Amiga Magazin: Amiga-CD 1996 July

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Text File | 1994-09-22 | 21KB | 408 lines

User Document for EyeCandy03 for the Commodore AMIGA "family" of computers. 94-09-20 I. Introduction to EyeCandy --------------------------- EyeCandy is a program that generates various designs to please the eye. This program started life as "SpiroDraw", which simulates the spiral drawing toy called SpiroGraph (tm?). There are additional designs that may now be created (thus the new name for the program): "YarnBall" "CircleStar" "RotoBoxes" "RotoAngle" "PolyGen" As time goes on, I hope to add more designs into the program. This program is the third release for "EyeCandy". EyeCandy03 has been compiled with ACE (c)David Benn on a Commodore Amiga A2000HD computer running OS 2.1, and also tested on an A1000 (1.3). New enhancements to the "03" version from the "02" version are: o Corrected a bug in the SpiroDraw "Set Data..." parameters window which prevented the user from selected different ways the "drawing wheel" is placed inside, outside or both on the "guide ring". o Accommodates Amiga system font sizes up to 15 o Sets window font size explicitly to 8 in case the user has some other default window font size. This is a temporary setting only during use of EyeCandy. o Changed the 'Set Resolution' MENU function. This previously invoked a mini-window in which the user selected one of the three available SCREEN resolutions in EyeCandy. All three SCREEN resolutions are now directly selectable in the MENUs. If you get any enjoyment or productive use from this program, drop me a line. I'd like to receive any comments and suggestions you may have and of course, if you REALLY like it, and you find yourself using this program to entertain yourself or friends or family with it, stick a little $ (how about $5.00 US) in the envelope - please!). Thanks go to Bill from Arizona who was the first send some $ my way. If you have tried this program and do not feel it is worth the "asking" fee, _please_, by all means, drop me a line to share your thoughts... I promise I will NOT be offended or get hurt feelings, etc. ! Charles E. Kenney, II 4 Burbank Circle Framingham, MA 01701 USA phone: (508) 877-5959 If you send me a disk and a stamped self-addressed disk mailer, I will also send you the latest version of "EyeCandy" and any other programs I may have since written. This program may be freely distributed as long as this document accompanies the program AND no more than a _small_ non-profit fee is charged for copying and or distribution. EyeCandy03 and its accompanying document (this file) may be reproduced on a CD collection (or similar medium). I only ask that I be notified of the particulars, and if possible, that a copy of the CD (or whatever) be forwarded to me if possible. Thanks. -ck. P.S. Thanks again to David Benn for his wonderful compiler, "ACE". II. Program Set-up and Menu Descriptions ---------------------------------------- "EyeCandy" starts with default settings for each design type, except for the SpiroDraw "mode", which has 8 sets of settings in a "cyclable" memory buffer (See "Last" gadget below). This was done so the user can see immediately what "EyeCandy" can do without having to set any initial parameters. Following are descriptions of the various menus and resultant actions: The "Project" menu contains the "standard" Load and Save functions. The only design parameters that are complicated enough to warrant saving (in my opinion) are for the SpiroDraw designs, so I have implemented "Load" and "Save" only for SpiroDraw data. Load - The user may load data for a previously saved design. Data files for SpiroDraw designs always have a ".spd" extension. If the user does not include a ".spd" file extension, "EyeCandy" will add it automatically. The current SpiroDraw data is "backed-up" in a memory buffer before the data is loaded (See "Last" gadget above). "LIBS:arp.library" must be installed on WB 1.3 systems in order for the "Load" MENU item to function. Save - The user may save data for a SpiroDraw design if desired. If the user does not include a ".spd" file extension, "EyeCandy" will add it automatically. "LIBS:arp.library" must be installed on WB 1.3 systems in order for the "Save" MENU item to function. Draw - Draws the selected design for the data and other parameters currently in effect for the currently selected design. The user may interrupt a design which is in the process of being drawn with the famous 'CTRL-C' keys or by clicking the Left Mouse Button. About - A little message about "EyeCandy" and its author... ...and a mild little ShareWare nag! Quit - Well... This is how to exit "EyeCandy"! The "Design" menu contains all the functions the user needs to set the design parameters: Set Data... - Invokes a window which allows the user to specify the different parameters for the currently selected design type. The user may also invoke a function which randomizes parameters for the current design. SpiroDraw - Places "EyeCandy" into "SpiroDraw mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for SpiroDraw: A window opens which allows the user to specify three "size" parameters for the SpiroDraw design: Guide Ring, Drawing Wheel and Pen-Hole (see also "A few words about "SpiroDraw" below for a more detailed description of these). Clicking on the "In/Out" gadget cycles the placement of the Drawing Wheel to inside-only, outside-only or both inside-and-outside on the Guide Ring. Clicking on the "Last" gadget "recalls" the last data from the "parameters buffer". This buffer is capable of holding 8 sets of SpiroDraw design data - (Guide Ring, Drawing Wheel and Pen-Hole parameters). When the user clicks on this gadget, the previous data in use before the current data is placed into the current data and the other 7 sets of data are "bubbled-up", with the current data being "sent down" to the 8th set of data. Note that any time the user modifies the current data by loading new data from disk, by exiting the "Set Data..." window after making changes, or by selecting the "Random" gadget, (see below), the current data is "backed-up" to the "1st" buffer, the "1st" to the "2nd", the "2nd" to the "3rd", etc. The "8th" set of data simply gets "pushed off the cliff" and is lost forever. Clicking on the "Random" gadget randomizes the design sizes for the Guide Ring, Drawing Wheel and Pen-hole. The current data is "backed-up" before the data is randomized (See "Last" gadget description above). Clicking on the "Done" gadget exits this function and the user is asked whether or not to draw the new design using the new design parameters. Detail... (SpiroDraw only, "ghosted" for other design selections) - Invokes a window which allows the user to specify how detailed the SpiroDraw design will be. Clicking on the "Next" gadget cycles through all possible choices (each selection in the order below causes the design to take progressively longer to be drawn): DOTTY - plots dots at visible intervals rather than drawing a continuous line while the design is being drawn (dots may be connected with a line between each dot - see the description for the "Connect Dots" menu item below). SKETCHY - plots dots at smaller intervals than "DOTTY" COARSE - plots dots at _really_ small intervals. FINE - plots dots so close together that they are a continuous line when "SpiroDraw" draws. Connect Dots (SpiroDraw only, "ghosted" for other design selections) - The user may "check-mark" this menu item to connect the dots plotted with lines to give the design a continuous- line appearance. This menu item is automatically disabled if the user selects "FINE" in the "Detail..." menu (see above) since the design will already have a continuous appearance. YarnBall - Places "EyeCandy" into "YarnBall mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for YarnBall: A window opens which allows the user to specify the two design parameters required for drawing the "YarnBall" design: Size and number of spokes. This design is easier seen than explained so I will leave it to the user to experiment. CircleStar - Places "EyeCandy" into "CircleStar mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for CircleStar: A window opens which allows the user to specify three design parameters required for drawing the "CircleStar" design: Size, number of spokes and number of "radial" divisions. Again, this design is easier seen than explained so I will leave it to the user to experiment. RotoBoxes - Places "EyeCandy" into "RotoBoxes mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for RotoBoxes: A window opens which allows the user to specify the design parameters for drawing the "RotoBox" design: Size, number of sides on polygons and a growth factor. The user may also choose different "pieces" of the RotoBoxes to draw (there are sixteen to choose from). Again, this design is easier seen than explained. RotoAngle - Places "EyeCandy" into "RotoAngle mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for RotoAngle: A window opens which allows the user to specify three design parameters required for drawing the "RotoAngle" design: Size, angle to draw the "next" segment at, and a "line" growth factor. Again, this design is easier seen than explained. PolyGen - Places "EyeCandy" into "PolyGen mode" and then invokes the "Set Data" function for PolyGen: A window opens which allows the user to specify three design parameters required for drawing the "PolyGen" design: Number of sides on the polygons, angle to draw "next" polygon (from last polygon) and growth factor for the polygons. There is also a "Spokes" gadget which enables to user to vary the "PolyGen" design in six different ways. Yes, this design is also easier seen than explained! The "Preferences" menu contains the following functions: Ask Save (SpiroDraw only) - When data is changed, the user is asked whether or not to save the "old" data if this menu item is "check-marked". "UN-check-marking" this menu item stops "EyeCandy" from asking each time the data is changed. "EyeCandy" _always_ asks the user whether to save the new data (if it has been changed) when the "Quit" menu item is selected, regardless of the "check-mark" status of this menu item. The file, "LIBS:arp.library" must be installed on WB 1.3 systems in order for the "Ask Save" MENU item to be enabled (See also "Load" and "Save" above). Show Activity (SpiroDraw only) - When this item is "check-marked", a running '% completed' is displayed in the upper left corner of the 'drawing window'. This is done to show that "EyeCandy" is "doing something" and to give the user an idea of how long it will take to draw the design. It is difficult to see the design actually being drawn sometimes if the Pen-Hole value is very near zero or if the sizes of the Guide Ring and the Drawing Wheel are nearly equal. There are instances when the "% completed" message would ruin the appearance of the design so to avoid this, the user may "UN-check-mark" this "Show Activity" menu item. Clear Canvas - The user may "check-mark" this menu item to clear the drawing "canvas" before drawing each design. If this menu item is not "check-marked" then many designs can be drawn "on top of" each other. Visual Round - If the user selects "Visual Round", designs will be drawn with a circular appearance on the screen. Screen Round - If the user selects "Screen Round", designs will be drawn with a slightly oval appearance on the screen, but this is a useful selection if the design "window" is "saved" as an IFF file (using one of those nice "screen-capture-to-IFF-file" programs and then imported into a paint package capable of animation. Once this is done, the design can be rotated in a "Paint" program while maintaining its "roundness". This has been used successfully by me with DPaint. Window Round - If the user selects "Window Round", designs will be drawn with an elliptical appearance on the screen, with the height-to-width ratio of the ellipse set to approximate the height-to-width ratio of the current window. Low-res - "EyeCandy" changes to LOW resolution (320 x 200). Med-res - "EyeCandy" changes to MEDIUM resolution (640 x 200). High-res - "EyeCandy" changes to HIGH resolution (640 x 400). III. A few words about "SpiroDraw" -------------------------------------- The Guide Ring was, for the child's toy, the plastic ring with "gearing" on each side that was so hard to hold perfectly in place on the paper while winding the Drawing Wheel around the inside or outside of the Guide Ring. Even pinning the Guide Ring down through the paper onto cardboard was never much help either! "SpiroDraw" holds the Guide Ring in place quite nicely though. "SpiroDraw" always places the Guide Ring in the center of the screen. The Drawing Wheel was, for the child's toy, the plastic "wheel" with "gearing" (to mesh with the Guide Ring) that was so hard to keep engaged to the gearing of the Guide Ring while winding the Drawing Wheel around the inside or outside of the Guide Ring. If you went too slowly you would sometimes get "stuck" due to the "cam" effect of the pen-hole in the Drawing Wheel that you had chosen, especially if you chose a pen-hole way out near the edge of the Drawing Wheel! If you went too fast, the gearing between the Drawing Wheel and the Guide Ring would slip or disengage altogether and you would draw a nice ugly, frantic and ruinous line across your design! This was REALLY frustrating, especially if you were "almost done"... and only 6 years old! "SpiroDraw" will never know gear slips and getting stuck by the "cam" effect! The "Pen-Hole" was, for the child's toy, the little hole in the Drawing Wheel (there were lots of these little holes in each wheel) that you would put your pen into which would determine the "character" of the design - the holes closest to the center of the Drawing Wheel would produce "circular" designs (for "SpiroDraw", small values for the Pen-hole distance from the center of the Drawing Wheel), and the holes closest to the edges of the Drawing Wheel would produce very "spirally" designs (for "SpiroDraw", large values for the Pen-hole distance from the center of the Drawing Wheel). Note that "SpiroDraw" allows a distance for the Pen-hole which is larger than the radius of the Drawing Wheel but only within practical limits depending upon whether the 'current' screen resolution is LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH. You may go ahead and TRY putting a pen into a hole on the Drawing Wheel that is larger than the Drawing Wheel itself using the child's toy! IV. A few words about "YarnBall" and "CircleStar" -------------------------------------------------- Many (and I _do_ mean many) years ago, while doodling in Art class at school I came upon (or was shown by somebody) these two "designs". Remembering the fun I had drawing these by hand, I decided to implement them into this program. Hopefully I won't be the only one now to get some enjoyment from doodling with these two little designs. V. A few words about "RotoBoxes" and "RotoAngle" ------------------------------------------------- These designs were inspired by Dave Haynie's article in AmigaWorld magazine about 'C' programming. I was trying to come up with a few more designs that would be interesting to add for EyeCandy03 and along came this little article. I have expanded upon the designs somewhat to give the user a few more options when setting design data for the two design generators. These two design generators were new for "EyeCandy03". VI. A few words about "PolyGen" -------------------------------- After implementing "RotoBoxes" and "RotoAngle", I decided to implement a "tunnely" design generator. In fact, this one initially started out being named "Tunnels" until I came up with the "Spokes" modifier which made many design variations possible which did not look at all very "tunnely". So I just changed the name of the design generator to "PolyGen". This design generator was new for "EyeCandy03". V. What about futures? ----------------------- I am hoping to add still more design generators over time. Comments, suggestions, ideas for new design generators and features, and yes, criticisms in general are also welcome. Please write! VI. A "useful" way to use this program (depending on your definition of "useful") ----------------------------------------------- Here is a neat little tidbit for using this program with a Paint package (if you would like to play with or animate any of your designs that you generate with this program): For DPaint, anyway, this works nicely... 1. Start up a "screen-saver" program "in the background" which is capable of saving a screen as an IFF file. I have used "PictSaver" by Preben Nielsen successfully. 2. Generate your design after "check-marking" the menu item, "Screen Roundness". This is known to work for DPaint. 3. Once the design has finished being generated, execute whatever key sequence is required by the "screen saver" program you have and save the "screen" onto which the "EyeCandy" design has been drawn, as an IFF file. 4. Call up your Paint package and do whatever. I have had fun "rolling" my designs across the screen or "into the distance" or even using the design as a circular border for other brushes, etc. The first code which produced SpiroDraw designs was initially written on a Commodore-64 in 1984. As of the first writing of this document (for the SpiroDraw01 release), 94-02-17, this program was only 3 days shy of its 10th birthday! "A DECADE IN THE MAKING!"