*** This prog must be run in LOW resolution *** CYBERNETICS present: SYNTHETIC ARTS V2.025 This program was intended in the first instance as a commercial product but having regard to the current quality of the products in the public domain like NEOCHROME MASTER we have decided to distribute it freely until it is 100% usable. This explains its imperfections which need to be corrected in the course of future revisions. If you meet problems or bugs your comments or suggestions should be sent to:- THE CYBERNETICS BP 247 25016 BESANCON CEDEX FRANCE OPERATING METHOD ---------------- The general concept of Synthetic Arts resembles Neochrome, the screen is divided into two parts: the drawing sheet and the set of icons.One may change over to full screen by clicking on the appropriate icon with the left mouse button. After this, each time that you move to the upper half of the screen to continue drawing the full screen will be activated. To return from the full screen to the icon display use the TAB key. While you are not in full screen mode, a dynamic zoom rectangle will be shown plus the coordinates of the cursor, the name of the picture and the name of the selected tool in place of the main icon panel. THE MAIN ICON PANEL ------------------- The icons shown between the PENCIL and TEXT and between AutoENTOURAGE and AutoDEGRADE are the iconsfor selection of tools. The parameter table for each tool will appear below the main panel after its selection. Note that for the tools RECTANGLE, CIRCLE, ELLIPSE and POLYGON :- Clicking on the left button activates them in line mode Clicking on the right button activates them in fill mode (in this case a small LED will appear on the chosen icon) Clicking on the eraser icon with the right button does not select this tool but CLEARS THE SCREEN. If the fill is activethen the whole screen is cleared, otherwise only the image shown on the half screen is wiped clean. The icons shown between the disc and the mouse give access to various functions of the program:- - disc access -full screen -scrolling of the image -paintbrush selection -fill pattern (trame) editor -screen management -mouse parameters (not available in this version of the program) There are then the six icons for screen selection.Lastly the icon to bring up the OPTIONS. ----------------- DESCRIPTION OF TOOLS THE PENCIL This gives freehand drawing. Drawing with the left mouse button depressed gives a line in the colour selected from the colour palette. Drawing with the right mouse button depressed gives drawing with the palette colour using the arrow shape "<". THE LAYING OF LINES The parameters permit the selection of the end points and the thickness of the first line. The other two lines may be redefined by clicking on them with the right mouse button which opens an editor for the line; one may not however define the line thickness. Once defined, one may select one of the three lines by clicking on it with the left mouse button. To lay down a line select one end with the left mouse button and, holding the button down, move the pointer to the point required for the other end of the line. If the first chosen end point is not satisfactory press the other button while keeping the first depressed (note that in contrast to Neochrome this does not activate UNDO). If the line drawn is released with the left click then the line will be drawn as selected on the table of parameters. If it is released with the right button then the line will be drawn with the colour shade between the two arrows on the pallette "<" & ">" (in this mode, the type of line is not taken into account). THE FILL ICON You may choose between a SOLID fill (the default) or one of the twelve redefineable fill patterns. In monochrome mode the program sets the background of the pattern selected , you may then choose the tone from the pallette. In colour mode the fill patterns may be multicoloured. These are preset and one may not choose the colour A rectangle containing the selected fill pattern shows that which will be used. A click on this rectangle gives a "Flip" between the SOLID fill and the PATTERNED fill. During drawing (? of the fill?) the action of the either mouse button permits drawing with the cursor in the colour indicated by the cursor or the colour indicated by the arrow "<" (in the same way as for the PENCIL). Editing of fill patterns is done via an editor described later. BLOCK FUNCTIONS The table of parameters gives access to :- Placing the block on the image REPLACE - TRANSPARENT - UNDER Selection of method of taking the block BLOCK - CUT Selection of mode Cut/paste or Copy CUT/PASTE - COPY Loading and Saving blocks LOAD - SAVE Distorting a block DEFORME This option gives you a screen showing the block with a menu at the foot of the screen showing the options available. You may leave this menu by clicking on the block.Having effected the alteration you may confirm it with the left mouse button or abort it with the right button. Note that when using rotation you may interrupt the operation by pressing a key. For changed shapes using SIN x and SIN y, one adjusts the ?frequency?, the size and the starting point by pressing the right button. To change the shape the left button is used. To ZOOM, the dimensions of the changed block and thus the proportionate height and width so as to maintain the correct proportions The RESIZING of the block avoids the possible outline in colour of the base of the block. The size of the block is shown bottom left of the table. You may select a block on the screen either in BLOCK mode or in CUTTER mode: this selection is made by pressing and holding down the left mouse button (you may delete in the same way as for lines). The BLOCK is copied or cut according to the mode in use and is held in memory. You may move the block my clicking on it with the left button and moving the mouse. During this movement pressing the ALTERNATE key deletes the boundary line of the block. You may paste the block on the image as many times as you wish by clicking on the spot with both buttons. You may paste the block closing it at the same time by clicking beside it with the left button. You may close it without pasting it by clicking beside it with the right mouse button. You should note that in these last two cases the block is closed but remains in memory: You may reopen it at any point by clicking on the right mouse button. If you change the drawing tool without closing the block, it remains open and will reappear in the same position when BLOCK is reselected. In the same way a block remains open when you change screens: this allows you to use particular screens to hold your blocks (?as a paper weight for?). UNDO closes the block while giving effect to it. Note regarding UNDO: when you paste and close the block the UNDO is reactivated (which is somewhat confusing to begin with). Thus, if you are uncertain which action to take, you are advised to use two steps: close the block with both buttons, then close it by clicking beside it with the right button. (It is a good idea to try this out a few times to become familiar with it). THE STATIC MAGNIFIER As well as the dynamic magnifier like that in Neochrome, Synthetic Arts offers you a static magnifier as in Degas. You put a box on the image over the area to be magnified and click on the left button. At the top of the screen you get a menu with the portion of the image magnified on its left. This menu is changed in version 2.025. A click on this image followed by a right click held down will allow the movement of the magnifier without leaving it. You may come out of the magnifier again by clicking on this image. The colour palette is displayed and allows working colour selection. Clicking on a colour with the left button selects the colour which will be used with the tool selected with the left button (note that this colour will correspond with that in the main icon box). In the same way a right click will select the colour which will be utilised with the right button for the tools of the magnifier (only). As from version 2.025 one may equally take the colour directly on to the drawing by use of the key "<" or ">". The text icons allow the magnifier tools to be selected. The tools work in a similar manner to those on the principal menu except that one may not: choose a type of line, use 'light' lines use the FILL icons. If you press the CAPS LOCK key you will go into a mode in which the cursor within the magnifier is changed to a cross of vertical and horizontal lines. In this mode the coordinates of the cursor in relation to the whole image is displayed at the top right of the menu. The icon 'X':'x' gives access to a cascade menu allowing the choice of magnification for the magnifier.The UNDO function within the magnifier has three levels: an UNDO while you are within the image but outside the magnifier which allows deletion of all the operations done within the magnifier an UNDO while you are in the magnifier which deletes the last operation. CARE is needed if you change the magnification, if you move the magnifier or if you alter the mode GRILLE (grid) this UNDO will ?normalize the settings? (estr‚actualis‚). an UNDO holding down ALTERNATE when leaving the magnifier: this allows you to leave out of account your last actions before you entered the magnifier or your actions since entering the magnifier, when you have moved the magnifier or when you have changed the magnification. TAKE CARE; if you use this option you will be unable to bring back the previous position if you change your mind. THE AIRBRUSH This works in either monochrome or colour. In colour you may select the colours which are sprayed by selection or not on the parameter table. The airbrush may be either round or rectangular. You may set the the size by pressing CAPS LOCK when the airbrush is selected and you are in the drawing area. After setting the size press CAPS LOCK again to exit the setting mode. Note that when the airbrush is working the magnifier is not available. THE PAINT BRUSHES These have a maximum size of 16x16. They may be in colour or monochrome. This works in the same way as the backgrounds. The brush editor is described below. By pressing ALTERNATE during the drawing one gets the sort of airbrush which NEOCHROME calls NOZZLES. As from version 2.02: selecting the mode "ESTOMPE" you get a type of brush familiar to users of DELUXE PAINT: the brush goes into the mode NOZZLES described above but instead of drawing in a set colour it increases or decreases the colour scale (as already set) at the point where you are drawing. This increase or decrease is limited by the left and right arrows on the colour scale. This mode allows one to easily obtain texture effects such as stone (a few trial runs are advised to really get the hang of this mode). THE RECTANGLE: This may be empty or filled as selected (see icon table). The parameters may then be set from a table of fill parameters or from the lines according to circumstances. It works in the normal manner. An outline may be deleted in the same way as a line. The colours in use (right or left click) work in the same way as the pencil or the fill. In the fill mode the rectangle may be obtained during the drawing by use of the ALTERNATE key. THE CIRCLE This works in the same way as the rectangle except that the outline with ALTERNATE is not available. By pressing CAPS LOCK during the drawing you may set parameters for a segment of the circle: the starting angle is set with the left button and the finishing angle with the right button. You exit this mode by pressing CAPS LOCK. CARE! When using the supplementary parameters you may not delete without using UNDO. THE ELLIPSE: Works exactly like the circle. THE POLYGON: This may be filled or outline like the three previous tools. Mark the corners by clicking with the left button and then the figure will be drawn by a click on the right button. You may abort without using UNDO by pressing a key. THE BEZIER CURVES: The program allows the drawing of Bezier curves through four points. Parameters are set through the same table as the line between points. Set the four points (during this stage you may abort with the right button). Then press and hold down the left button. The point nearest to the cursor may then be moved with the mouse. You may abort by pressing a key. Click on the right button to confirm the curve. TEXT: Parameters may beset for style and size. Note however that that you may not use ITALIC and OUTLINE together. A key depression click is given for each letter entered on the screen. The HELP key gives access to the special characters. Confirm the text entry with ENTER or RETURN. The text may then be moved about on the screen. It may be aborted by clicking the right button. THE ERASER The size may be altered by pressing CAPS LOCK while in the drawing area in the same way as for the air brush. Clicking on the eraser icon with the right button clears the whole screen in full screen mode or just the visible portion in half screen mode. THE AUTO SURROUND This gives a surround to a portion of the image. The thickness of the surround is adjustable. You may also set the sides of the image to surround. You may not however surround a colour by the same colour (to do this you should surround it with another colour and the use the colour change). Nor may the background colour be used for a surround. If it happens that this is selected an alert box will warn you (from version 2.02). From version 2.02 there is also an anti-aliasing (anti crenellation) ability (power adjustable from 1 to 12) accessible from the right button (the left button is reserved for the auto surround). COLOUR REPLACEMENT It is possible to change the colour of (the parts of the image drawn in) a particular colour. To do this click on the pallette box of the colour to be changed and, holding the button down, move the mouse across to the colour to be used for replacement (this is indicated by the cursor of the pallette below the main icon display). This option is not easy to describe and is again best understood by trying it out. AUTOMATIC SHADE GRADUATION - L'AutoDEGRADE: This program allows automatic shade graduation like the SPECTRUM 512 except that you are limited by the pallette which you must manage. It draws an automatic graduation on a defined portion of the screen between the pallette colours indicated by "<" and ">". It is therefore necessary that the colours between the arrows are capable of graduation: for this refer to the section dealing with the pallette parameters. If there are no starting or finishing points which are of the colour of marked by the arrows in the portion of the screen which you have defined, an alert box will warn you and the operation cannot be effected. If the number of starting or finishing points is greater than 3999 then an alert box will warn you and the graduation will be done on a restricted number of points. You may abort the graduation by pressing a key: an alert box will request confirmation (once stopped the graduation may not be restarted). If you have selected the portion of the screen with a left click then the graduation is done on all the points of that portion. If your selection was made with the right button then the graduation is only done for the masked area of the zone i.e. for the points whose colour is different from the base (?background?) colour. ----------------------------------------------- DISC ACCESS Click on the disc icon. There are various options: -delete a file -show space available -open new folder -format: this allows 9 or 10 sectors, 80,81 or 82 tracks, single or double sided. It sets up the directory last and formats from the last track. If you find that you are not formatting the right disc press a key to abort: you may not have lost the whole disc. -rename a file The program allows the loading of images in the following formats: -SRT: Synthetic v1.0 (Medium resolution) -NEO: Neochrome. -RGH: ZZ Rought. -P??: Degas compressed or not, any resolution -KID: (from version 2.025) Fullscreen format FMC Construction Kit. This is an overscan image: palette + 63k image. The image is split over four screens (see Overscan management). If one of the screens is protected you will be asked for a confirmation. You may not do a combined loading with this format. Synthetic Arts program allows the saving of images in the following formats: -BIT: The 32K image from screen RAM. -NEO: Neochrome. -RGH: ZZ Rought. -PI1: Degas non compressed low resolution. -KID: image Fullscreen Construction Kit. By clicking on the appropriate extension you are selecting the format to be used for saving or loading.The available formats are somewhat limited but should be wider in later versions. Clicking on CHARGER (load) with the left button will load the current screen Right clicking on CHARGER activates a sequential loading: -6 ECRS: load the six screens directly accessible from the screen selection icons. If you delete with the object selector, the corresponding screen will not be selected, the program goes on to the next screen. -X ECRS: load X screens starting with the current screen up to the point where you have chosen ANNULE in the object selector or to where there are no more available screens. If a screen is protected (see Screen Management) it is not loaded be a sequential loading. The SAVE option works in the same way as LOAD except that protected screens are also saved by a sequential save. You may select the current screen by clicking on the icons in the main panel as well as from disc management. You return to the main screen by clicking on the main icon panel outside the screen selection icons. ---------------------------------------------- OVERSCAN MANAGEMENT (Available from version 2.025): You will be aware of the method used in demos which allow the pasting of a full screen image as on the Amiga (mode Overscan), which the graphics processor of the ST theoretically does not provide. This option will allow those of you who use "Overscans" to make the understanding of images in this format easier. You will draw your overscan screen by spreading it over four normal screens. By clicking with the left button on the FULL icon you activate the calculation of the overscan screen from the four screens used and then its pasting (which you may leave (?stop?) by hitting the space bar. By clicking the right button on the FULL icon you get the panel which allows you to adjust the four screens among themselves. The left button allows you to move the boundary between the screens. By clicking on the right button held on one of the screens you may move this on by itself. (Care - this setting is reset to zero when loading a KID file). Throughout these operations the boundary lines may be hidden temporarily with the "ALTERNATE" key. The attributes (width - height) of each portion of screen which is to be used on the overscan screen are always given. Hitting the keys 1 2 3 4 allows you to enter the numbers of the screens which are to make up the overscan screen. You may leave the parameter panel by hitting the space bar. Note that the construction of the overscan screen is done from the left edge of screens 1 and 3 and from the top edge of screens 1 and 2. Before using the overscan option you are strongly advised to make several trial runs. ----------------------------------------- SCROLLING THE IMAGE The whole of the image being drawn may be accessed on the half screen. This corresponds to the Neochrome GRAB option except that it is available which ever drawing tool you are using without de-selecting it. If the scroll is selected with the right button there is a movement of 16 pixels. This allows working with backgrounds without problems of vertical scale. The coordinate X of the image in relation to the first line put on the half screen is labelled "BASE X". --------------------------------------------- THE FILL EDITOR AND THE BRUSH EDITOR These are similar and are distinguished by the label PINCEAU" (brush) or "TRAME" (fill). At the bottom left are shown the 12 brushes or fill patterns which are presently available. Select that which you wish to use. Alteration is carried out in the usual way used by many fill editors. You may save and load your fill patterns and brushes. Taking a fill pattern or a brush to the screen is done by PRISE SUR ECRAN: you may take a section of the image as a fill pattern, it will immediately be enlarged and shown at the side of the screen. You may delete it with a right click, the left click accepts it. --------------------------------------------- SCREEN MANAGEMENT The program allows you as many screens as you have memory available for up to 99. However the icon panel only gives six icons for screen selection. The screen management allows you to give a number to each of these six icons. Click on the screen management icon and twelve screens will be shown in reduced size (if you have enough memory). For technical reasons the screens are shown with the palette of the first reduced screen but you may at any time view a screen with its full palette by right clicking. Clicking on a screen with the left button will give its number to one of the six screens on the bottom left. From version 2.02, clicking on the band marked "ECRAN X" below each screen will produce an asterisk and that screen is then protected which means that an attempt to copy or load to that screen will require a confirmation (see 'disc access' and 'screen selection icons'. From version 2.025 an f appears if the screen forms part of an overscan screen (see overscan management). For access to a screen not included in the twelve shown, use the counter opened by the icon 'Ecrans ...'. The icon 'Animer' takes you to a new screen page where you may display your screens in an animation succession forwards or backwards at a predetermined speed. For this there is a path available which fixes the order of screen display. The number of an item in this series may be changed by clicking with the left mouse button and holding it down while moving across. Clicking on an item with the right button displays that screen. The animation will be done for that part of the path contained between the arrows. The arrows may be placed in any position by clicking with the left or right button on the band below the series. This option has been implemented to simplify the task of altering and coupling digital images in real time with digital programs such as VIDI ST. ----------------------------------------- PALETTE PARAMETERS The colour selection strip below the icon panel works in a way somewhat similar to Neochrome. The working colour is selected with the left click. You may move the palette arrows by clicking on them with the right button which moves them along. If you right click on a colour other than the colours enclosed by the arrows you will open the colour parameter panel: the colour for which parameters are to be set is selected with a left click. The arrow operations are available. The shade intensity operation affects the palette between the arrows. The Mem option permits: - putting a palette in memory with a left click - putting a palette in memory with a right click In case of error, an "UNDO" is available by use of the UNDO or SPACE key. The LUM - and LUM + controls allow the increase or reduction of brightness of a colour by acting on its three components. Editing of palettes is also made easier by use of the options ROTATř> ROTATř< ECHANGE INVERSE (from version 2.02). From version 2.025 you may display the drawing as full page to see the result of the palette with the picture. As fromthis version the selected colour appears at the base of the screen: you may thus assess the result obtained. According to the palette available (512 ou 4096), you will have 8 or 16 possible levels of intensity for each component. To leave the parameter mode click outside its panel. -------------------------------- SCREEN SELECTION ICONS Left clicking on these icons will move you from one screen to another. You may pass a screen number directly without going through the screen management by right clicking while the ALT key is pressed: this permits keyboard entry of the screen number.One screen may be rapidly copied to another which enables you to easily keep the various stages of your picture, it is sufficient to right click on the screen to be copied (the icon appears with a red border) and then to click on the destination screen. The copying may be wiped out by clicking outside the screen icons. If a screen is protected a confirmation will be requested. ---------------------------------------------- OPTIONS: Clicking on the right button gives a GEM type menu which provides access to possible accessories. In version 2.02, the option panel has been completely reworked. One may now change the set up during use. A protection of preferences has been provided. You may create files in which are saved -The synchronisation -The BLITTER mode -The EXTENDED PALETTE mode -The set up in use -The format of image files To this you may add various adjustments such as: -The path for animation -The screen configuration (protections) -The background fill -The brushes -The palettes (of all the screens) -The air brush parameters -The parameters for colour replacements -The line parameters If you load a file, only valid options will be loaded. If you wish your preferences to be automatically loaded at program start up you should save your file as "SYNTHY.INF". When you change from the STE pallette mode to the ST(F) palette mode the colours will be converted (from version 2.02) -------------------------------------- MISCELLANEOUS In drawing mode you may freeze the mouse (en abscisse) or reinstate it at any moment by pressing left SHIFT and right SHIFT. You may 'take' a colour on the screen in the same way as may be done with the GRABBER tool under Neochrome by pressing the < or > key while using any tool except the eraser. In full screen the 'A' key (or'a') allows adjustment of the colour being used. You may also select it directly from the keyboard by use of the line of keys between 'ESC' et 'HELP' In full screen you may verify the cursor position by operating the magnification of a section of the screen by use of the control key.You may change to another screen by use of the 1 2 3 4 5 6. keys. UNDO is accessible by the UNDO key and the space bar. Note that in the full screen mode UNDO works on the whole screen whereas it only works on part of the screen in half screen mode: be careful when changing the mode Counters (? of screens ?) under the program does not need a keyboard entry: it is enough to click on the number displayed. The "S" (or s) key saves the picture. It is however necessary that the cursor is on the icon panel and that a file name has been specified before this option may be used. ---------------------- The next version of Synthetic Arts should include a new mouse management section in order to get rid of the twinkling of colours. This progress will also allow the setting of parameters for mouse sensitivity as well as an overscan magnification for the whole screen . ------------------------- I hope that you will make use of this program and that the improvements will give satisfaction. Till we meet again soon with the next version. - CYBERNETICS 1991 - Translation by - Jack Laws IP7 5JR - July 1992