============================================================== Welcome to DigiMate III ----------------------- March 12, 1990 ============================================================== *** User's Manual: Typos, Revisions or Additions *** ============================================================== We recommend that you print this file to your printer. CHIP MEMORY WARNING! ------------------- When DigiMate and DigiPaint are running at the same time, there is CHIP memory demand from both programs: DigiPaint uses two screens requiring Chip memory, and double-buffered animation in DigiMate requires two screens in Chip memory. If you have the more recent 1 MB Chip machines, or if you have upgraded your memory, you should have no problem with Chip constraints, regardless of mode or resolution you choose. However, those with 512 K Chip RAM machines will likely have insufficient Chip memory to perform DigiMate functions in high resolution HAM with DigiPaint running. Sometimes, insufficient Chip memory will be signalled with a warning. However, it is possible that a demand for Chip is not caught by the software. In this case, the system will crash. THERE ARE SOME CASES WHEN YOU TRY TO INVOKE AN ACTION, AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THIS ALSO IS A LOW-CHIP SITUATION, USUALLY RESULTING FROM FRAGMENTED MEMORY. A RE-BOOT TO FORCE CONSOLIDATION WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET AROUND THIS. WE ARE WORKING ON NICER SOLUTIONS - TAKE HEART! We have taken steps to economize on RAM, to try to alleviate these problems. In particular: * When you run DigiMate first, then followed by DigiPaint, then DigiMate will shut down the Workbench screen to conserve Chip memory. Of course, if you try to access the Workbench, it will be re-opened, thus taking Chip memory. * 'TinyDigiMate' provides all the functions of DigiMate, but operates from a window on the Workbench screen. This conserves a considerable amount of Chip, since the regular DigiMate interface requires a considerable amount of Chip. We recommend that you use 'TinyDigiMate' exclusively, once you have covered the DigiMate tutorials and you have gained sufficient familiarity with DigiMate. TINYDIGIMATE ------------ TinyDigiMate has been created since the manual was printed to help alleviate the memory situation. It has all the main functions for interaction with DigiPaint, but opens itself on the Workbench screen, which helps save a LOT of Chip RAM. PLEASE NOTE: The DigiPics Window is NOT active within TinyDigiMate. Since the functions of Image/ANIM processing which DigiPics provides do not require DigiPaint, it is safe to use the regular DigiMate interface when these functions are desired. TinyDigiMate Documentation: -------------------------- The gadgets "Open_ANIM", "Close_ANIM", "Add_Frame", "Show_ANIM", "Play_ANIM", "PLay_Loop", and "Quit" are exactly the same as the corresponding gadgets in DigiMate, so they require no added information here. GO_PAINT: This gadget provides the front-to-back gadget functionality for interaction with DigiPaint. TRANSITION ---------- This gadget allows access to the eight built-in transitions. The operation differs significantly from DigiMate, so PLEASE TAKE NOTE!: 1. Press LEFT BUTTON with pointer over this gadget: Allows you to enter the dimensions of the images being used for the transition. 2. Press RIGHT BUTTON with pointer over this gadget: A Pop-up appears, listing the eight transitions. Select one with the left button. Remember: For any transition to work properly, enter the dimensions first, then select the transition. NOTE: When using TinyDigiMate with DigiPaint, sometimes you may "lose" TinyDigiMate in the front-to-back interaction. Using Left Amiga-N or M will usually get you to where you want. NOTE: If nothing happens when you click on something, it may be because your window is not "active". REMEMBER TO ACTIVATE A WINDOW BY CLICKING WITHIN IT! Changes to the Manual Since Printing ------------------------------------ NOTE CHANGE IN STARTUP PROCEDURE!!! There is no longer a Startup gadget, as described in the manual. Simply click on the DigiMate icon to start. This action will take care of loading T.A.S.S., then DigiMate. PAGE 15: ------- The ability to interactively edit Help files from within DigiMate has been de-activated. The last paragraph WILL NOT WORK - don't try it. However, it is possible to edit Help text by simply editing the appropriate files within DigiMate:Tass/Help. It is also possible to easily edit multiple Help files within DigiMate using DirTool - see the T.A.S.S. section. PAGE 18: ------- The position 70x/130y was missed! (bottom of the page) PAGE 20: ------- ShowANIM will do nothing, if : 1. You do not have it, or 2. Not enough Chip PAGE 32: ------- The automatic numbering now goes "000000", "000001", .... (We are getting ready for larger storage devices!) PAGE 34: ------- "ConvertBlackAndWhite4" will appear as simply "ConvertBlackAndWhite", within the program. ALSO: There are options to convert a HAM ANIM to lo-res (half-brite, 5 plane, 4 plane, etc). These options are not mentioned in the manual - try them! PAGE 38: ------- Dog0000 will now be Dog000000, Dog0001 will be Dog000001. PAGE 45 Onwards: --------------- SELECTIONS will appear as SOURCE, when you run DirTool. SELECTIONS is more meaningful for what this box is - but oh well ... Version will NOT give you TASS and ARexx versions. PAGE 49: ------- ListANIMFile is no longer an available option. PAGE 50: ------- ListD and ListS are not in DirTool - it simply has List, now. SetClock is not in DirTool. DeleteD is not there - Delete will do just fine.