no capital (money) on the part of the author to
distribute his/her software product to potential customers. You
may have downloaded ANSI View from an electronic BBS service or
purchased a disk from a shareware distributor with ANSI View on
it. Simply because you have a copy of ANSI View does not mean
that you own it. In fact, after a reasonable trial period, you
are encouraged to register your version of ANSI View. There are
many benefits in doing so, here are a few;
- By registering ANSI View you will receive a disk from the
author with the registered version of ANSI View on it. The
registered version includes a menu based system to select an
ANSI file for viewing in a "Point 'n Shoot" fashion as well as
the elimination of the annoying message (and delay) when you
exit the program.
- If you register, you will be automatically notified of future
enhancements to ANSI View or related utilities.
- By registering, you help to support an industry that provides
thousands of new software titles to the public each year at
very reasonable prices.
The registration fee for ANSI View is $15.
What is ANSI View?
ANSI View is a DOS command line utility similar to XCOPY or MOVE
that displays ANSI coded images on your computer screen. It does
this with no assistance from the ANSI.SYS device driver. Those
of you that keep ANSI.SYS installed for viewing ANSI graphics can
now free your computer's memory from ANSI.SYS forever!
Since ANSI View displays full color ANSI images and animation
sequences, its possible uses are boundless. One great use for it
that I have found is for viewing ANSI files from the MS-DOS Shell
or MS Windows' File Manager. By simply associating files with
the extension .ANS (see perspective manuals) with AV.EXE, you can
view all your favorite ANSI files easily from within a graphical
environment. Another great use for ANSI View is for setting up
killer menu systems. See information on the /K switch for how
this can be done.
Of course, since ANSI View is not a memory-resident utility it
does not re-map your keyboard for you as ANSI.SYS can. But, when
it comes to displaying color ANSI graphics, ANSI View blows
ANSI.SYS out of the water in both speed and usability.
Requirements
ANSI View requires :
- IBM PC XT/AT compatible computer
- EGA or VGA color computer graphics adapter.
- INSTRUCTIONS -
ANSI View is very simple to use, if you can copy a file from the
DOS command prompt you can use ANSI View.
The command line format of ANSI View is as follows;
AV <file name> [<file name>] [<prompt message>] [<switch>
<switch>]
Specifications surrounded in "[]" are optional.
In order for ANSI View to function, at least one file name must
be provided on the command line. However, you may specify as
many ANSI files as you wish at the command line and ANSI View
will display them in the order they were given. DOS does
unfortunately limit the total length of the command line to 128
characters long however.
All DOS type wild cards can be used with ANSI View. This
includes the characters ? and * wild card characters. For
example;
AV *.ANS *.TXT
will display all files with the extensions .ANS and .TXT in the
current directory.
Also, there are four different command line switches that can be
used with ANSI View to achieve desired results. They are;
/P - Pauses after each image displayed.
/C - Clears the screen before each image is displayed.
/K - See description below.
/? - Displays the help screen for ANSI View.
Examples;
(1) AV *.ANS /P
(2) AV /P *.ANS
(3) AV OPENNING.ANS /P MYMENU.ANS
(4) AV OPENNING.ANS /P /C MYMENU.ANS
In example 1, all files with the .ANS extension will be displayed
with a pause message between each file. The user must press a
key to view the next image.
Example 2 is exactly the same as the first. The difference is
that the /P switch is at the beginning of the command line
sequence instead of at the end. This demonstrates that ANSI View
does not require that the switches be placed in any particular
order, they may be mixed throughout the command line if the user
prefers.
Example 3 shows how more than one file is specified on the
command line. Again, switches may be placed anywhere in the
command line sequence.
Example 4 illustrates how the /C switch is used to clear the
screen before each file is displayed.
- Keys -
Pressing the <SPACE BAR> while the computer is drawing an ANSI
image on the screen will skip to the next file or exit the
program.
New to ANSI View 2.0 are the <P>ause and <ESC> keys. Pressing <P>
will pause the display of the current image, press <P> again to resume
display of image. Pressing <ESC> will exit the program prematurally
and return the user to the DOS command prompt.
Returning Key Strokes to Batch Files
By using the /K switch and a prompt message, it is possible to
return a keystroke value to a calling batch program for use with
the ERRORLEVEL batch command.
First I'll present an example then discuss its workings.
Example:
AV TESTMENU.ANS "Please make selection from menu : " /K
The ingredients necessary for AV to return a keystroke properly
are the /K switch and the prompt message. If a prompt message is
not desired then a "" must be specified in the command line.
When the /K switch is used, the last item in the command line is
used for the prompt message (excluding any switch options that
may follow).
In the above example, the message surrounded in quotes is used
and not the /K. Messages requiring more than one word must be
surrounded in quotes in order for ANSI View to properly interpret
the message.
Prompt messages need not be surrounded in quotes, however, if they
consist of only one word. The example below will produce proper
results also.
Example:
AV TESTMENU.ANS Selection? /K
This example will display the file TESTMENU.ANS and then display
the message "Selection?" at the bottom of the image.
After the user has pressed the desired key the program will
terminate setting the errorlevel to the value of the key that was
pressed.
For a broader example of the process, see TESTMENU.BAT for an
example of a menu system based around ANSI View.
A note of warning must be given, however. If you use the /K
switch from the command line and don't include a prompt, ANSI
View may use the file name as a prompt and not display any file
at all. Sometimes, it may be desirable to display a prompt only
with no ANSI image. Under those circumstances, the user can
simply specify the /K switch and a prompt message and ANSI View
will display the prompt and return the key stroke but will not
display an image.
One last note on the /K switch. It is possible to specify more
than one file name with the /K switch. The prompt message (or
the last item in the command line) will be displayed at the
bottom of the last image displayed.
Adjusting the Line Height
Included with the ANSI View package are seven utilities designed
to adjust the character heighth of EGA/VGA display terminal
types.
The names of the utilities and their function are given below.
Name Function Hardware Required
------ ---------- -------------------
12R.EXE Set screen to 12 chars. high VGA
14R.EXE Set screen to 14 chars. high VGA
21R.EXE Set screen to 21 chars. high VGA
25R.EXE Set screen to 25 chars. high EGA/VGA
28R.EXE Set screen to 28 chars. high VGA
43R.EXE Set screen to 43 chars. high EGA/VGA
50R.EXE Set screen to 50 chars. high VGA
ANSI View has been configured to work within these video modes.
There may be times when the standard 25 line screen is not big
enough to hold the needed menu or other ANSI image so the higher
number of lines per screen can become very useful. Also, the
visually impaired will welcome the larger letters provided by
12R.EXE, 14R.EXE, and 21R.EXE for working within the DOS command
line or ANSI View.
If you have any comments or suggestions, I would be very happy to
hear from you. I can be reached at the following locations:
Robert D. Bouman
94 W Roosevelt Ave.
Zeeland, MI 49464
- or -
The Dutch Ghetto BBS
Phone - (616)772-0347
VNET address - 255@6160
My handle - Playster
Thanks for your interest in ANSI View!
Robert D. Bouman