Documentation of rgfx.datatype 43.1 ----------------------------------- Copyright --------- The IFF-RGFX format is copyright by Andreas Kleinert The rgfx.datatype 43.x and the converter DT2RGFX is copyright by Achim Stegemann. This archive is Freeware ! Do with it what you want, as long as you do not remove any files from this archive ! Introduction ------------ With the help of the rgfx.datatype, your datatype sytem is able to read images coded in the new IFF-RGFX-Format created by Andreas Kleinert. A converter called DT2RGFX is included in the C-drawer. Requirements for rgfx.datatype ------------------------------ * OS 3.x * MC68020 or better If you haven't installed picture.datatype 43.x, 24-bit pictures in IFF-RGFX will be refused. No dithering is done yet. If you haven't installed xpkmaster.library 2.x or better, Xpk compressed files will be refused. Requirements for DT2RGFX ------------------------ * OS 3.x * MC68020 or better Additionally recommended: * picture.datatype 43.x (CyberGraphX) if you want to convert 24-bit images. * xpkmaster.library 2.x or better, for Xpk compression. Installation of rgfx.datatype ----------------------------- Simply click on the 'Install' script. Installation of DT2RGFX ----------------------- Just copy it to your C: directory or somewhere else in your path. The DT2RGFX Utility ------------------- With this utility, you can convert any image you have a datatype for, to the new IFF-RGFX format. It is CLI-only !! Template: DT2RGFX FROM/A,TO/A,XPK/K,PLANAR/S,VERBOSE/S FROM: The filename of the source image. TO: The destination filename. XPK: The ID of an XPK-Packer. For example XPK NUKE. The picture will only compressed when you specify a packer !! MODE: The compression value. Default is 100 (best compression) PLANAR: Save the picture in planar mode. Default is chunky mode. 24-Bit images will always be saved in chunky mode !! VERBOSE: Verbose mode. Print some information while converting. Bugs and Known Problems ----------------------- As this is the first release of a third party user supporting the IFF-RGFX format, both utils may contain bugs. The rgfx.datatype and the converter were tested successfully with all kinds of pictures and compression types. Even with no CyberGraphX being installed (39.x or 40.x), the datatype and the converter worked without any problems. As old EHB pictures are no more used, I couldn't verify this, although it should work. There are some corrupt pixels when handling HAM pictures in planar mode with Xpk compression. I don't know whether this bug comes from the converter or the datatype, because normal AGA pictures are handled correct ! Future ------ That depends on how Amiga users accept the new graphic file format ! I myself liked it from the very first moment, because the ILBM format is neither able to produce good compressed files, nor it can handle all those different screen types that exist today. I'm still looking for a dither-algorithm. GIVE IFF-RGFX A CHANCE AND SUPPORT IT AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN !! Currently (as much as I know), the IFF-RGFX format is supported in: * SViewNG V7.30+ from Andreas Kleinert * Digital Almanac V39.9+ from myself. Credits ------- Andreas Kleinert for his support with IFF-RGFX. History ------- 03-Dec-97 V43.0 * First public release. 04-Dec-97 V43.1 * Improved planar handling in the converter and the datatype. * Datatype has now full error handling. Author ------ Feel free to contact me. Comments, critics, supports, bug reports are welcome ! Name: Achim Stegemann Email: astegema@ix.urz.uni-heidelberg.de Internet: http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~astegema/projects.html#rgfx If you have question about the IFF-RGFX format, contact Andreas Kleinert. Email: Andreas_Kleinert@t-online.de Aminet: dev/misc/IFF-RGFX.lha Help me ------- Who is willing to send me some fast dither algorithms to produce Floyd-Steinberg, Ordered and HAM dithering ? Internet: http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/~astegema/projects.html#support