DUMP.DOC.... Documentation for RDUMP.LBR and it's files. -------------------------------------------------------- The 'RDUMP.LBR' file contains the following files: DUMP.DOC (This file) PRNDUMP.BAS program to decode an .RLE format file and send to an EPSON FX, SEIKOSHA SP-1000 or 1200 or most any other EPSON-FX 'work-a-like' printer. (Will work on ANY CP/M machine that does not have 'bit-mapped' graphics capability too...) VIDDUMP.BAS program to decode an .RLE format file and send it to the TeleVideo TPC-1 or TS-803 computer's graphics screen. VIDPLOT.ASM The Z-80 source code used for the TeleVideo CRT plot routines in VIDDUMP.BAS.... VIDPLOT.HEX An example of a prepared .HEX code file assembled from VIDPLOT.ASM that was used in VIDDUMP.BAS... RLESTND.TXT A file from CompuServe (the creators of the RLE format) with information/specification and standards under which the .RLE (Run Length Encoded) picture files are encoded/decoded. (After reading this file you will know as much as I do about the 'RLE' format...) filename.RLE A selection of Run Length Encoded pictures of various subjects. These are a drop in the bucket as to what is available. CompuServe has thousands from which to choose and a few RCP/M systems (like the TIME-==-CHANGE MBBS- RCP/M at (213) 329-3922 ) have various selections available. All programs/files (except RLESTND.TXT) written by: Glen D.(Dave) Clifford SysOp, The TIME-==-CHANGE MBBS-RCP/M (213) 516-6648 300/1200 24Hrs. Well here they are! A couple of bare-bone (and I do mean BARE BONE) graphics utility programs for the CP/M enviornment... The main reason for their creation was to develop a utility to allow me to decode and send .RLE formated pictures to the graphics memory on the TeleVideo TPC-1 so I could massacre them with PUDD... What's "PUDD"?? Well if you have a TeleVideo TPC-1 or TS-803/803H computer then you gust gotta get a copy of PUDD! (PUDD = PUblic Domain Draw) If the PUDD.LBR is not available on your local TeleVideo support board then call the TIME-=CHANGE MBBS-RCP/M at (213) 329-3922 and grab it! Now back to the RDUMP files.... The programs PRNDUMP.BAS and VIDDUMP.BAS are self-explanitory and simple to use. PRNDUMP.BAS will decode an .RLE file and send it to your EPSON FX type printer. As written it has been tested on the SEIKOSHA SP-1000 and SP-1200 Epson work-a-likes and I assume will work fine with the others. If your printer is different (like an OKIdata ect.) then you can change the needed codes. You need not have a 'TeleVideo' to use PRNDUMP.BAS.... It will work on any CP/M machine! Only the printer matters.... VIDDUMP.BAS is 'TeleVideo spacific'... The TPC-1 and TS-803/803H ROM based graphics routines are used. VIDDUMP.BAS is nothing more than PRNDUMP.BAS taken a few steps further. NOTE TO PUDD USERS......... Because I wrote it for use with PUDD..... it has one extra command in the MENU.... The "I" for INVERT will generate a 'negative' of the RLE picture so it will be "normal" when printed on paper via PUDD... (REMEMBER that a 'lit' pixel on the CRT is a 'dark' pixel on the paper!!!) HOW TO USE.... First extract/unsqueeze PRNDUMP.BAS and/or VIDDUMP.BAS and a couple of 'filename.RLE' files and place them on a drive with BASIC-80 (MBASIC.COM) version 5.0 or later. Type MBASIC PRNDUMP ...and hit the key... The menu will come up.... press 'D' to decode a file... Enter the name of one of the .RLE files you extracted from the .LBR..... BE SURE YOUR PRINTER IS ON-LINE..... hit the key and go get a cup of coffee as this program being in BASIC and there are some 40+K pixels to plot it will take some time to complete the picture! VIDDUMP.BAS is the same program but will send the pic to the TPC-1 or TS-803's CRT... After VIDDUMP is done it will leave you in GRAPHICS mode... You can "toggle" between GRAPHICS and ALPHANUMERIC (normal) display modes by the CAP-SHIFT and ALT keys (on the TPC-1) or by hitting the MODE key (on the TS-803's)... NOTE to PUDD users... After the pic is completed (VIDDUMP 'beeps' when done) you can 'toggle' back to the ALPHA display mode (CAP-SHIFT / ALT) and hit 'E' to exit to CP/M and bring up PUDD.COM After PUDD has loaded you may hit 'G' graphics mode to display and add to the picture or hit 'F' files and save the picture as a PUDD screen file for future use or 'P' send the picture to the printer ect.... As stated above... These programs are BARE BONED and could stand VAST improvements and additional features! Being BASIC they are S L O W ! You could compile them with BASCOM or write them in ASSEMBLY or TURBO Pascal ect. and gain tons of speed....Be my guest and 'hack' away! They have served my purpose...dump an .RLE file to PUDD... My future "wish-list".... 1- Write a routine to take a screen from the TPC-1 or 803 and generate an .RLE format file. 2- Add menu selections to 'position' the pic on the CRT. (easy to do.. all the code is there and note the 'P5' prameters in the 3- Write a PRNDUMP utility that can be run in WordStar to feed selected pic files to a document being printed with WS...(A poor- man's desk-top publishing for CP/M based machines?? Think about it!) 4- Write versions of VIDDUMP that would support the many other computers and stand-alone terminals (even COLOR) that have 'bit- mapped' display/graphics capability....(My next 'target' machine is the NorthStar ADVANTAGE computer.) CLOSING NOTE... Who said CP/M can't handle graphics! DRI had a package called GSX for both CP/M-80 and CP/M-86. It was a part of the computer's BIOS and (like the TeleVideo TPC-1 and 803's ect.) part of the systems firmware (ROM based routines). The problem was that GSX came late on the CP/M scene and was only supported by a few (i.e. TeleVideo) OEMs. Others (i.e. NorthStar, Osborne ect.) had their own versions of graphics support. As with any other CP/M development/improvements it is up to us USERS to make them a reality. Like CP/M was the first OS that supported so many different hardware configurations, the .RLE format is the first serious attempt that I have seen toward an accepted 'standard' format that allows graphics, digital photographs ect. to be traded from the "mighty MACintosh" to the APPLE to the TIMEX 2068 to the Sinclair QL to the AMIGA to the C-64 and (if your terminal supports 'bit-mapped' displays) CP/M machines! If you happen to make any additional improvements (there is plenty room for them!!!) I would enjoy seeing/hearing about them... Send 'updates' and improved versions to the TIME-==-CHANGE MBBS- RCP/M at (213) 516-6648 for others to share. ....Enjoy!