Amiga Developer CD v1.2/amidev_cd_12.iso/cdtv/cdxltools3-11/readme

Text File | 1992-03-13 | 8KB | 193 lines

                         CDXL(TM) LOADER AND SAVER
                                FOR ASDG'S
                      ART DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL(TM)

THE ART DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL MODULES DESCRIBED IN THIS DOCUMENT (AS WELL
AS  THIS  DOCUMENT ITSELF) ARE PROPRIETARY AND ARE SUBJECT TO PROVISIONS OF
THE  (1) CDTV(TM) DEVELOPER LICENSE AND (2) THE ART DEPARTMENT PROFESSIONAL
END-USER SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT.

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         NOTE: USE OF THESE MODULES REQUIRES ADPRO 2.1.X OR LATER.

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                                The Loader

 THE LOADER REQUIRES "adpro.library" TO BE LOADED IN THE LIBS: DIRECTORY.
                 THIS IS PERFORMED BY THE INSTALL PROGRAM

The ADPRO CDXL loader can load most of the image types that the CDXL format
supports.  Specifically it supports 1-8 bit rendered data, HAM and EHB.  It
also supports 8 bit gray and 24 bit color chunky image data.  It allows you
to  load  (preserve)  audio  and  pad  data  from existing CDXL files which
include such information.

The  CDXL  loader is special in that it stays resident after its first use.
And,  when used from ARexx, it can also keep open the last file used.  This
allows the loader to process animations extremely quickly.

The  CDXL  Loader  main  window  gives you the number of frames in the CDXL
file,  and  the number of bytes per frame of audio and pad data.  It allows
you  to  select which frame to load.

Along  the bottom of the window, "Accept" loads the selected frame.  "Quit"
,  closes  the  file  and quits the loader (meaning that the loader will be
removed  from  memory).  Finally, "Cancel", cancels the load but leaves the
loader resident and the last used CDXL file open.

If the pre-existing CDXL file contains pad and/or audio data, you can choose
to  load  that data or not.  If loaded, this information will be saved with
the frame during the next CDXL save provided that the CDXL file being saved
has  made  provisions for audio and pad data of the same size as the source
CDXL file.

From AREXX, you interface to the CDXL loader in the following way:

    The general format of the CDXL loader ARexx interface
    is as follows:
    LOAD "filename" "framenum" n [CMD] [standard ADPRO C_OPTS]

    where CMD is 0 or more of the following:

        SKIPPAD        do not load pad data

        SKIPAUDIO    do not load audio data

        SKIPVIDEO    do not load video (audio or pad only)

        KEEPOPEN    keep the file open.     SEE NOTE!!!

        CLOSE        close the file, and do nothing else

        QUIT        close the file, and quit (unresident
                the loader), do nothing else

        NOPAD        do not convert rendered data to 8 bit
                or 24 bit raw

    If you do not specify SKIPPAD or SKIPAUDIO, pad and audio will
    be loaded, if present.

NOTE:    WHEN YOUR THROUGH WITH A FILE WHICH YOU EXPLICITLY ASKED TO
    ``KEEPOPEN'',  YOU  MUST REMEMBER TO ISSUE A ``CLOSE'', OR RISK THE
    FILE STILL BEING OPEN WHEN YOU REBOOT WITH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS
    RESULTS

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                                 The SAVER

The  ADPro  CDXL  Saver allows you to create, modify and extend CDXL files.
It  allows  you  to  specify  the  amount  of  space to leave for audio and
padding.   It, in conjunction with the CDXL loader, can even be used to copy
audio and pad data from other CDXL files.

The  saver  may  be  used with 1-8 bit rendered data, HAM and EHB.  It also
supports 8 bit gray and 24 bit color chunky image data.

The  CDXL  saver  is special in that it stays resident after its first use.
When used from ARexx, it can keep open the last file used.  This allows the
saver to process animations extremely quickly.

The CDXL Saver main window shows the number of frames (if any) currently in
the  CDXL  file,  the amount of pad and audio space, and the type of image.
If you are creating a new CDXL file, you are allowed to enter the amount of
pad  and  audio  space,  and  well  as  the  type  of image - either raw or
rendered.

There are two buttons which allow you to select how to handle audio and pad
space  in  the  file.  Each button has 3 settings.  "Skip Audio" leaves the
audio  data  in the file intact, "Zero Audio" clears the audio space, "Keep
Audio"  saves  the  audio  data  that  the  CDXL  loader  may  have  loaded
previously.   The  "Keep  Audio"  selection will not appear unless you have
loaded  Audio  data,  and  it  appropriately sized.  The other button, with
values  of  "Zero Pad", "Skip Pad" and "Keep Pad" serves the same functions
for pad data.

Below  the  audio  and pad buttons in the Interleaved/Non-Interleaved image
button  (this  button is only enabled if you are creating a new CDXL file).
Beneath  this button is the button which allows you to pick rendered or raw
data.

If you choose interleaved, and you choose rendered data, then the planes of
rendered data are interleaved in the file.

If  you choose interleaved, and you choose raw data, then the format of the
data is interleaved lines of of the three colors, red green blue.

If  you  choose  non-interleaved,  and  you  choose rendered data, then the
planes of rendered data are saved one at a time.

If  you choose non-interleaved, and you choose raw data, then the format of
the  data  is  as  triples  of  red,green,blue  bytes  in  a matrix of size
width*height.

The  three  buttons  along  the  bottom  of  the  window, "Accept", "Quit",
"Cancel",  respectively saves the selected frame, closes the file and quits
the  saver,  cancels  the  save  but leaves the saver resident and the file
open.

You  are  allowed  to  enter  a  frame number one larger than the number of
frames in the file, thus extending the file by one frame.


From AREXX, you interface to the CDXL saver in the following way:

    The general format of the CDXL saver ARexx interface
    is as follows:
        SAVE "filename" TYPE framenum n [CMD]

    Where TYPE may be one of
        RAW        save "raw" image data
        IMAGE        save "rendered" image data

    where CMD is 0 or more of the following:

        FRAMENUM nn    -1 means append, else must be
                1..#of frames+1 in the file

        PADSPACE nn    allows you to pick pad space. If not
                creating a file, this number must agree with
                the existing padspace in the file.

                You must also specify SAVEPAD for PADSPACE
                to perform its work

        AUDIOSPACE nn    allows you to pick audio space. If not
                creating a file, this number must agree
                with the existing audiospace in the file

                You must also specify SAVEAUDIO for AUDIOSPACE
                to perform its work

        SKIPPAD        do not save pad data - leave this
                frames pad intact

        SAVEPAD        save the loaded pad data into
                this frame (sizes must match)

        ZEROPAD        clear the pad space of this frame to zeros

        SKIPAUDIO    do not save audio data - leave this
                frames audio intact

        SAVEAUDIO    save the loaded audio data into this
                frame (sizes must match)

        ZEROAUDIO    clear the audio space of this frame to zeros

        KEEPOPEN    keep the file open    SEE NOTE!!!

        CLOSE        close the file and do nothing else

        QUIT        close the file, and quit (unresident)
                the saver and do nothing else

        INTERLEAVED    use "interleaved" format. If this
                word is not present then save noninterleaved.

NOTE:    WHEN YOUR THROUGH WITH A FILE WHICH YOU EXPLICITLY ASKED TO
    ``KEEPOPEN'',  YOU  MUST REMEMBER TO ISSUE A ``CLOSE'', OR RISK THE
    FILE STILL BEING OPEN WHEN YOU REBOOT WITH POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS
    RESULTS