Documentation of pcd.datatype 44.3
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Introduction
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With the help of the pcd.datatype, your datatype sytem is able to read images
from Photo-CD's.

This datatype is freeware and can be used for any purpose.


Minumum requirements for pcd.datatype
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* OS 3.5
* A mounted PIPE: handler !!
* ixemul.library V39.
* Lots of stack for the decode tool !!!


Minumum requirements for PCDPrefs
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* OS 3.5
* MUI 3.8


Installation
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Simply click on the 'Install' script.
As the pcd.datatype needs an external decoder, you must select a directory that
is in your path to store the decoder !
The installer will not check your configuration !
You MUST store the decoder 'pcdtoppm' somewhere in your path, otherwise the datatype
will hang up in an endless loop !!


How does the pcd.datatype work ?
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The pcd.datatype is to small to be a standalone decoder.
Whenever the superclass detects a PCD image, it opens the pcd.datatype.
This launches the external PCD decoder 'pcdtoppm', which redirects its output
to the PIPE-handler. The datatype simply reads the decoded RGB values from the
PIPE handler and stores them in the bitmap.


Preferences
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Resolution:
The PCD decoder is able to decompress a PCD image to different resolutions.
The default is 768*512.
The two highest resolutions don't make much sense as you need a fast CPU
and lots of memory !

Currently I only support MUI for the preferences.
If you don't have MUI, you also can adjust the preferences very easy.
The ENV-variable 'DataTypes/pcd.prefs' contains the parameter as a DOS-argument
with the template 'RESOLUTION/A/N'.
You can change the settings anytime either by using the 'SetEnv'-command or by
using a text editor.


History
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13-Nov-99  V44.0
   * First public release.

22-Jan-00  V44.1
   * Recompiled with StormC.

27-Feb-00  V44.2
   * Fixed a bug in the prefs proggy. Image size handling didn't work in datatype and
     prefs tool.

18-Jul-01 V44.3
   * Cleaned up ramlib-stuff (thx to Oliver Roberts)


Author
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Feel free to contact me for comments, critics or bug reports !

Name:     Achim Stegemann
Email:    achimste@gmx.de
Internet: http://soft-ware.de/dalmanac