IMG INDX copyright 1989 Chet Walters IMG INDX is in the public domain and can be distributed freely so long as this document accompanies the program file. UPDATE INFO 11/15/89 Since there are several bad IMG's out there floating around and since the GDOS printer drivers require much babysitting so that they don't crash when they encounter one, both IMG CAT and IMG INDX have undergone some changes to allow for the wimpy drivers. Here's what IMG INDX can do to help you weed out the BAD IMG files from your library. When you click on INDEX, you will be asked if you want to just CHECK for bad files, or INDEX as usual. Subsequently, when searching the drives, if IMG INDX encounters an IMG file whose header simply makes no sense at all, it will flag that file and note it on the screen. At the end of each run, if you are INDEXing, IMG INDX will print your normal list of IMG files in two columns but will print suspected bad IMG's with lowercase letters and negative values for the sizes. If you are simply CHECKING, then you will be asked if you want to print a list of the bad ones found if any. It is recommended that you remove any IMG files that are suspect from your library, segregating them into one path and then try to salvage them by loading them into Touch Up, MVG or SuperCharger and re-saving them. This 'fix' is not guaranteed to weed out ALL bad IMG files since we only check the headers, but it sure helps. See the IMG CAT dox at the end for more info. IMG INDX was designed to work in conjunction with IMG CAT to provide an index page (or pages) for the graphics printouts obtained with IMG CAT. The index is a quick reference sheet which lets you locate images by name quickly. In addition to the name of each IMG found in the path chosen, the pixel width and height of each image is shown along with the actual printed size of the image in centimeters or inches according to the printer resolution you have set. Print an index of each path you have catalogued with IMG CAT and place the index as a preface to the catalogue in your ring binder. IMG INDX does not require GDOS nor any special drivers. It performs its duties with an ASCII output to the printer so it should work with all configurations of printers. The first time you run IMG INDX you should set the SCALE buttons to the resolution of your printer according to the following: 120/72 = 9 pin printers in draft mode 120/144 = 9 pin printers in normal mode 180/180 = 24 pin printers in normal mode 300/300 = laser printers in high resolution 150/150 = laser printers in draft mode Next, hold the shift key and click on the desired measurement system of either INCHES or CENTIMETERS. You will be asked if you wish to save the printer config. Do so. These settings will then be the defaults next time you run IMG INDX saving you the trouble of always having to set it up the way you like it. These are the important settings in that they effect the final data of the index. The actual final print size in inches or centimeters of each image is indexed according to the above settings. INDEX ONLY A PATH IMG INDX prints a list of IMG files in columnar form sorted alphabetically. The delimiter for each list is the path in which the image files reside. To index a single path only, highlight the INDEX PATH button (always the default when the program is run) then click on the INDEX button or press . The fileselector will appear for you to choose the path to print. Select the desired directory and click on the OK button or press . Here, please note: though IMG INDX ignores anything that might appear on the 'Selection:' line of the FSEL, it is important that something be there. IMG INDX sends the name "*.IMG" each time the FSEL is called. Don't clear the line or edit it. Just select with the mouse the desired directory and click on OK. INDEX ONE to SIXTEEN entire drives or partitions IMG INDX can also print all directories found on selected drives. Click on the INDEX DRIVE(s) button and a selectable button will appear for every drive that is currently recognized by GEM DOS. Select or De- select the desired drives by clicking on its respective button (unavailable drives are shaded). Once you're satisfied, click on the INDEX button and IMG INDX will proceed to scour all selected drives and the directories thereon for IMG files. Those it finds, it will sort and print without any further ado. Here, you may only wish to index Drive A and B so select only A and B, insert the desired disks and click on INDEX. Once the print run is done, insert two more disks and click on INDEX again. Continue the process until you've indexed your entire floppy library of images! THE ALL IMPORTANT FF button There are two types of formatting available for the INDEX and this choice is toggled by the FF button (FF meaning Form Feed). IMG INDX can print up to 500 image names and sizes per directory. Of course, paper is only so big so each page will fit only 110 image names. The FF button will affect the printout in the following manner: If the FF button is darkened (default), IMG INDX will print a header for each path, squeeze up to 55 names in the first column then put any remaining names (up to 55) in the second column on each page. Once those are printed paper is advanced to the second page and the process is repeated until all images of a single path are printed at which time the paper is advanced to the next page and printing begins with the next directory. (Note, if there are only one or two images in several paths, this can eat up paper rather quickly.) When the FF button is active, before each print run you'll be asked to ensure that your paper is set to top of form so the subsequent pages will print correctly. It's a good idea to shut off your printer and set the first page about 1/4 inch into the paper and turn on your printer. This gets TOF to the proper setting. If you plan to print several indexes and don't wish to confirm TOF each and every time, click on the DON'T ASK button and the confirm alert will never again appear during that session with IMG INDX making it your responsibility to remember that TOF should be set before printing the first page in a series. If the FF button is light (de-selected) then IMG INDX assumes that your paper is of infinite length (or at least long enough to print 250 names per column). The columns are then formatted according to the number of images found in the path being printed and each is balanced with the other. If there are only 20 images, then each column will contain 10 images and after the print the paper is _NOT_ advanced to the next page. Printing of subsequent paths will begin where the last left off though a header is printed for each path. This is a good way to index a set of floppies which contain only a few images each while keeping the process from eating up lots and lots of paper. Just print a few and when you start getting close to the end of the page, advance the paper manually to the next page for the next disk. If you wish, you can set the skip over perf switch on your printer to avoid printing on the perf (this is almost mandatory for folks who own an HP DeskJet printer). IMPORTANT NOTE: Once any of the above processes are underway, you can ABORT the procedure by pressing the SPACE KEY anytime. This is especially useful if you've set up to dump your entire harddrive and your printer runs out of paper! The Advertisement section.... As mentioned, this is a companion program for IMG CAT though it's a useful little critter all on its own. If you don't know what IMG CAT is, IMG CAT is also an IMG "indexer" but it accomplishes the task by printing an actual graphic representation of each image found in a selected path. With the advent of Touch Up, scanners, Dr. Bob's MVG and the like, many folks have opted to store their bit graphics in DRI IMG format. This is nice. It makes it possible to store graphics in compressed form and let's one work with images larger than the actual display screen. Ideal for DTP applications. However, up 'til now, there has been a real vacuum in the Atari community. That is, a way to effectively catalogue and easily reference those very bit images. There are currently no real slide shows which will let you quickly page through a set of IMG's so you know what's there (though Dr. Bob's MVG comes real close with it's QWIKKIES feature). It was really up to your failing memory (grey type) to know whether that XMAS01.IMG file was the one of the wreath or the one of the Christmas tree ... or was it the one of the Courier and Ives winter scene that you liked so well??? Yeah, yeah, I know, you have it all printed out with IMG INDX, but, geez, here it says WINTER01.IMG but which one? I had three... Was this the sleigh? Or the mountain? or ??? A picture is worth a thousand words they say.... Well, wonder no more. IMG CAT to the rescue. Before IMG CAT, if you wanted a hardcopy of a set of IMG files, you were forced to drag out Easy Draw, PageStream, Calamus or other DTP packages and laboriously lay out a page of IMG's, name them, title them and then print them. A tough and time consuming job. After you finished the job, you were likely pretty sick of DTP for a while anyway. No longer! IMG CAT will print in various configurations page after page of IMG files nicely laid out in alphabetical order with sizes and names ready for your perusal. Next time you're stuck for a nice graphic to go with that newsletter article about Christmas, just pull out your catalogue and look under 'W' for winter. Since you can put up to 15 images per page, you might even find one that suit's your needs better than the one you were looking for in the first place. And it's all without any hard work on your part. Just run IMG CAT, smack the return key, select a path, and smack the return key again. While your catalogue prints, you're free to pursue other interests.... (a candlelight dinner with that 'special someone' perhaps....) A demo version of IMG CAT is available on GEnie in the ST GRAPHICS library as file #12209 (IMG_CATF.ARC) or can be found on CHQ BBS at (216) 758-0284. There is a discussion topic on GEnie dedicated to IMG CAT in Category 7 Topic 13. Join us! Oh, and lest we forget, a fully implemented working version of IMG CAT can be had for a mere $10 donation to: Chet Walters PO Box 45 Girard, OH 44420 ......................ENJOY!