HAMLAB PLUS
Version 2.1.0
October 10, 1992

(c) Copyright 1990-1992 J. E. Hanway
All rights reserved.

IN THIS DOCUMENT:

INTRODUCTION

DOCUMENTATION ROADMAP

DISTRIBUTION

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

SUPPORT INFORMATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

HAMLAB PLUS is an image format conversion utility.  It can read
bit-mapped images in many formats, perform some basic operations on
them, reduce them to a native Amiga display mode, and save them in
Amiga IFF format.  It is intended mainly to read images with more
colors and higher resolution than are displayable on Amigas (JPEG
files and 256 color GIFs, for example) and to reduce the number of
colors in the image until the Amiga can display it, preserving
as much of the original image's quality as possible.

HAMLAB PLUS has many options: for the final format, you can choose
from dozens of combinations of resolution, number of colors, and
other factors, plus you can crop, resize, or adjust the colors of
the image in the process of converting it.

HAMLAB PLUS is modular: it uses separate "filter" programs to read
images, and new filter programs can be added to support other
formats without requiring the main program to be updated.  Similarly,
HAMLAB PLUS can "export" to several formats using similar "exporter"
programs.

HAMLAB PLUS is flexible: it has a full Amiga point-and-click
user interface with an AmigaOS Release 2 look and feel, plus
it can be run in a simple batch mode from the command line, and
it has a powerful AREXX command set.

Finally, HAMLAB PLUS is extremely configurable: you can configure it
to start up with your preferred settings, plus you can tailor its
operation so that it utilizes as much or as little of your
system's RAM and disk space as you wish.


DOCUMENTATION ROADMAP

The HAMLAB PLUS documentation is supplied on disk in plain text,
formatted for 70 columns, with form feeds between sections.  When
making a hard copy, I recommend allowing a 1 inch left margin (10
columns in pica) for punching holes to insert into a binder.

The topics are organized as follows:

intro.doc       Introduction, roadmap, legalese
                acknowledgements

userman.doc     Quick start, setup, operation

cmd-ref.doc     AREXX / config file command reference.

filt-ref.doc    Filter and exporter reference.

relnotes.doc    Release notes

DISTRIBUTION

HAMLAB PLUS is copyrighted.  It is not in the public domain, nor is
it freeware.  Distribution is permitted only under the following
conditions:

1) Only versions designated as DEMO versions by the author may be
freely distributed.  The unrestricted version is intended for
use by registered users only, and may not be redistributed.

2) DEMO versions must be distributed only in complete, unmodified
form.  As long as the contents of a DEMO version archive are
unchanged, the archive may be converted to any common archive format.
For disk-based distributions only, the contents of the archive may be
extracted into a directory separate from other disk contents.

Permission is explicitly granted to include DEMO versions of HAMLAB
PLUS in the Fred Fish disk library, on any medium.

The author reserves the right to change the distribution terms of
future versions at any time.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

To obtain the registered version of HAMLAB PLUS, send the
registration fee to:

Ed Hanway
149 Arborwood Crescent
Rochester, NY 14615-3849 USA

The registration fee is $25 (US), discounted to $20 until January 1,
1993.  If registering from overseas, please include appropriate
additional funds to cover costs of mailing a disk.

All registrations must be in US funds payable through a US bank.
The following forms of payment are acceptable:

  U.S.A.        recommended: Personal check or money order

  Canada        recommended: Canadian postal money order in US dollars

                acceptable:  Bank check payable through a US branch in
                             US dollars

  Elsewhere     recommended: Bank check payable through a US bank in
                             US dollars

                at your own risk: US currency

SUPPORT INFORMATION

HAMLAB PLUS support is available on the Chromaticity BBS (Rochester,
New York):

        Chromaticity
        Amiga Graphics / Tech / HamLab Support
        +1 716 647 6396
        24hrs 1200-14400 bps
        Dual Standard HST/V.32bis

A closed conference and file area are available on the BBS where
registered users may obtain updates.  In addition, the latest demo
version, as well as any freely distributable filters may also be
downloaded from the open areas of the BBS.

The author can also be reached at the following email addresses:

BIX:            jehanway (1-2 day turnaround)
GEnie:          JEHANWAY (2-3 WEEK turnaround)
Internet:       jeh@raster.kodak.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PCHG format developed by Sebastiano Vigna.

AmigaDOS pattern matching code by Dave Haynie.

JPEG support based on work by the Independent JPEG Group.

Thanks to Ed Dukeshire for suggesting something as simple and
obvious as adding "Plus" to the name.

Thanks to everyone who helped with debugging and beta testing.