@DATABASE IFF2AcE
@MASTER IFF2AcE.doc
@NODE MAIN IFF2AcE

			 IFF2AcE Beta Release
			      July 1995
				 by
			   Sean J. Miller

		      @{"  I.  INTRODUCTION       " LINK INTRODUCTION}
		      @{" II.  USAGE              " LINK USAGE}
		      @{"III.  GADGET DESCRIPTIONS" LINK GADGETS}
		      @{" IV.  SPRITES AND IMAGES " LINK SNI}
		      @{"  V.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS   " LINK ACKS}
		      @{" VI.  LAST WORDS         " LINK LAST}

@ENDNODE MAIN

@NODE INTRODUCTION "INTRODUCTION"
  I.  INTRODUCTION
    Converts IFF pictures to @{"sprite or image" LINK SNI} data.  Allows the user to
set the number of @{"tabs and spaces" LINK GADGETS 33} before each code line generated as
well as the number of @{"data elements per line" LINK GADGETS 29}.  It also can make @{"RAW" LINK GADGETS 14} binary
data files for easy loading from a main program.  It also can generate
a full @{"example" LINK GADGETS 46} ready to be compiled by ACE and executed.
    This is the Beta release for testing other machines.  Has only
been tested on an A500 with 1 M chip RAM and 1 1/2 M fast RAM.	Plan to
add C code generation in the future.  Extra-halfbrite & HAM have not
been tested and probably will have strange results.
@ENDNODE

@NODE USAGE "USAGE"
 II.  USAGE
    First, copy the fonts in the FONTS directory included in
this archive to your FONTS: directory.	You may delete the
given fonts after doing so, of course.
    To start, type 'IFF2AcE' from the shell while in the directory
you have placed IFF2AcE.  You can alternatively double click on its icon
to start.
@ENDNODE


@NODE GADGETS "GADGET DESCRIPTIONS"
III.  GADGET DESCRIPTIONS
   New- 	      allows you to select the file to convert.

   Rename-	      after selecting a file with the 'NEW' button,
		      you may rename the source code file to be
		      generated.  It defaults to the selected file
		      plus the type of Data selected (see DATA below).

   @{"Data" LINK SNI}-              The data field can be changed by clicking the @
		      symbol next to the current DATA setting.	This
		      will change the data generated between sprite
		      or image data.  Remember, however, sprites can
		      be no greater than 16 in width!

   Source-	      The source field can be changed by clicking the @
		      symbol next to the current SOURCE setting.  This
		      will change the data generated for either ACE,
		      C, or RAW.  ACE is basically BASIC data.	C is
		      for C data.  Last, RAW creates a file which
		      contains the code exactly as it should be read
		      into memory by the DOS library routine READ.

   Comments-	      The comments field can be changed by clicking the @
		      symbol next to the current COMMENTS setting.  This
		      will either be YES or NO.  YES will add comments
		      such as the IFF's height, width, colors, etc. along
		      with the rest of the data.  NO will just generate
		      the source only.

   Elements Per Line- This slider gadget allows one to change the number
		      of data elements per line of code.  This allows
		      code to be generated more to one's personal liking.

   Tabs Before Data-  This slider gadget allows one to change the number
		      of tabs before the code is written on each line.

   Spaces Before Data-This slider gadget allows one to change the number
		      of spaces before the code is written on each line.

   Convert-	      Begins the conversion process.  You should see
		      a window that says 'Decoding the File' and then
		      'Writing the File' shortly afterwards.

   Quit-	      Either aborts the conversion process or quits
		      the program if it isn't converting.

   The untitled button-
		      The remaining button between Quit and Convert
		      is to toggle the creation of a full example.  This
		      will create an example in ACE basic that should
		      be ready to compile with ACE and execute.  It's
		      great if you want fast testing or to see how to
		      display what you have converted.














@ENDNODE


@NODE SNI "SPRITES AND IMAGES"
 IV.  SPRITES AND IMAGES
    To make a sprite, you must be sure that your IFF is no wider
than 16 pixels wide and has 4 colors.  @{"I" link last 9} use FPAINT found on
the Fred Fish disks to create an IFF brush of the appropriate sizes.
Saving the entire screen to an IFF is not accepted since this
will most likely be greater than 16 pixels wide.
    Images can have many data elements.  I recommend using the
RAW setting instead of the IMAGE.  This will make a file containing
the data exactly as it should be loaded into memory to display
it.  Have IFF2AcE make an @{"example" link gadgets 46} for you if you need help with
this programming.
@ENDNODE


@NODE ACKS "ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS"
  V.  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
    As always, thanks to David Benn for his great compiler ACE.
It has breathed much life back into many Amigas.  ACE and many
ACE programs can be found at the following:
    ftp.appcomp.utas.edu.au	      /pub/ACE
@ENDNODE


@NODE LAST "LAST WORDS"
 VI.  LAST WORDS
    If you noticed, this is called the Beta Version.  You guessed it:
this is highly untested.  Please let me know of any bugs or
suggestions you have.  It is very important to the development of
what I hope to be a very good programmer's tool.  Also, I'm open
to tailoring to other's needs, so let me know if you think my @{"GUI" link gadgets}
is troublesome and we'll work together to smooth it.
    Thanks for trying it out!!!!!!

					    Sean J. Miller
					    sjmill01@ukcc.uky.edu














@ENDNODE